I am about to change the timing belt on my '93 940 turbo wagon. It's an automatic transmission, so I need something to lock the crankshaft in place while I loosen the nut. Volvo makes a tool for this (#9995284). But I try to avoid paying $50 for a tool that I will use only once or twice. Has anyone engineered another way to lock the crankshaft - and care to share your method? Or is anyone willing to share their Volvo tool with me (I'm in central PA)? I would pay for shipping both ways. Thanks.

 

I have about 6 available for sale.
i can do $45
Let me know
Goldenblock

 

Google "Rope trick volvo 240". Its a method that I used to hold the crankshaft and all you need is a short length of rope.

 

Rope trick works but careful with the type of rope because if it falls apart or unravels inside the cylinder you may have problems.

 

In the 30 plus years I have owned our 740 every 50k miles doing a belt change I would use a air wrench on the crank . Zips right off .

 

That works but how do you fit an air gun in there? Blapping the starter (another method), usually shears the crank gear key right off!

 

When I first considered doing it I had the same concern. But after removing the fan and radiator shroud the 1/2 drive gun with a normal socket just fit. I cover the back of the radiator with a piece of cardboard and it works out. All I need is to just break it loose and then can do the rest by hand. I recall and it was a long time ago that I did do the blip method where I disconnected the coil wire and using a breaker bar with a socket wedged it and hit the starter . Did the job . Either way was OK. I don't know the space in the 240 but the 740 had enough.

 

I realize this is not a new thread, but I'm changing the timing belt on a 940. I bought the crankshaft holding tool, but at TDC, the holes on the crankshaft pulley don't line up correctly with the tool to slip the other end in place on the tensioner bolt. If I moved the crankshaft pulley several degrees one way of the other, I could get the tool to fit. As long as I line up the crankshaft pulley back to TDC after the bolt is loosened (but not removed), won't that work?

 

Being at TDC is irrelevant in this case as long as all the other marks are aligned when the belt goes on.

 

Thanks for that. That "seemed" right, but the Youtube video I watched about it indicated that, so I just wanted to make sure. Oddly, at TDC, the mark on the camshaft is at the very bottom, and I don't see any marks on the old belt. Do they wear off?

 

Spin the engine/crankshaft 360 degrees - the cam will be aligned then, because the crankshaft turns twice as fast as the cam.

 

I'll try that. I feel like I already rotated the crankshaft once because the mark wasn't lining up on the top either, but I could be mistaken. I did get somewhat distracted by a spark plug that did not want to come out. I'm hoping like hell I can figure out how to get that one back in without too much issue.

 

Just take the belt offf, line up the crank marks, and set the cam and jackshaft in the correct positions. It's a b230 - the valves don't interfere with the pistons, so it does not matter if you spin the cam with the crank stationary.

You should worry if it's a interference engine - (like all later Volvos) but it's not.

 

'It's the "correct positions" part I don't quite get. Correct as determined by lining up the marks on the belt with the corresponding marks on the sprockets?

 

Line up the cam with the mark on the rear cover, the intermediate shaft with the mark on the rear cover and the crank with it's mark.

 

So I installed the belt, but the mark on the plastic backing of the timing cover for aligning the intermediate pulley did not align with the mark on the belt, but aligning the mark on the belt with the mark on that pulley did result in the distributor being at the #1 position, so that seemed right to me.

 

The marks on the belt are helpful but not a must as far as alignment. As long as the pulleys marks match you should be fine. If I remember right belts didn't even used to come with marks.

 

My crusty old brain finally got around to figuring out what folks have been trying to communicate. Line up the marks. Main point! I put the belt on and thought it was good but then noticed the crank was about one tooth off, so I reset it and it runs fine now. Thanks everybody!