Hi guys I was able to replace my timing belt over the last few days (yes you read that right...days!). I am no mechanic that is for sure. It took me forever to get the T45 on the roller out, then forever to get the roller back in using different combinations of new bolt, old bolt, new sleeve, old sleeve etc. The INA roller was pinching up on the engine but I got it finally. All this with an open ended wrench and a T45 bit. What a hassle.

Anyway, after obsessing over the timing belt alignments for several hours I got it on and rotated the engine. All was fine, so I started it up. It runs well, no damage due to me . However the belt now sits about 1/8"-1/4" off the track toward the passenger side fender. So much so that it slighly rubbed a track in the timing belt plastic cover trim piece on a 6" section. It wasn't like this before. I tried pushing it back into the track more but it just moves on its own. Is it OK to run it like this? It seems down at the crankshaft the belt need to be 3-4 mm or so closer to the engine, it sits almost right against the outside edge of the crankshaft.

Thoughts??? I really don't want to do this again!!!

-matt

 

Are you sure both of the pulleys (new) are the correct ones?

 

Yes they were exact duplicates of the ones I took off. I bought this kit from FCP:

http://www.fcpgroton.com/product-exe...ategory_id/203

 

Man this stinks, would the placement of the belt around the crackshaft have anything to do with it? Should I shove the belt toward the engine?

Honestly I'm at a loss...and disheartened.

 

Sounds like an easy fix....just shove the belt in towards the engine so that the outer edge of the belt sits flush with all the pulleys.

 

Did that, it walks off and then sits 1/8"-1/4" off track for good.

 

If it slides off the edge of the pulleys and rubs the cover something doesn't seem right. It will walk back and forth some while running but it should not be enough to hit the timing cover.

 

How about turning the belt around so that the current outside edge faces the engine? If the belt walks towards the engine I'd guess that the belt is deformed.

 

you did say most of your problems were with taking the Idler pulley off. Taking just the bely off again shouldn't be that hard. Just make sure you compress the tensioner properly in a vice before you re use it. Try Flipping the belt and before you pull the tensioner pin make sure it sits nicely on all pulleys.
Mike

 

To make a long story short the pulleys FCP sells are still bad. I took it to my local Indy guy who replaced the pulleys with his own stuff and put a new belt on and it runs great. I just paid around $700 for a timing belt because of FCP. What pisses me off is they KNOW ABOUT THE PROBLEM with their tensioner pulley.

On a side note at least I didn't blow the engine up doing it . And it is fixed, for another 70k / 140k miles. Small price to pay in the end.

 

That's ****ty information could you elaborate on the problem a little more??

I didn't have any problem with my FCP timing belt gear

 

I hate to pile on FCP but they need to disclose the Chinese factor. I purchased a set of axles and there was no indication that these axles were mfg'd in China untill I looked at the box's after they arrived. My stupid *** installed these axles and , go figure they went bad inside 11 months.They would only refund the axle set after I purchased a second set.My email stated that if I had known these axles were mfg'd in China, I would have purchased elsewhere. So now I have a $135 in store credit. The $38 return shipping cost is crammed in my outport. Granted they were very responsive to my e-mails and very professional through out the entire process but,,,,,,,,,,why do I want to buy Ginsu crap from decent guys? On a postnote, My friend who manages a domestic auto parts store (who busts my *** for not trying his chain) offered labor rienbursment (standard policy) to try his brand of axles. $125 list for the set. My cost $75 without doing his wife.lol

 

That's fine, you were lucky, they've had issues in the past. The problem apparently is the tensioner pulley however I can't confirm that in my case because both the tensioner and idler pulley were replaced and it centers fine. Apparently they have promised (again) that all is well after going thru them again but I personally wouldn't buy the pulleys from them. The other parts I got were a good fit though. I was worried about the waterpump but it installed and doesn't leak.

 

Don't want to sound like an old flop here but It's true in a lot of instances when they say the phrase You get what you pay for, and the Chinese Factor may be around a lot more than you think, If you don't buy it at the dealer there's good chances that you supported the good ol PRC!! on that note I've noticd some products now say "made in PRC" as opposed to "Made in China" maybe they like the initials for peoples republic of China better haha

Mike

 

Well I paid for INA rollers (Volvo OEM), and got them. The OEM brake pads are made in India if I remember correctly, and they were fine. Apparently FCP got a bad batch of INA rollers and put them back on the shelf after a year. Who knows why, or what happened. Anyway just a warning to those who are thinking of buying them from FCP. I wouldn't.

 

even though i did buy there i wouldn't again knowing this... I'll buy OEM when it comes time to do the timing in the R

 

INA = OEM, they are the same ones that are on the car, apparently they received a bad batch but then put them back on the shelf to sell a year later...they said they've fixed the issue, I hate to twist the knife in FCP's back they sell good stuff. Like I said though personally I'd just hit the dealer for the pulleys...fool me once shame on you fool me twice shame on me sorta thing. Also one other thing, FCP sells the AISIN brand tensioner for $108 or so but my local dealer had it for $98. So the pulleys might even be cheaper at the dealer.

 

I'm laughing now that post reminded me of this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKgPY1adc0A

I'm all for FCP too I've bought lots of stuff there too and they don't mind shipping to Canada cleverly, but on the same note I gotta get in with the parts guys at the volvo dealers to see if i can hit them up for a discount on OEM stuff!!

Mike