Tech,

I have been reading some of your responses to posts re a bad batch of mechanical timing belt tensioners and confess that they have upset me. I just replaced mine last weekend . Would you please go into more detail on the specifics - ie WHEN approximately was the bad batch known to be in circulation ? Do you know WHY the tensioner bearing cover color changed from orange to blue - were there also changes made to the part like how it was made, who manufactured it, etc? I purchased my genuine Volvo parts from the same vendor as the poster who reported he got two bad parts in a row and in the same time frame as he did (well a little earlier as I bought mine in June. )
I checked with the vendor who said it was an isolated incident and I also checked with some other Volvo dealers like D Waltrip and they say the part is still orange and they have heard on no such failures. What gives? Should I rip my part out and redo the thing wiht a new blue part? I replaced all the TB stuff early so I would have peace of mind and now feel like I'm driving a time bomb again. Thanks for any light you can shed on this.

 

Looking back, the mistake I made was trying to adjust it a second time, which is what the Haynes manual says to do. I should have left it alone after the first setting. I don't think the tensioner was bad, but I do think it is not made to be adjusted more than once. I would guess that you (and just about everyone else on the planet) just set it once.

 

You can readjust the tensioner as many times as you want.

It was about 1 month ago that it happend with the bad batch. We had bought some from out supplier and got a bad one and went to order more and the company stopped selling them to everyone. Then we called the Dealer and they said the same thing but checked one they had on the shelf to make sure it was good and sent it to us since we had the car apart. It was not a bearing failure it was a failure when you went to adjust it. If it adjusted properly then it will be fine.

 

I'm not sure I would know if it adjusted properly as this was the first TB replacement I've ever done so I have no basis for comparison nor do I know how the tensioners usually behave. I know mine came out of the package with the tension indicator cranked to the left between the goalposts at about 10 o'clock. Turning the 6mm eccentric counterclockwise from there was not possible . There was no play or movement in it or movement in the tension indicator at all in the counterclockwise direction. I tried once, then again with a bit more force ( I'm a girl so not THAT much force) , heard a small pop, stopped and decided to turn it clockwise which made the indicator move to the right. Turning the eccentric to the right also caused the indicator to move to the right. They were not reversed as some of the instructions indicate. Anyway, I turned the eccentric clockwise making the indicator pass through the goalposts on the right until about 2 o'clock when I felt resistance. I then turned the eccentric back counterclockwise which made the indicator move counterclockwise back through the goalpost from the right where I stopped at my approximate ambient temperature which was 83 degrees, with the indicator a little to the right of being centered between the goalposts. I didn't notice any twisting or deformity of any of the ears. I DID buy my parts on 6/22/09 from FCP. From my description, is this normal behavior for a tensioner or should I replace it ?

 

Sounds like everything went normally for you.
I also applaud you on doing your first ever one.

 

Thanks. You put my mind at rest . Have a nice weekend and get some sleep - it's late in Florida!

 

Glad it is good. I will get some test soon yes it is late here.