V70: Engine Fan Belt Breaking the Cambelt

[JRL]

Thanks for that...bookmarked for a more in depth read through later.

[tt82]

You know I don't get all the praise for cam chains. Every engineer, motorcyclist and mounain biker will tell you that chains stretch and the sprockets wear down. This means that chains do need changing, not as often as belts but they do need changing or you will have really poor timing. And as chains are internal, this means they are very costly to replace.

So I would basically say that Volvo use timing belts = expect car to do a lot of miles and thus make it cheap/easy to change.

Other manufacturers use timing chain = for lifetime of vehicle but their admitting that their vehicles aren't designed to have long lifes. Probably ready for the scrap heap at about 200k miles.

BMW timing chain failures.

[Percy topliss]

[QUOTE=tt82;1490402]You know I don't get all the praise for cam chains. Every engineer, motorcyclist and mounain biker will tell you that chains stretch and the sprockets wear down. This means that chains do need changing, not as often as belts but they do need changing or you will have really poor timing. And as chains are internal, this means they are very costly to replace.

So I would basically say that Volvo use timing belts = expect car to do a lot of miles and thus make it cheap/easy to change.

Other manufacturers use timing chain = for lifetime of vehicle but their admitting that their vehicles aren't designed to have long lifes. Probably ready for the scrap heap at about 200k miles.

[URL="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006mg74/features/bmw-chains-snap-n47-engine-2007-2009"]BMW timing chain failures.[/.

[Percy topliss]

Originally Posted by tt82

You know I don't get all the praise for cam chains. Every engineer, motorcyclist and mounain biker will tell you that chains stretch and the sprockets wear down. This means that chains do need changing, not as often as belts but they do need changing or you will have really poor timing. And as chains are internal, this means they are very costly to replace.

So I would basically say that Volvo use timing belts = expect car to do a lot of miles and thus make it cheap/easy to change.

Other manufacturers use timing chain = for lifetime of vehicle but their admitting that their vehicles aren't designed to have long lifes. Probably ready for the scrap heap at about

BMW timing chain failures.

Chain drive is generally far superior that's why the likes of bmw jaguar nissan mercedes porche honda mazda use them not to mention suzuki kawasaki yamaha all of who produce first class engines, there is nothing special about the longevity of volvo engines all the above produce engines just as durable , the only advantage of belt drive is its cheaper to produce
,The reason bike and motorcycle chains stretch as you put it is due to them operating in a very hostile environment open to dirt water and often insufficient lubrication that is not the case in a car engine application there enclosed in a oil tight case and are well lubricated with filtered oil

Of course there are cases of chain failure but generally speaking its a far better method which is why its used even through its more expensive Bmw for example tried belt drive in the M20 series engines but never went back to it subsequently.

My last car a BMW covered 250k with no cam chain issues my t5 before that suffered complete engine failure at around 50k after the cam belt failed

Bmw have had well known problems with their diesel engines chains however that is down to poor design and manufacturing issues rather than a inherent fault with chains

I recently replaced a head gasket on a mazda that had covered over 200k and the chain tensioner and sprockets were perfect as were the bores camshafts/ followers etc so don't fall into the trap of thinking volvos are something special in the engine stakes

[nickbw898]

There has been a hell of a lot of trouble with BMW chains on relatively low miles, newish cars. Back to the serpentine belt failing, these are generally good for the length of the cambelt. In either case it is usually the idler pully or the tensioner pully failing that causes the belt to fail. However, the alternator pully is also sheduled to be changed at the same interval as it has a freewheel function and is known to seize. It requires a special tool for removal (BMW, VAG and quite a few others use the same system - available from Amazon) and installation. The alternator bearing seizing is also not unknown and of course also a cause of serpentine belt failure. Changing cam belts and sepentine belts and their pullies/tensiners is done by a lot of able DIY mechanics and I know of one who says that compared to a lot of other marques Volvo is easy. I do get fed up with a lot of posters slagging off Volvo when in fact they don't do much research and tend rush things.

[Volvoforme]

My serpentine belt snapped as I was coming off the motorway in my S80 diesel.
Lost all power and car would not start. AA would not touch engine as said it had jumped the cam belt. They just towed me home. Can anyone tell me if this has happened to them and what the damage was to the engine and potential cost.
I cant believe Volvo designed an engine that can do this.

[RM955I]

Can someone tell me more about the alternator free-wheel pulley please?

I am picking up my 2009 D5 205bhp at the weekend. It has had the aux belt recall done at 56k (?) but it is (over)due cambelt, tensioner, idlers, both aux belts and aux belt pulleys - is the alternator pulley part of the normal kit or do I need to specify this? All parts will be coming from Rufe at FRF. I don't recall us discussing this in particular or is it included? I suspect not, so should I add it to the list?

The car is currently showing 112k and other than a short 20 mile drive home, all work will be done before I drive it again. Given the time of year, it's going to a decent general, non franchised dealer as crawling around in this weather does not appeal so it's one of those occasions where I'll pay someone else: rushing jobs in the cold is how mistakes happen!

[cheshired5]

Originally Posted by RM955I

Can someone tell me more about the alternator free-wheel pulley please?

I am picking up my 2009 D5 205bhp at the weekend. It has had the aux belt recall done at 56k (?) but it is (over)due cambelt, tensioner, idlers, both aux belts and aux belt pulleys - is the alternator pulley part of the normal kit or do I need to specify this? All parts will be coming from Rufe at FRF. I don't recall us discussing this in particular or is it included? I suspect not, so should I add it to the list?

The car is currently showing 112k and other than a short 20 mile drive home, all work will be done before I drive it again. Given the time of year, it's going to a decent general, non franchised dealer as crawling around in this weather does not appeal so it's one of those occasions where I'll pay someone else: rushing jobs in the cold is how mistakes happen!

Pulley is separate to any kit.
Genuine Volvo will be around £60.
It's made like the other pulleys by INA and can be had non branded from good ebay sellers for about £35.

You need a special tool to remove and refit.
Search clutch pulley tool.

[RM955I]

At 112k, is it a case of replace it (free wheel pulley for alternator) regardless or a case of checking for smooth operation?

[Model flyer]

Hi you only need to replace the alternator pulley when it starts to make noise. As farnas Im aware its not a scheduled replacement likec idler pulleys but would have to check that out. When it starts to fail you will hear a loud knocking noise at idle and up to about 1500 rpm after that and the engine smoothes out and noise disappears. The pulley on my sons p2 had a left hand threaded bolt fixing it to the shaft.You only need change the pulley if its noisy and alternator should be fine providing the bearing are OK and its charging correctly . previous p2 (same set up) had 180 + k and was still OK..