V50 Petrol 2008

[green van man]

You need to do the aux belt and tensioner also. These are 50,000 miles OR 5 years whichever comes sooner so you should be approaching your second change at 10 years.

It is the aux tensioner that are the Achilles heel on these engines, they fail, shread the aux belt which gets behind the guard and takes the cam belt out, result a totaled engine. Not a problem if changed as should be but I would not run them longer than recommended.

As the aux belt and tensioner have to come off to change the cam belt it should be materials only that are extra. If you have air con that belt should be changed as well. It's a one use streach fit and has to come off the pulley to remove the aux belt.
At your milage the water pump should be fine but it's always worth factoring it in the costings just in case. No point doing the job then having to strip it again shortly after to change the pump if there is any doubt.

Paul.

[green van man]

Sorry got carried away, I was thinking of the D5 diesel engine not the petrol engine which I confess I know little about so am not sure if the advise about the aux belt is relevant to your engine. Apologies for any confusion caused.

Paul.

[oragex]

Not willing to steer controversy, but I would have a slightly different opinion on the belt change. As mentioned the belt has a timeline along with the mileage mark, for the change interval.

If you intend to keep the car for another 5 years, it is simply a matter of not forgetting about it. But if you intend to sell the car in two years, then it may save you money not do to the belt although it may also lower the selling price. What happens is with age the rubber/composite inside the belt gets stiffer and less flexible making the belt more prone to cracking. It is my pure and personal point of view that a belt will not necessarily break because it's ten years old if it has such low miles on it - basically half of the expected life. I believe - but this is just me - such belt will surely last another 20000 miles or so. Now do you have to take this for granted? No, it is only a personal opinion and you are still responsible for your own choice. Even a 10 years old belt with 100000 miles on it can still be good for some extra mileage. Just for the sake of the discussion, the actual life of a belt also depends on how the car was driven: on a car that was gently driven never passing the 3000 rpm for example, the belt will actually last quite longer than on a car that has seen 5000rpm on a daily basis. Theoretically a belt change interval is specified for the case where the belt had the most stressful life in terms of driving habits.

Again, just a point of view and not necessarily a fact. For most people, the safest and the best choice for the peace of mind is to replace the belt after 10 years even with much lower miles than the 100000 miles mark.

Side note, also of important matter is the brand the garage will use for the parts. Many low key garages will put the cheapest parts they can find, avoid this at all cost. The best approach is to buy yourself the belt, roller and tensioner online and ask the mechanic to install them (look for Gates and even for Volvo parts, not much more expensive). You don't need to replace the water pump now - if the mechanic wants to replace it, walk away because it means he doesn't know these engines.

[oragex]

Originally Posted by farnhamgirl

No the price was just for the cam belt. Garages are expensive in Surrey.

I'm sorry to use these words, but £550 for parts only sounds like a crook, not to mention it seems to include the water pump, so the garage doesn't know these cars. Better look around for another place, I believe there is a list on this forum with recommended garages in your area. The parts will cost you less than £150 and the labor should be less than £250

[Simon Jones]

Only caveat I would add about supplying your own parts is that in the event that belt fails and destroys the engine, then you may find that neither the supplier or garage will accept liability. If you plan on keeping the car for a while, consider an offer like this (below) whereby there is guarantee that will pay out up the value of the vehicle in the event of a premature problem.

There's a branch in Farnham: https://www.motest.co.uk/cambelts

[oragex]

Originally Posted by Simon Jones

Only caveat I would add about supplying your own parts is that in the event that belt fails and destroys the engine, then you may find that neither the supplier or garage will accept liability. If you plan on keeping the car for a while, consider an offer like this (below) whereby there is guarantee that will pay out up the value of the vehicle in the event of a premature problem.

There's a branch in Farnham: https://www.motest.co.uk/cambelts

It is indeed better to ask the garage to order the parts in the desired brand, very good point about the warranty as the mechanic itself can make a mistake and then blame it on the parts if provided by the car owner

[green van man]

My first Volvo was a 460 diesel. Engine was a Renault lump, Volvo cam belt change intervals 60,000 miles, Renault's 70,000 miles. It's where Volvo gets it reputation for reliability.

My landrover has cam belt change of 70,000 miles, I change at 30,000 and change tensioner every second belt. I drive off road and wade the car, don't want it snapping or shedding teeth in the middle of nowhere and certainly not in the middle of a river.

The problem with aged belts is they strip teeth rather than snap. The only way you can check them is take them off, bend them backwards and examine the root for signs of cracking. Having gone to that work are you going to put the belt back on ?
Family member blithly ran a fait not realising it even had a timing belt, 6 teeth ripped out, pistons hit valves, valve snapped and chipped valve guide etc. 4 weeks and hundreds of £ later we got the car back on the road but I suspect it bent a con rod as it never ran as well as it did before the incident.

It's your car, your money your decision of course.

I change them early and have piece of mind.

Paul.

[ITSv40]

Volvo recommend the belt is changed at 10 years, so it does need doing, but there is a safety margin built in so you have a little time to organise it.

Only use genuine Volvo or gates belts, anything else and you are taking a greater risk. Change the cam belt and the tensioner - the idler pulley should be ok at your mileage, but get the mechanic to check the smoothness of it and if there is any roughness change it. Do not change the water pump unless there is anything obviously wrong with it, they are known to last for incredible mileages. I have has one last 270,000mls and another 370,000mls. My son has a V50 T5 and he has changed his at 150,000mls as it had just started leaking. If you do change the pump only fit genuine Volvo - Cost about £110.

Also change the auxiliary belt and its tensioner.

[Welton]

I agree about leaving the water pump, I removed mine at 80K miles and replaced with a Volvo part £80.00? but the old one was pristine it looked like it had come from a laboratory it was that perfect.

@farnhamgirl, if garages are expensive where you live why not consider bringing the car up north slightly and get quotes from Volvo indies? kinda make a day of it. I reckon you could save £200.00.

I don't like garages that make a big deal over cambelt jobs, it's not that difficult on an in-line engine like these.