This is an article type of post... and I hope it is welcome here.. Just wanna share some insights I got from my friends and surfing on the internet..

The timing belt installed on every Volvo makes the engine system operate as one well-oiled whole. It connects the moving components of the Volvo engine. And, because these parts are by design moving independently from one another, the Volvo timing belt regulates their movement and synchronizes them toward engine efficiency. Apart from the engine system, a similar Volvo belt is also used in the car assemblies that utilize a pump, such as on the water pump in the cooling system and the fuel pump in the fuel injection system. But the Volvo timing belt on the vehicle's engine system is different from the belts in these assemblies and has an unique functionality in the forms of its “timing” capability.

Compared to the flat conveyor belts of the water and fuel pumps, the Volvo timing belt in the internal combustion engine is characterized by its flexible and toothed durable rubber finish. It connects the crankshaft to the camshaft. But because the camshaft completes one rotation for every two rotations of the crankshaft, the the valves on these shafts may open and close irregularly. The toothed finish of the Volvo timing belt makes up for the differential and corrects the valve settings of the system to run the engine in sync with its moving components.

Without the correct setting of the Volvo timing belt, the valves on the engine won't open and close at appropriate times. This will result in poor running, valve clatter, and loss of power. A broken belt, on the other hand, can cause an engine to stop running or cause the valves to crash to the pistons. Volvo timing belts are typically replaced on intervals ranging from 60,000 to 105,000 miles. A Volvo timing belt is ideally replaced if it already has signs of damages like cracks, cuts or excessive wear. For added durability, the Volvo timing belt is also available in gear and chain makes. However, gears and chains can limit the position of the crankshaft in relation to the camshafts. Likewise, a Volvo timing chain produces more noise and is more expensive than a Volvo timing belt. Though a timing chain may last longer than a rubber Volvo timing belt, the latter has specific requirements for specific intervals. The rubber Volvo timing belt allows more flexibility and can better suit the rotation differential between the crankshaft and the camshaft.