Question on mechanical timing belt tensioner

[amblerman]

Hello folks,

I am a new volvo owner (1999 s70 110K) and thanks to this site (and others) I recently completed a timing belt job.
So first off, thanks to everyone who posted how to guides out there.

My s70 has the mechanical tensioner (as opposed to the earlier hydraulic one). Based on information I found, I believe I did adjust it properly. It was tricky to understand how that is done initially but once I got everything installed and re-read the instructions, it seemed to go fine.

However, that adjustment process led me to a question.

I adjusted mine in a driveway where the outside temperature was around 38 F and the engine was cold. The directions showed somewhat vague positions for cold, warm and hot ambient temperatures. I adjusted my adjuster to approximately 1/2 between cold and warm .

Is this something that should be re-adjusted after the belt had a chance to break in? Is it something you should check once in a while? When the weather gets warm, should I go in and make sure it's still approximately correct? I realize that the adjuster isn't a precise instrument and has to be built with some allowance for temperature and other variances (mechanic's judgement on how where to initially adjust it, etc).

I just didn't know if this is something to re-adjust after a period of time or miles.

Thanks for any information you can provide.

AmblerMan

[Ozark Lee]

It usually takes me two or three iterations to get it properly set the first time since it seems to move significantly once the car is started but after that I have not had to further adjust them. It is one of those things that it wouldn't hurt to take a peek at it every other oil change or something since it is easy to remove the cover and look but it usually doesn't change much and I wouldn't lose any sleep over it.

...Lee

[abscate]

I think Mike will chime in here but basically the mechanical tensioner isn't that sensitive

[amblerman]

Thanks for the info.

I suspect that I will re-inspect it in a month since it isn't that big of a deal.

Andy

[amblerman]

Here's an update on this thread.

As mentioned at the beginning of this thread, i changed my timing belt when it was relatively cold out. Because of this, I adjusted the tensioner just a bit left of center (towards the cold side).

Recently there was a stretch of weather that was in the low 60s and I pulled my timing belt cover off to check the tensioner position. It was directly in the middle of the adjustment range. I don't know if the movement of the adjuster was due to the temperature change, the belt breaking in or a combination of the two. However, I was happy to see the adjuster in the middle of the range on a 60 degree day.

-A

[abscate]

Great

That can't be Ambler PA off 309 can it? One of my favorite car friends lives in Ambler - I usually stay with him when Im in town. LBC buff