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The Project Formerly Known as Scrapple

woodenpudden

lacks goats
Joined
Sep 27, 2005
Location
Princess Anne, MD
After 16 years of 240 ownership, I feel like trying something different. I also told myself I wouldn't do a project thread for this one, but I love this forum too much, I guess.

A quick jump back to May 2011: I only had one kid, my wife drove an S40, I had a 245 and a horrible, bad Ford Focus wagon. Dad called me to tell me that someone at the machine shop had just put a new head on a Volvo wagon and that after a month or so it's not running, customer just wants to get rid of the car. Dad loaded the trailer up, we drove 10 minutes to Laurel DE and picked up the ultimate Swedish interpretation of Delaware's famous brick-shaped delicacy, scrapple - a grey 1993 940 wagon. Non-turbo, Regina, $200.

The Regina turd: <a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/perrylens/8174472289/in/dateposted/" title="IMAG0331"><img src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8199/8174472289_3f1481e645_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="IMAG0331"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
It had the thickest coating of fries, candy, matches, sticky pennies, and hair in the carpets that I've ever encountered. Completely horrific, disgusting carpets.

Do rite by your bi: <a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/perrylens/8174504762/in/dateposted/" title="IMAG0338"><img src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8344/8174504762_e0b4486631_b.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="IMAG0338"></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Back to the present: the '93 is still sitting, I've lost the title and keys (a first), shame possibly clouds my judgment, etc. Dad and I load up the trailer again and head to Altoona PA (a relatively short trip for us lately), pick up a '91 940 turbo wagon. The '93 now has a purpose in life as an excellent parts car.

'91 on the trailer (getting the tongue weight right was very difficult, had to load up the cargo area with spare trailer wheels, tools etc.)
6SRWU4Uh.jpg


Paint is in pretty good shape except on the hood where it's thin enough in spots that the undercoat is showing. It's single stage, huzzah, so it ought to look real nice after some time with the buffer. Dad and I will probably repaint the hood soon (it's a bit denty too)

The little boy really, really likes Volvos
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The engine is the most oily engine in the world. I got it running after a day of fiddling, idles great but is too oil-consume-y and seal-pukingly leaky for me, so I reckon the most sensible thing to do is use the B230FT I have on a stand in the garage and just swap the whole thang, while rolling up some little beneficial changes into the swap.

Short term goals: get it roadworthy. Maybe take it to Carlisle next month. Definitely take it to Carlisle in 2019. Iron out all the piddly almost-30-yr.-old car problems.

Long term goals: make it 80% as fun to drive as my wife's Focus ST. It may or may not become a daily driver; it has an '05 Forester XT to contend with on that front. I'd really like to do an M90. Spring stiffness similar to a BRZ (i.e. autocross ready) with similar excellent damping. Drive it a lot.



AwAWHzfh.jpg
 
The current focus, a project-within-the-project, is to match this here:
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with a 16T, because it seems a 16t is going to be a much more fun option than the ancient Garrett AiResearch '80s special that the manifold was matched for. I like the Garrett flange shape, and it turns out there isn't a whole lot to do to match a 16t's exhaust inlet to the manifold.

dpZbTnHh.jpg


I'll use this opportunity to post a pic of my favorite torque wrench in the world. Puttin' the torqo on the nuts.

fK74XsOh.jpg


I also compared the 16T to the turbo from the Forester, which was already in pieces on the bench for a rebuild. Compressor and turbine wheels are larger on the 16T.
 
Still creepin' along

Took it on its maiden voyage to the shop today for an alignment and thorough under-car inspection/head-scratching session while it was up on the lift. Got it to a happy place, although the left front tie rod end was exhibiting some odd behavior. Will have to do this again soon with new inner/outer tie rod stuff.

btTU3Q1l.jpg


Dad and I also stared at 240 IPD springs and some other oddball springs he has laying around. They're ultra-crusty, so no installation today. He did some measuring while I went out to the grey parts wagon and pulled some more crap for the engine swap.

One fairly fun piddly job completed: removed the previous owner's inspired Max Max quote from underneath the hood (sorry Kai :-P)

Step 1: Apply Brakleen, wire brush, rags, and vigorous scrubbing motions to underhood area
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Step 2: Take picture while dad masks quick and dirty-like
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Step 3: Scuff scuff scuff, stop to take another picture while dad adds paper
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Step 4: secret sauce i.e. whatever leftover gloss and satin black spray cans are laying around

Step 5: Re-apply hood to wagon, observe handiwork
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Drove it back home, looks better! There's a masking ridge because we're lazy and didn't blend at all, but it's still a ton better. I might add some fiberglass or similar sound deadening stuff under the hood at some point. Probably will fix dents and repaint top of the hood first.

Wp1GVDRl.jpg



The engine is in the stupid little missing pieces stage, very close to ready for swappage. I need to make an oil feed hose and clean the intake + intake manifold gasket, and then it's pretty much ready to go.
 
Looks good.

Stock, the 700's came with a hood blanket... So, you could always reinstall that. That said, like the Diesel and 240 Turbo hood blankets, I've never really heard much of a difference in noise level. So, it seems to just keep the engine warmer than it needs to be.

-J
 
Looks good.

Stock, the 700's came with a hood blanket... So, you could always reinstall that. That said, like the Diesel and 240 Turbo hood blankets, I've never really heard much of a difference in noise level. So, it seems to just keep the engine warmer than it needs to be.

-J

I figured that was the case - the '93 partswagon has a hood blankie but it's kinda floppy and uninspiring. The Forester has one too, but I pulled it down after it started sagging and soaking up water.
 
Not a whole lot to report - the Forester is currently soaking up the meager car maintenance/fun parts budget (are you sensing a theme?). I need to make a choice on whether to keep the Forester (turbo, 5 speed, pain in the ass to work on) or the E46 (amazeballs inline 6 noises, pretty snappy automatic, not nearly as much of a pain in the ass...so far).

The other day I soldered in a new radio suppression relay plug, taught my wife how to solder in a dirty under-hood environment with very little space, how to create a mechanical connection first before soldering for dat rock-solid connection, etc. She liked it! And asked me to show her to to solder proper-like on a bench, NASA procedure-style. So that's cool.

TL;DR tired B230 idles so smoove with a clean, tight RSR connection.

I also made temporary plugs a while back for the roof rack holes, forgot to post up how that turned out - painted thumb tacks held on with silicone adhesive sealant. It's a mighty fine temporary solution prior to welding and roof repainting.
 
Since my last post I've replaced the driver's seat with a pristine black leather 740 seat. It's ok. I'm thinking of adapting a pair of Neon SRT4 seats though, because bolstering. Finagling a seat belt will be interesting because of the stupid reel on the seat design, otherwise they should be nice.

Also pulled the climate control box out, found 3 completely dislodged solder joints, fixed them up all purdy (had to add some fresh solder to one pad, the old stuff isn't the most flow-y), stuck it back in and boom, no hot air when the temp knob is set to cool. Maybe one day I'll check out the air conditioning system.

Intermittent brake light function at the passenger side turned out to be aftermarket taillights doing what they do best: melting the bulb socket. So out with the aftermarket, in with the super fresh Cibie (thanks Steve!)

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But before I did that, I vigorously cleaned the area where the gasket seals, and decided to go ahead and buff out 27 years of haze from the paint around the area while the tail light was out, no masking needed. Single stage paint knows how to make you feel good.

before/after comparison goodness:
nTCyYvMh.jpg

such a difference, with just 2 minutes of fine cut cleaner swirlies, applied by hand
 
Check to make sure you're using the right bulbs too. I know for the duel filament brake light bulb it's common for people to stick 1157 bulbs in there when they're designed to take a 7528 bulb that is 4 watts less and harder to find.
 
Check to make sure you're using the right bulbs too. I know for the duel filament brake light bulb it's common for people to stick 1157 bulbs in there when they're designed to take a 7528 bulb that is 4 watts less and harder to find.

Yes indeed, and Volvo bulb socket or bust. :nod:
 
First of all, the 16t is a great choice. Love it on my b230ft 245.

Second of all, you can't give us a teaser like that!!! Let's see the whole car polished!!!!
 
CNqbFrwh.jpg


Drove to Ocean City with dad and a coworker, gawked at hot rods, ate pizza. Decided upon returning home that the exhaust manifold gasket leaks were loud enough that it couldn't hurt to fix it while I'm (stalled)preparing the engine swap

So now I have a very quiet motor that drools oil from the stupid oil return where it meets the block. Fixin' stuff begets fixin' more stuff
 
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