This is the text of a message and my response relative to 960 timing belts. The moral to this is make sure the marks have been identified or make new ones before you take the old belt off.

My message:

Sounds like someone has repalced seals, had the pulleys off and didn't take the trouble to put them back on with the marks lined up. Now the only way to get them set properly is to use the Volvo alignment tools. There is one that holds the cam shafts and one that holds the crank.

The camshaft tool is about $300 and the crankshaft is about $60 from your friendly Volvo parts dealer if he can get them in a reasonable time. I suggest you take the car to the dealer and ask him to set the timing and be sure to tell them to make sure they line up the marks so you won't have this problem next time.

-----Original Message-----

From: Reagan, Robert W.

Sent: Tuesday, June 13, 2000 10:57 AM

To: Bowers, Jim

Subject: Volvo Timing Belt Change question

Jim,

I saw your posting on the internet about changing the timing belt, and

wonder if you could help me with a question.

I changed the belt on my '94 960 and put the new belt on just like the old

one came off. The car ran just fine, so I should have left it alone.

However, I noticed that the timing marks on the two camshafts did not align

as the service manual showed that they should. The intake mark was four

teeth off, and the exhaust was one tooth off. So I changed them to what the

book showed, but the car ran ragged.

I changed them back, but got confused somewhere along the line. Now I can't

get them aligned at all, and the engine won't rotate all the way because of

the valve/piston interference (I didn't crank it, just turned the motor

gently with a socket wrench, so I haven't damaged the internals of the

engine).

The service manual says to align the marks on the camshafts with the

indicators on the cover plate, and to align the mark on the crank pulley

with the oil pump housing. I've studied the crank pulley and can't find a

mark anywhere on it for reference.

Do you know how to determine the correct position of the crank shaft when

aligning the timing belt?

Thanks for any insight you can provide.