My last mechanic ( who moved) told me that my Volvo 240 would need a timing belt “soon”. He also said he could do the work for about 275.00.
Since I can’t see him anymore I’ve gotten a quote from what I am told is a good Volvo mechanic here. He recommends replacing the water pump when they do the timing belt. His quote is 450.00 for both jobs.
My questions are: Does that quote sounds about right to you all?
Should I have them replace the water pump? I’m not having any issues - but the mechanic told me it was a labor-issue. As long as they are in there they suggest I get both done, especially considering the age of the car.
I’ve only had it for six months or so. It runs great and I’ve not had any major problems after I finally got it running.
Thanks!
Yes, the $450 quote is a reasonable one, and–yes–you should have the water pump replaced at the same time as the timing belt. You should also replace the serpentine belt and all belt tensioners at the same time.
Ditto VDC, your lucky in that the belt on that car is easy to get to (because its not a front wheel drive car). That job on a honda is $800+
And another tip of the hats to VDC for good advice.
You did not mention the miles on your car. I should remember this since I drove 240s for many years, (over a half million miles combined on two cars) but I THINK that the interval on that timing belt is 60k miles. I would change it at 8-10 years even if it had not gone 60k miles. This is not an interference engine so it won’t destroy the engine if the belt fails, but it will leave you stranded on the road. If you don’t know how old that belt is, I agree you should change it soon.
There are no serpentine belts on this car, just a toothed timing belt and three V-belts. The timing belt tensioner pully will last at least two timing belts. If you don’t know how old the timing belt tensioner pulley is, it is a good idea to replace it when you replace the timing belt.
The water pump is easy to do while you are doing the timing belt because you have the fan and shroud out of the way, but it is not so much difference that I would replace a good water pump. That water pump will typically last at least 150k miles, or as little as 75k miles if someone over-tightens the V-Belts, which mechanics are prone to do.
The reason that I am a little shy about replacing a good water pump as preventative maintenance is because it is a little tough to get this water pump to seal where it presses up against the head. Once you get it on there and not leaking, I tend to want to leave it alone until it really needs to be replaced. The parts cost for a water pump ranges from $35 for a Bosch to $110 for OEM.
What you absolutely want to do is replace the oil seal at the front of the cam while replacing the timing belt. You may want to replace all three seals (crankshaft, distributor drive, and cam) while you have he timing belt off. Those seals are tricky to get in there perfectly straight, and you have to get them perfectly straight.