Volvo, a Swedish automotive company, was started in 1927 by Assar Gabrielsson and Gustaf Larsson, who both stressed the importance of providing customers with safe vehicles. Sold to the Ford Motor Company in 1998, Volvo is now owned by Greeley, a Chinese car manufacturer, who bought the brand from Ford in 2010. Known for its reliability, safety and performance, the Volvo brand continues to be popular with drivers both young and old. Popular models include the S40 and C70.
Purchase the timing chains specifically made for Volvo engines from an auto parts store or on-line. Lift the hood of your car. Locate and disconnect the negative battery cable. Locate and remove the following to reach the timing chain front cover: air cleaner, valve covers, fan shroud, power steering pump and pump bracket. You may need to loosen the air pump, alternator and air conditioning compressor bolts to reach the power steering pump and pump bracket. Refer to the vehicle owner's or service manual to identify these parts.
Remove the timing chain front cover, oil pump sprocket and drive chain. Locate right and left camshafts and timing chains. Give both tensioner locks a counterclockwise 1/4-turn while pushing on the rubbing block piston to loosen chains and chain tensioners. Remove chain tensioners.
Locate and remove the four chain damper/runners (two curved and two straight). Locate and remove the left and right camshaft sprocket retaining bolts and 10mm Allen heads. Remove the old timing chains.
Reattach the chain tensioners. Use a ratchet or torque wrench to tighten tensioner bolts to 5-foot-pounds (7Nm). Reattach the two curved chain damper/runners and tighten bolts to 7- to 11-foot-pounds (10 to 15 Nm). Reattach the two straight chain damper/runners and tighten bolts to 5-foot-pounds (7Nm).
Reattach the left camshaft sprocket retaining bolt and 10mm Allen head. Turn the crankshaft using the crankshaft nut until the crankshaft key points to the left side camshaft (the left side camshaft key groove should point up). Locate the notch mark on the left camshaft sprocket. Line this mark up with the two white lines on the timing chain. Wind the timing chain around the left side camshaft and insert a sprocket pin into the camshaft recess to secure the chain in place. Insert the sprocket center bolt and tighten to 51- to 59-foot-pounds (69 to 80 Nm).
Reattach the right camshaft sprocket retaining bolt and 10mm Allen head. Turn the crankshaft clockwise until the crankshaft key points down. The camshaft key groove should point halfway down (eight or nine o'clock position). Locate the notch mark on the right camshaft sprocket. Line this mark up with the two white lines on the timing chain. Wind the chain around the right side camshaft and insert a sprocket pin into the camshaft recess to secure the chain in place. Insert the sprocket center bolt and tighten to 51- to 59-foot-pounds (69 to 80 Nm).
Give both chain tensioner locks a 1/4 clockwise turn to tighten. Give the crankshaft two clockwise turns to tighten the timing chains. Reattach the oil pump sprocket, drive chain and timing chain cover. Reattach the power steering pump and pump bracket. Tighten the bolts that hold the air pump, alternator and air conditioning compressor in place as necessary. Reattach the air cleaner, valve covers and fan shroud. Start the engine to make sure the timing chains are properly installed.
