Hi all.
Just changed the timing belt on my 97 V70 AWD. 141.000 mls. using the very good Bay 13 instructions.

These instructions do not cover changing the tensioner or idler pulleys which at that mileage are due.

Two points came up:
1 To gain access to the idler pulley you have to remove the serpentine belt tensioner. This is quite straight forward (just two bolts), but I have never seen it mentioned and it's always disappointing to find an unexpected obstruction.

2 To remove the tensioner pulley you "simply" have to remove its single T40 headed mounting bolt. EXCEPT that it has been made much more complicated than it needs to have been by the selection of a bolt with an unusually shallow head and then ensuring that it has a pronounced "lead in" or counter sink, as if for easy entry of production line power tools as if it was a piece of trim! This has reduced the area of engagement of the Torx tool by about half of what would be normal, and allows the tool or bit to "to cam out" very easily unless you take great care.

I am not short of hand tools,but it took me a frustrating half an hour or more to contrive a tool to hold the Torx bit whilst I forced it into alignment with a piece of fencing rail about one and three quarters X three inches X twenty four inches. I only just about succeeded in loosening it.

I felt that I had been the victim of a "time capsule" booby trap placed there by some "NUT" in 1997.

I read very worthy talk about these pulleys, (and mine were certainly due)but be ready to employ "creative workshop methods" if your car is like mine.

Further points.

The timing marks on my crankshaft were slightly different (but better) than on Bay 13. My marks on the crankshaft tooth pulley were either side of the "U" that I had to line up. I didn't see this at first and wondered why the existing timing was a bit off, when I only lined up one mark half a tooth out!

I succeeded in working the new and old timing belts around the crank shock absorber, but I was not happy. I am very careful in how I go about these jobs (55 years of struggle have encouraged me to be so) and I did not like forcing the new stiffer timing belt past the plastic guard,never mind the other "anti theft device" thoughtfully provided. Next time I will impact the shock absorber loose but not remove it, then recheck alignment marks, then carefully move it out enough to safely change belts.

Cars may differ, if they do I think mine was awkward.

The old genuine Volvo belt was in excellent condition,without any cracks or splits just very slight wear on the teeth.

The pulleys were still doing their job,but felt dry when compared to the new ones, and had a tendency to chatter when spun close to my ears (a bit deaf). The new idler seemed to be of an improved design, well that's OK, except that the old one had a recess where it clamped up to the block. At that point white corrosion had formed and needed to be carefully scraped away to allow the new pulley to seat properly. A small but important contribution to proper alignment. So that's my story!!

Finally I know someone who, when taking his car to the main agent, and pressing them as to the scope of the job, was assured that they usually didn't find it necessary to change the pulleys, but would change the tensioner if the interval required it. For my part I go with "Rule 308".

Best regards as ever

Howard - Isle of Skye.