240 General: New (to me) 1980 Volvo 244

[Othen]

Originally Posted by 360beast

That looks like a hefty bit of kit Alan! Well my 940 is coming off the road February 3rd as I've done classic insurance on my 360, booked the MOT and ordered the cambelt, tensioner and 3x front oil seals for it from Volvo today so all being well the gearbox should be available some time in Feb/March.

I've sent you a PM.
Best wishes,
Alan

[Othen]

My insurance policy renewal arrived by email this morn - it is hard to believe I have owned the Royal Barge for a year (come 2 February)!

As readers of this (rather long) thread will know, I have really enjoyed owning the RB - so many thanks for all the help and advice - and also thank you to all those who have taken the time to read the thread. I has been fun.

Alan

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by Othen

My insurance policy renewal arrived by email this morn - it is hard to believe I have owned the Royal Barge for a year (come 2 February)!

As readers of this (rather long) thread will know, I have really enjoyed owning the RB - so many thanks for all the help and advice - and also thank you to all those who have taken the time to read the thread. I has been fun.

Alan

That's scary Alan! Today is the first anniversary of something for me and it doesn't seem like a year since it happened.

I think the past year has been pretty horrific for most people, at least you've had the enjoyment and diversion of the RB and i'm sure it's helped a lot of others that have read and/or contributed to the thread.

[Othen]

A dusting of snow overnight:



... it is fortunate I bought those winter tyres!

PS. Our Scottish members will find this amusing :-)

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by Othen

A dusting of snow overnight:



... it is fortunate I bought those winter tyres!

PS. Our Scottish members will find this amusing :-)

Had the same here when i first got up, the grass is mainly green now though but still got wet stuff (rain/sleet/snow - who knows!) dropping out of the sky and warnings for ice later.

[Othen]

Having run the RB for almost a year and 3,000 miles I've got a handle on its oil consumption. having fixed the two leaks (cam cover gasket and fuel pump spacer) last spring it no longer drops any fluid (a pet hate of mine, so that is a good thing).

Oil consumption over the year has been 1.5 litres (say 3 pints) - so 1,000 miles/pint. Over 1,000 miles the RB uses 40 gallons of Morrison's very cheapest gas, so that is a ratio of 320:1, which sounds perfectly acceptable (even quite healthy) for the B21a's 40 year old bores and rings. The motor doesn't smoke, not even on start up, and the plugs show no signs of oiling, so everything seems healthy enough.

I'll keep an eye on oil consumption on an annual basis.

I am pleased with the RB :-)

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by Othen

Having run the RB for almost a year and 3,000 miles I've got a handle on its oil consumption. having fixed the two leaks (cam cover gasket and fuel pump spacer) last spring it no longer drops any fluid (a pet hate of mine, so that is a good thing).

Oil consumption over the year has been 1.5 litres (say 3 pints) - so 1,000 miles/pint. Over 1,000 miles the RB uses 40 gallons of Morrison's very cheapest gas, so that is a ratio of 320:1, which sounds perfectly acceptable (even quite healthy) for the B21a's 40 year old bores and rings. The motor doesn't smoke, not even on start up, and the plugs show no signs of oiling, so everything seems healthy enough.

I'll keep an eye on oil consumption on an annual basis.

I am pleased with the RB :-)

I remember in 1982 Alan my dad got a new compnay car, his first official Mk2 Cavalier company car (he'd had a couple of hire car Mk2s while waiting, it was a new job) and i recall reading in the handbook the expected oil consumption was 0.6L/1000 miles - i'd not seen that in the previous (Mk1) Cavalier handbooks so it stuck in my mind.

Allowing for all the possible factors, i'd suggest that was probably a reasonable figure for most engines of the time and the RB would still fit into that category. As such, it's an indication of an engine in pretty good condition - long may it continue!

[john.wigley]

Originally Posted by Laird Scooby

I remember in 1982 Alan my dad got a new compnay car, his first official Mk2 Cavalier company car (he'd had a couple of hire car Mk2s while waiting, it was a new job) and i recall reading in the handbook the expected oil consumption was 0.6L/1000 miles - i'd not seen that in the previous (Mk1) Cavalier handbooks so it stuck in my mind.

Allowing for all the possible factors, i'd suggest that was probably a reasonable figure for most engines of the time and the RB would still fit into that category. As such, it's an indication of an engine in pretty good condition - long may it continue!

Likewise. When I bought my first (and only) new car, a Mini 1000, in 1978, I kept detailed records of oil and fuel consumption.

During the 'running-in' period (0 - 6000 miles, November to June '79, when it went in for it's first service) it had averaged 250 MPP and 47 MPG respectively. Thereafter, in my ownership, up until June '84 when I sold it with 66K up, it averaged 750 MPP.

In the same period, the fuel consumption had averaged 48 MPG, varying from 45 in winter to a best of 53 in summer. This made it more economical than my '71 Fiat 500, which rarely bettered 45 MPG (small engine, working hard).

Regards, John.

[Othen]

Originally Posted by Laird Scooby

I remember in 1982 Alan my dad got a new compnay car, his first official Mk2 Cavalier company car (he'd had a couple of hire car Mk2s while waiting, it was a new job) and i recall reading in the handbook the expected oil consumption was 0.6L/1000 miles - i'd not seen that in the previous (Mk1) Cavalier handbooks so it stuck in my mind.

Allowing for all the possible factors, i'd suggest that was probably a reasonable figure for most engines of the time and the RB would still fit into that category. As such, it's an indication of an engine in pretty good condition - long may it continue!

Originally Posted by john.wigley

Likewise. When I bought my first (and only) new car, a Mini 1000, in 1978, I kept detailed records of oil and fuel consumption.

During the 'running-in' period (0 - 6000 miles, November to June '79, when it went in for it's first service) it had averaged 250 MPP and 47 MPG respectively. Thereafter, in my ownership, up until June '84 when I sold it with 66K up, it averaged 750 MPP.

In the same period, the fuel consumption had averaged 48 MPG, varying from 45 in winter to a best of 53 in summer. This made it more economical than my '71 Fiat 500, which rarely bettered 45 MPG (small engine, working hard).

Regards, John.

Many thanks Dave and John,

Those were my thoughts entirely - that 1000 MPP was about normal for a 70s type engine, and that the RB was therefore in quite good health for its age. My memories of of the period are the same as both of yours. I can recall as a child my grandfather always checking the oil on his Austin Cambridge after runs of only 50 miles down to the South coast on days out to the seaside - and sometimes him topping it up.

I did go through the thought process of changing the piston rings the last time I was working on the RB (a few weeks ago when I changed that noisy cam belt idler). It certainly looked like the job could be done with the engine in the car by just dropping the sump (maybe need to remove that cross member first?) and head - the rest of the access looked quite easy. As I say though, it was more of a thought process than needing to do anything. I remember that back in the day (by which I mean my father’s day , maybe even my grandfather’s day) changing rings was a pretty normal occurrence - oils were nowhere near as good then, and probably manufacturing tolerances were much larger to start with.

Many thanks chaps,

Alan

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by Othen

Many thanks Dave and John,

Those were my thoughts entirely - that 1000 MPP was about normal for a 70s type engine, and that the RB was therefore in quite good health for its age. My memories of of the period are the same as both of yours. I can recall as a child my grandfather always checking the oil on his Austin Cambridge after runs of only 50 miles down to the South coast on days out to the seaside - and sometimes him topping it up.

I did go through the thought process of changing the piston rings the last time I was working on the RB (a few weeks ago when I changed that noisy cam belt idler). It certainly looked like the job could be done with the engine in the car by just dropping the sump (maybe need to remove that cross member first?) and head - the rest of the access looked quite easy. As I say though, it was more of a thought process than needing to do anything. I remember that back in the day (by which I mean my father’s day , maybe even my grandfather’s day) changing rings was a pretty normal occurrence - oils were nowhere near as good then, and probably manufacturing tolerances were much larger to start with.

Many thanks chaps,

Alan

It's a head off job to change the rings Alan as the pistons have to go out through the top of the block then back in the same way. You can renew the big ends by removing the sump and possibly the mains as well, however i'd suggest if you were going to those lengths buying a glaze buster, removing the engine and doing a full strip down and rebuild, possibly with oversize rings and/or a rebore with possibly new pistons.

That said, do you add 0.5L of ATF-U when you do the oil changes then top up with 10W40 oil after? That will help free sticky piston rings, revive the oil seals, clean sticky valves and several other benefits. I use it in both of mine, in the Rover it has the added benefit of keeping the hydraulic lifters clean and free to function as Honda intended so rarely if ever get the "Honda clatter" soon after start up.
The emissions have generally improved year-on-year doing this and both cars are below 100ppm HC on the MoT, about 80-90 for both but can't remember the exact figures just now.

Just remembered - the MoT on my 760 after i tweaked the mixture down a little after it had already passed :



As you can see, 95ppm HC, not bad for a 33 year old car with 228k on the clock!