swedish volvo tuning web sites..

[MikeyL]

anyone have any links to swedish volvo tuning sites, that are in English?

thanks..

[pyaap]

www.mte.se - anything from basic to custom work for 'silly' horsepower applications and have worked on projects with Volvo themselves. Kalmar-Union is the local UK distributor.

www.tme.se - "sister" company to MTE and they supply more of the hardware side of things; again have worked with Volvo themselves on projects. Kalmar-Union is the local UK distributor.

www.samsteffansson.se - do lots of cosmetic stuff. I believe their ECU upgrades are from Superchips. I've been to their workshop / retail centre in Sweden.

www.sct-tuning.com - Another place I've visited and have met the owner, Kalle Nilsson. Do a combination of cosmetic and software upgrades.

www.bsrab.se - yet again do cosmetic and software upgrades. Developed the PPC unit but there have been some (albeit few) glitches. Nordic is the local distributor.

[Oli]

Here's one:

http://www.sct-tuning.com

Happy shopping

Oli

[MikeyL]

cheers.

need to find piston info etc

[don kalmar union]

Mikey,

The stock Volvo pistons are really not a weekness if you are not looking over 350bhp, whereas the rods are best replaced with steel ones over and above 300 or so to be on the safe side.

You can check Sten Parner Racing for some well priced Chinese made ones...could be www.stenparnermotor.se, otherwise, Carillo, Arrows and others.

Regards, Don.Norchi.

www.kalmar-union.com

UK Distributor of MTE Swedish Engineered Software.

[pyaap]

Originally Posted by MikeyL

need to find piston info etc

For piston info, you don't really need to look that far. I'd recommend contacting Stuart @ SW Autos (www.swautos.co.uk / 01589 291588) as they are probably the most experienced company in the UK, on supplying high performance components and the rebuilding of Volvo engines with forged parts etc, whilst maintaining reliability.

From the list I posted up earlier, I believe only MTE in Sweden are able to supply and have experience with uprated pistons and the like. However, as Don has pointed out, its all going to depend on what you are hoping to achieve. If you are going down a route where pistons are going to be a possible weak point, there's a whole lot more that you're going to have to consider changing long before getting anywhere close to needing new pistons.

[MikeyL]

cheers guys for the info!

i'll take a look at whats around!

tbh however, 350bhp would be nice.

[don kalmar union]

Mikey,

Out of interest, with which car are you starting off?

Regards, Don.

[MikeyL]

I will be using an 850 T5 with manual box.

i use the figure of 350bhp loosely - i want a quick car with a wide as possible power band..

[don kalmar union]

Just as a starting point, and I am sure you may well have read some of this stuff already here or on another forum, you are starting off with the very first and least powerfull of many variations on Volvo's T5 engine.

Your particular engine is limited by its weak earlier rods which limit the boost achievable, by the smallest injectors and smallest of the Mitsubishi TD04 turbos. As with its younger cousins the engine is also limited by the standard exhaust downpipe with big cat and the exhaust from thereafter.

With just an ECU software upgrade you should see more than 260bhp depending on just how worn the engine is. If you add the complete replacement exhaust system with special d.pipe, cat etc. you may get arround the 275 to 280 mark. But remember that it is not these peeky high bhp numbers that get you going, but the presense of a big fat torque curve lets say in the 2500 to 5250 rev. range.

As a guide the Ferrita exhaust system from turbo flange to the rear of the car will be arround £950 and presently the MTE software I have on offer at £285, both prices include VAT.

From there on you have to look at maybe a slightly larger turbo and a special ECU map to get the very best. If you go for the 18T or 19T to get a further power and torque improvement yow will again be limited in the full potential gain from either in that your rods will not stand the full boost available. So, you are then into internal changes and possibly larger injectors at that point.

Hope this helps a bit....

Regards, Don.

PS If your car has a fair mileage on it you would be well advised to replace HT leads and distributor cap and rotor and possibly plugs if they have not been replaced recently as these components are often responsible for not allowing the engine to make the gains anticipated.