Timing belt replacement interval question

[PierreC]

My '02 XC70 is going in for its 130.000 miles (210.000 km) service this week.

The timing belt and auxiliary drive belt were replaced at 56.000 miles (90.000 km) - yes, that was the original replacement interval according to the service schedule when I bought the car in 2002!

My question is simple: Do I replace the timing belt now (75.000 miles later) or can I stretch it to 150.000 miles (240.000 km), i.e. can I push the interval to about 95.000 miles?

[knitterbetty]

that is interesting, the interval replacement schedule! I think it's 105K miles in my daughters XC70. I had my S60 done at 75K miles,mainly because I was horrified at the possibility of ruining the engine with an unexpected failure, I figured why wait? I didn't want to take a chance. Maybe it's a matter of how much of a risk-taker you are!

[JRL]

It NEVER was, I don't know who told you that or what you were reading, it NEVER was that low.
7-8 years or 105,000 miles

[PierreC]

It NEVER was, I don't know who told you that or what you were reading, it NEVER was that low.
7-8 years or 105,000 miles

Jim, up to March 2002 all Volvo's sold in South Africa had a 15.000 km service interval and with that a 90.000 km timing belt renewal interval according to the official service schedule. From April 2002 the service interval was changed to 20.000 km, and the timing belt renewal interval to 120.000 km (75.000 miles). I have the documentation to prove this, and was probably unique to South Africa. The timing belt change interval was later changed to 160.000 km or 100.000 miles (not sure when, but the 2007 S60 2.5T that I had for about 2 years had the 100.000 miles interval), but the dealers generally (try to) stick to the interval that was published in the service book at the time when the car was sold, i.e. either 90.0000 km or 120.000 km interval as the case may be for older cars - more money for them!

In fact, I had to specifically instruct the dealer NOT to replace the timing belt on my XC70 at the 180.000 km service (mine was bought in January 2002 with the 15.000 km service interval) as by default they would have done it!

Having said all that, it seems that I can safely wait until the 240.000 km service, which will then give a timing belt service life of about 94.000 miles - it will be 7 years then.

[JRL]

Makes no sense, the motors and belts are the same