XC70: Engine S29451 hydraulic belt tensioner

[GrahamBrown1]

Originally Posted by Jocke011

I don’t have nor I can get in a contact with owner nr. 1.
But today I came with a contact with a Volvo dealer and got info that replacement was done by also but another one Volvo dealer.
When I got in contact with the dealer who ‘did’ the reparation so they said that we are talking about reparation that have been in 2015, and the car is after that was on several tension-changins at another dealers so they can’t guarantee that it was their fault.
Weird also that other dealers wrote that they have changed the tensioner, have no idea what have they done.

Also no idea what to do at the moment, I am driving the car everyday to work and home so started to thinking to change it for something else. But started to love the car and will try to invest to do a reparation, but so far got recommendations ti change the whole engine…

I don’t think there is a need to change the entire engine, I think it can be repaired via a skilled person. By dropping a couple of engine mounts the engine will drop down so access is lower and more visable through the wheel arch.

Drilling the new hole isn’t going to compromise the existing hole or the hydraulic tensioner. So if it don’t work out you can still refit the old tensioner. It will still be a one shot operation, it’s finding someone who wants to do it but you can’t really have a come back on them as they are trying to sort someone else’s mess.

[Georgeandkira]

It's apparent you like the way the car drives. This is what I was alluding to in my 4th of May answer.

It may be that the penitent dealerships simply want you to come in and trade the car for something newer.

Again, is locating a X,000 quid engine worth it in the long run?

It's all in the details...effort, value and angst.

[simboc2004]

I wrote about this issue a while ago on here -search for V70 D3/4 163bhp 2011 aux belt tensioner A while after buying my 2011 2 litre 5 cylinder D3 I discovered that it hadn't had the hydraulic tensioner replaced - I think because it had been out of the Volvo service chain. The replacement tensioner was fitted originally as a "service re-work", not a general recall - so it was only done if you knew about it and it went in for a service with Volvo - and within a certain time span (3 years I think). This meant it didn't show up in an official recall check (which I did before buying it). It is impossible to buy the old style tensioner - well, why would you stock something that had been deemed unreliable - so you have to get the proper job done at an official Volvo service agent. I bit the bullet and paid for the drilling, etc. It should have cost about £1000, I seem to remember, however I got a good discount from Volvo "in good faith" and the dealer then had delays on the original quoted time and gave me a further discount, so it ended up costing £600ish. Not cheap, but done and now I can replace the aux belt when i need to.