Hi all,

New here, and new to Volvo's. I recently purchased a steal of a deal 04 V70. Car runs and drives great, but upon doing research I've discovered that the timing belt may be improperly tensioned, or rather the tensioner itself improperly done. I'm not familiar with these engines, nor the tensioner itself, so any info and help would be fantastic. Attached are some photos of my current tensioner. From what I gathered, the tensioner is based around temperature. If the tensioner arm is pegged to the "2 O'clock" position, it is tensioned under a hot engine. If the tensioner arm is sitting in the middle, it is tensioned for warm or ambient temperature. If the arm is pegged to the left, it is tensioned if it is cold.

From the few videos and research I've done, I've seen some people apply tension to the Tbelt and thus the tensioner arm moves. Is this correct? If so, when I apply pressure to my Tbelt, the arm does not move even a little. The tensioner arm on my tensioner is also pegged all the way to the "hot" position, despite the car not driven nor started in well over 24hr, going on 48. However today was almost 90f or 32c. I'm entirely unfamiliar with these tensioners and how they work, do they tension based on ambient outside temp? engine temp? etc? I plan on doing a full timing job, including Water pump, but I want to ensure that I fully understand these tensioners and how they operate. Additionally, there is a strange sound what I assume to be the pulley's. I am assuming if the belt is too tight that it could be the culprit to the sound. I've taken a mechanic's stethoscope to all the pulley's and the area that is making the noise and there is no clear indication that any of the pulley's are bad, so that is why I assume it to be the belt tension.

I am moving shortly, so the timing kit job will be delayed for a little and obviously the car needs to move from point A to B, so if the belt is too tight and indeed the arm is supposed to move upon applying pressure to the belt, is it possible to release some tension to the belt to obviously make things correct, but extend the life of everything until I get the new stuff installed?

Any help or info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

Here's some VIDA instructions, I would not recommend driving the car until the belt is adjusted - something bent the tab on the tensioner!

 

Thanks. I'm not sure something bent it, but rather someone bent it installing it incorrectly. That said, I am getting conflicting responses from various Volvo sources that say that the tensioner on my car is the incorrect tensioner. That the correct tensioner is Part #30637955 or the attached image. However after inputting my cars info into FCP or other similar sites I get timing kits that have the currently installed Tensioner on my car in that kit, so I am confused.

In any event, is it possible to re-tension the tensioner properly? I am moving shortly and need the car to move from point A, to B. So if it is possible to have the tensioner tensioned correctly prior, that would be great. I am purchasing a whole timing kit, but if it is possible to give the belt a bit of slack and allow the tensioner to work as intended until then, that would be fantastic. Thanks for your help.

 

Certainly - just takes a few minutes with an allen wrench and a regular wrench.

 

Any sources that say your tensioner is not the correct one are bad sources. That is the correct tensioner. But it is indeed damaged and should be replaced.