I have a 1987 240 DL that has a stripped timing belt. It died on the freeway last week. The belt is still in place, but the teeth around the bottom gear have been stripped off and so the gear can turn but the belt does not. So now I have an issue,

I read that on the B230 engines, the valves can be damaged if, when rotating the pistons to get cylinder 1 at TDC, the timing belt is not kept in place so that the valves move accordingly.

So two questions:

1) If this is true, how do I get cylinder 1 into TDC without the belt intact?

2) If the belt broke driving down the freeway in gear, then has the engine received damage beyond anything I may have added when I cranked the engine the next day trying to get spark?

I have no idea if there actually is valve damage. Is it a guarantee that a belt that fails in this way leads to internal problems, or is there a chance that all is good inside the engine?

Just one more:

3) If there is valve damage how hard is that to fix, and how would it run once the belt is replaced with valve damage NOT fixed?

 

you're in luck!

the b230f ("red block")engines are a non-interference engine, which means: doesn't matter if the engine was at idle, or spinning at 4000 rpm, no internal damage is done when the timing belt gives way. the 16 valve engines, along with the 5 and 6 cylinder engines(also reffered to as the "white" or "silver" blocks) will become grenades... can't remember about the b230ft("red" block turbo)...

you can turn the pulleys manually, cam using a wrench to turn it to the mark, intermediate by hand. the crankshaft(smaller gear at the bottom) I usually slipped the cover and pulley back on, and can usually turn by hand to the "0" on the cover...(there is also a mark on the aluminum casing just behind the gear).

like I said in your last thread, you'll probably want to change out the seals while you're in there... the cam and the intermediate shaft(the one that sits in front of the distributor) is the same seal, so don't let your local auto parts idiot(I work with a bunch of them) tell you he can't get one, or sell you one that costs twice as much as the cam seal

hope this helps... take your time, watch what you do, and take it as it is: basic maintanence, and a great learning experience

 

That's why I love this car! It always seems to go my way...

Anyway, I ordered the timing belt from my local volvo dealer (then I found IPD! What an idiot...) yesterday, but I just ordered the seals so I'll do everything this weekend.

I'll update if and when I run into my next hiccup. Thanks for your help on both threads, Darin.

--Adam

 

Volvo is one car which in my experience usually has less of a problem than you think... while with most others, it's the opposite.

 

no problem adam, glad I could help!



when I started at the volvo dealer in 92, I commented to one of the techs that I was suprised how simplistic these cars were, he just nodded and replied: "they're the neandrathals of the luxury car market"

 

The B230ft is also a clearance engine. I've had experience.

 

She runs again!

Replaced the timing belt today, fired up immediately.

That was one of the most multi-component jobs I have ever done, but true satisfaction is hard to achieve.

Thanks for the help.

 

Hello everyone!! Ty in andvance!!

So what you're saying is that I can turn each sprocket (e.g. camshaft sprocet) "by hand" INDIVIDUALLY to bring camshaft spocket to TDC, intermidiate sprocket to it's mark, and crankshaft pully or sprocket to it's mark, "WITH OUT" the timing belt attached?

ty ML

 

Yes, that's the trick.
Ed

 

Thank you everybody

 

Hello everyone.

When changing the belt is there any way around from taking off the drive pulley and if not is there a generic tool i can use to remove it. I'm kinda strapped for time and really don't want to order the tool and wait a week to be able to fix it.