Help Me Appraise And Identify This Mystery Head And Cam!

[LPTJoe]

As per the title gentlemen.

I've been gifted this mystery 530 head from an elderly neighbour, he can't remember what it came from but thinks probably a normally aspirated 740. He can't remember why it came off all those years ago, but it looks to me as though it may have some damage...

All I can tell from my rudimentary inspection is it's a 530, probably came from a normally aspirated 740, and came with an 'X' cam.

My questions are simple...

1- I tend to be interested in turbo cars, is the head worth keeping/of any use to a turbo (B230FK) owner?

2- It looks to me to have some damage to the valves and/or the mating (Lower) face of the head (See the 6th picture down) Is it repairable or should I be looking to weigh it in?

3- Does anyone know what engine it would have belonged to? I've never heard of an 'X' cam!

I'll let the pics do the talking...

SAM_8288 by Patrick Wright, on Flickr

SAM_8289 by Patrick Wright, on Flickr

SAM_8290 by Patrick Wright, on Flickr

SAM_8293 by Patrick Wright, on Flickr

SAM_8295 by Patrick Wright, on Flickr

SAM_8296 by Patrick Wright, on Flickr

SAM_8297 by Patrick Wright, on Flickr

SAM_8298 by Patrick Wright, on Flickr

SAM_8301 by Patrick Wright, on Flickr

SAM_8302 by Patrick Wright, on Flickr

[360beast]

Judging from the pitting on the cam it's not going to be useable anyway. The original Volvo cams only have a thin hardened layer then soft metal beneath, so if it has rusted the hardened layer away then it won't last long.

[LPTJoe]

Originally Posted by 360beast

Judging from the pitting on the cam it's not going to be useable anyway. The original Volvo cams only have a thin hardened layer then soft metal beneath, so if it has rusted the hardened layer away then it won't last long.

TBH I don't think the X cams are that exciting anyway.

Meanwhile the head has what looks like some damage to the mating face...

Head WTF by Patrick Wright, on Flickr

How does something like that even happen!?

[IainG]

Hi

How does something like that even happen!?

Possibly, corrosion, if it was sitting over a waterway in the block

Iain

[LPTJoe]

Originally Posted by IainG

Hi


Possibly, corrosion, if it was sitting over a waterway in the block

Iain

That sounds likely, but is it severe enough to make the head unusable?

[classicswede]

The head is from a early B230K engine

The corrosion is nothing to worry about and is normal, the water ways actually look in very good shape. Corroded heads can be repaired anyway so not a reason to scrap a head

[LPTJoe]

Originally Posted by classicswede

The head is from a early B230K engine

The corrosion is nothing to worry about and is normal, the water ways actually look in very good shape. Corroded heads can be repaired anyway so not a reason to scrap a head

Thanks chap, That's really good news

The valves look pretty rusty and the head itself if filthy and covered in thick banked on oil.

My crafty plan for it is...

1-Give it a good spray over with gunk de-greaser, place it on cardboard to protect it and jetwash it off as much as is possible.

2-Dry it out and cover in WD40 to keep it as corrosion free as possible whilst in storage (Wrapped and boxed)

Does that sound like a good course of action?

[Jebus]

Have a 531 head with an "A" cam that looks similar was quite happy to find out the A cam is a reasonable upgrade from the regular cam , needs a could dabs of welding and a skim but nothing that odd for older aluminium head, the bigger patch is IIRC due to a coolant passage in the block but not in the head so has a wet patch.
That sitting wrapped up waiting for me todo something with, skims are not much and the welding is probably £50 worth from what am told.

Glad to know i am not the only one with random engine bits waiting todo something with

[Laird Scooby]

Have a look at this pdf Joe on Pg16 there is a list of the various camshafts and their applications.

http://www.myvolvolibrary.info/Tech_...DataPocket.pdf

The VX3 cam is a sports upgrade cam, i found a list the other day about cylinder heads and the 530 head was recommended for porting and other general tuning improvements over the 531 - can't for the life of me remember where now but turbobricks rings a bell.
On the same article, the 531 was cited as the better head to have without needing to do anything.

If the cam is savable and is the high lift one and you can get away with a little light dressing with an oil stone or emery paper once everything is clean then you could well have a useful cam.

Chances are the pitting in the head is either from a waterway as others have suggested or from someone levering the head up with a screwdriver.
You'd probably get away with a light skim to restore it which would be a good idea anyway, just to be sure it's flat.

[LPTJoe]

Thanks fella, great link.