I should know the answer to this but have seen lots of conflicting info. and haven't changed a tensioner and timing belt for several years.
How many miles should tensioner and timing belts go before replacement? I have seen literature that says anywhere from 45K miles (Owner's Manual) to 150K miles (on brickboard). The 7 cars my daughters and my wife and I have are 1993-1995 NA 940s all with B230 engines.
Also, I have several belts and tensioners ready to be the replacements (I must have found some on sale a few years ago). The belts are the round tooth type. Any thoughts on how good Continental Contitech timing belts and INA Tensioners are?
Thanks!
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Mine:3-940s running; 1-740, 2-940 parts; dtrs:4-940s running

For round-tooth belt replacement interval around 45-50K miles are standard. Give or take a bit. The redblock is not that maintenance fussy. I think beyond that (up to 150K) are for owners who diligently like to peek into the timing cover once in a while looking for cracks in the rubber. Even around 50K the OE belt still looks OK, strechable maybe up to 60-70K miles.

I think its not all about replacing the belt and tensioner as they both seem could last longer. The oil seals have to be replaced at the same time, even if they don't leak. It takes a little bit more work beyond replacing the belts. Both Victor Reinz and Elring seals are OK provided you maintain the PCV well. A more extended life (lasts 2x timing belts) if you get OE seals as Volvo uses Viton nowadays.

INA tensioner is OE quality. I remember getting a blue box Volvo tensioner just to see INA stamped at its back. Just remember to re-tension the new belt around 600km after installation. Luckily I did as this was when I saw grease spraying all inside the timing cover. The newly installed INA had leaked its grease. Sent back to FCP Euro for replacement with another INA. No such incident after that. Still using INA today.

Couldn't comment on Conti as I've been using OE belts plus Gates Kevlar Racing at one time. All OK.

Regards,
Amarin.

Dear jd620,

Hope you're well and stay so. As rstarkie noted, timing belts - on B230 engines - should be changed every 50K miles.

To that sound advice, I'd add a time parameter: if the belt is 10 years old, replace it. Rubber deteriorates with time/heat.

Volvo at one point stated that the round-tooth belts used during and after the 1993 model year, could be used for 100K miles. I prefer to err on the side of caution.

There's no reason to risk a belt breaking or teeth coming-off. On B230 engines - a non-interference design - no further damage will occur. But when the belt breaks or a tooth fails, the engine will stop or run poorly.

INA tensioners - wherever made - should be fine for 100K miles.

Hope this helps.

Yours faithfully,

Spook

I am not familiar with that particular tensioner. I am however a long term advocate of Continental timing belts. I recently changed a timing belt on a 91 745 for a friend. The old (Continental) belt had 70+K on it and honestly showed no wear or cracking on it anywhere.

Personally I change out timing belts at 50K and the seals and tensioner at 100K.

Randy
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Any twenty minute job is just a broken bolt away from a three day ordeal