940 Turbo Diesel

[mike67]

Can anybody tell me what the 2.4td engine is like, eg reliable or unreliable, I believe the engine is a Volkswagon engine from a Lt van, Is this true?.

[Peter Milnes]

In the 940 the engine comes in two variations, turbo and turbo with intercooler. The turbo has 109bhp and the intercooler fitted version has 122bhp. These engines if looked after according to the servicing spec are very reliable and capable of going on for ever. The engine is the VW/Audi engine from the LT35 series of Light Transport vehicles. You are obviously considering purchase of one or have just bought one and do not know where to get the information about them. If there is an owners handbook with the vehicle there is a section on the various engines and some details near the back before the radio section. Once again particular attention must be paid to the service history ensuring that Cam and pump belts have been changed at 80,000 miles (or before) as the engine is an interference type. Mine gets an average of 35+ mpg and has been tuned so that it will go up hills in fourth and fifth gears where before it was second and third. If there is a very noisy clatter from the engine at most times then it is worthwhile looking at the vacuum pump which is driven by the camshaft via a pushrod. It can be very loud and caused an inexperienced tester to not want to do the emissions check as he thought it would blow up.

All the best, Peter.

[johndglynn]

I would say they are reliable as any well-looked after VAG diesel - ie: brilliant. I have 2 1995 940 TD estates (70K and 230K) and they're both mega. You can go down the motorway as comfortably as any petrol and do twice the mpg at 90. Noisy when first started and a bit smoky when booted hard, but great all the same.

There was a thread that included comments on the diesels headed '850 vs 960 buying' on the old 440/700/900/V90 board - have a read.

Have you been offered one or are you sick of paying for petrol so often?

cheers

JG

[IJBrass]

Peter, your reply struck a cord with me - an expensive one. Since new, my 1996 Volvo 940 turbo diesel estate has been noisy when cold - a definite clatterer. It was my company car and the Volvo dealer that did the first service after delivery said that the noise was normal. The car is now my own, has done 80k miles and the "clatter zone" has spread to higher engine temperatures - like pretty much full running temeperature. The noise when cold is also worse than I remember.

My local garage blames worn hydraulic tappets - says that the fluid leaks out of the tappet actuators at rest and it takes time for the actuators to refill (I think that's roughly what he said). The cost to correct is estimated at £350 and I need to know if the diagnosis is correct before letting the doctor loose with his gleaming spanner.

In case it's relevant, last year the car failed its smoke test and I had to hand over £1000 to get the injectors replaced. My scheme to achieve low-depreciation and comfortable motoring without paying Gordon Brown huge sums of money in company car benefit is looking a bit shaky.

Any advice?

[Peter Milnes]

I have tried to be as comprehensive as possible in my reply to your other post.

All the best, Peter.

[psionman]

Hi

I test drove a '93 (but a '94 model) 2.4 TD auto estate a few days ago. I drove about for 20 minutes or so on the flat and up and down hills. The only comparison I have is to a 2.3 carb 740 auto estate and there is no doubt my 740 is quicker, quieter and lighter to steer.

I was disappointed with the performance of the TD. At 20 mph I put my foot to the floor and . . . . . . not much. If I were trying to accelerate out of trouble I would have been a goner. In fact my old Morris Minor would have knocked spots of it (20 to 50 mph was its best acceleration gap). Up slight inclines was poor and needed kick-down where the 740 would have taken it in its stride

You can hear the engine roar while motoring, especially over 60 mph and worse up hill with the kick-down. The engine revs a lot faster compared to mine for the same road speed.

I am fit an able to steer my 740 without the power assistance when the engine kept cutting out when cold last winter. I am not saying the TD was THAT heavy, but it was very noticeable that the diesel lump is a lot heavier than a 4 pot petrol and it makes a marked difference on the steering.

I also noticed that the front dives more when braking, more so than mine

Is this the experience others have, or have I driven a duff one ?

Regards

Greg

[George Holmer]

As I have said before, it is not quick, but that is not the point of the TD. The engine has loads of torque at lows revs (and can get more with tuning) and is, in my opinion, perfectly quiet at motorway speeds, certainly my radio and the wind noise keeps the engine noise away. But sure, if you travel in hilly landscape, perhaps not the best option. Look again though at the 960 for sale, that engine is magic when tuned properly and certainly should return the same mpg as the turbo. Also, the petrol turbo did not come with leather, it had the semi-leather interior as standard. Might be worth remembering. By the way, I just bought a pterol turbo that I will be putting leather into: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dllViewItem&item=1753399074&rd=1

George

'87 745 GLE Turbo Diesel Intercooler
'89 440 GL 1.7 (Looking for Turbo)

[johndglynn]

I've said it before and I'll say it again - auto boxes suck and with a non-common rail diesel they are a major no-no.

The TD engine has to be revved to get full power out of it - the auto kills the revs and saps power - better with a manual or stick with the petrol turbos. A 6-cylinder diesel engine is a VERY heavy motor!

They are undergeared (hate to say I t*ld y*u s*) - have upped the tyre size on mine to 205/50x15 to raise the rolling radius and reduce the revs at speed - only a difference of 700 revs between 70 and 90 in top though so they are fine when wound up. No real difference in 'acceleration'.

Anytime you are nearby and want a drive in a guaranteed good 5 speed one then let me know!

Cheers - JG

[psionman]

Where is 'near by' ?

Regards

Greg

[Peter Milnes]

My 760GLE turbodiesel with automatic would make most of the Nova brigade feel foolish if they tried to out-accelerate it. I could get to the legal limit before they could. I would suggest that yours may well be in need of some well-deserved TLC. The aluminium head goes a long way to reducing the weight of the engine to an acceptable level. Remember in diesel form there are only 82 horses, in diesel turbo form there are 109 and in diesel turbo intercooler form 122 (Unless you have an Italian market 780 TDI which has 129horses). The weight of the engine is 210kg (465lbs) in top trim with mounts, alternator, starter motor and turbo. I liked the turbo diesel so much I now have a 940 estate with the same motor which has a slightly better performance and more mpg, havimg been tuned for more low-down grunt. OK it has a five-speed manual box.

All the best, Peter.

[johndglynn]

Greg

Am in Northants, work in Surrey 3 days a week. Where are you?

Cheers

JG

[johndglynn]

'Some well-deserved TLC' - you cheeky bugger!!

The Nova club is based in my village actually mate, and have sold a few Nova GTE's up here - there's NO WAY a Volvo TD Auto would outrun one.

Wait until my new breatheasy engine is ready and we'll do a run what ya brung at a strip near you - that would be a laugh.

jg

[psionman]

Hello John

I am in Chatham Kent (nr Maidstone)

From time to time I am in Surbiton, but can never be sure when. I might be up there this week end. Might go and look at a '94 (L) 960 auto est 24v 3000cc with full leather, cc and all the usual. All for £1795. What do you think could be wrong at that price (other than high milage) ? Or is it the going rate ?

Regards

Greg

[Peter Milnes]

Don't scoff, just look at the official 30 -50 and 50-70 times. You will be surprised to learn that they are 4.4 seconds and 7.7 seconds respectively with a 0-60 time of 12.2 seconds, which compares very favourably with the normal Novas driven by the local lads who fit evrything but the kitchen sink in the name of performance extras to their cars. A 760 TDI is far more agile than you give it credit for.
My 940 TDI's 0-60 time is given as 11.8 seconds by the road test figures of a motor magazine and the times for S60 and S80 D5S is only 9.9 seconds.

Do you mean, by your last remark that you own and drive a Nova and not a Volvo?

All the best, Peter.

[johndglynn]

A Nova GTE has 100bhp and 100lb/ft of torque in a car that weighs 834kg. That's 119bhp to the tonne. The last of the 940TD estates weighed in at 1483kg with 122bhp. That's 82bhp to the tonne. The Nova is quicker and they sell faster too, though not by much.

I don't have a Nova, but I do have a Renault 21 Turbo with 218bhp at the wheels in an 1190kg body. That's 183bhp to the tonne. Will keep an eye on my mirrors for 760TD's.

Cheers

Johnnyboyo

[Peter Milnes]

It is the torque produced by the diesel engine that results in a performance superior to that if it was only the bhp to consider. Mine before modification had 235lb/ft of torque. It has around 260lb/ft of torque at present. On your figures the Nova has 119lb/ft to the tonne. My figures (using the same calculations) give 156lb/ft to the tonne unmodified and 173lb/ft to the tonne (my car in modified state). So find out a bit more about the diesel engine before you scoff. As I pointed out the acceleration of a 760 auto turbodiesel is certainly as good , if not better than a Nova's.

All the best, Peter.

[johndglynn]

Peter

You're all torque mate

'All the best'

JG
2 x 940 TD Estates

[1stGarry]

I had a 940 TD Estate ('95) for six years, and put 165K on it. For the first 3 years I was averaging 40K per year, and the car was a regular visitor to my local Volvo dealer for various warranty work (engine / drivetrain etc). For the last 3 years of ownership I was doing about 15K per year and it behaved impeccably, only 1 visit to a garage (apart from the regular services). So it seems to me that if it's not been / not going to be overworked, then it is the perfect workhorse.

I finally changed it as the startup noise and smoking 1st thing in the mornings used to p*ss me and the neighbours off. Sounded, and smoked, like a tractor (and that was with regular servicing throughout it's life). But, hey, it's a mid 90s diesel, what do you expect!

During ownership I was pleasantly surprised at how it could eat the miles up and return good mpg, mid-range acceleration was surprisingly good, cavernous load carrying abilities, an extremely comfortable ride, and decent resale values.

1stGarry

[jamie28]

how do you tune the diesels and what gains can you expect.