I am writing this post because there has kind of been a little debate lately about timing belts and the service intervals.
[/align]The post is to show why the timing belt should really be changed at about 70,000 miles instead of 105,000 like Volvo says it should be.
[/align]Also Make sure you replace the tensioner and idler pulleys as well.
[/align]I have some pics of belts I have replaced at work on cars.
[/align]I have the belts from a few of the different models the milage will vary between 70K and 80K. You will see how the belts crack at that milage.
[/align]I would not trust the belts like that on my own car. That's why I am making this post so that everyone is informed about the belts and what can happen if they break.
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[/align]I know not everyone has the money always to get the job done. I know how it is I have 4 kids and very little money. But the point I am trying to make is that it is better to pay between $700.00 to $800.00 or so. Rather than having to Junk the car or pay over $3000.00 to get the head rebuilt or replaced. Or maybe even more to have a new motor installed.
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[/align]I have my own theory on why they go bad faster on the 1999 and newer cars than on the older cars.
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[/align]I think it is because of how the timing covers are made.
[/align]The older cars all the heat that gets to the timing belt only comes from the front of the motor.
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[/align]The 1999 and newer cars the timing cover are different because of having the VVT valve in the cam cover. That allows all the heat from the top of the motor to access the timing belt and add more heat to that area causing the belt to go bad faster.
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[/align]On the 1993 to 1998 5 cylinders and 1994 to 1998 6 cylinders the timing belts could last a lot long but I wouldn't trust them either.
[/align]But that's my theory.
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[/align]Now onto the pictures the first batch will be the timing belt pictures with the model,year and milage that they were changed.
[/align]Then the last batch of pictures will be an idler and tensioner pulley from a S80.(Not as bad as I wanted for an example picture but will work.
[/align]Then finally a picture of an engine that had the belt break.
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[/align]This way everyone has an Idea of the entire situation.
[/align]Then you can make your own decisions from here.
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[/align]The first belt is from a 2000 S80 with 72,623 miles
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[/align]The second belt is from a 2003 S40 with 73,746 miles
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[/align]The last one is from a 2001 V70 with 82,700 miles
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[/align]Here is a tensioner if you look closely in one spot you will see where grease started coming out of the bearing.
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[/align]Here is the idler same here both sides were spinning grease out.
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[/align]If your serpentine belt looks like this replace it I have seen them break as well and get sucked into the engine and break the timing belt as well.
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[/align]So there is my post the pics might not be the best but should help some.
Sorry here is the pics of the head and block.

 

Thanks for the post tech.

When I bought my V70, the serpentine belt looked exactly like your last picture. I replaced it right away. The timing belt looks ok though.

 

Thanks Tech, I know too many people neglect (80% or more of the people in my personal wild-guessed statistics) on scheduled maintenance and then weep when their cars do not perform as they should.

I believe this forum, mainly you, have saved hundreds of people & thousands of $$$.


JPN

 

taking my 1999 S70 AWD in for an oil change tomorow. I called the dealer and spoke to a service rep, told him had a little over 60,000 and should I change the timing belt....he said not until 105,000. Should I insist and do it anyway or wait awhile...untill I hit 70,000 miles.

 

Based on Tech's advice, I'd push for it. I think of it like this, if the timing belt does break and you need an engine repair, will the dealer foot the bill since they were wrong in their advice? Probably not. I'd at least ask them to take a look at it, so that you have a record that they checked it on the receipt.

 

thanks, can the timing belt be checked? I think its good advice to put it on the receipt that I requested the timing belt checked due to the vehicle being a 1999.

 

It is possible to look at it for the cracks visible in Tech's pictures, but as I recall, they show up best with the belt off and bending it back. Tech (or your dealer) should be able to say if they can check it for you.

 

Wrt timing belts, can someone help me make sense of this? My timing belt snapped right after an accident to the front passanger fender. (had it replaced around 75k miles, now has 98k)

My 1998 V70 was hit in the right front fender over a month ago in a parking lot. Didnt looktoo bad yet boy was it bad to drive (and dented). Very noisey. I just picked it up last Thursday from the body shop(over a month later). They tell me as i leave that I need a tune up and that my car is running like crap.Well, drive it away and it still sounds like crap too. The same horrible noisesfrom the accident are still there. Drove it about 20 miles total after picking it up Thursday, call them and make an appt to bring it back when they reopen after christmas. Wont drive it.

By Saturday the car wont start. My regular mechanic swings by to check it out and goes to change the spark plugs figuring the body shop ran the car cold for a month and this would need to be done. After that doesnt work (car still inmy driveway) my mechanic is suspicious that the timing belt may have snapped. I tow it to his shop and he confirms this along with dented valves. BIG JOB he tells me and likely the noises that I was hearing.

The body shop wants to help yet they laugh saying there is no way that the accident caused this timing belt issue(fyi - they replaced my suspension). They'll call their volvo "peeps" to see if they think it's possible.

Could this accidenthave caused my timing belt to slip? Is his laughter warranted? Do I have any leg to stand on or am I very very coincidentally out of a car or 5k?? The car was running just fine before the accident.
:-( any words of wisdom is appreciated. thank you

 

Hi, Welcome to the Forum. You would be better off posting this as a seperate question , in the 'Volvo S70' or under 'General Volvo chat' forums. This thread was posted more as an informational, than a question. If you post your question as a stand alone, more people will see and answer it.

 

girlie,

It's possible, but highly unlikely. The body shop techs should have been able to tell if it was even a possiblility, just by looking inside the engine compartment: if the accident had caused somethingto bepushed against the timing belt cover, then maybe. Otherwise,it would be nearly impossible, especially since it wasn't running at the time of the accident.

 

thanks chax for your reply. Just want to clarify that the car was running at the time of the accident. I was leaving the parking lot - other lady backed into me (no really, she looked first!!) If this changes your words of gloom, please let me know. I still have the body shop guy "looking into things" for me. A friend in the auto ins business says to "push" this. Let's see how much good karma I have out there :-)

 

Ok, well took it in an spoke to the manager who I have known fr a few years, he said do the timing belt as the car is also 8 years old.

 

It was posted here that a member should "lift up the timing belt cover to view the timing belt", how does one do that?

I just purchased a 1998 Volvo S70 GLT with 105,600. The previous two owners took the car to private mechanics. I'm going to try to stop at those private mechanics to see what exactly they did to the car (maintenance, repairs, etc). However it would be nice since the car is in 105K to see the timing belt to know whether I need to replace it now or wait until 70K if the belt was replaced at 75K.

Any help would be appreciated!

Thank you for the prior advice!

 

Since yours is a 1998 you will need to remove the outer cover. Remove the bolt and slide the cover up.

 

Yes sir that top picture looks exactly like my tbelt which is why it's getting replaced ASAP.

 

yeah, I also think so.

 

i too have a 98 s70 glt...what does this mean?! haha. what/where is the outer cover and what am i looking for when i check the timing belt?

i just bought my s70 with 84k mi on it. the volvo specialist i took it to, made no mention of the timing belt and i was too much of a noob to ask about it. they did a nice go-over though, would this have been included?

so basically, im trying to find out quickly/easily if my timing belt has been replaced.

1. about how much does it cost to replace this at a typical mechanic? im pretty sure i cant do this one on my own.

2. is the timing belt the same thing as the serpentine belt?

 

They might have checked it but maybe not.
The typical cost varries depending on parts replaced. It starts at like $300.00 and can go up to about $600.00.

No timing belt is different from the Serp. belt.

 

thanks tech,

so where/what is the outer cover and where do i look to inspect the timing belt?

 

When you open the hood look on the passenger side of the motor there is black covers on the front of the motor. Slide the coolant bottle up out of its place and slide it to the side. Then look on the front of the motor for a single screw through the cover. It will either be a 10MM or 12MM. Remove that screw and that cover will slide up and out. Then you can inspect the belt and pulleys.