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240 Warning lights and belt sounds/smells after new water pump

sheepbleat

Member
Joined
Nov 16, 2020
Location
Brooklyn, NY
Edit: Car’s a ‘91 NA 244. B230F. Autotragic.

Put in a new water pump and radiator for the first time tonight. All went according to plan until I was getting ready to start the car and check for leaks.

First: My alternator tension screw crumbled during removal of the V belts. I didn’t think this would be an issue as I could just tension those belts by prying against the alternator, but I’m starting to think I might be wrong...

Second: I’m a total bonehead. I put the V belts on the drive pulley and tensioned them (by prying against the alternator) before starting and checking for leaks... but didn’t bolt the fan onto the drive pulley. When I started the car I heard a clang as the pulley hit the pavement (the belts slipped off). I also saw the battery light, brake failure, and parking brake lights. I’ve never seen these when starting before.

Third: I disconnected the battery (in hopes of clearing those lights) while I fixed my bonehead move. Put the drive pulley back on, installed the fan and fan shroud, and tensioned the V belts by prying against the alternator once again like a caveman. Reconnected the battery and was ready to give it a go.

When I started the car the three dash lights (battery, brake failure, and parking brake) were on once again and I immediately smelled burning rubber. I’m assuming this smell is belt-related. I turned the car off and confirmed that the V belts were taut, but could feel that the drive pulley was already warm to the touch.

I started the car again and heard a shriek/squeal sound that I assume to be belt(s) slipping, and smelled burning rubber once again.

At this point it was past midnight and I decided to take a break for the rest of the night.

Where did I go wrong? Is it likely that my belts are too tight or loose because I tensioned them like a fool? Did I somehow install the timing belt cover incorrectly and now it’s rubbing on something that I can’t see? Did I destroy my alternator bearings by overtightening?

Thanks in advance.
 
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Put in a new water pump and radiator for the first time tonight. All went according to plan until I was getting ready to start the car and check for leaks.

First: My alternator tension screw crumbled during removal of the V belts. I didn’t think this would be an issue as I could just tension those belts by prying against the alternator, but I’m starting to think I might be wrong...

Second: I’m a total bonehead. I put the V belts on the drive pulley and tensioned them (by prying against the alternator) before starting and checking for leaks... but didn’t bolt the fan onto the drive pulley. When I started the car I heard a clang as the pulley hit the pavement (the belts slipped off). I also saw the battery light, brake failure, and parking brake lights. I’ve never seen these when starting before.

Third: I disconnected the battery (in hopes of clearing those lights) while I fixed my bonehead move. Put the drive pulley back on, installed the fan and fan shroud, and tensioned the V belts by prying against the alternator once again like a caveman. Reconnected the battery and was ready to give it a go.

When I started the car the three dash lights (battery, brake failure, and parking brake) were on once again and I immediately smelled burning rubber. I’m assuming this smell is belt-related. I turned the car off and confirmed that the V belts were taut, but could feel that the drive pulley was already warm to the touch.

I started the car again and heard a shriek/squeal sound that I assume to be belt(s) slipping, and smelled burning rubber once again.

At this point it was past midnight and I decided to take a break for the rest of the night.

Where did I go wrong? Is it likely that my belts are too tight or loose because I tensioned them like a fool? Did I somehow install the timing belt cover incorrectly and now it’s rubbing on something that I can’t see? Did I destroy my alternator bearings by overtightening?

Thanks in advance.

* Tha TB crowd gonna jump all up in yer schnitzel if you don't post year & model

a) Burning rubber sounds like a loose belt, and possibly something else is afoot ? If we have an image(or a link to see an image) that might help for an obvious problem, especially when you mentioned 'drive' pulley(do you mean the crank pulley or maybe the water pump/fan pulley ?).

b) Tightening the alternator with a pry bar isn't a problem, but you want to tighten it to correct tension, here is a link: https://www.manualslib.com/manual/187855/Volvo-240.html?page=69#manual

c) It's easy to replace the alternator adjustment bolt and/or the bracket w/ the bolt, as they sell them new, check IPD or your favorite supplier ;-)

d) If you provide a bit more information there's enough combined knowledge on this forum to help you out


:-P
 
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* Tha TB crowd gonna jump all up in yer schnitzel if you don't post year & model

a) Burning rubber sounds like a loose belt, and possibly something else is afoot ? If we have an image(or a link to see an image) that might help for an obvious problem, especially when you mentioned 'drive' pulley(do you mean the crank pulley or maybe the water pump/fan pulley ?).

b) Tightening the alternator with a pry bar isn't a problem, but you want to tighten it to correct tension, here is a link: https://www.manualslib.com/manual/187855/Volvo-240.html?page=69#manual

c) It's easy to replace the alternator adjustment bolt and/or the bracket w/ the bolt, as they sell them new, check IPD or your favorite supplier ;-)

d) If you provide a bit more information there's enough combined knowledge on this forum to help you out


:-P

Thank you! Updated with model info. I should know better.

A) I?ll grab some photos in daylight today. And yes, drive pulley = water pump/fan pulley.

B) I?ll check the tension via deflection today.

C) Thank you! I?ve already got one on order. Just needed to get things up and running because I park on the street and will need to move my car for street sweeping before the replacement bolt arrives.

D) TB always delivers the good magic.
 
Did I somehow install the timing belt cover incorrectly and now it?s rubbing on something that I can?t see?

On my 86 240 the timing cover was rubbing against the timing belt and when I found out by removing the cover the timing belt had lost lots of material. It was pretty scary when I found out. There were rubber shavings everywhere. I since removed the upper timing cover and have no interest in replacing it. I can't remember if I smelled any rubber during this time but it could be possible.

Does a 91 240 also have the block-mounted alternator tensioner with the rubber bushing? Mine was really worn out and it caused the alternator belts to be crooked. The pulley was also contacting the tensioner and causing sparks whenever I accelerated. Replacing this bushing is an easy job.
 
Updating with pics. Note the rubber shards on top of the water pump. Sounds like the next step is for me to take off the fan, pulley, accessory belts, and timing belt cover and see how it runs. Any other ideas?

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On my 86 240 the timing cover was rubbing against the timing belt and when I found out by removing the cover the timing belt had lost lots of material. It was pretty scary when I found out. There were rubber shavings everywhere. I since removed the upper timing cover and have no interest in replacing it. I can't remember if I smelled any rubber during this time but it could be possible.

Does a 91 240 also have the block-mounted alternator tensioner with the rubber bushing? Mine was really worn out and it caused the alternator belts to be crooked. The pulley was also contacting the tensioner and causing sparks whenever I accelerated. Replacing this bushing is an easy job.

Gotcha. Thank you! I was worried about this, but it makes sense.

My upper timing belt cover has a sizable crack/tear where it meets the lower portion of the cover. Sounds like it could be rubbing against the timing belt there. Hopefully I haven’t done too much damage to the belt by starting the car three times.

I’ll do a bit of disassembly over lunch. Will take off the fan, fan/water pump pulley, accessory belts, and timing belt cover and see how it runs.
 
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I'm curious to see the timing belt too. Your alternator belts look straight so that's good. I had been driving my car several weeks at least before I noticed the damage caused by the rubbing so I'll just guess that your belt is fine. If you do have to replace you will find out it's not that hard once you get started.

Gotcha. Thank you! I was worried about this, but it makes sense.

My upper timing belt cover has a sizable crack/tear where it meets the lower portion of the cover. Sounds like it could be rubbing against the timing belt there. Hopefully I haven?t done too much damage to the belt by starting the car three times.

I?ll do a bit of disassembly over lunch. Will take off the fan, fan/water pump pulley, accessory belts, and timing belt cover and see how it runs.
 
It sounds like the alternator is seized. Did you remove the broken adjusting bolt from the part it threads into (Volvo calls it a striker plate)? The bolt or the striker plate may have rotated into the alternator pulley fan when you tightened the nut.
 
It sounds like the alternator is seized. Did you remove the broken adjusting bolt from the part it threads into (Volvo calls it a striker plate)? The bolt or the striker plate may have rotated into the alternator pulley fan when you tightened the nut.

This was the answer.

Just went out over lunch and decided to take a more measured approach in the light of day. Took off the water pump/fan pulley, v belts, and timing belt cover. Didn?t take long for me to see the remnants of that tension bolt were preventing the alternator from spinning.

Removed. Reassembled. Car starts and runs with no issues. Idiot lights are off.

Ordering a new timing belt cover while I?m at it, since my old one is split/torn behind the fan/water pump pulley.

Thanks all.
 

Glad to hear you got it, nice catch hiperfauto.


I noticed you have the factory pre-heat flex hose. Just a heads up, that hose runs to your airbox thermo activated flap. Commonly if the thermo switch fails, it will fail open(which then allows heated air to continue to the intake even when you don't need the pre-heated air). The complaint is this can fatigue the AMM prematurely. It's fine to use this system, as long you know the switch/flap works(I removed the flex hose on mine, to avoid this potential *problem).

:-P
 
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Glad to hear you got it, nice catch hiperfauto.


I noticed you have the factory pre-heat flex hose. Just a heads up, that hose runs to your airbox thermo activated flap. Commonly if the thermo switch fails, it will fail open(which then allows heated air to continue to the intake even when you don't need the pre-heated air). The complaint is this can fatigue the AMM prematurely. It's fine to use this system, as long you know the switch/flap works(I removed the flex hose on mine, to avoid this potentially expensive repair issue).

:-P

Thanks for the heads up. I?ve got a new thermostat for that flap that I?m dropping in this weekend. It?s a new-to-me project car but it?s slowly coming together.
 
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