Timing Belt on a 960

I have a 94 960. Is that an interference engine? I bought it used and the
indy shop quotes $250 to do a timing belt. Should I take a shot at it
myself?

 

Yes it is, not sure how hard it is to do the belt, I'd dig in myself but you
may wanna just take it to a shop if you're not sure. Either way don't
procrastinate.

 

Not sure if it's an interference engine, but as for the price of that timing
belt, here's a bit I got from one Robert Ludwick, a very trustworthy
small-scale indy out in Arkansas regarding a customer's 960 sedan:

"Just in case anyone thinks that $4-500 to get a timing belt on a diesel
[240 series D24 diesel] is a daunting price, check out what they are getting
to replace a timing belt on a 960 gas burner. Most shops are charging
between $275-375 . and that job requires no special tools at all and only
takes about an hour (
I just did one on a customer car , but I couldn't charge the lady more than
$70 with a clear concience)"

He called the local dealership... they wanted $680. $250 sounds
reasonable... but if only you had a Robert Ludwick in your neighborhood.

-Mike

 

Yes, the six cylinder engine is an interference design. If the belt
breaks you will indeed trash the head and valvetrain pretty well. On this
engine you stand a fair chance of wreaking havoc with the bottom end as
well. It's not a very forgiving, or cheap, motor.

Should you take a shot at changing the timing belt? If you want to, I
suppose. If you're comfortable doing it.. why not? Supposedly it's even
easier than changing the belt on a B230. Check out the 960 FAQ on the
brickboard for more information.

http://www.brickboard.com/FAQ/700-900/

- alex

'85 244 Turbo

 

Twenty minutes to do. easy job, but be careful of the belt tensioner as it
needs pushing back into the housing, too quick and it will damage it.
Other than that its not tricky.

John

 

It's an interference engine

it is a very expensive interference engine

get it done NOW, especially if you have owned the car since 1994, or if you
have no service records.

250 doesn't seem horrid, but do it yourself, if, as others have said you are
comfortable with the operation.

The timing belt on 960's has to be done, if I recall correctly every 60K Kms
or so.

 

It certainly is an interference engine. Should make no difference to cost of
cambelt replacement though.

Cheers, Peter.

: I have a 94 960. Is that an interference engine? I bought it used and the
: indy shop quotes $250 to do a timing belt. Should I take a shot at it
: myself?
:
:

 

I guess you meant 60K MILES. I really hope so, cause mine hasn't been
changed and the car has 40K miles. In the '98 S90 owner's manual I
was able to browse at the dealer, it says 70,000 miles. My '97 960
did not come with a manual and I'm too cheap to buy one.

 

No, but it sure does make a difference to the cost if you don't replace it
in time! $300 sounds pretty reasonably when you consider it'll probably cost
you $3000 if you neglect it.

 

It's less on the old 960's my engine says 60K Kms on it.

 

Well go check out the 960 FAQ on the brickboard.

There are a variety of change intervals depending on the year,

20k, 30k, 50k (maybe), and 70k miles come to mind.

- alex

'85 244 Turbo

 

I believe our original belt was a 30K mile/ 45K Km (I checked in the engine
bay, that is what it said on a sticker), and our new one is a 50K mile belt.
They were different tho. I think 60K Kms is for my Golf TDI's timing belt...
sorry about that confusion.

 

The original replacement interval for B6304 engines was 30,000 miles. However at
a later date (IIRC before yours was made) they introduced a different belt
specification which allowed replacement at 70,000 miles intervals. Shame on the
person you bought your car from as he should have handed over the owners
handbook when he sold you the car. The owners handbook may be
viewable/downloadable from the VOC website in *.pdf format. URL is
http://www.volcoclub.org.uk The only manual you can obtain at reasonable
cost is the Chilton 72302 which covers several models including 960 and S/V90.

Cheers, Peter.


: I guess you meant 60K MILES. I really hope so, cause mine hasn't been
: changed and the car has 40K miles. In the '98 S90 owner's manual I
: was able to browse at the dealer, it says 70,000 miles. My '97 960
: did not come with a manual and I'm too cheap to buy one.
:
: On Mon, 20 Oct 2003 16:54:31 -0400, "Rob Guenther"
:
: >It's an interference engine
: >
: >it is a very expensive interference engine
: >
: >get it done NOW, especially if you have owned the car since 1994, or if you
: >have no service records.
: >
: >250 doesn't seem horrid, but do it yourself, if, as others have said you are
: >comfortable with the operation.
: >
: >The timing belt on 960's has to be done, if I recall correctly every 60K Kms
: >or so.
: >: >> I have a 94 960. Is that an interference engine? I bought it used and
: >the
: >> indy shop quotes $250 to do a timing belt. Should I take a shot at it
: >> myself?
: >>
: >>
: >
:

 

The original was 20k miles, the 93s got a 30k mile belt (and the 92s were
supposed to be retrofitted with the damper that allowed the 30k
intervals), and I believe that between 94 and 98 the belt went under a few
different revisions to eventually increase the interval ot 70k miles.

This is all documented here (the Brickboard's 960 FAQ):

http://www.brickboard.com/FAQ/700-900/EngineSealsBeltsVent.htm#960TimingBeltChange

Indeed the 94s got yet another design (50k mile interval), and the 95
redesign saw the final 960 design that yeilded 70k mile intervals. I
believe the S80 may very well be up to 100k miles.

- alex

'85 244 Turbo

 

Thanks a bunch Peter. Of all places, I found the Chilton manual at
WalMart. The link is great!

 

Yah we've got a 93, its the 30K mile (45K Kms) belt. Its been done at 42K
Kms, 91K Kms and at 128K Kms.

..... When I buy this car off my dad I want to drop the bi-turbo in from an
S80... that would be so sweet. Yes I know it's mounted the other way, but
i'm sure retrofits could be done ;-).

 

It's never a matter of can it be done.. if you can stuff the T6 engine
into a 240.. or a 302 into a Miata.. or an SHO V6 into a Fiesta.. you can
stuff a T6 into a 960.

It's more.. just how much work do you want to put into it?

- alex

'85 244 Turbo

 

Yes it's definitly possible, it's certainly not a drop in and go type swap
though, it'd be a long and expensive process.