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B230FT camshaft reinstall question

maxitoman007

maxitoman007

Member
Joined
Feb 15, 2017
Location
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Ok so recently I've been doing some head work on my b230FT and in the process I've had to remove the camshaft as well as separate it from the cam gear. My question is, how do I realign the camshaft with the cam gear so that I can use the mark on the cam gear and the mark on the back plate to put the cam in time with everything else. Also there are no marks on my timing belt and I've only taken it off the cam gear (not off the auxillary shaft or camshaft) so how do I make sure it goes back on the cam gear right? I've heard the terms "degreeing a cam" and "adjustable cam gear" do these apply here? Thanks in advance.
 
There should be a dowel on the cam that goes into the cam gear. It can only go on one way if you are using stock parts.

This is usually why they recommend to put the motor at TDC before taking the belt off. You will have to rotate the crank to the TDC position if it isn't already there, along with the cam and gear, and then use the marks on the belt to line it all up. Sounds like you need a new timing belt that has marks on it. Should be like $15.
 
Omg that makes so much more sense! It's been a while since I've removed the cam gear so I seem to have forgotten about that slighnment dowel. So if from the factory they want it set one way, how would an IPD adjustable cam gear have any benefits?
 
maxitoman007 said:
Omg that makes so much more sense! It's been a while since I've removed the cam gear so I seem to have forgotten about that slighnment dowel. So if from the factory they want it set one way, how would an IPD adjustable cam gear have any benefits?
Click to expand...

The benefits are that they're making bank selling and almost universal gear with extra holes drilled in it to achieve an outcome that a serious engine tuner can achieve with just the belt and a dial indicator
 
Jimmy E. James said:
The benefits are that they're making bank selling and almost universal gear with extra holes drilled in it to achieve an outcome that a serious engine tuner can achieve with just the belt and a dial indicator
Click to expand...

And a drill press. Gotta get those extra alignment holes in there somehow.
 
culberro said:
And a drill press. Gotta get those extra alignment holes in there somehow.
Click to expand...

Yeah, for the deluxe execution and easy repeat - but you do't even have to do that, just set the cam where you want it in relationship with the crank when you do the tune and make new match marks for belt install
 
maxitoman007 said:
Well if that's the case, should I reinstall it in the stock position or should I turn it a certain way a tooth or two?
Click to expand...

I'm lost with your questions

If you have a stock, factory gear it will only bolt up one way

Unless you are building or installing some sort of performance cam and or gear with adjustments then put it back together the way Volvo meant it to be - refer to the link I posted
 
Jimmy E. James said:
You don't have to buy a new belt to get marks
All the gears and crank are marked
Click to expand...

I think you might be right that it is possible to do so without marks on a belt.

But I'm not a professional, so I'd still go with the marks on belt to verify everything is together appropriately. Just re-assurance when you start the car that it's going to work properly.

And it seems silly to be doing "some head work", just to put on an old belt. They are cheap. Why not do it the easy way and double check your work along the way? Just my opinion on how to save time as an amateur.
 
940wagon said:
I think you might be right that it is possible to do so without marks on a belt.

But I'm not a professional, so I'd still go with the marks on belt to verify everything is together appropriately. Just re-assurance when you start the car that it's going to work properly.

And it seems silly to be doing "some head work", just to put on an old belt. They are cheap. Why not do it the easy way and double check your work along the way? Just my opinion on how to save time as an amateur.
Click to expand...
I have no idea what you are talking about

It doesn't get any easier to "verify", or "assuring" than the fact that there are physical match marks ON THE ENGINE

Match marks on the belt are simply a convenience for initial (and factory) assembly (can also be in the wrong place for belt#s that fit numerous applications) Continental's marks always line up, but again, I don't use the ink on the rubber band, I put it where the engine and Volvo tells me

We don't know what he's doing or why OR how many miles are on the belt

If we're talking a timing belt with only 5 or 10K on it, replacing that would be silly

You do what you got to do
 
Well I'll probably replace the timing belt because well why not. And for the guys who's confused about my tooth comment, to my knowledge all that an ipd adjustable cam gear does is allow you to fine tune the cam timing with regards to the crankshaft in increments of 2.5 degrees. However the same effect can be achieved by simply offsetting the cam gear from the timing mark while everything else is aligned at TDC (timing mark would be a tooth off from lining up with the backplate timing mark.) Unfortunately, I've read that a change of one tooth would equate to a change of about 10 degrees meaning there is really no fine tuning ability (to my knowledge). If this is the case, I would expect there to be around 36 teeth on a case gear equating to 360 degrees. Does anyone know how far 10 degrees will shift the powerband in terms of rpm? Is it to darastic of a change to be worth it?
 
New conti belt is like $8 if there is even the slightest concern with age or wear.
https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/vo...0-740-760-780-242-244-245-240-745-continental


You can't just adjust the timing by moving the belt a tooth. :run:

If you want to adjust your cam timing you can buy the IPD gear with a few different preset adjustments or you can buy a real adjustable cam gear from STSmachining or Yoshifab.

As long as the cam mark, the aux shaft mark and the crank mark are all lined up, it doesn't matter if there are marks on the belt or not. The marks will help someone that is less experienced and unsure of themselves, but you should be able to line up a couple marks if you are removing a head FFS.
 
Tuff240 said:
New conti belt is like $8 if there is even the slightest concern with age or wear.
https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/vo...0-740-760-780-242-244-245-240-745-continental


You can't just adjust the timing by moving the belt a tooth. :run:

If you want to adjust your cam timing you can buy the IPD gear with a few different preset adjustments or you can buy a real adjustable cam gear from STSmachining or Yoshifab.

As long as the cam mark, the aux shaft mark and the crank mark are all lined up, it doesn't matter if there are marks on the belt or not. The marks will help someone that is less experienced and unsure of themselves, but you should be able to line up a couple marks if you are removing a head FFS.
Click to expand...

^this. On a B230 motor, there is a rear plastic timing cover. There are marks on it for the camshaft TDC & aux shaft position to allow the distributor to point at #1. There is a mark on the front main seal retainer to align the timing mark on the crank for #1 to be at TDC as well. You need to remove the upper and lower front 1/2 of the timing cover to see all the marks. You have to remove the balancer/pulley to remove the lower timing cover as well. You don't need the marks on the belt to align anything. There is a very nice procedure with pictures and everything in the Bentley book or the appropriate green book. I recommend you get either/both.

Just replace the belt and the tensioner if they have been on the car for any real length of time. Cheap insurance and the Contitech belts and tensioners are very nice. While you are at it, replace the front main cam and layshaft seals as well. Use Elring seals.

maxitoman007 said:
Well I'll probably replace the timing belt because well why not. And for the guys who's confused about my tooth comment, to my knowledge all that an ipd adjustable cam gear does is allow you to fine tune the cam timing with regards to the crankshaft in increments of 2.5 degrees. However the same effect can be achieved by simply offsetting the cam gear from the timing mark while everything else is aligned at TDC (timing mark would be a tooth off from lining up with the backplate timing mark.) Unfortunately, I've read that a change of one tooth would equate to a change of about 10 degrees meaning there is really no fine tuning ability (to my knowledge). If this is the case, I would expect there to be around 36 teeth on a case gear equating to 360 degrees. Does anyone know how far 10 degrees will shift the powerband in terms of rpm? Is it to drastic of a change to be worth it?
Click to expand...

If you have a stock car, an adjustable timing gear will make no noticeable difference. If you have a bigger cam, conventional wisdom has that advancing the cam a bit will move the power band a little lower in the range as it pushes cylinder pressure up

Again, get a Bentley or greenbook. If you are going to work on these cars, they are an essential reference, are well illustrated and will answer most questions before you ask them.
 
Tuff240 said:
You can't just adjust the timing by moving the belt a tooth. :run:
Click to expand...

Sure you can - you just have to make note of the number of teeth you change it off TDC - and understated what it is you're doing and why

All the gears do is provide some holes for you - if those holes are where you need them then you're good to go, but doing it with the belt will give you more options and then you can drill your own hole if you're into that
 
Jimmy E. James said:
Sure you can - you just have to make note of the number of teeth you change it off TDC - and understated what it is you're doing and why

All the gears do is provide some holes for you - if those holes are where you need them then you're good to go, but doing it with the belt will give you more options and then you can drill your own hole if you're into that
Click to expand...


How many degrees would the cam timing change by jumping it a tooth and how would this benefit me?
 
ZVOLV said:
How many degrees would the cam timing change by jumping it a tooth and how would this benefit me?
Click to expand...

Can't answer that, same as I can't answer the why on using a so called adjustable gear - all depends on the build ie. the cam selected and what you're trying to accomplish

As for how many degrees equals one tooth, never measured it, all my stuff is stock

Easy enough to figure out if you were going that route - you can reference the ready mades and just do the arithmetic (divide) or just use a protractor and a dial

That's how Jag did it for years - use a dial for the pistons and a special tool to hold the cams on a stock build
 
You don't need to measure it. You have a 38 tooth cam sprocket and a 19 tooth crank sprocket. 360 /38 = 9.47 degrees change in cam position by moving the belt one tooth, or, 18.94 crank degrees. Way too much for any tuning change.
 
If 9 degrees isn't beneficial, how come it's an option on the IPD cam gear. Also I don't understand the idea of crank degrees when changing the tooth on the cam. If you shifted it one tooth on the cam you'd change the cam by 9 degrees the cam and crank would be off by 9 degrees. It would only be if you jumped a tooth on the crank that you would see the cam and crank off by 18 degrees. So it doesn't depend on how you look at it, it's two completely different things.
 
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