Changing timing belt but cannot remove starter motor to lock up the flywheel. The Haynes manual says use the flywheel inspection hole to lock the flywheel.
Where is this inspection hole?

Yep, the rope trick works like a charm. Used it for the first time just a couple of weeks ago. It was my first timing belt change and it couldn't have gone smoother. The FAQ's and the brickboard are MUCH better than Haynes.

Although I own both counterhold tools for the B230 and B21/23, I no longer use either one. Instead, I prefer a piece of cotton clothesline (nylon or similar is OK too), for what is called "The Rope Trick". It's quicker and easier than the "tool" or any other trick, there's no messing with flywheel or starter, and the basic steps are simple:


1 - Remove all plugs and rotate the crank to #1 TDC Compression stroke.
2 - Look thru oil fill hole to verify #1 and #2 valves closed. The cam lobes will be pointing away from each other, with #1 pointing to the left and raised maybe 25° from engine horizontal line.
3 - Rotate crank about 60° past TDC to make room for rope in cylinder.
4 - Stuff some clothesline (2 feet is plenty) into # 1 plug hole, leaving 6" outside (feeding the rope in thru a short length of heater hose makes the job even quicker).
5 - Rotate the crank backwards until the packed rope stops further rotation.
6 - Use socket, breaker bar, and pipe extension to loosen pulley bolt. Then use pulley to hand-rotate crank a few degrees CW to free rope for removal.
7 - Tighten bolt the same way, but start with crank about 60° before #1 TDC Comp.
8 - When tightened to spec, back the crank up a little to free and remove clothesline.

To my knowledge, this is the only "trick" holding tool alternative that allows tightening the bolt to book spec of 44 lb ft, then an additional 60° (B230),
or 122 ft lbs. for B21/23.

Here's what some first-time users had to say:

• "The "rope trick" for holding the engine still while removing the harmonic balancer bolt worked like a charm. Honestly, I doubted that it would, but WOW!"
• "I finally had an opportunity today to use one of the "rope" tricks to help take off the crank bolt. All I can say is - it worked like a charm! Two seconds and I had the crank bolt off..."
* 5/29/05 "I did this a few weeks ago exactly as ... described and it couldn't have been easier."
• 12/28/05"....the rope trick worked like a charm to loosen and tighten the crank pulley bolt!!,"
• 1-10-06 "tryed the . . . method without any luck but the rope trick worked fine to remove the pully bolt"
• 6-26-06 "(thanks for the rope trick! Worked like a charm.)"
• "i just completed the task using the rope trick and my opinion is that it is extremely gentle as compared to jamming a screw driver anywhere. it required about 5 to 6 ft. of 1/4 inch rope and made mission impossible mission simple."
• 4-25-07 at http://www.brickboard.com/RWD/index.htm?id=1178645.
• 7-7-08 at "Rope Trick Rocks".
• 7-20-08 "was amazed at how easily it worked" .
These just in, Jan, 2009:
• guillermo.
• sonoflee.
• N7SC
• 1-31-09
• 2-03-09
• 2-22-10

--
Bruce Young, '93 940-NA (current), 240s (one V8), 140s, 122s, since '63.

Thumbs up for the rope trick!!!!

Put me down as yet another very happy rope trick user. Used this method twice. No better method then this one. Don't even bother messing with any other method.
--
' 88 740GLE auto wagon nearly 202,000 and ' 87 240DL auto sedan nearly 135,000

Big thanks from the UK. Never heard of this before, but will try it when I get home from work tomorrow.

Colin Hughes, owner of 14 Volvos...mainly 740s

Read the FAQ on changing the timing belt, the technique you are trying to use is passable for older cars (1988 and before), but is NOT okay for yours.

http://www.brickboard.com/FAQ/700-900/EngineSealsBeltsVent.htm#Changing_Timing_Belt_Bolt_Removal

John