Hi I'm Phil, I'm new here. Nice to see a Volvo community online. I participate in online forums for all my cars, so I'm glad I finally found you. About a year and half ago, we got a '98 V70R AWD for my wife. It was a big car I could live with. Got it used from a Volvo dealer, Borton in Minneapolis. It had full dealer service history, 60K on the clock. I put new Yokohama AVS DBs on it and new brakes at all four wheels. I liked it, as much as I could like anything with an auto. She loved it.

All was well until this summer, I had to replace the longitudinal driveshaft. Ouch. Front u-joint gone. I understand there's a place in California that will replace that u-joint with a serviceable type but it was as expensive as replacing teh whole shaft.

Anyway to get to my point. After having a couple of oil/filter changes done by an independent near me, I decided to make an exception with this car and switched back to having routine service performed by the dealer. I intended to keep it for a while, and liked the idea of a full service history. At 76K I brought it in for the full 70k service - I done only the oil change last time. Per the standard they replaced the timing belt. This was August 26th. Last Saturday, a little less than 4,000 miles later the tensioner failed and the belt chewed through the timing cover. Ugly. The engine turns, but I have yet to pull the head and see just how bad it is.

The dealer tells me that because the belt didn't fail, it's not his problem. Imagine that. He said that the tensioner was fine at the time, because if the tensioner had needed replacing they would have replaced it. How wonderfully circular.

Is this normal? do these things go from fully within spec to total disintegration in 4000 miles? If so, why aren't they replaced as a matter of course?

Is this the legendary Volvo durability I've heard about? Dealer service for 80K and then catastrophic failure is just "Hey, it happens" and "Business as usual?"

I'm floored that the tensioner is not covered under the limited 12 month warranty for "Genuine Volvo Service" for the timing belt replacement. If inspecting that tensioner was part of the deal, they made the call not to replcae it, and it was the wrong call.

So what is the group experience? How bad is this likely to be, valves only or piston crowns as well? Do these tensioners suddenly self-destruct on a regular basis? Is it SOP to replace it? In anybody's opinion, should it be? Why was there a part number change in mid '98 for the tensioner? (mine was an early one.) Am I just the recipient of very bad luck in this case?

Anyway, I let Volvo North America know that I'm very unhappy with the performance of their vehicle, and the dealer. I don't intend to let the dealer hacks anywhere near the car at this point.

Phil

I owned a 98 XC70 was build in 6/98. After reading all your acticles make me a bit concern of my; my XC only has 58k so far the 75k is around the corner. So what is the correct way to deteminate is my XC is with what puller system; is there anyway someone can post some photos on the web? Also, is there any PM you can do to avoid the catastrophic failure!

Any help is appreciated.

With a little persuasion, the dealer stepped up the plate and made a decent offer. The service manager is giving me a good used head with less miles than I had on it. I'll have it checked out by a head shop in town. (not that kind!) I have right of refusal. He's covering the rest of the parts as well and cutting me a very good deal on the labor rate.

I'll take it.

It does have the late tensioner as described in TSB 2210015.

Mitten Head - I never heard a thing, but I used to be a roadie, my hearing sucks.

Your eyes ain't so good either, Buck. That would be MittenHed. No A, please, got it? I am no kid, but try in my own lame way (ask my teenager) to be cool. Also a sort of cute play on my name. The mitten part has to do with being a little soft and linty.

I just ran a bad tensioner 5000 miles. Not proud of it, but it seems that there is a lot of noise in one before it craps completely. On the other hand, the noise the failing tensioner made was hardly noticable. Only heard it when accellerating up to 2000 or so, and was inaudable when the radio was on.

Could the technician have damaged the tensioner by not compressing it slowly, thus causing the catastrophic failure 5K miles later?

Usually a seized water pump is what breaks T-Belts.

I suppose it's possible. Part of the problem I have is that the tensioner for early 98 is unique to that half model year. Not a lot of people are familiar with it. I'm trying to decide if I should consider this some fault in the dealer's servicing of the belt, a poor tensioner design or servcing specs, or what.

Early cars, I understand you replace the tensioner as SOP; the late'98s/99s you replace the tensioner as SOP; apparently with 94-97 you "might" replace the tensioner but you always replace the white plastic thing. With early 98's there is no plastic thing, and you might repalce the tensioner, but I have no idea how a tech arrives at that decision. In this case it was clearly the wrong call. Was it forseeable? Does the Volvo 12 month warranty on dealer service apply? That's the real question.

Your tensioner is probably a "late model" '98 type from your description which is like the '99s. Before drawing any conclusions, you somehow need to find out what exactly went wrong. Was the tensioners lock-nut loose, did the tensioner or another pulley sieze or break?

It's unclear to me in your post if the timing belt actually failed, or if the belt just wore through the cover. Dealer says it didn't break, you imply it did (if the engine turns, it ain't broke) If it did break, your engines' toast. If it didn't, no big deal, get the tensioner, belt and cover replaced, and stop your whining!!! (J/K)
--
RussB in Ct '96 855T - '91 944T

The belt did not break, but it is completely off of the cam gears, so as far as valve/piston contact is concerned it might as well have.

The crank does turn on the starter, the belt does not.

I bought a 1998 V70 AWD and drove it back from Houston to MSP, I was considering going to Borton, but will now make the haul down to Rochester to the Automen. I think filing a lawsuit would serve you well. You could always drop it later if the dealer starts acting reasonably.

As a result of this particular run-in with Borton I had some good recommendations for Kline in Maplewood.

Just so you kow you have options beyond driving to Rochester.

Clicked too soon.
I ask because some '98s have the newer '99 on up manual tensioner that was used on late '98s BUT the books don't tell anyone to replace it with the T-belt at 70K miles. It'd be easy to not notice a potential, future problem with it so I'd have to think that the dealer tech couldn't be at fault.
The same exact manual tensioner on the '99 on up cars is suppose to be routinely replaced with the T-belt at 105K miles (they increased the belt life too) SO apparently Volvo thinks both the belt and tensioner will last at least that long.
I've replaced many T-belts with both the older, automatic type and newer manual type tensioners and (knock on wood) have not ever seen one problem afterwords with either type. I'd suspect that your car has an unusual problem and pinning fault won't be easy nor would anyone want to admit any guilt.
As far as damage, whoever removes the cyl head will find several bent valves and probably damaged valve guides too, best replaced by a machine shop.

Earl-my 98 has the new manual style. How da hell do you set the thing when doing a t-belt replacement?

Well, hopefully you noted the pointers position before loosening the locknut? The proceedure is only shown in Vadis (PC) looking it up for a '99 engine and the pointer needs to be positioned differently depending on the engines temperature. If the engine is "warm", the pointer needs to be slightly more to the r. side (more than at 12:00) and towards the r. side marker.
I'll add that I don't like trying to tell someone here (or elsewhere) how I see that because IMHO, with that and even newer engines, there's now room for error and if you don't do it correctly, causing the belt to slip or break afterwords, one could then accuse me of not telling you everything as if I'd be partially at fault.

Earl-only kidding!When I saw that the tensioner was "different", I NEVER touched the dam thing as I figured its the 105K mile design and I have 75K. Is it literally a "fixed" tensioner design unlike a spring loaded? It sounds like based on the engines temperature, if the engine was "ice" cold, you would need to set it "loose" so when the engine heats up and expands the belt can "grow" the difference. In a nut shell, it sounds like of I "mark" where the pointer is before I take out the tensioner I should be golden as long as I realign the pointer to the mark I made-correct? PS: I would never fault anybody for trying to help---so far your the only guy in the last 2 months on this board that has given any "details" on how that tensioner works---I certainly appreciate any and all detail! If I decide to F*^% it up---its my fault!!!!!!

Hopefully the belt did not jump enough to loose timing to the point that valve(s) hit piston. I think you should get Volvo involved, and also don't forget that small claims court is a good place to square things up. If the dealer dicks you around, file the claim in court right away. When the dealer knows you are serious, you will get a different response. It will be hard to prove that the tensioner was bad when belt was replaced, but the dealer is a buisness, and they will want to find an equitable solution. Typically small claims court does favor the consumer who shows a good arguement.
--
Wills 98 R AWD modded wagon 94 854 T some mods 92 740 wagon

Raise HELL and threaten to file a law suit :) If dealer says they inspected the tensioner and the inspection is called for per Volvo's service schedule and it fails 4,000 miles later - that's unacceptable.

That's unacceptable that the tensioner would fail with that many miles/years period !

If it aint broke--don't fix it! Im cornfused about your tensioner because my 98V70R AWD appears to have the same type. When I went to do the belt at 71k miles, I saw it was not the older hydraulic type and did not have the procedure so I "assume" its the newer 105K service interval type--is that true?? I am up to 76K now----belt looked "brand new" when I at least inspected it! What should I do? In Papa's case---preventative maintainece "cost" him dearly!!! I think the dealer porked him in this case!

My 98 was manufactured in January 97. 98s were a long run and
the new tensioner was added sometime along the way. The
technical service bulletin (#2210015) describing the mechanical
tensioner replacement procedure identifies the vehicles with the
new tensioner type by serial number:

Serial numbers:
S70/V70/C70 1266128-

I guess if you have 1266128*, or higher, you have the new one.