Upgrading to b18ft help please

[simon440si]

Hi all! I am the proud owner of a retro 440 si that i'm currently doing up with my 7yr old whose into volvo's too. We have recently bought a b18ft engine and gearbox to put in it. My confussion is someone has advised me all i'll need is engine loom and ecu's and another has said i'll need keys and barrels aswell all from the same car. Has anyone done this conversion before? And if so any advise please will be greatly welcomed!!

[doingitsideways]

Hi,

Glad to hear you're getting your lad (or girl) into Volvos at an early age, I was a Blue-Oval lover most of my childhood and young adult life, but saw the light eventually!!

Right, as far as I know, no 400 series cars had transponders in the keys, so you shouldn't need the keys etc.

Only thing is if the loom, and more to the point - ECU, you've got came from a late car with an immobiliser, you will need the fob to disarm it or you'll have a hell of a time getting it to run. But saying that I don't know if the immobiliser is seperate or built into the ECU.

Sounds like an interesting project anyway, why not stick a thread up in the Projects section in the Showroom?

Just add updates as you're going along and it's also a good place to ask questions on your project as it receives decent viewing figures... The 400 section here tends to be a bit quiet these days.

Steve

[simon440si]

Cheers Steve i will do! Think my safest bets to buy the full lot of the same car and that way i know it all works and i'm not buying twice. Don't suppose you'd know if the the front brakes would fit on the back, save me only upgrading the fronts? Sorry! not much of a mechanic, more a teach yourself hobby going on :-)
And it was Big red me grandad called his auto 244 that i fell in love with, and it was so much faster than the other cars back then! It's me and me boy doing the project we've the engine in the shed that we've just cleaned down, clutch and timing belt next, just waiting for the Haynes manual to show up and where off. Carn't wait!

[doingitsideways]

Ah, the Haynes book of fantasy...

How I have sworn at you over the years!!

Ha ha ha

No worries with asking, the only way to find out really, but the front brakes won't fit the back.
The fronts are much stronger than the rears, this is because the rear brakes only do around 10-15% of all braking on a FWD car, so even if they did fit, it would be massively overbraked and just constantly lock up.

That's why you always see cars with massive front brakes and much smaller rears.

Your easiest thing to do is go for the vented setup from a 400 series Turbo, they run the same size disc, but are vented which stops them fading too much, then you could go for descent quality discs and pads.

Steve

[jamesy12345]

Good luck sounds good.

Loads of info below but just post up and we can try to help.....

http://www.volvo-480-europe.org/forum/index.php

http://www.volvo-480-europe.org/volvo480/downloads.php

[simon440si]

Thanks Jamesy those links are really helpful!! Only thing holding me up is the 2 Ecu's i need, the more of the older posts i've read have made me aware that there are at least 4 colour variants to model years. The engine i've bought is the silver top 94 model, but i carn't seem to find what colour i need for my engine year. motorhog won't just sell me them off the 94 turbo they have in untill i tell them the ecu serial numbers and the haynes manual hasn't turned up yet and i'm not sure if that would tell me anyway.? Will the 440 loom work or do i need that aswell? And do either of you knowledgeable gents know which colour or serial numbers please?

[doingitsideways]

Hi Simon.

If the engine is indeed from a '94 480 Turbo, then I THINK you need a blue labelled ECU

I know of a chipped one for sale, (boost and ignition) should make it see around 160 stampeding Sweedish Elk!!

Steve

[simon440si]

Hi Steve, Thanks once again for your help! and 160 stampeding Sweedish Elk sounds Mint!! Do you happen to know how much those Elk are please? and would i still need a loom and fobs do you know or will myn work?

[doingitsideways]

Lol, I was meaning a Robou or Richmod ECU should see the engine develop around 160-ish BHP

The loom will signify the ECUs you need more than the engine itself.

I'm fairly sure you won't need any fobs as they remote locking/immobiliser weren't really around in '94, definitely not on 480s as they never came with them.

Steve

[glasgowjim]

For the 94 turbo 480 you are looking at a blue chipped boost ecu and a green label engine management ecu. Both of which are for sale as a set ( as doingitsideways referred ). Funnily enough there are 2 sets available one with a Robou mod and one with a Richmod the performance characteristrics are slightly different but both give the same top end performance. The biggest difference is in the prices being asked with the richmod being an eyewatering£200 and the Robou mod coming in at well less than £90. I am currently selling the Robou mod and will be placing an ad in the 480 club europe site soon.

My unit came from a 94 M reg 480 turbo.