Thread: 240 General: - New (to me) 1980 Volvo 244
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Old Nov 20th, 2020, 15:28   #2032
Othen
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Originally Posted by Laird Scooby View Post
I'd agree whole-heartedly with your conclusion Alan, it's a long way and a lot of effort to discover the engine is FUBAR although i would suggest with any engine a basic stripdown, check and rebuild with new gaskets would be a good idea, perhaps renew the big ends and mains as a precaution, possibly pistons rings and hone the bores as well.

However if the evidence suggested that it was all ok inside, i'd do the basics (timing belt & tensioner, oil/filter, new plugs and inspect dizzy cap and rotor arm) and see what happened on start up.

I'd also spin it over a few times on the starter with the plugs out after setting the crank to 90 deg ATDC and dribbling some synthetic ATF down the bores for a few days previous then when all the ATF was expelled, fit new plugs and go for the start up.

If memory serves, the B230A was only 112bhp so you'd only be gaining 6bhp, the B230E would be a much better bet to start with, even if you went for a carb conversion - either way a 4-branch manifold would greatly assist in releasing a few more horses and a Jetex manifold back system would also help.

Not sure if OBX Racing still make a stainless exhaust system for the 240 series but that might be the way to go for the exhaust, unless you're considering a Lexus 1UZ (4.0 V8) conversion in 10 years time.
All very sensible Dave - I think I'd probably have to go for a pretty thorough strip down and check it I bought the B230a and manual box: I managed to work out today that the car to which the motor had been fitted was last MoT tested 10 years ago, so that engine and gearbox have been standing in a field or barn for a decade.

I'm still considering the whole RB project path, and having heard lots of evidence I'm coming to think you were right all along: what I should do is just change the BW55 for Luke's AW71 (assuming it becomes available in the spring). I'm thinking that once I get the 4 speeder conversion nicely sorted the B21a motor will cope with the higher ratio, and if need be I then embark upon some mild torque upgrades.

My thinking is that I know I have a strong B21a motor now - so it would make no sense to throw the baby out with the bathwater. I've been fortunate with the RB and it has turned out to be a very nice motor car indeed - I would not want to risk losing that by taking too large a step and falling down a hole.

That is my thinking at the moment (but I suppose if the right parts happened to fall into my lap then I might change my mind).

A Lexus V8 in 10 years? - from what the government told us recently I think it is more likely I'll have to get that electric engine and a big pile of batteries :-)

Last edited by Othen; Nov 20th, 2020 at 17:23. Reason: Grammar.
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