Oooops, I did mean the cam cover, but you don't remove it unless you are removing the head to repair bent valves (which is what I had to do). My bad.

This engine doesn't have valve covers like on a Chevy V8. It has overhead cams so the cover holding the cams in place is referred to as a cam cover. At least in my neck of the woods.

 

Well i completed the task at hand and did the whole change out. Reading how to do it seems more complicated than doing it. I found it easier not removing the crank pulley. I just manuvered it around it to get it in place. I wish I could of taken pictures of the step I did but I did the work outside after work and it was getting dark. The only problem i have now is that the previous owner siliconed everything including the motor mount bracket. It didnt click until i was putting it back together that the bolt holes were stripped and can not use it. So now i have to get a bracket in order to put on the motor mount. The Three bolt holes where filled with silicone where the acutal mount goes bolted on the bracket. Now I have to go to the junk yard and hopefully find one. That is the only thing holding me up on putting it back on the road. When i have a chance i can go step by step on what I did if anyone is intrested on what I did. I want to thank you all for the helful tips you guys supplied. Thats why these forums are useful. Please let me know. THANK YOU AGAIN!!!!!

 

I have a question for you all. When unbolting the passenger side motor mount, do you have a problem with the braket being stripped out. I went to the junk yard yesterday to look for a new bracket and found one. I am not sure if its because it's an aluminum bracket and the bolts are steel. Seems to me that when unbolting the motor mount you will need a new bracket because it looks like ita a one use bracket. Is this just me or is this the case? please let me know if any has had this same problem. I would greatly appreciate a response from someone. Thanks again.

 

The aluminum bracket is a breakaway safety feature, I believe, which allows the engine to go in a safe direction (up) in a front end collision. In VWs, the same bracket is good for a maximum of three uses with the factory installation counting as the first one. So two timing belt changes then replace the bracket. But if someone over-torques the steel bolts into the aluminum bracket then the threads will be destroyed.

 

Hi everyone, Right now I'm doing the cam seals and timing belt on my 02 s40. I have the rear of the cams locked with the locking tool and the crank sprocket lined up. When I snugged down the locking tool the exhaust cam seemed to be about 1 tooth off. Even before installing the locking tool the hash lines on the cam gears would not line up exact with the notches on the top cover, they both had to be a little off or 1 gear would be way off. I also noticed slight play in the vvt gear, not much though about 1/3 tooth of play.
When I go to reinstall the vvt gear should I put it back on exactly how it came off, a tooth off? Or should I just line the gears straight up since the cams are already locked in correct position from the back? Thanks and Merry Christmas!

 

If you look through various threads, you will note that this happens a lot.
Mainly, IMHO, due to the timing belt being put on in the wrong order. Add onto that the fact that both sprockets are adjustable, and you have more chance of getting one of them a little off, than both being spot on.
If both cams are locked at the back, and they are perfectly inline, put the belt back on in the correct order, as well as setting the tensioner correctly, and carry on.

Martin

 

Great thread, but kinda crazy some of the stuff you guys went thru. I like the idea of a 30 cent fix for a $200 part. That is probably why Volvo puts those funky bolts on the VVT.

I have to believe that this job is much easier if you treat it like a timing belt job.

eEuro.com rents the holding tool for 3 weeks for $22. https://www.eeuroparts.com/Parts/749...Tool-2864RENT/

Yes it is a bitch to make yourself enough room to attach it, but you are then safe.

My car has only the exhaust VVT. The same one that is pictured in this thread. They consider it NON-SPRING loaded. I learned that if you have the tool holding the cams, you can mount the new VVT anyway you want. Just mark it to the cam cover notch while the intake and crank gears are on their marks. So mount the bolt finger tight on the VVT, mount the intake gear to the mark and with the bolts in the center of the slotted holes.

run the belt across the top to line up the teeth in the belt. Once you have teeth in both gears, and the belt is fairly tight across the top (not fully on, you are just lining up the teeth) Mark your VVT, torque everything and install the belt.

This job cost me about $600, I bought all VOLVO brand parts. Belt, idler, tensioner, VVT gear, intake oil seal, exhaust oil seal, crank oil seal, intake cam cap for the driver's side and the cam holding tool (not rented). Only thing I did not buy was the Water Pump.

My intake oil seal had pushed out. Took me 3 qts of oil to get home. Oil was everywhere, but a crooked seal is easy to see. Certainly a-while-you-are-in-there job.

Car started right up and no CEL..... Just lock the cams and you are golden.