Looking at an early 960: run away? (2025 bump, I didn't) - dumb part questions edition

[fatcatbestcat]

The early 960 used smaller sprockets, the same size as a 5 cylinder. The 95+ ones used larger sprockets and a much wider belt, which carried over to the RN/P2 engines. The water pump pulley size also changed.
I think that's part of the reason they had such a low interval early on. Too small of a belt drive.
AFAIK, you can take the crank sprocket, cam sprockets and water pump for a late 960 and bolt them up with the wide later belt.

I'm going to do some more reading on this.

I'm hoping it's possible to just get the updated sprockets from a late P80 or early P2 car - those are very available at the scrappers right now. Then it would just be a matter of buying the "late" timing kit which already has the updated pump, wide belts etc.

I do a lot of panicking about belts but not a whole lot of driving - I don't think I've even put a full 10,000 miles on my daily 940 since I changed its belt last October

 

[244tiCanuck]

I'm going to do some more reading on this.

I'm hoping it's possible to just get the updated sprockets from a late P80 or early P2 car

The larger sprockets were only on 6 cylinder, and for a 960, they have to be from a 960/v90/s90. The S80 and XC90 6 cylinder sprockets have a different offset.

 

[spock345]

The larger sprockets were only on 6 cylinder, and for a 960, they have to be from a 960/v90/s90. The S80 and XC90 6 cylinder sprockets have a different offset.

Yep, and you'll pretty much need the full accessory selection off a big belt motor as well to make it all work. I ended up with a '98 setup from a friend. You can re-use the '93 AC compressor with some spacers to get the belt alignment right.

 

[AnthonyHardy2]

It's already been established that as time went on, Volvo improved the timing/tensioning bits and managed to eek more miles out of a timing belt - can all those late parts be retrofitted to an "early" engine without a lot of work? The B6304 in mine is apparently not on its first cylinder head, so I'm thinking more seriously about upgrading to the S/V90 belt setup if it's even possible.

Is it as simple as just getting a kit for a later car, and bolting that tensioner on, using the new water pump and the new style pulley? Or am I about to be drilling and tapping an engine block?

You might also need the 95+ accessory bracket and the late timing covers since they moved the accessories forward to make space for the wider timing belt. I'm not sure if the other accessories changed but you'll have to add spacers to mount your AC compressor unless you want to switch the compressor and lines to the later style.

From VIDA

 

[fatcatbestcat]

Thanks again for the replies, everyone.

Sounds like for now I will be ordering the early style timing kit just to have the knowledge that it's been done recently - then sometime before it's time to do it again, I hope to have amassed all the parts to swap to the late, wide belt timing set.

...or have put a B628T in it. Or a B230. Or an LS. Or crushed it.

 

[jmiles]

Thanks again for the replies, everyone.

Sounds like for now I will be ordering the early style timing kit just to have the knowledge that it's been done recently - then sometime before it's time to do it again, I hope to have amassed all the parts to swap to the late, wide belt timing set.

...or have put a B628T in it. Or a B230. Or an LS. Or crushed it.

Don’t temp the gods of Volvo karma with that crushing talk!