help..exhaust and timing belt
 

Hi,
I was driving home last night when the clip at the back box on my exhaust broke. Pulled over quickly and managed to get it strapped up with a bungy and nursed her home the 2 odd miles. Sounds like a tractor, extremely reduced power, so I assumed something had disconnected on up the exhaust. Took it round the corner to local mechanic this morning and he said he would look at it this afternoon, but ok to drive gently home, to local shop etc. Went to shop and as I pulled in it sounded like a belt was squealing. I came back out and started her, put into reverse and there was a real resistance, like if you had a flat tyre. Got out checked tyres, all ok, exhaust still held up at back ok so I popped the bonnet. On one of the cogs where the belt is there was a piece of what looked like twine caught round it. I fished that out and then noticed the belt is quite slack and 2 of the outer ridges on it look frayed/worn. Belt was only replaced a week ago and car has only done about 200 miles.

So question is wtf?? Has exhaust dropping at back caused some kind of damage up front, or has something been amiss when timing belt has been done and this is just really bad luck? I'm gutted, have just spent around £700 on car repairs and she is now sitting at the shop. Don't want to drive her and cause more damage. She's a 2002 v70 t5 geartronic. Any ideas guys??

Are you by any chance talking about the Auxiliary belt?
The timing belt should have a cover over it . You make no mention of taking any cover off?

This one of the few cars a weld to an exhaust is worth doing, in 15 years of running Volvos never changed an exhaust part.

That belt issue sounds strange, you had better hope its not the cam belt or the car is scrap.

DDN

Pull the plastic timing cover off, 2 x torx bolts and 2 x clips.
If you can see the belt your on about just by looking in the engine bay...that's the aux belt.
Not a big deal if its knackered but you really need to change it now! don't drive it because if it does go it can take out the power steering pulley etc.
Its a 2 minute job to change.
Good luck :thumbs_up:

can't comment about the timing belt being slack, but it seems serious. issues after a new timing belt install happen, either because of cheap parts used, either because of garage error. check asap

the exhaust, the rear muffler hook is prone to break. I did put a steel wire around my muffler and attached to a upper frame hole. it stays well. also check the double exhaust pipe support that's two feet before the muffler. if that one is also broken, then you need to fix it or have the pipe crack near the flexible and that's more expensive to fix.

Not much further on today. On closer inspection, you are right it is indeed the auxiliary belt, not the timing (big relief). Local mechanic was supposed to collect it on loader yesterday, but never turned up, he has since been in touch and hoping to retrieve her today.

Meanwhile, I rang the guy who did the timing belt and other work on her and I can get her down to him tomorrow if needed. He mentioned the air compressor going or something seizing to do with the handbrake. Going to get local guy to have a look for anything obvious, but think I would be happier to get it down to the guy who did the original work as he is an independent Volvo specialist. I want to know the "why" of what the cause of the problem was, not just a quick fix if you know what I mean.

Was convinced yesterday she was gonna be toast, but after a bit of research feeling a little more cautiously optimistic!

Will let you know how it all pans out. Many thanks for your replies. :thumbs_up:

Finally got down to car with local mechanic this morning. Turns out the freewheel alternator pulley had disintegrated inside. He was literally able to pop it off with his finger! The "twine" I had discovered wrapped around it was one of the ridges on the auxiliary belt that had sheared right off. Seemingly really lucky it happened when it did and the sheared off piece wrapped round the pulley rather than the timing belt etc.
Mechanic was able to pop off offending pulley, remove aux belt and I was able to nurse her the mile back to his yard. Obviously the resistance I was talking about was because the power steering was out, heavy as hell to turn, had an "Austin powers" moment trying to manoeuvre out of the parking space lol!

So new pulley and new aux belt sorts that.

When the exhaust clip at the back box failed it caused the exhaust to part company up near the flange at the front so he is hoping a weld will see that sorted.

All in all just happy that she is being tended too and trying to think about how much worse it could have been!

Anyone ever had a failure like this? He assured me this can happen, I just want to be sure there isn't an underlying cause, as after much reading I was expecting to hear it had been caused by air cond compressor going or something (my air con has never worked and unfortunately came down the list of priorities) after this though I plan to get it regassed/tested asap.

the alternator pulley goes first, then the air con. common issue

I reckon this is the fourth incident of this exact issue on the forum in the last couple of weeks (mine included).
As the days warm up more, I'm wondering if the more extreme range in minimum to maximum air temp is exposing belts that are past their best......?