What does the "bad" aux belt tensioner look like?

[FrankFisher99]

Hi All, I read that the original aux belt tensioner fitted to these cars (ours is a 2008 XC70) can go bad quickly, shed the belt and can take the cam belt with it. But that a Volvo recall in 2010 should have seen most affected cars upgraded. So, is there a way, by looking at the tensioner, to know if it's the good one, or the bad one?

Pic here for definitive answers....

[Simmy]

dont take any risks with aux belts. just change it and the tensioner if it fails you could end up with a large bill for a wrecked cylinder head and cams .

[Clan]

Originally Posted by FrankFisher99

Hi All, I read that the original aux belt tensioner fitted to these cars (ours is a 2008 XC70) can go bad quickly, shed the belt and can take the cam belt with it. But that a Volvo recall in 2010 should have seen most affected cars upgraded. So, is there a way, by looking at the tensioner, to know if it's the good one, or the bad one?

Pic here for definitive answers....

Just use the current parts , the tensioner wasn't particularly faulty neither was the belt .

The belt change interval was halved to 54000 miles ,
the tensioner remains at every 108000 miles .

Around 2010 they used a hydraulic tensioner but that was superseded back to the mechanical one in around 2012.

[simboc2004]

The one on my 2011 D3 had missed the recall and still had the wrong type when i bought it. I couldn't find a replacement and had to have the modification done at (luckily heavily subsidised) Volvo cost...

the original one looked like this:

[Familyman 90]

What the all wise Clan said. Change the belt and tension mid-way between cambelt intervals, exactly as you should, and you'll have no problems.

They do not go bad quickly, and only cause issues if not replaced when they are supposed to. Use the current part numbers on the Volvo parts system, which is exactly what the dealer sells you anyway.

If the dealer fits them you get a "lifetime" warranty, unlike the one year Fred in a Shed will give if you're lucky, so if they then fail within the recommended replacement cycle period its their problem. People don't tell you important stuff like that when they bleat about what an expensive rip-off the dealers are...

[ferg55]

Originally Posted by Clan

Just use the current parts , the tensioner wasn't particularly faulty neither was the belt .

The belt change interval was halved to 54000 miles ,
the tensioner remains at every 108000 miles .

Around 2010 they used a hydraulic tensioner but that was superseded back to the mechanical one in around 2012.

If the OP is just looking for advice on what is fitted to his car at the moment, shouldn't we advise he check whether his original belt has been changed to the more robust version (introduced 2014-ish)? Because that was the eventual route cause, regardless of tensioner, and the OP's car could easily have had the original belt replaced with the same type prior to 2014, and therefore liable to cause the failures he's been reading about. Or is the original belt design OK for the reduced 54k mile interval?

[Clan]

Originally Posted by ferg55

If the OP is just looking for advice on what is fitted to his car at the moment, shouldn't we advise he check whether his original belt has been changed to the more robust version (introduced 2014-ish)? Because that was the eventual route cause, regardless of tensioner, and the OP's car could easily have had the original belt replaced with the same type prior to 2014, and therefore liable to cause the failures he's been reading about.

Its best to just change the belt and tensioner now with genuine volvo parts if unsure ..

[FrankFisher99]

Originally Posted by ferg55

If the OP is just looking for advice on what is fitted to his car at the moment, shouldn't we advise he check whether his original belt has been changed to the more robust version (introduced 2014-ish)? Because that was the eventual route cause, regardless of tensioner, and the OP's car could easily have had the original belt replaced with the same type prior to 2014, and therefore liable to cause the failures he's been reading about. Or is the original belt design OK for the reduced 54k mile interval?

Thanks, you are right that was my query, and thanks also to simboc2004 - that "old" tensioner is what I was worried about. As it happened it turned out we had the new type tensioner and we swapped that and both belts with no problems. All pulleys and bearings seemed good, but there were a couple of nicks in the ac belt.

[Peter2400]

How does the more robust belt looks like compared to the older type? Can't find pics, parts lists shows the same 5pk1121 for every D5.

[Clan]

Originally Posted by Peter2400

How does the more robust belt looks like compared to the older type? Can't find pics, parts lists shows the same 5pk1121 for every D5.

they are the same on all the 5 cylinders
2007 - 2015 ish