This is a 1976 Volvo i'm going to look at. Which engine is the best in these cars?

As far as I know, that one should have the 2.1L 4-cylinder (bullet proof!). It should also have CIS fuel injection (mechanical). You can bolt in the 2.3L bottom end, add a camshaft and have more fun. The ignition is stupid simple, as is everything else mechanical once you get to know it. You can add carbs easily (if you think that will help) with a little work.

Best?

The one that runs.

Volvo Redblocks:
in the beginning there was the B18---3 main bearings and pushrods.
Then came the B20---88,9mm bore, 80 stroke, 46mm compression height pistons, 5 main bearings 54mm rod journal, 63,5 mains ~~more or less~~~ and pushrod, cast iron head.
Not really a bad motor--Sooooooooooooooper reliable and capable of decent powerz and still like a stone-ax solid

Then came B21, 92mm bore and 80 stroke. 5 main bearing forged steel crank, 145mm rod c-c aka 5.7", 46mm comp hgt, flat cast iron flywheel for 215mm clutch..44mm intake valve, 35 exhaust valves in aluminum SOHC head, valves in line with bore...

Then came B23--everything the same except now 96mm bore.

Then, in mid 80s came the B230 "reduced friction" motor. In Norte America came only in B230....96 x 80 still but 49mm rod journals, 55mm mains...152mm rod c-c and 39,7mm comp height<---a compression height the rest of the entire world was at in the late 60s...
Early---to some unknown point in 88 or 89 had some spindly little rods referred to as 9mm rods.

Crank was now cast iron and 'fully counterweighted". Flywheel still cast iron but now for a 228mm clutch and weighing in at around 32-33 lbs for the flywheel. A beast..

At the unknown point, they changed to "13mm rods" and around then upped the main journals back to around 63mm

For a short while in the late 80s for the Continent there was "B234", B23o with a funny block with belt driven external oil pump and dumb balance shafts but a very nice 16v head.
Head has 34mm intakes and 31 mm exhaust and stock flow is absurdly good....good ports, good valve size stock, and room for 36-37 even 39mm intakes...

So, there is now "best" motor...there are however strong parts and weak parts.
B21/B23 crank and rods: unbreakable
But! B21/B23 rods and pistons can be mistaken for diesel parts they are that massive and heavy

Early B200/230 9mm rods---scary weenie POS little things
Later B200/230 13mm rods----scary weenie things but not POS

Early flywheel: HEAVY but being flat---there are options for pressureplates with more clamp loads, but cast iron, I won't machine them...

Late flywheels: scary heavy, annoying stepped design, and cast iron.
The "vendors" that do carve up old shitty rust late cast iron charge more for the machining of shitty core junk than I charge for brand new steel flywheels......they can't even be troubled to run a tap thru the holes for the threads--just piles of somewhat lighter rust...

Heads: there's a variety of casting numbers for the heads and theres "K-jet" heads--for the early mechanic fuel injection and these have bosses in the head for the injectors, and later LH electronic heads.
Physicallly all the bolt holes are in the same place so that means the ports are in the same place, and Volvo pimple-squeezer perv will wax on about the "531" head.. but by time you do a little work on any its no big difference what you start with..
There are Big Coolant Passages and Small Coolant Passage heads, I think given a choice the Small coolant passage heads would be a safer bet on a 96mm bore motor...

For normal aspirated the gem is the B234 head....pent roof design tolerates all kinds of pressure which means HIGH compression, which means moar torques. Amazing port figures means it CAN rev if you have a cam that works...

The 16v head onto a B23 or B230 bottom end is simple..drawbacks is as always, Canted valve run into things way easier with you fawk up assembly or rev it to 8 grand with dead springs... The run into eachother and the piston, Usually that ends all the fun..

Don't fret about any of that shit now. there's easy solutions --which just cost money--but first things first: cage suspension, strength, gearing..
then powerz.

---

John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

130 cubic inch that's what a 2.1 ...it had a flat tire and he didn't have cables to start it so he's gonna round that up and were gonna go eat, the engine family is 4f-a the rust wasn't that bad actually were gonna try and start it and pull it out of the snow and onto the street so I can look underneath , 4 wheel disc brakes , so I'm off to go eat then come back and get it started..

No rust underneath nice and solid just minor rust on the fenders , engine sounded good ...the rear brakes need attention so I'm gonna sort that out ,lowered price 250$

If it were me, I would hold out and pay much more money for one built in, he 90s. 1976 is a very long time ago.

---

Robert.

"You are way too normal to be on Rally Anarchy." Eddie Fiorelli.

Would it be worth it in parts , the engine sounded great 98000 original miles 4 wheel disc brakes , there's gotta be more than 250.00 in spare parts right..or no

Yep.

---

John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

There are enough differences to make it not worthwhile.

If someone came to my shop tomorrow and told me to build them a Volvo, I would get a last year built 240, four door automatic. I would buy the best condition car that I could find and not worry about the price. The extra money you spend on a straight rust free car will save you thousands later.

---

Robert.

"You are way too normal to be on Rally Anarchy." Eddie Fiorelli.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/05/2013 09:39PM by Rallymech.

Naw, My rally car is a '76. As long as its not rusty, its good. Plus they came in groovy colors. All the parts from later years bolt right in. Pre '82 has the older axle housing that you want; fits standard dana 30 ring and pinions ($104 from Randy's). All 240s except the uber rare '75, as well as 740 and 940 have the 4 cyl motor that drops in. i like the motors from '86-'88 with the bosch lh 2.2 system.

Bigger engine, better injection, newer electrics etc.

---

Robert.

"You are way too normal to be on Rally Anarchy." Eddie Fiorelli.

Actually Robert, later in the life cycle of the 240 is when they had major problems with wire deterioration (sp). They are basically all the same. Same radiator, same windshield, ect.

Every part 10 to 15 years newer?

---

Robert.

"You are way too normal to be on Rally Anarchy." Eddie Fiorelli.

maybe I'm mistaken, but wouldn't a 240 be worth more than $250, even if you're just selling it for scrap metal?

all I'm saying is, if you can pull it off, you can probably:
* buy this thing
* dive 100% into it, on your own time, in your own garage/driveway, etc.
* if the wiring or shell is _that_ bad, pull everything that might be useful, take what's left to the scrapyard, and come out even, if not ahead.

amirite?

---

KF7RWG
http://www.utahrallygroup.com

maybe right Robert,

for maximum efficiency go for an 86-88 4-door stick, then find an older axle...

but I just like the looks of the '76-79 2 door a little more personally, and for a 6'5" guy the bigger doors on the 2 door might help.


I found an'86 with a busted tranny for $300 that I took everything out of, then sold the shell to pic n pull for 200! They even came and got it.