Changing Timing belt this week, any tips? Topic is solved

Post by **Blacklab467** » 03 Sep 2021, 17:50

I've recieved my FCP order today and watched a bunch of videos on changing the timing belt, pulleys and water pump. I am wondering if one should remove the crank pulley or not? It seems some people do and some don't. I really want to make sure that I can ascertain that nothing moves when I change it and will mark everything and take lots of pictures along the way.
Also would it be worthwhile to make sure the CVVT hubs were set up correctly on the last timing belt change? The CEL light has been on pretty much continually since I owned the car and I plan to clean and test those solenoids at some point. I really don't want to be posting a thread "timing belt change and now car won't start" next week.
Any advise would be appreciated! Thanks.

Post by **vtl** » 03 Sep 2021, 17:56

Read the errors with DiCE/VIDA and post them here.

Remove the aux belt pulley. Air or electric impact wrench would do the large nut w/o need for counterlock. Mark every pulley + belt in a couple of spots with white corrector fluid or something alike, remove the belt, replace the water pump, transfer marks from old belt to new, install it. Use large paper clips to hold belt in place on camshaft pulleys while you're working in crankshaft pulley area.

Post by **jonesg** » 03 Sep 2021, 18:51

Blacklab467 wrote: ↑03 Sep 2021, 17:50 I've recieved my FCP order today and watched a bunch of videos on changing the timing belt, pulleys and water pump. I am wondering if one should remove the crank pulley or not? It seems some people do and some don't. I really want to make sure that I can ascertain that nothing moves when I change it and will mark everything and take lots of pictures along the way.
Also would it be worthwhile to make sure the CVVT hubs were set up correctly on the last timing belt change? The CEL light has been on pretty much continually since I owned the car and I plan to clean and test those solenoids at some point. I really don't want to be posting a thread "timing belt change and now car won't start" next week.
Any advise would be appreciated! Thanks.

Remove the dust guard beneath the crank pulley, the geared pulley itself can remain in place, diesel models require removal of the pulley but gas models are fine leaving it in place. It sounds more complicated than it is.

Post by **cn90** » 03 Sep 2021, 20:02

I wrote a very detailed DIY in XC90 forum.

Post by **famfeld** » 04 Sep 2021, 05:12

Lots of light. I use a "miner style" headlight as well as a mechanic separate light. Remove coolant bottle definitely. Crank pulley is not hard to remove and as said above it may not be necessary unless you need to get to the seal behind it
Also I use whiteout or white paint marker to make the timing marks more visible
Good luck
Feld

darylrobert · Post by **darylrobert** » 04 Sep 2021, 06:46

leave the crank pulley and big nut alone, remove the front engine mount (two bolts) and torque mount and raise the engine, this will give you some extra room to do the water pump. Check the VVts for play, especially wobble at fully counter-clockwise is a common failure a volvo tech told me.

Post by **Blacklab467** » 10 Sep 2021, 20:48

Just got done doing the timing belt, water pump and idlers and a new serpentine belt. No surprises, I followed the A-1 Auto and FCP Euro videos, I did not remove the crank pulley and had no trouble getting the belt behind the pulley, took about 3 minutes. The only trouble I had was that my car has a T-50 torx for the serpentine belt tensioner instead of a 14mm which makes it a bit of a chore for one person to get that belt on. My T-50 socket was too long to get a ratchet on so I had to turn it with a 9mm wrench but it wasn't a big deal.
I marked all the notches with white paint as seen in the pictures. A big help for confidence is shown in one of the pictures; I marked the position of the old belt with paint and held it over the new one to ensure that the cam positioning was correct.
Finally I flushed the coolant system and refilled with the Blue Volvo coolant at 50/50.
The whole job took 3 1/2 hours working slowly and not drinking beer. Skill level: easy to moderate.

Post by **vtl** » 10 Sep 2021, 20:56

Not drinking beer? What's the point? =)

Post by **Blacklab467** » 10 Sep 2021, 21:20

I know! I really wanted to concentrate on getting the timing marks lined up and getting the timing belt tensioner set up properly. After I did the "smoke test" and it ran fine I cracked open a beer while finishing the final assembly.

Sufbug · Post by **Sufbug** » 10 Oct 2021, 15:45

jonesg wrote: ↑03 Sep 2021, 18:51
Blacklab467 wrote: ↑03 Sep 2021, 17:50 I've recieved my FCP order today and watched a bunch of videos on changing the timing belt, pulleys and water pump. I am wondering if one should remove the crank pulley or not? It seems some people do and some don't. I really want to make sure that I can ascertain that nothing moves when I change it and will mark everything and take lots of pictures along the way.
Also would it be worthwhile to make sure the CVVT hubs were set up correctly on the last timing belt change? The CEL light has been on pretty much continually since I owned the car and I plan to clean and test those solenoids at some point. I really don't want to be posting a thread "timing belt change and now car won't start" next week.
Any advise would be appreciated! Thanks.
Remove the dust guard beneath the crank pulley, the geared pulley itself can remain in place, diesel models require removal of the pulley but gas models are fine leaving it in place. It sounds more complicated than it is.

YUP! remove that dustguard and the belt will go on.
I had to wiggle it around a plastic piece too, but that was kinda loose already. The pic is of the metal piece.