Sorry to repost this problem again, but my old post is falling down towards the bottom and not getting looked at.

Ok, heres my problem. I have a 89 745 b230ft. I changed the timing belt on the volvo and now it wont start. I aligned the cam and aux pully marks. The only thing in question is the crank pulley. I tried to align it the same way they said to align it in my haynes manual, but they really didnt show accuratly where to align it. I got everthing back together and it didnt start. I posted my problem on here and one guy said to align it w/ the "0" position on the plastic cover. So I did that, still not starting. Probalby the first mistake I made was moving the crank pully, I probably should have left it still when I got the other two marks aligned.

I also emailed RPR to see if they could help me aswell. Rusty there said to check the harmonic balancer, ie the crank pully to make sure it didnt slip. So I would have to make sure its a TDC on the firing stroke to confirm this. How would I know for sure that im at TDC on the firing stroke? I know u could check by taking the #1 spark plug out and then feeling for pressure. But how would I know the exact point cuz when I turn the crank, I feel pressure for about 45deg of the turn. Another question is, once I get it at TDC by moving the crank pully, will that be the position of the crank pulley when I put the belt on and will the other two pulley marks just have to be aligned to their aligning marks?

Thanks in advanced...

OK, the guide plate at the back of the crank sprocket should have a tiny little notch in it. Or maybe it's the front one. Either way, the marks exist and match the block, but you might have to degrease it a little bit to see properly.

That notch lines up with the little extrusion (?) in the casting of the block right behind the crank sprocket. I'm 90% sure on that... I can remember something of the sort on the B230 engines. You might also have a little punch mark on the crank sprocket, but I can't remember offhand. I always set the engine up to TDC and then do the belt work--it doesn't move in the meantime.

I think this is what you're asking: Once the crank sprocket is lined up properly, put the camshaft sprocket at it's mark. Then you're all set. If you're really anal, line up the intermediate shaft... but that one doesn't have any need for a timing mark on a 700 series car. It just runs the oil pump.

Lining up with the crank sprocket marks is a guaranteed way to find TDC, rather than feeling for pressure. That method doesn't work as well, and you need to be TOTALLY accurate, which is hard to do that way.

I'm being basic just in case you might have missed a thing or two--it might be repeating most of what you already know. I just like to be thorough.

--
chris herbst, five volvos.