V70: Engine DIY timing belt metal shield anybody?

[Tony Rama]

Given the scenario of the auxiliary belt snapping and taking out the timing belt, has anyone considered making an aluminium or steel shield to fit between the auxiliary belt and the timing belt? Is it even possible?

[seanc]

Originally Posted by Tony Rama

Given the scenario of the auxiliary belt snapping and taking out the timing belt, has anyone considered making an aluminium or steel shield to fit between the auxiliary belt and the timing belt? Is it even possible?

There's an ebay seller who makes and sells them. I ordered one, but thanks to DPD I never got it.

[Olaf Els]

This is what I fitted to my D5 a couple of years ago.



It cost me £65 inc delivery from Latvia. I will PM you with the vendor's details, but not sure he's still making them. Might be worth a try though.

[Tony Rama]

Originally Posted by seanc

There's an ebay seller who makes and sells them. I ordered one, but thanks to DPD I never got it.

That's interesting. Do you know what he calls it? What I would search for?

[Tony Rama]

Originally Posted by Olaf Els

This is what I fitted to my D5 a couple of years ago.



It cost me £65 inc delivery from Latvia. I will PM you with the vendor's details, but not sure he's still making them. Might be worth a try though.

Thanks. Looks the business. What is the material?

[Olaf Els]

Originally Posted by Tony Rama

Thanks. Looks the business. What is the material?

I think it's made of steel

[Peter2400]

Does this really work? Because i think problem is when the aux belt snaps, that it goes upwards, where the timing belt runs, not downwards, and it seems that this belt shield covers the aux belt from the downside.

[Olaf Els]

Originally Posted by Peter2400

Does this really work? Because i think problem is when the aux belt snaps, that it goes upwards, where the timing belt runs, not downwards, and it seems that this belt shield covers the aux belt from the downside.

All I can say is that I've not read of any catastrophic belt failures after one of these devices has been fitted. Of course it could be that those who fit the devices are more likely to be those that change all the belts, idlers and tensioners at appropriate intervals.

[Clan]

Originally Posted by Tony Rama

Given the scenario of the auxiliary belt snapping and taking out the timing belt, has anyone considered making an aluminium or steel shield to fit between the auxiliary belt and the timing belt? Is it even possible?

you don't need one , and there is no proof they work anyway . as long as you change your aux belt every 54000 miles and tensioner at 108000 miles as per volvos servicing schedule it will be fine .

[Kev0607]

If this shield actually works, it makes me wonder why Volvo didn’t come up with this idea & installed it at point of manufacture, as a preventative measure.

I suppose Volvo believe in their service schedule & the belts shouldn’t snap before x amount of miles/years, but they still should be replaced at some point in time anyway (as per whatever the service schedule states). This doesn’t take into consideration premature belt failure though, but I can only assume it doesn’t happen enough for Volvo to justify stepping in with some kind of extra protection in the belt area (like a shield for example). I know they changed hydraulic aux belt tensioners back to mechanical ones a few years ago, via recall I think. I guess that’s extra protection in a way.

I’m not convinced the shields work either, so maybe Volvo think the same? As specified above, if the aux belt snaps, it has a tendency to go upwards & wrap itself in the timing belt. Therefore, this shield is useless. It would only be any good if it covered the aux belt above & below.