Is it possible to have all the timing marks lined up but have the cams 180 deg off ? I am looking into buying a really cheap one and was wondering if it were possible to have the cams off and not bend valves ?

 

If the car is NOT running don't pay more than a couple of hundred dollars for it. The VOLVO junk yard here has STOPPED buying the 960 & S90's, to me, that says something, not sure what, but something.

I can't imagine timing marks being lined up and cams being off, that is what the marks are for. But if someone cranked that car up with a broken of missing timing belt, there could be damage. The best way to check is to install a belt and crank it up. See if you can purchase it with a 30 day motor warranty. That will give you time to check the motor. If not, get it dirt cheep, I mean almost FREE.

 

I had the misfortune of moving the cams out of alignment while replacing the timing belt. It is a tedious process to get everything lined back up. I wound up about 15 degrees out or about three timing marks and luckily only bent two valves. The simple timing belt change turned into a top of the motor redo to replace the two valves. Even one timing mark out makes the car run rough. Having the cams 180 out would be devastating to the motor. Be careful on this one.