740 Budget Build

[Wheel_Wizard]

Hey guys, so I got lucky recently and picked up a whole 1994 940T with an M90 for 500€. The plan is to use it to get some more hp out of my 740 without spending a fortune.

To keep it cheap, I want to weld 3rd gear and run a single-mass flywheel from KL Racing. I'm still figuring out the clutch situation, though. I'm also not sure if I can just swap the EZK and ECU from the 940 directly into the 740, both are Bosch LH2.4.

For the engine, I was thinking about reusing the B230FT that came with the 940. It's already got 450k km on the clock and some piston slap on all four cylinders, which isn't great. But honestly, it doesn't need to last forever, more like a year or two. I'd reseal the block, clean everything up, and put a 19T and a 3-inch MAF on it. With a chip, the goal is somewhere around 300 hp.

The other option would be to spend around 3k on just the bottom end, plus a ported head and everything that comes with it.

So what do you guys think? Is it worth gambling on the old block? Any thoughts on it would be appreciated.

 

[ludi]

To keep it cheap, I want to weld 3rd gear and run a single-mass flywheel from KL Racing. I'm still figuring out the clutch situation, though. I'm also not sure if I can just swap the EZK and ECU from the 940 directly into the 740, both are Bosch LH2.4.

For the engine, I was thinking about reusing the B230FT that came with the 940. It's already got 450k km on the clock and some piston slap on all four cylinders, which isn't great. But honestly, it doesn't need to last forever, more like a year or two. I'd reseal the block, clean everything up, and put a 19T and a 3-inch MAF on it. With a chip, the goal is somewhere around 300 hp.

The other option would be to spend around 3k on just the bottom end, plus a ported head and everything that comes with it.

So what do you guys think? Is it worth gambling on the old block? Any thoughts on it would be appreciated.

Hello,

I can recommend the dog dish flywheel. On Kleinanzeigen-Deutschland, someone is also selling machined and reconditioned flywheels of this type. The clutch for it from KLRacing is good value and works very well.

If the piston rings are worn out, you won’t get much enjoyment out of the car if you want to drive it hard. The crankcase pressure will blow the seals. An engine overhaul is recommended in this case.

I would recommend a genuine T3 turbocharger rather than a TD04 variant. Whether it’s the 19t or 22t version, they all have exhaust housings that are far too small, and the exhaust gas temperature rises sharply. Many people have had good experiences with Maxpeeding turbos, or indeed Pulsar/Garrett turbochargers.

A light machining of the ports on the 530 cylinder head, a surface finish on the head, a proper valve lapping, and a better camshaft will easily be enough to achieve your goal.

Best Regards, ludi

 

[Wheel_Wizard]

I'll probably risk it with the piston slap because I couldn't hear anything suspicious while the engine was running in the old car. In fact, it ran really smoothly, and I don't want to go down the route of oversized pistons, new bearings, etc.

I thought the guy on Kleinanzeigen only sells normal, non-dog-dish flywheels, if we're talking about the same one.

But I'm going to use the T3 and have my head ported lightly, and maybe a VX3 cam or something similar.

 

[740atl]

At this point I would only recommend an SFI approved flywheel for any performance application. I'm not sure if the dog-dish flywheel you reference from "Kleinanzeigen " is SFI approved or not, but if you value the health of your lower limbs and/or life, it should be something you're thinking about with a manual transmission application because the stock volvo dog dish flywheel can absolutely... in the common tongue... 'blow the f*** up'.

 

[Wheel_Wizard]

Hmm, I am really attached to my limbs. If potentially keeping them costs me €100 more, I'll make that deal.
I've rechecked the piston slap, and it seems to be minor from what I can tell.

Giving it a rehone would probably not hurt, and putting the pistons in an ultrasonic bath, but apart from that, it should hold, at least for a year or two.

 

[ludi]

I'll probably risk it with the piston slap because I couldn't hear anything suspicious while the engine was running in the old car. In fact, it ran really smoothly, and I don't want to go down the route of oversized pistons, new bearings, etc.

I thought the guy on Kleinanzeigen only sells normal, non-dog-dish flywheels, if we're talking about the same one.

But I'm going to use the T3 and have my head ported lightly, and maybe a VX3 cam or something similar.

My B230FK also ran very smoothly under normal conditions. But under load, I experienced high pressure in the crankcase. Give it a try, though—I’d probably do the same if I hadn’t already gone through that myself.

I'm talking about this offer:

Volvo B230F erleichterte Schwungmassen

Macht sich deutlich bemerkbar im geringerem Verbrauch und besser Beschleunigung. AT Teil Nur...,Volvo B230F erleichterte Schwungmassen in Thüringen - Bischofferode

www.kleinanzeigen.de

I also had my flywheel replaced there and am very satisfied with the quality.

I wouldn't use a T3 camshaft for your power goal. I'm running a T2 camshaft, which I'm pretty happy with. I got 340 hp with it at 1.3 bar (stock engine at the time). The engine is fresh now—let's see what kind of numbers it puts up.

Best Regards, ludi

 

[Wheel_Wizard]

I'll probably go with a bigger aftermarket catch can that vents to atmosphere to relieve some of that blow-by.

And I think I'll stay with the KL Racing flywheel. It only costs €25 more than the one from Kleinanzeigen, and the cost of a new clutch and pressure plate is only slightly higher.

Did you do anything to your 8V head, like double valve springs or anything like that, or was it a completely bone-stock block and head?

 

[ludi]

I'll probably go with a bigger aftermarket catch can that vents to atmosphere to relieve some of that blow-by.

And I think I'll stay with the KL Racing flywheel. It only costs €25 more than the one from Kleinanzeigen, and the cost of a new clutch and pressure plate is only slightly higher.

Did you do anything to your 8V head, like double valve springs or anything like that, or was it a completely bone-stock block and head?

I've tried everything too. I tried suctioning through the cover and the block—it didn't help. Worn piston rings can only be replaced. But see for yourself! Maybe your engine is still in great shape.

With the 240mm clutches, none of them are spring-loaded. This results in bearing noise from the transmission. Plus, these clutches don’t last much longer than the 228mm ones. The M90 transmission is the limiting factor anyway. But again: see for yourself.

A completely original B230FK cylinder head (340,000 km) fitted with a T2 camshaft.

Best Regards, ludi

 

[Wheel_Wizard]

Oh, I didn't know that. If that's the case, I thought the 240 mm setup was far superior. That would change things, because I recently put a new 228 mm clutch with pressure plate, bearing, etc. in my car.

Can you maybe recommend a clutch setup that is head on with the limit of what the M90 is capable of holding? Maybe I could reuse some parts and save some money

 

[ludi]

Oh, I didn't know that. If that's the case, I thought the 240 mm setup was far superior. That would change things, because I recently put a new 228 mm clutch with pressure plate, bearing, etc. in my car.

Can you maybe recommend a clutch setup that is head on with the limit of what the M90 is capable of holding? Maybe I could reuse some parts and save some money

510NM:

Förstärkt Tryckplatta B230 M45, M46, M47

228mm...

shop.klracing.se

Lamell 240, 740, 940 med M90 och 228mm svänghjul

228mm...

shop.klracing.se

Volvo 240-740 228mm 1mm

Chims för att få ut tryckplattan om man använder sinterlameller som oftast är 1m...

shop.klracing.se

Kopplingsslang M46, M47, M90, Stålomspunnen

Hydraulisk koppling...

shop.klracing.se

Best Regards, ludi

 

[Jamesmoore]

Hello,

I can recommend the dog dish flywheel. On Kleinanzeigen-Deutschland, someone is also selling machined and reconditioned flywheels of this type. The clutch for it from KLRacing is good value and works very well.

If the piston rings are worn out, you won’t get much enjoyment out of the car if you want to drive it hard. The crankcase pressure will blow the seals. An engine overhaul is recommended in this case.

I would recommend a genuine T3 turbocharger rather than a TD04 variant. Whether it’s the 19t or 22t version, they all have exhaust housings that are far too small, and the exhaust gas temperature rises sharply. Many people have had good experiences with Maxpeeding turbos, or indeed Pulsar/Garrett turbochargers.

A light machining of the ports on the 530 cylinder head, a surface finish on the head, a proper valve lapping, and a better camshaft will easily be enough to achieve your goal.

Best Regards, ludi

Me and Ludi run a very similar setup and got very similar results.

I used a max speeding rods T04E 63 trim with an IPD camshaft. I only got to use 11 psi and it did 280 engine HP. Also with a very similar dyno graph to Ludi

I use the newly available 850R clutch from viva performance, with the TTV flywheel

DO88 or equivalent high quality intercooler is a must I belive

Standalone ecu is worth it, you’ll end up messing around for ages trying it with chips and maf ect

 

[Wheel_Wizard]

I was also thinking about going that route, but with just a MaxxECU Mini, because a Race would be too expensive right now. But that would mean I have to figure out how much of the dashboard stuff and the general electrical system in the car keeps working after I delete the stock EZK/ECU. On the other hand, if I go that way, I could just take a flywheel with a 60-2 trigger ring and get rid of that cursed MAF, which definitely has its benefits. But I don't really want to tinker with the wiring harness at the moment.