VVT Problem ? 1.6 year 2000 Facelifted

I've recently bought a 1.6XS S40 'for the wife' and hoped for the same service as I get from my V70? All was well for the first 1500 miles or so. Then I noticed a noise at idle that came and went rythemically - 1 second of noise, then 1 second of quiet (normal) running and repeat.... It sounded like top end, valvegear type noise. I've scoured the forum for related posts and it would seem I am not alone! Truth is I did not even know the engine was VVT until I had a mooch under the cam cover and spotted some likely VVtish components, most noticeably the top cam belt pulley.....am I right in thinking this? Question is, I heared some reports that cleaning the VVT actuator/servo plunger thingy (help me out here...I'm not sure what it's called) may solve the problem, or is at least worth a shot. Is that on the left hand side front of the cylinder head as you look from the front? Is it just a matter of undoing the obvious bolts and setting to with a suitable cleaner? If it is the pulley, anyone got ideas for best place for cheap replacements? What happens to the engine if it (the VVT bit) go's completely? Or is it safe to run while I sort it out? Any help appreciated. Cheers.

Thanks for that Markyb11 I've got a decent and fairly cheap local garage, and I've found some pulley prices. What worries me is how long I've got??? We need to keep the car on the road until the end of the month in an ideal world. Anybody willing to stick there neck out and say if it will damage it running it as is for a thousand miles or so? I know what VVt does/is. What I don't know is how it works on the Volvo specifically, then I might be able to make a judgement on it myself? If it was just a case that the car is 'stuck' at a certain timing, then I could live with that, maybe even long term. Especially as we didn't buy the S40 as a roadburner (it is a steady plodder). BUT, if somethings allowing the belt/cams/head gear to jump about freely in some uncontrolled way, then I'll get it sorted ASAP. Any guidance?

I wish I'd never looked into this now! There's plenty of VVt stuff on the web, one last question very related to the above. If I remove the power to the solenoid, I am told the noise will stop but I will get an engine warning light and no VVt operation, which I am not that bothered about, as long as it doesn't break anything? So what does the solenoid physically do? I know what a solenoid is, but on the VVt what does is actuate?? Any tech heads out there got an answer on this?

i got the same problem i can disconnect the solenoid and the noise stops,so can anyone can tell me wether its the solenoid thats wrong or the pulley,so as is i still dont know wether its the solenoid or the vvt pulley, i got a pulley my mates getting the special volvo tool made up at his work place,cos you need to lock the cams in place, as for running the car, my local garage said as long as you can put up with the din then its fine to run it, it will run for years just gets damn annoying.

Tends to be the pulley more often than not. Had exactly the same symptoms, changed the pulley, and now all is fine. Do the pulley first !:thumbs_up:

Thanks for the replies Siverback & Eliminator. I'm going to do the pulley first. I'm going to run it as is until the week of the 20th when I'm off and have a crack at doing it, with the help of a tool to lock the cams i'm loaning from a local specialist. I can't ignore the noise now I know what it is, I think it's worth doing just for piece of mind. Cheers Again.