Okay, I hate to ask for directions etc, but wow this 100k, 2001 S60 non-turbo volvo timing belt replacement on my daughter's college car is making it really hot here in Atlanta for the wrong reasons. After finding very weak documentation on the procedure & crankshaft marks, I tried it but have concluded that I must have bent the valves by botching the timing belt replacement. (BTW: I've done other TB replacements on my diesel Jetta and old DOHC Taurus SHO including valve reshimming w/o any issue mainly due to excellent forum postings). Frustrated, it seems the current Volvo technical pool is only just growing since I'm guessing most Volvo owners must usually just take it to a shop.

I thought nothing moved during the TB replacement, but now I have minimal 30-60 psig compression per the rather cheap Pep Boys loaner gauge on all cylinders. Car wouldn't start and sounded terrible. Prepared to bend over and send the cylinder head to Clearwater FL, I purchase the special valve cover removal tool set. However, after trying to remove the intake manifold, I'm ready to have the car towed to a local shop for the $2500 repair even though it is not worth much more than that. I can't release the silly U-bend PCV vacuum hose on the passenger side or even get off the rear exhaust camshaft plastic cover off. VADIS just says remove and points to mystery vacuum hose #5?? It is also unclear whether the camshaft holder should be on during removal of cover. The VADIS VVT reset procedure is also sketchy at best.

I've considered hiring someone from craiglist to help, but no such luck. Local shops laugh at my predicament.

Any help or gurus to talk to?

Thanks

 

Are you talking about the metal pipe under the intake next to the power steering pump?
Can you not get to the 17MM head bolt?
It is a pain to get to.

Also are you talking about removing the cam sensor or the rubber plug in the back of the head?

You need to lock the cams before removing the cam cover. Also after locking the cams sweep the VVT from end to end and mark it on the cam cover. This way when you go back together you can set it correctly.

 

Thanks Tech. The passenger side of the intake manifold has a u-bend tube with spongy insulation on it with no apparent clamps, bolts, etc. There is a 12mm bolt below it on the accessory bracket. The manifold is loose except for the u-bend tube.

Yes, the rubber plug at end of exhaust cam, as I was trying not to damage the metal surface w/ a screw driver. I guess I need to be more forceful. Thanks for the tip on VVT marking.

 

So did you go back and check the timing marks? and were they off? I was thinking that maybe if you were just a tooth off or so you might also have low compression and an inabilty to start accompanied by popping back through the intake or exhaust without actually having done mechanical damage to the valvetrain.

 

In the center of the u bent pipe on the intake is a 17MM head bolt you need to remove.

 

Thanks Tech I didn't find the bolt (maybe on turbo). The u-bend hose finally came off the nipple on the intake by pulling it axially. My problem remains the silly cam plug cover. Looks like a plastic piece over a metal insert. Any way to get that off without destroying it since I can't break the joint yet?

 

RGT - Yes, I did go back and reset the timing 3 or 4 times. The camshaft pulley marks were aligned with the center marks on the cover each time. I think my problem resulted from improper alignment of the crankshaft. After the cams were aligned, I took the belt off and left the crankshaft in position and couldn't really figure out the markings with the harmonic balancer on. After putting it back together I did rotate the engine at least twice with plugs out before trying to start. Engine turned over with my socket wrench fairly easy with some resistance occuring at TDC of #1 when #5 piston is also up. No luck starting with new plugs and found #2 plug sooted so I repeated using the TDC procedure which puts crankshaft pulley timing mark at 12 o'clock about a tooth over from the mark on oil pump housing. I think this is where I went out of bounds and probably bent some valves (to be confirmed). I found that when the tension on the new timing belt is taken up, the crankshaft pulley timing mark is further clockwise away from the oil pump mark. I finally figured out the crankshaft marks from a posting and repeated. Still no luck, I tried the compression test although the engine was cold. So, yes right now it everything is aligned with no compression, but good thought.

 

Sorry for your troubles. My car will hit 70k in a month or two and I plan on doing mine durig one of the end of year holidays. I just got my kit from fcp groton, I was hoping there would be a good diagram of the timing marks in it, but I have not looked.

 

No good way to get it out (Cam plug) without destroying it. If you feel closely in the center there is a part that is like a slot. The rubber just goes over the slot. You jab a screwdriver through that spot and pop the plug out.

 

Excellent. That's all I needed to know. Popped off no trouble, and got a gush of oil out so that seal must be toast. The seal at the camshaft sensor on the intake side was dry as a bone. Looks like I've got my weekend planned to pull the head.

 

Behind that cam plug is no seal. But anytime I have it apart I put a seal in for good measure.

 

Turns out I didn't bend my valves after all. Clearwater did a head job and I finally got the car back on the road w/o sending to a shop. Here are some observations I would like to pass on to anyone else in this situation.

TB
1. Mark the sparkplug wires before removing. I had 1 and 2 swapped.
2. Get a copy of VADIS software 1st rather than relying on 850 postings.
3. I had to loosen the 3 pulley bolts on exhaust camshaft & VVT to get slack out TB on reassembly.

Head Job
1. The S60 non turbo has solid mechanical lifters w/o shims not hydraulic type like 850 so send cover, cams, lifters with head.
2. Removing the VVT bolt destroyed my budget 850 camshaft alignment tool. Had to use impact wrench and shim slot tight with new tool. Seller is working on redesign.
3. Cams stay in the head when removing camshaft cover, not like 850.

Thanks for help.