Tb newb performance faq

740atl · Jan 3, 2013

Ok. As discussed in the other forum, I decided to give this a go.

I think the goal of the FAQ should be to provide QUICK, to the point information, along with a link to more advanced information. It SHOULD NOT be all-inclusive. Once the newbs get going, let them get their feet wet on their own.

For example, one could talk briefly in a paragraph or two of the various merits of CHiPS (not the 80's police drama), and then a link to one of the many excellent threads or specific posts (even better) for the newbs to peruse. Believe me, I'm a newb when it comes to the latest chip-modding stuff.

DO you want to write one of the faq's? Please PM me!

Is there anything you think should be part of the FAQ??? PM me!

If you see something that you disagree with, PM me!

If I am missing an important link, PM me!

Please, anyone PM me if you see something you like! or want to share!

I came up with a quick and dirty list of NEWB topics that seem to be addressed A LOT. It's just the first two dozen or so things to cross my mind and by all means is not all inclusive. I mean to add over time to this faq.

Lord knows I was a first timer in 2004. My first post on TB was something to the effect of "is the +T this easy or am I missing something?" I couldn't find any information in a FAQ because frankly there wasn't one. The topic had been covered many times but because I didn't even know what to search for, and I was blocked from even entering "+T" or "plus Tee" into the TB search feature, I got trolled in that first thread of course by people who said "hasn't this all been talked about before" , but I was also assisted by people that later became great friends. I think we can be nicer to our newbs because frankly, we all were one once and still might be in some areas. (**** if I know everything).

HERE GOES>>>

______________________________________________________________________________

Turbobricks NEWB FAQ>
NEWBS READ HERE FIRST BEFORE POSTING. OTHERWISE THE TB TROLLS WILL EAT YOU.

MANDATORY READING FOR ANYONE CONTEMPLATING MODIFYING THEIR ENGINE.

GENERAL UPGRADES

WHAT IS THE MOST COST EFFECTIVE UPGRADE?
What order should I upgrade my turbo car?
Can I improve the performance of my car without turbocharging?
Can I install msd 6AL on my volvo?

ENGINE PERFORMANCE PARTS UPGRADES?

Does anyone make H-beam connecting rods or forged pistons for my volvo?

TURBO PERFORMANCE

WHAT IS THE MAXIMUM SAFE BOOST FOR MY 4 CYLINDER TURBO?
WHAT IS A GOOD UPGRADE FOR MY FACTORY TURBO?
I CAN GET A 60-1 FOR CHEAP. IS THIS A GOOD TURBO?
I SIMPLY CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT 300 HORSEPOWER... WHAT SHOULD I DO??
Best turbo for a redblock that doesn't bolt right on.

I WANT X00 HORSEPOWER. WHAT SHOULD I DO (KNOW)?

SUSPENSION UPGRADES

how much can I cut my coils?
are there performance coil springs?
what are the best shocks for my 240/740?
Can I put coilovers on my 240/740/940?
Does anyone make high tech suspension components for my volvo?

TRANSMISSION PERFORMANCE

EXHAUST PERFORMANCE

FUEL INJECTION PERFORMANCE AND CHIPS

CHEAPASS PERFORMANCE... AKA JUNKYARD RACERS

READ THIS FIRST. A CHEAPASS PREFACE.
What's the cheapest way to go fast?
I can't afford to build an engine. What's the strongest volvo engine?
best bang for the buck used injectors and worst used injectors
can I weld my own exhaust?
Will porting my heads make any difference?
More power with the b21F intake manifold swap
Is the 90+ turbo manifold really better?
How do I turbocharge my RWD volvo?

ENGINE SWAPS?

Can I swap a v8 into my volvo?
Has anyone done the LS1 swap in a 2/7/9?
Will the ford 302 fit in my 240?
Will a small block chevy fit in my 240?

POPULAR TB CARS

16v turbo swaps
v8 swaps
big power cars
best looking cars
fast 8v cars
best money no object cars
best bang for the buck
sleepers

740atl · Jan 3, 2013

Why i need to know what air fuel ratio is?

WHY I NEED TO KNOW WHAT AIR FUEL RATIO IS?
Air fuel ratio or AFR is literally the ratio of the mass of air entering the cylinder versus the mass of fuel. If you want to burn all of the fuel that enters the chamber, you need 14.7 parts air to do it for an AFR of 14.7:1, otherwise known as the stoichiometric ratio. Your car normally operates at ?stoich? for best compromise of emissions, performance and economy. However, when you enter ?boost? you are cramming more air into the cylinder which means you can burn more fuel.

Still want to run ?shoich? in boost? ? No way. This time the engine wants a ?richer? mixture of more fuel. Typically turbo engines will want a boost AFR to be between 11:1 and 12.5:1. If you have a turbo car already, the factory has already adjusted these settings for you in the "fuel map" of the ECU/PCM. However, these settings are most always a compromise between economy/emissions/performance in that order.

When you increase the boost and your engine is not capable of handling the additional air, your engine may run ?lean? with a lack of fuel to burn the available air. Lean AFR?s can be ok for normal cruise driving, but lean in boost can quickly melt a hole in a piston or bend connecting rods or shatter the ringlands of the piston due to the damaging detonation or ?pinging? explosions that occur in such conditions. It can happen faster than you think... seconds is all it takes.

Melted b230FT piston by running 14:1 AFR for prolonged times in boost.

Shattered ringlands

HOW DO I KNOW HOW MY CAR IS DOING?
Excellent question. Because unless you actively monitor the air fuel ratio, you have to assume it?s doing what the factory engineers told it to do, which means YOU DON?T KNOW ANYTHING. For most of us, this is ok, but for those of us looking to move beyond stock 5-7psi boost, you actually need to monitor the AFR.

HOW DO I MONITOR AFR?

You get a wideband air-fuel meter with a gauge. A ?wideband? for short actually monitors the AFR as your engine operates. Many of the popular widebands will also have a dash-mounted gauge to show you what your AFR is doing. The $150-250 you invest in a wideband can be money well spent when it comes to saving your money from costly engine-replacement fees when you decide to increase the boost without knowing what is happening in your engine. A wideband should be the first object to purchase when considering any boost upgrades to your car.

Popular inexpensive widebands include the Innovate LC-1 with gauge, AEM 30-4100, amongst others.

The popular AEM 30-4100

A NARROWBAND O2 SENSOR IS NOT THE SAME AS A WIDEBAND SENSOR!

Lots of companies still sell the cheap "rich-lean" indicators. Don't mistake them for the wideband gauges that you need.

A narrowband O2 sensor ONLY tells you whether you are rich or lean of 14.7:1 AFR.. not HOW rich or HOW lean. They were designed for factory cars where fuel economy and emissions were top priority.

A wideband O2 sensor will tell you exactly what your AFR is, given the sensitivity of the given gauge... some have wider sensitivities than others.

In the graph below from http://www.megamanual.com/v22manual/mwire.htm#ego shows the output voltage of a wideband sensor vs. a narrowband. Note the linear relationship between voltage and AFR for the wideband whereas the narrowband is only accurate at 14.7:1 at 0.5V.

LINKS FOR MORE INFORMATION>>>>
Read this one first... by linuxman51... What is a Wideband, and why do I need it? And Basic tuning tips
Megasquirt tuning manual. Wideband vs. Narrowband sensors.
Why lean makes more power but is dangerous Garrett Turbochargers
Application Note: You CAN be too Rich Innovate Motorsports
Wideband EFI Tuning Innovate Motorsports
Tuning AFR Autospeed.
AFR for best power, NA Turbobricks
AFR Max power, Turbobricks

Tech edge widebands. Assembled and diy assembly (much cheaper) http://wbo2.com/
Innovate widebands http://www.innovatemotorsports.com/products/lc1.php
AEM widebands http://www.aemelectronics.com/wideband-air-fuel-systems-15/digital-wideband-air-fuel-gauge-25/
PLX widebands http://www.plxdevices.com/product_info.php?id=WDBDSMAFR_DM6
14.7 dot com http://www.14point7.com/

740atl · Jan 3, 2013

What is detonation and why can it put holes in my 25 year old engine?

WHAT IS DETONATION AND WHY CAN IT PUT HOLES IN MY 25 YEAR OLD ENGINE?
If you read the AIR FUEL RATIO discussion above, you will know what AFR’s are appropriate for turbo engine operation. In a nutshell, detonation can occur when the AFR is too lean for best performance.

The act of a piston rising up in a cylinder compressing the air that’s just been stuffed inside it (along with some fuel for good measure) will heat the daylights out of the entire mixture (of air and fuel). If the mixture is too lean (it doesn’t have as much fuel as it requires) it can burn REALLY HOT. If it gets too hot, it can actually self-ignite part of the mixture on one side of the chamber AFTER the spark has been delivered to the spark plug (after the engine has fired). This self-ignition (read uncontrolled combustion) EXPLOSION will collide into the already properly igniting mixture like a head on collision and can JACKNIFE, SKYROCKET, SUPERMATURBULATE the temperature and pressure inside the combustion chamber (otherwise known as the little home where your pistons, valves and cylinder head all meet together like happy neighbors). This spike in temperature and pressure can BLOW AWAY any of the protective gas barrier from the pistons/valves/head and can actually melt the aluminum pistons. Furthermore the pressure spike can bend the snot out of the connecting rods and turn them into little s-shapes. Forged steel connecting rods will only like to bend so far, and after a point, will break, usually sending the now-separated piston smashing into your head, effectively destroying it, while the remaining piece of connecting rod still attached to the happily spinning crankshaft will most likely punch several holes in your engine block/pan thus mixing the two immiscible fluids oil and coolant munching them together into a brown ooze. This happens shockingly fast and you may or may not hear the boom.

What can cause detonation to occur?
• A bad fuel injector
• Improperly sized fuel injectors (too small)
• Too much boost on an unturned engine
• Running an unturned engine
• Trusting the factory system to handle whatever you throw at it (see the “IDIOT” discussion).
• Your alternator bracket breaking dropping the voltage, slowing down your fuel pump leaning out your mixture.

What can you do to avoid detonation?

KNOW WHAT YOUR AFR IS AT ALL TIMES!
ACTIVELY MONITOR FOR DETONATION using a knock detector or det can
run premium fuel at all times
make sure you have the right sized injectors for the boost you are running.

SIGNS OF DETONATION DAMAGE

a very detonated b234f piston

little metal balls on your spark plugs... looks like pepper. That's actually little bits of aluminum that melted and deposited on your plugs.

Here you can see the peppering on the piston... oh, and the piston melted.

LINKS FOR MORE INFORMATION>>>>

740atl · Jan 3, 2013

Can i blow up my motor by being stupid?

CAN I BLOW UP MY MOTOR BY BEING STUPID?

Absolutely. Volvo engines are tough, are well built, but will not tolerate fools.

You might be stupid if?
? you increase the boost on a 20 year old engine without monitoring the air fuel ratio.
? you increase the boost on an engine that is overheating or has overheated in the past.
? You ignore the marbles in a coffee can sounds coming from your engine and continue to press on the gas pedal
? Are too cheap to run premium fuel
? You are under 20 years of age and know everything because your Honda buddy told you it?s ok.
? You are simply not mechanically inclined and the idea of changing your transmission makes you ill.

LINKS FOR MORE INFORMATION>>>>

740atl · Jan 3, 2013

I?m not an idiot, but can i blow up my motor/transmission because it is OLD

I’M NOT AN IDIOT, BUT CAN I BLOW UP MY MOTOR/TRANSMISSION BECAUSE IT IS 20-30 YEARS OLD?

Yes. What’s the condition of your engine? Is it at stage zero? Have you read the “am I an idiot” piece? Are you willing to admit you may need to do some research and spend some money/time working on your car? That being said, let’s assume you are mechanically inclined, but have never worked on Volvos. They’re hardy beasts, but will sometimes just blow up. Most people begin modifying these vehicles when they have 250k to 300 THOUSAND MILES ON THEM. They’re old, they’re tired. Some parts on are the verge of metal fatigue. And you want to modify them?

LINKS FOR MORE INFORMATION>>>>

740atl · Jan 3, 2013

What is a good upgrade for my factory turbo?

WHAT IS A GOOD UPGRADE FOR MY FACTORY TURBO?

The turbos that came on 240/740/940’s are small, but sized appropriately for the engine and boost that will be run from the factory.

I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU SAY>>> I WANT TO PICK MY OWN TURBO. CLICK HERE.

GENERAL TURBO RELATIONSHIPS

Don't be quick to rush to the biggest turbo available for your car. Make sure to have a goal for your performance? Do you want a great all around turbo? Don't rush off towards the Holset. Want ultimate power? You won't find it with a small 15g.

IN general, when picking a turbo, the smaller it is, the faster it will spool. The Mitsubishi turbos listed on this page are very fast spooling.

In general, the smaller the turbo, the quicker it will run out of steam. This may never be a problem for you if you shift well before 5000rpm... but those with manual transmissions may wan to reach for the 19t instead of the 15g.

If the smaller the turbo the faster the spool, the larger the turbo, the slower the spool. People with automatic volvos will not enjoy their turbos reaching full boost at 4500rpm when their shift point is 5500rpm. Choose a turbo that fits in your powerband.

BOLT-ON TURBOCHARGERS
Great "bolt-on" upgrades for the Volvo 2.3L engine in terms of increasing power potential include the Garrett T3 “60-63”, the Mitsubishi 15g, 16t, 18t, and 19t. All aforementioned turbos will bolt on with very few modifications required. The Mitsubishi turbos have a better designed wastegate system with a large wastegate port which gives better boost control. The 19t is considered a great all around 270-300 rear wheel horsepower turbo with great spoolup characteristics.

TURBOS FOR THE 220whp LEVEL
If you're looking for turbochargers for the 220rwhp level (in a 3500 lb car, this can get you mid-14 second quarter miles), any of the turbos listed above would be a great upgrade. Plan on running between 12-14psi for this turbo to get to about 220rwhp. The 15g, 16t, 18t will all start to run out of steam past the 220rwhp mark.

TURBOS FOR The 250-275HP LEVEL
If you're looking for between 250-275 rear wheel horsepower, you should be looking at the T3 60-63 and the mitsu 19t. These turbos have the breathing room to support about 250-275, maybe 300hp between 20-22psi. Both turbos will be at the upper edge of their efficiency at this boost range. A 275rwhp in a 3500lb car can get you to the mid-high 13 second 1/4 mile range.
Expect full spool by 3000-3500rpm. Ok for automatics. The 19t may spool sooner.

Check out their compressor maps here for the T3 60-63 and Mitsu 19t at the 300hp mark at about 22psi.

WANT MORE POWER?

Those looking for more high end power, but still retaining fair spoolup characteristics and working great on 8v engines should look at the T04e 40 trim and 50 trim variants, supporting between 300-350rwhp. The T04e 40 trim is a great step up from the T3 "60-63" supporting to about 325hp at 25psi whereas the 50 trim version is good up to about 30psi. The T04e 50 trim is considered one of the best all around turbos. 350hp in a 3500lb car can get you mid-12 second 1/4 mile times. Expect full spool by 4000-4500rpm. Ideal for manual transmission vehicles.

The T04e 50 trim map is shown below at 28psi for about 350hp.

The holset hy35 and he351 and hx35 are also good for higher power applications while still retaining decent spoolup. The holset brand turbos mentioned above are VERY popular with breathing room up to about 40psi. Not recommended for automatics without high stall (3000 and up) torque converter.

Check out the hx35 at 35psi for about 400rwhp.

LINKS>>>>

740atl · Jan 3, 2013

I can get a 60-1 for cheap. Is this a good turbo?

I CAN GET A 60-1 FOR CHEAP. IS THIS A GOOD TURBO?
Not for 2.3L 4-cylinder engines. Turbochargers are sized appropriately for a specific volume engine. The 60-1 and it’s cousins (62-1, T70) are designed for big engines and even though they may look great, simply will not provide good performance with the Volvo engine. You will be disappointed. Don’t listen to what your “honda buddy’s” are saying.

For example, check the compressor map below. The dotted lines represent where your engine would actually fall on this compressor map. The third dot from the left represents 2600rpm, the last dot 6200rpm. The line for 22.4psi is shown. Notice how you don't even cross over the surge line until about 5000rpm. This is terrible. You will hate it.

60-1 turbos are cheap for a reason... they're terrible for 4 cylinder vehicles... unless of course you own a 4.0 liter 4 cylinder vehicle.

Pass on this turbo.

740atl · Jan 3, 2013

I simply cannot live without 300 horsepower... What should i do??

I SIMPLY CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT 300 HORSEPOWER... WHAT SHOULD I DO??

First of all, have you driven a car with 200rwhp? It can be fun. So is 250rwhp. 300rwhp is a different animal. 300hp from a 2.3L Volvo engine is capable of running high 12 second ? mile times. 300rwhp can scare you. Many people come to this hobby with a “cool” horsepower number in mind. You may want 300hp, but can you afford the basic upgrades to let you use that 300hp safely? . What is your budget, what do you want to spend? How much horsepower can you afford? Are you willing/able to replace your cylinder head/engine block when/if it explodes?

740atl · Jan 3, 2013

What modifications should i do to support 300hp?

WHAT MODIFICATIONS SHOULD I DO TO SUPPORT 300HP?

The stock 90-later B230 block will handle up to about 300 rear wheel horsepower before the engine internals will want to become unseated from their natural positions. In general, even the “strong” 13mm rods (humor) will bend like limp spaghetti if they encounter ANY prolonged detonation. Pistons are robust, but ringlands can shatter easily, and if you’re really sloppy, you can melt a piston. You are almost certain to blow a headgasket at this stage just during normal horsing around and most of the time the engine will live to tell the tale (most of the time). You can tune this engine on the street but a dyno is always the best option.

For most people, this will be the highest practical horsepower limit for your car. (Yes, that's it... it's not a v8 after all) With horsepower levels around 300rwhp, you can plan to be in the low 13 to high 12 second quarter mile time area depending on traction, weight, and what type of transmission (automatics shifting faster than sticks).

For 8v people, plan on running minimum 20-25psi on a decent turbo. T04e 50 trim, holset.
For 16v people, because the head flows better out of the box, for the same power level, anywhere from 15-20psi will land you near the same power, same turbos as above.

The level of tune will alter these numbers somewhat, also what type of gasoline you're using will alter power levels.

Are you willing to deal with the financial and literal mess that a blown redblock entails? If so, consider the following

RECOMMENDED MANDATORY UPGRADES FOR THIS POWER LEVEL.

AIR FUEL RATIO MONITORING WITH GAUGE
BETTER INTERCOOLER
HIGHER FLOWING INJECTORS think 55-65lb/hr minimum for gasoline.
UPGRADED TURBO
UPGRADED TRANSMISSION. (THE M46/M47 WILL NOT SURVIVE, THE AW71 CAN LIVE, BUT REQURIES ACCUMULATOR MOD). BETTER PLAN YOUR TRANSMISSION SWAP.
TUNED PERFORMANCE CHIPS or TUNED AFTERMARKET EMS.
90-LATER (maybe 89’s too) BLOCK WITH 13MM RODS
DETONATION-DETECTION SYSTEM (you can go cheap with a det-can)
POSSIBLY E85 OR HIGHER OCTANE GAS (RACE FUEL)
A HIGHER FLOWING EXHAUST... 3" diameter should be considered minimum.

740atl · Jan 3, 2013

What modifications should i do to support 400hp?

WHAT MODIFICATIONS SHOULD I DO TO SUPPORT 400HP?

Now you are in “bend your rods in a second”, “melt your piston instantly”, “bammo, there goes another block” territory. THINGS HAPPEN VERY FAST at this power level.

In addition to the mods listed below, plan on the following. You will need some type of head porting. Volvo heads do respond well to porting, 8v heads to the short side radius, 16v heads by raising the roof and sharpening the division between runners. 8v people are going to have a harder time to get the same power. 8v people should really be thinking about larger valves, running the biggest you can fit in the stock head.

Most volvo people will convert to 16v heads long before this point due to their increased flow/power potential. Still, plan on porting.

Most people at this point should choose to run lower compression ratio. Anywhere from 8:1 to 9:1 being considered normal. There are different camps in this regard, some preferring to run even higher compression, but compensating with tuning.

Plan on running well over 25psi boost on a turbo designed to handle it.

Many people will take their engines that normally run 300whp and use nitrous to supplement power. A 75 to 125 shot of nitrous will take people from the mid 12's to the mid 11's. How well can you tune your nitrous and fuel injection and boost at the same time? Nitrous is unforgiving.

In a stock 240/740/940, this level of power is capable of mid 11 second ? mile times. Not that it’s not possible to go on, it just gets exponentially more difficult and more expensive. It's very hard to tune at this power level on the street because things happen so quickly. You're really looking at dyno time here.

MANDATORY UPGRADES FOR THIS POWER LEVEL.

ALL OF THE "300HP" MODIFICATIONS INCLUDING…

FORGED PISTONS
H-BEAM CONNECTING RODS
AFTERMARKET ENGINE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM TUNED PROFESSIONALLY DON'T EVEN THINK OF USING CHIPS UNLESS YOU REALLY KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING
HIGHER FLOWING INJECTORS think 75-100lb/hr for gas or 160/hr for e85
POSSIBLY TUBULAR TURBO HEADER
DYNO TUNING
MOST DEFINITELY RACE GAS OR E85.
UPGRADED TURBO. (T04e 50 trim, holset, gt30 and bigger)
UPGRADED TRANSMSISION. T56, TKO 5-SPEED, OR BEEFED UP GM AUTOMATIC (TH350, TH400, 4L80E) WITH HIGH STALL SPEED CONVERTER
UPGRADED REAR END (FORD 8.8, TOYOTA)
NITROUS OXIDE
ROLL CAGE FOR TIMES FASTER THAN 11 SECOND ? MILE.

740atl · Jan 3, 2013

What modifications should i do to support over 400hp?

WHAT MODIFICATIONS SHOULD I DO TO SUPPORT OVER 400HP?
Now you’re dealing with stupid levels of power. You find quickly that in order to get there, you need to spin your little 4 cylinder Volvo to very high rpms to deal with the massive turbos you’re working with. These engines are very peaky and are no longer fun to drive on the street, not to mention being outright dangerous (for temptation’s sake, not that you can’t actually drive it.) You will need to run race gas, period. You will also find yourself requiring nitrous oxide… not only for the additional power, but to help spool the freakishly large turbo you have. Things happen stupid fast at this level of power. I have seen 2.3L Volvo engines in the 550hp range that run solid low-10 second quarter miles. The Swede’s run in the 9’s, 8’s, 7’s and now even the 6’s with upwards of 1000rwhp. Speed costs money. How fast do you want to go.

MANDATORY UPGRADES FOR THIS POWER LEVEL.

ALL OF THE PREVIOUS UPGRADES INCLUDING…
A SPONSOR
A LARGE BANK ACCOUNT
BEING FRIENDS WITH A DYNO SHOP OWNER
A TRAILER
NO INTERIOR
DEFINITELY A FULL ROLL CAGE
FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEM
A WILL AND/OR MEDICAL PROXY

TestPoint · Jan 3, 2013

Engine Swaps

There have been any number of alien engines installed into the 2/7/9 cars as the engine bays are adequate for most V8's. The later single/double overhead cam engines because of the much higher heads have many more clearance issues but they too have been shoe horned into our Volvo's. The most popular over the years have been the small block Fords and Chevy push rod engines. These engines and their associated transmissions are very available at reasonable, if not cheap, prices and the rebuild/upgrade parts are available almost anywhere. It is easy to install a Ford/Chevy engine that will quickly tear the very stout rear end out of these cars. Then there are rear end upgrades using, primarily the Ford equipment that will address that issue.

The following link will take you to my story of installing a Ford 302 V8 into an '82 245 Diesel wagon. Linked within that thread is an appendix with links to as many engine swap threads as I could find. If you find others of significant value please post then to that thread.

Here is the Small Block Ford Conversion Manual: Volvo's That Run

http://forums.turbobricks.com/showthread.php?t=250257

740atl · Jan 5, 2013

Has anyone swapped a GM automatic into a volvo?

EDIT>>> HAS ANYONE ELSE DONE THE GM AUTOMATIC SWAP? PLEASE PM ME WITH YOUR THREAD OR LINK TO PICTURES!!!

PRELIMINARY

The GM automatic will fit behind the reblock engine. Several turbobricks have accomplished this feat with the th350, th400, 200-4r. The 4l60e will fit but as with the others will require a bit of transmission tunnel massaging due to the large servo housing.

There are two methods to physically mount the transmission to the redblock engine.

The first being to cut the bellhousing from the GM v8 and weld on the front half of the redblock bellhousing. This will require a fair bit of alignment and welding to accomplish the task.

The picture above is from the Swedish performance forum Savarturbo.se http://forum.savarturbo.se/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=24192 which shows several other methods of mating the transmission.

The second, and probably more common method will be to use an adapter that fits between the reblock engine and GM auto bellhousing. Gsellstr sells these adapters on Turbobricks, and the Swedish company KLracing.se also sells them.

The adapter allows the engine and transmission to be easily mated. However, because the transmission is essentially pushed further away from the engine, a second adapter must be used between the factory volvo flexplate and the GM automatic torque converter. Such an adapter is (and may still be) available from qwkswede.

The torque converter would be up to your choosing, although something in the 2800rpm and greater stall speed range would be recommended. These are available from many retailers, but popular brands include Revmax, available on Ebay.

You will need to have a custom driveshaft made, or more likely, an existing GM driveshaft shortened.

The dana-spicer rear axle flange model 2-2-329 will mate the GM driveshaft to the volvo rear end. This model uses the common dana 1310 U-joint.

LINKS TO GM AUTOMATIC SWAPS.

linuxman51 http://forums.turbobricks.com/showthread.php?t=205556
thelostartof http://forums.turbobricks.com/showthread.php?t=265427
qwkswede http://www.turbobricks.com/forums/showthread.php?t=97657&page=19

740atl · Jan 6, 2013

what is the best Volvo transmission to use for performance?

what is the best Volvo transmission to use for performance??

The only bolt-on Volvo transmissions available to the turbobricker are the m46, m47, zf22, aw70, aw71, aw71L, and aw72L. The european redblock M90 is very robust but is cost prohibitive due to the cost in getting it to the US.

The M46 and M47 manual transmissions are not known for being robust. People during normal driving with non-turbo 240/740/940's have shattered the m46/m47. It is simply not a performance transmission. People have gotten lucky and drag raced this transmission with power levels over 300hp, but they simply do not last long.

Turbobricks are limited in their choices of automatic transmissions. The aw70, aw71, and zf22 are all that the 4-cylinder redblocker has to choose for a bolt-on affair.

Ideally, the strongest Volvo automatic transmission would be the aw30-40le found on the 960. This is the same transmission found in the Toyota Supra. Unfortunately, some kind of adapter plate would be required to bolt the transmission to the redblock bellhousing. As of yet, most people who have come this far decide to go with one of the GM automatic options.

The zf22 is a finicky transmission known to have several weaknesses. At this point in time, serious upgrades have not been explored.

The aw71 is the choice for the budget conscious turbobricker. It is all-around bigger in terms of components next to it's baby cousin, the aw70. The aw71 can be identified by the ID plate on the driver's side of the transmission. The aw71, aw71L and aw72L (16v) automatics can be bolted directly in place of the weaker cousin, the aw70. You must use the aw71/71L/72L torque converter as well.

Most people who start out a turbo project with a 240 or 740 will start with the aw70, and quickly find that their new-found power has dramatically shortened the life of the transmission. Generally, 240/740 turbo cars came with the aw71.

Improving the aw71 for performance.

Even the aw71, while beefier, still has its limitations and will quickly die under the influence of additional power unless some relatively easy modifications are performed.

The "accumulator mod" performed to the aw71 will allow it to survive to power levels far past any of the volvo manual transmissions with the exception of the European M90. People have taken the aw71 to the 300rwhp level and beyond, to 11 second and 10 second quarter miles. Lifespan between rebuilds diminishes dramatically as power levels exceed 300rwhp.

Link to the accumulator mod http://forums.turbobricks.com/showthread.php?t=108965

Youtube video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtkT5exNsPw

There is a second modification to the aw71 called the "valve body mod" outlined here. http://brickspeed.net/forum/showthread.php?tid=699&pid=27500#pid27500

The AW71L is found on 94-later 940's and has the added benefit of the lock-up torque converter, which can provide the additional mpg benefit.

Stall speeds.

The stall speeds found on volvo automatics ranged between 2100-2700rpm. To date, no one has found a pattern to know what stall speed is present in the converter they have. Most transmissions however seem to come with the lower stall speed 2100-2200rpm stall speed.

Factory 16valve aw72L transmissions are known to come with the 2500rpm stall speed. The aw72L converter can be used in aw71L transmissions.

Stall speed is very important when determining the launch of a car at the drag strip. Most aw71 vehicles equipped with the lower stall speed torque converters will obtain a 60-foot time in the 2.0 to 1.9 second range. If you are considering an aw71 for your performance car, consider having the stall speed of your existing converter "uprated". Shops such as Precision of New Hampshire can increase the stall speed of your existing converter up to 600-700rpm over stock for about $400.

740atl · Jan 7, 2013

How much does it cost to upgrade to a T5/getrag/w58/r154/t56 transmission?

Turbobricks have been swapping other transmissions behind their redblocks for some time now. Most people perform a transmission swap because they realize that they're stock m46/m47/aw70/aw71 broke under the influence of 50-100 more horsepower than the factory designed them for.

The sky is the limit in terms of what manual transmission you want to swap behind your redblock. Where there's a will, there's an adapter plate.

COST OF SWAP.
For any transmission swap, plan on the cost being around 1000 dollars. A quick breakdown is below, and as you can see, the cost can vary wildly depending on your choice of transmission and components, whether you use used or new transmissions, buy parts from the recycling yard or ebay, etc.

cost of transmission, used, 75-500 (800-1200 for t56)
adapter plate, $250 (More for the w58/r154 cast bellhousings)
clutch kit, $250-500 (depending on strength of clutch and exotic materials in clutch disk)
flywheel machining $100-200
aftermarket steel flywheel, $300-500 (Not necessary, but recommended for high power applications).
driveshaft modification $150-500 (depending on custom, or modification)

ADAPTING THE TRANSMISSION.
Most transmission swaps entail the use of an unmodified transmission of your choice, followed by an adapter plate, anywhere from 1/2 inch to 1 inches thick that goes between the transmission and volvo bellhousing. The toyota w58 and r154 transmissions have the alternative of using a cast bellhousing available from an Australian company that bolts directly to the transmission and then to the volvo block. The w58 and r154 swaps are not as prevalent in the US due to the cost of adapter plates and availability of these transmissions compared to the T5.

Getrag adapters

The Getrag 265 is a very strong transmission found behind the 81-82, and 85 BMW 5-series, and some early BMW M3's. The transmission is easily adapted. The gear ratios do leave a bit to be desired compared to the v8 T5. It's a popular swap if you can find one as they are getting harder to find every day.

Ford T5 adapters

The ford V8 T5's have the best gear ratios for redblocks. Look for the 2.95 1st gear ratio to find the strongest transission. Check here to find out what ID number you need.

GM T5 adapters

The GM V8 T5's have the best gear ratios for redblocks. Look for the 2.95 1st gear ratio to find the strongest transission. Check here to find out what ID number you need.

JVAB Imports

JVAB machines the bellhousing and adds a welded on-adapter to mate the popular, plentiful, GM v8 T5 to your redblock. Give John a call for details.

W58 adapter

W58's were found behind early 90's supras and have decent gear ratios. Adapter bellhousings are available through Dellow Automotive, but are pricey. ($500-600).

dellow catalog pdf

CLUTCH AND FLYWHEEL CONSIDERATIONS
In addition to the adapter plate, generally an upgraded clutch will be required, with a clutch disk having matching splines to the swapped transmissions.

Volvo offers two flywheels to choose from, the "flat" flywheel with bolt pattern for an 8.5" (215mm) clutch disk, or the "stepped or dished" flywheel with bolt pattern for 9" (225mm) clutch disk. The stepped flywheel is very heavy at around 30 pounds, whereas the flat flywheel comes in at around 20 pounds.

Over the recent years as turbobricks have elevated their power levels, it has been discovered that the stepped flywheels do not offer adequate strength and in several instances, have "grenaded" during "aggressive" driving, in several cases, destroying the engine and car in the process. As it is a cast iron flywheel, for serious high performance use, the "stepped" flywheel should not be considered, and rather a steel aftermarket flywheel should be sought out.

Many others have had difficulty obtaining a good clutch sealing surface with the stepped flywheel. The key in obtaining good performance is to have both flywheel surfaces accurately machined and the pressure plate to clutch disk thicknesses taken into account.

The flat flywheel is much lighter and many have had good success with them with the smaller 8.5" clutch disk. In any event, any serious performance car should look towards a steel performance flywheel.

DRIVESHAFT MODIFICATIONS
Rounding out the transmission swap is a custom driveshaft. For many of the cases, a stock driveshaft need only be shortened. In the case of the getrag swap, the stock volvo two-piece driveshaft may be used, but must be lengthened by 1.5 inches.

TRANSMISSION CHOICE
The transmission of choice is generally related to the user's budget and availability. The T5 seems to be the most available transmission across the US. Some areas of the country have more availability of the getrag, others not so much.

In terms of strength, the transmissions are roughly equivalent, but the top of the list should include the t56, r154, getrag, with the T5 and w58 rounding out the field. The T5 and w58 are good to the 300hp level and beyond depending on how it is driven.

The most common transmissions swapped into volvos are as follows.

The FORD T-5
The BMW GETRAG 265
The Toyota Supra W58
The VOLVO redblock M90
The 6-speed T56
The toyota R154

FORD T-5

The Ford T5 is the most popular manual transmission swap due to is availability, and low cost of parts. The World-Class T5 is preferred due to its stronger internals. V8 T-5's are preferred due to their lower numerical gear ratio (2.95 or 3.35 1st gear) and stronger gear clusters. The GM T5 is generally not used because the input shaft is shorter than required for use behind a volvo engine. Only the later model GM v6 transmission has the longer input shaft which would make it useable by turbobricks. However, the v6 t5's have the weaker gearsets.

An adapter plate must be used between the volvo bellhousing and T5 transmission. Several companies sell such an adapter, generally available for around $250.

Generally T5 swappers have a custom 1-piece driveshaft made.

links to builds...

GETRAG 265

The getrag 265 is a very strong transmission found in 80-81 and 85 5-series bmw's and the 635 series. The getrag 265 case may be stamped with 262, but it most likely is the 5-speed overdrive transmission. Only the 5-speeds found in the 6-series cars may be the actual getrag 262 with the close-ration non-overdrive transmission.

Getrag availability across the country in wrecking yards is hit or miss, with more seeming to be found on the west coast and near major metropolitan areas. The getrag swap is fairly simple requiring only an adapter plate (also including a centering ring), with driveshaft lengthening. Next to the T5, it is the most widely swapped transmission into a volvo. Getrags seem to perform well even when well-worn (slop in the input shaft). While expensive to rebuild, if you can find them, they will take quite a bit of abuse.

links to builds....

740atl · Jan 7, 2013

Can I improve the performance of my car without turbocharging?

PRE-EDIT... I'm soliciting for more direct links to this thread. Does anyone know of any VERY pertinent links for basic NA performance, please PM me! Also, I'm looking for actual NA dyno numbers! If you can think of any other upgrades the basic NA turbobricker could make use of, please let me know!

Can I improve the performance of my car without turbocharging?

Absolutely. While the +T swap is by far the best bang for the buck in terms of raising horsepower, there are a number of things the average turbobricker can do that doesn't have a turbocharged brick!

REALITY CHECK! Keep in mind, the 2.3L volvo engine (most likely you have the 85-later B230F engine) enters the playing field at about 110 horsepower. Most good condition NA engines will pull about 85-90 rear wheel horsepower when on a chassis dynamometer. You know yourself, that's not a lot, but it can be improved. .You are NOT going to be able to get 180 or even 200 horsepower out of ANY low-budget modifications Think closer to perhaps an upper limit of 140 rear wheel horsepower. 140 rear wheel horsepower may not seem like a lot, but a 40-horsepower bump over stock will EASILY be felt at the seat of your pants.

The name of the game when it comes to NA performance is airflow. There are several ways to accomplish this.

1. camshaft. NA engines usually come with the M cam from the factory. Those who drive their redblocks spiritedly, know that the M cam soon runs out of gas. There are a number of factory cam alternatives to be considered in this order... the T, B, A, then those seeking maximum NA performance with a "stock" cam should look to the K. See the cam faq here for more information.

Aftermarket camshafts include the popular varieties from IPD including the VX cam.

RSI also sells a powerful NA cam.

Keep in mind if you drive an automatic volvo, it is simply not going to like the K cam. The lack of low end torque will make you want to reconsider your decision... unless of course you also use an adjustable cam gear and run the K 6 degrees advanced.

2. Electric fan. The stock mechanical fan works very well, but for those looking for every inch of performance will want to lose the drag on the engine by eliminating the factory fan and going to an electric fan. See electric fan swaps here.

3. Aftermarket headers. Stahl and others make a bolt-on aftermarket header for the redblock. Don't expect huge horsepower increases here. Many have done well with the stock exhaust system. They' ain't cheap.

4. Exhaust size upgrades. Consider a 2.5" exhaust as the upper limit. Keep in mind that NA cars are LOUD.

5. Porting. Studies have shown that the factory 8v head to be very good, but intake flow seems to stagnate early. To take the full benefit of additional lift from something like a K cam, consider porting the 8v head. Porting is really a bad term to use here as many people assume that by porting the head you will be "hogging out" the ports for maximum benefit... this is hardly the case. The porting mods you perform could be accomplished in an afternoon with widely available tools. Consider this link by StealthFTI to be your first stop when it comes to porting the 8v head.

Look here for real world porting data on the 8v head and what you can expect to obtain by linuxman51.

6. LARGER INTAKE/EXHAUST VALVES. Increasing on the cost-to-benefit scale is the use of larger intake and exhaust valves. Several Turbobrick friendly companies offer the larger valves, springs, retainers and locks for the NA-friendly turbobricker.

Here's real world porting flow data on the 48mm intake/40mm exhaust valve upgrade on a ported 8v 530 head.

6.5. The 405/531 "penta" 8v cylinder head swap. Many 8v "penta" engines came with a higher flowing factory cylinder head which looks identical to the stock 8v cylinder head. The so-called "penta" head can be a decent jump in power over the factory head. The part numbers to look for are 405 and 531. 531 cylinder heads were commonly available on European cars, but not American. Canadian cars did come with the nearly identical 405 cylinder heads.

6.7. TIGHT SQUISH!. Simplified, to obtain "tight squish" you need to bring the pistons closer to the cylinder head. Only two ways to do this, mill the deck of the block or buy a thinner headgasket. In a nutshell, the tighter the "squish", the more turbulent the fuel-air mixture, the decreased chances for detonation. This allows you to run more ignition advance, and a bit more compression ratio. If you're thinking of porting a head, you're going to be removing the head and replacing the headgasket anyway... why not get some tight squish?

tight squish links.
the man, http://www.pbase.com/stealthfti/b230ftshortblock
http://forums.turbobricks.com/showthread.php?t=123665&page=2

7. Aftermarket Fuel injection. The stock NA ecu does a good job, but anyone who knows automotive performance knows that out of the three terms, economy/emissions/performance, performance was the low end of the totem pole. An aftermarket fuel injection system can allow you to tailor the air fuel ratios of your engine, in addition to tuning the ignition advance to get maximum power.

8. Nitrous oxide. Don't be surprised! Your volvo engine is pretty hardy! A 50-75 "wet shot" of nitrous oxide can be an eye-opening experience. Serious users apply only.

10. The b21F intake manifold swap. The b21F intake manifold was available on 1976-1982 (?) 240's. While the manifold will bolt on to the 8v head, that's not all you'll have to do. Aluminum injector bungs must be welded into the manifold itself as this manifold never had them from the factory. The bungs and welding are not terribly expensive, but there are very good examples of other people who have done this and lived to tell the tale. Apparently, the b21F manifold swap is worth a solid 10hp over the b23/b230 intake manifold.

Check here for more information.
http://forums.turbobricks.com/showthread.php?t=270659
http://forums.turbobricks.com/showpost.php?p=4032230&postcount=14

10. A 16valve head conversion. Believe it or not, the volvo b234f "16valve" cylinder head bolts right on in place of your 8v head. If this makes you squeamish, that's ok. But for ultimate NA performance without breaking the bank, this should be considered. A basic 16valve head will pull 140 rear wheel horsepower on a dyno right out of the gate. With tuning, the number could inch higher.

See the following for 16valve conversion links.
NA 16v power. "low compression pistons" http://forums.turbobricks.com/showthread.php?t=48301

11. Manual vs. Automatic transmission. Let's face it... sometimes feeling like you're faster is better than being faster... this can be the case with a manual transmission vs an automatic. This is especially the case with trying to make power for cheap with an NA volvo. If you are serious about making power, you need more airflow, which means you need more cam, which means you lose low end power. Having a manual transmission will allow you to use that power as well as just being more sporty to drive.

If you must stay with an automatic, consider getting a higher stall speed torque converter. Unfortunately, even though volvo made a range of stall speeds between 2100-2700, no one really knows how to tell them apart. It is known that the 16v volvo came with a 2500 rpm stall speed, but to use that converter, you either need to have the aw71L or aw72L transmission. Most 240 owners will have the aw70 transmission, which is not compatible.

Aftermarket torque converters with higher stall speeds can be purchased for around $400. It could make the difference for you.

NA PERFORMANCE LINKS.
http://forums.turbobricks.com/showthread.php?t=150954
http://forums.turbobricks.com/showthread.php?t=248416
very good and recent link with actual NA dyno figures. http://forums.turbobricks.com/showthread.php?t=272196&page=7

740atl · Jan 7, 2013

LSX swaps in volvos

PRELIMINARY

LINKS

240 swaps.

740 swaps.

740atl · Jan 8, 2013

Does anyone make H-beam connecting rods or forged pistons for my volvo?

Yes, there are several suppliers of H-beam connecting rods and forged pistons.

1. RSI RODS http://yhst-26451710505916.stores.yahoo.net/hcoroforb215.html PISTONS http://yhst-26451710505916.stores.yahoo.net/vob2andb2wap.html
2. JVL Imports http://www.rallyrace.net/jvab/
3. Sten Parner Motors. RODS http://www.stenparnermotor.se/default.aspx?NodeId=43 PISTONS http://www.stenparnermotor.se/default.aspx?NodeId=42
4. Ebay. Caveat Emptor. http://forums.turbobricks.com/showthread.php?t=266354
5. Motor Nord. http://www.motornord.se/system/webshop.asp?FID=313&HID=256&HSID=3054

Figure around $400 for H-beams with arp rod bolts... which is a pretty darned good deal.

Figure around $600 or more for forged pistons.

Let's face it. You're looking at this thread because you know that even the "strong" 13mm rods will bend at will upon any serious detonation. You may be here because this has already happened to you. You don't have to crush your car! Aftermarket rods are plentiful and cheap.

The rods listed above will survive to 600hp and beyond...

Most of the domestic connecting rod companies (pauter, carillo, scat, manley, eagle) will make forged rods for you, but for a premium.

John V said:
Aside from Carrillo and Pauter, virtually all the othe rbrands are made at one of the 2 big factories in Chengdu, Szechuan province in Western China... Same plant as SPE, RSI, JVAB so the difference becomes design features: Are the B200/B230 rods piston steered or full width, is the pin bush size ciorrectly of will it need a resize because somebody said "Make the pin 23mm, and didn't give the required clearence-- 2 of those brands are exactly pin size---not good on a floating pin that wants .0006-.0008" clearnence...
Are the rod bolts at leaset as large as original?

The ebay link places DOES have the same rods as everybody offers, at least they have a LISTING.....but read every dimension as they list everything as "B230"....possible a good reason to talk with, and buy from somebody who actually can spit out instantly what the various rod dimensions are....

740atl · Jan 8, 2013

What's the best redblock turbo that's not a bolt-on?

What's the best redblock turbo that's not a bolt-on?

That would have to be the twin-scroll Mitsubishi 16g6, found on the EVO 8 and up.

If you've ever seen a turbocharger you know it looks nothing like what a turbocharger should... looks like it was designed by a committee.

Because this turbo is so odd, you have two choices for how to mount it to your engine.

1. Build a tubular header and either mount the header up top or down below. Harder said than done due to the extremely odd input flange configuration as seen below.

Turbo%20Flange%20Mitsubishi%2016g%20twin%20scroll.jpg

Bottom mount

2. Build a J-pipe adapter to the stock, NA exhaust manifold with a top mount. Easier than #1 with the same results.

You of course will have to make some kind of exhaust outlet as shown in the images below.

The stock evo 8 outlet will fit with some modifications. The ebay version is shown here.

The compressor map for this turbo is out of this world. Spool is insane. Full boost (15psi) obtained by minimum 2500rpm.

30psi map shown below. Room to grow.

A second interesting option with less fabrication would the EVO 3 16g (small 16g?)

Compressor map is not as sweet as the 16g6, but would require FAR less fabrication.

EVO 3 16g

Using this adapter, the EVO 3 16g could be bolted to a milled flat 90+ exhaust manifold. With some reclocking, this could be a killer street turbo with relatively little fabrication.

Small 16g compressor map at 30psi.

740atl · Jan 12, 2013

I can't afford to build an engine. What's the strongest volvo engine?

I can't afford to build an engine. What's the strongest volvo engine?

by linuxman51

What's the goal? The early turbo motors (b21ft, b23ft) as well as the 90+ b230ft's are considered the 'strongest' but this is a relative term in that any of these can succumb to poor tuning, attention to detail, modification choices and execution of the build. If careful attention is given, any of these should (theoretically) hold 3-400hp, or more, depending on several factors. In most cases, keeping things at or under 300hp is 'safe' here stateside. Other things that can prolong engine life: put off the pleasure. Many people will frown at this suggestion for a variety of reasons, but part of the key to success for the swedes is in effect this. build the setup to make peak boost (and as a result power) much higher in the powerband than stock.. i.e. a large turbo that doesn't really hit hard until 4500, with a cam(s) and spring/retainer package that will allow it to turn on out to 7500 or so. The reasoning for this is relatively simple, things happen faster-the pistons are moving faster, knock has less time to exact forces on the pistons and rods, tuning changes will have a slightly 'duller' effect (which makes it easier to creep up to the desired power/tune state) as well. This type of setup is generally better suited to a car with a manual transmission, however, and a number of people find it tedious/counter productive/etc since it doesn't have the 'fun' factor that comes with instant torque from small turbo setups that peak early and fall off early. The path you choose here will dictate what you need to spend money on elsewhere on the car. For the common 15g crowd, a moderate set of injectors, relatively common chips, exhaust, mbc, and win. Going for large numbers on a budget...well... comes with it's own considerations and requirements, and to a certain extent not really a budget setup (in the grand scheme of things)

I can't afford to build an engine. What's the strongest volvo engine?

The contents of this article are taken from SAVARTURBO.SE, originally authored by Jens Gustavsson, also a member on Turbobricks.

You can view the article here. http://savarturbo.se/?sida=content/artiklar.php&artikel=bottendelen&sidnr=1

The article has been translated by Google Translate, so there are a few words in Swedish that do not translate well such as...

STAKE = connecting rod
NAILS = detonation
SPIKES = detonation

T

he 85-89 crankshafts he refers too are those with the center thrust bearing and are weaker cranks.
Also in 85-89, volvo departed from reason and went with "thinner" connecting rods. These were 9mm thick.
After 89, they regained reason and went back to the 13mm thick rod.
However, even the later 13mm b230 rod pales in comparison to the 13mm thick M-rod as described below.

The base :: ::

The turbo engine world is alive and well myths and falsehoods, so I thought I would write a few pages about what I and my friends have learned over the years we have been involved in various turbo installations. Already at an early stage, many years ago, we began to suspect that the so-called turbo experts at firms that GIK turbo, Unitec mm did not know much about turbo tuning. They were more eager to sell expensive useless special stuff and throw **** at each other. We began instead to read and experiment themselves, and because we are quite a few we have not had to commit all the mistakes themselves, but instead learned from each other. Remember that what I write now is advice and tips about the Volvo turbo tuning and complete information on the subject trimming & motor preparation see books as A. Graham Bell / Four Stroke Performance (ISBN: 1859604358) and David Vizard "How To Build .."-books, and also workshop manuals (games and moments).

Rods

The connecting rods of the Volvo engines are generally very stable and usually manage everything. Some exceptions are B20/B21-stakarna that existed between about 1975-82 that are very similar M-stakes, but without the M-brand. These stakes are soft as lead! Another stakes you should watch out for is the B230 model from 1985-89 that is too narrow. A fence we have good experience with the M model, which usually sat on the B23A engine. These stakes are very heavy about 930G but none of us have managed to run down someone in spite of laps at over 10,000 rpm. There is a Ford T23 with 16V running Altered class running mid 7's now, and they are using M-stakes up to 700 hp without running down any.

For durability the preppas as follows: First, check the straightness, then change the bolts and nuts of the new Volvo org. Weight Balancing should also be made, weight is removed the humps at large and small end. NOTE! Never remove more than about 12g of the weakening stake. Avoid other preparation as lift-off, blasting etc. on this type of fence, the weakened only. Check now only the bearing caps so that no handling damage has occurred. Poles that have been prepared as follows dare I almost cold blast safe as long as they are not exposed to violent detonation or alternated continuously over about 8200rpm. The lighter B18 Bofors stakes can also be used in B20-B23 intake and turbo engines with little lower cylinder pressure on the prepared like M-stakes, however, have 6-bolt crankshaft used. B20 6-bolt-stakes and 1989 or newer B230-stakes is also good stakes.

Crankshafts

Volvo crankshafts, 1961 (B18) to 1998 (B230) are all good, with one exception, 1985-89 built the so-called "l?gfriktionsmotorn" with less frame layer, it can go off, I myself have seen it on a Volvo Original Cup 240th With a little determination, most cranks moved between engine families. A Volvo axle should not renovated, it is better to use a orenoverad fine crank that you measure up with a micrometer on the crank pins and main bearings. Straightness checked at the test assembly in the block with new bearings and torqued main bearing, the crank spins easily, it is easy, do not forget to check axiallagerspelet. Ball Anse Call of unprocessed parts of the bottom part is wasted money, genuine Volvo-balancing will do.

Block

When we are preparing an engine block for a turbo Volvo drilled it as little as possible and preferably with stress plate mounted for maximum durability and minimal leak-down. An exception is the 1975-year B20 block with M12 bolt to the box and the newer B21 block can be bored to 92mm and 94mm. A good trick to help keep the toppacknigen on B18-B20 is that thread about the M12-bultar/pinnbultar of 12.9 or better quality, then the torque is increased to 110-120 Nm. A top decking is also needed to maintain toppackningen and to receive a clamping gap of 0.8-1.1 mm.

O-ring is not something that we have needed so far, but my new B20 will oringad preventive measure reaches the boost pressure is increased above 1.6bar. I sizzles down a track in the block where I put down a 1.0 mm piano wire sticking up max about 0.2 mm above the block.

Concrete filling should be avoided as long as the engine block is, we've never tried seriously because we have not had problems with the engine block. But the extreme cylinder pressures it may be necessary to use a product including Summit Racing sells, it's called "Hard Block" and have the same thermal expansion value as cast iron. It is also possible to use fiber reinforced screed for underfloor heating systems, the running example Magnus S?derlund with its B23: a

Pistons

The pistons are usually what may take the hardest knocks in a turbo engine, they are usually also the most expensive component in the bottom part. At higher cylinder pressures should be used forged pistons, but I'm not saying it's impossible to use the original cast pistons at lower boost pressure of nailing free engines. The semi-forged 240 turbo pistons usually works pretty well even at higher cylinder pressures, but they do not tolerate violent detonation long moments, unfortunately they seem to be getting hard to come by. The forged pistons B23ET-being good and doing well to get in.

In my new B20 should I start using forged Mahle pistons VW, these are both cheap, easy and stable pistons that are well proven in various BMW turbo cars here around Ume?. The disadvantages, however, 22mm piston pin, height because the block must peak decked about 3-5 mm (depending on compression) and water pump usually has to be moved down. Also remember that the arrow is pointing back at Volvo / BMW engine.

Other

Oil system is not something that you need to modify in any way except for copious tire into use then a baffle plate construction (I'll get a picture).

Summary

Summing we bit so many people think that we build snikiga bottoms. But we always have a limited budget to work with and we rather spend my money on things that give power peaks, cams, manifolds, turbochargers, and most important: tuning, than on the things that are already working. Now I'll even stick your neck out even further and say that the above mentioned things like cams, turbos, etc. as an individual and together affect the durability more than the connecting rods have! I hope this little Volvo turbo bottom hand's thesis has lived an interesting read and if interested, I can write more then for example combs, Wastegate system etc..

Have questions or want to say something about what I have written so do it on the forum.

/ Jens Gustavsson

Pictures of 9mm rods vs 13mm rods. The rods shown are from a b230 engine, the 9mm rods being from the 85-89 years.

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