[Ben O Brien]

Hi
I can confirm that the american 2.3A is a non interference engine.
It was in a 242(you may remember i asked this question in the forum a while back)
Anyway during the stripdown process i took out the engine thinking the piston rings were shot as the car was spurting oil when in fact it was the condensation clearing crap from inside the exhaust as a result of the car but thats another story...
where was I..oh yeah i took out the engine and had taken off the head and the pistons for a friend who teaches mechanics to tell me the bores and rings were perfect...so there i was with a spare 2.3 engine so i said ill put the pistons back in and the head on and turn it over slowly and see...
The bottom half kept turning over and would have kept on doing so if i hadnt got so bored of the repetitive process.Nevertheless not "doing" timing belt isnt recommended by me as i imagine the compression would make total s*&$e of you engine if id did break and have parts of the engine rotating with the spark plugs still in.

Also colin did you recieve the package i think not as i wrote out your address on a piece of paper which susequently got water damaged but i still sent it to that address..anywho i no longer need the carb tool so ill send it back to you along with a few quid,sorry for not getting back sooner but this was ages ago that i sent it and totally forgot until i saw this message.Mail me your address and ill send it by registered post this time make sure it gets there!!!

Also to all I have the opportunity of acquiring of as many volvo engines as i can poke a stick at from a local who does nissan diesel conversions on 240s for local farmers,so ill do this check on various other engines during the rebuilds.If anybody is looking for an engine let me know and ill see if hes got any,you(plural) can have it for nothing but be prepared to collect them in ireland.

Best Regards
Ben
82 242
82 244
89 245
91 245
96 850