1800: P1800S '68 B20 Engine Rebuild advice

[Tint]

Hi folks,
Car runs great have noticed slight loss in power and does use oil.

COMPRESSION CHECK RESULTS

27/04/2016 with old oil after half hour drive with car left stood 20 mins before test done.
1). 145 dry 175 wet
2). 165 dry 185 wet
3). 140 dry 158 wet
4). 150 dry 170 wet

2000 miles later 24th Oct 2016 Engine warm last oil change end of April so just after last compression check but could not be bothered checking compression.
1). 155 dry
2). 160 dry
3). 155 dry
4). 165 dry

2000 miles later 21st April 2017 oil changed and compression check done. Went on an hour's drive and left car running for 20 mins down the drive before the test.
1). 136 dry 150 wet
2). 135 dry 165 wet
3). 140 dry 160 wet
4). 150 dry 175 wet
Lots of sooty black carbon easily brushes off so could be indicating running rich.

When start car and also if rev hard spits oil out off exhaust. Has always done this in my ownership of 18mths and 5000 miles driving.

No expert but looking like compression down and possible piston rings need attention.

So have decided to dig deep and get engine overhauled.
Would like a bit more power so thinking off going for 2.2L so have it bored for bigger pistons. Read the B20 able to accomodate this. By the way Engine already converted for unleaded.

Thinking of having head uprated ported & polished,chambers balanced, bronze guides, larger valves,
three angle valve (not really sure what larger three angle valves achieve or advantage of bronze guides as i'm very much a novice who has been trying to do a little research, worried a little knowledge is dangerous as is in my case) and unleaded seats.

Have the crankcase ground and balanced if necessary.
Should I replace the waterpump and upgrade the oil pump whilst I'm at it.

Does this sound a reasonable way forward, i dont want a race car but a driveable car with a little above average power that compliments the limitations of the cars drive gear.

I am from the North West of England (Blackpool) can anyone recomend someone that would do this work, and by this I mean i drive the car over to them and they take out engine and do the necessary work, assume the head would be sent away to a specialist. Am happy to travel so distance not a major issue. Not expecting it done over night either.

Many thanks in advance for any advice and recommendations.

Take care
Steve

[123GT-AMAZON]

Hi Steve ,

Figures look fine still plenty of use so keep the money safe and enjoy your car give it a full service and a tune up check valve clearances when hot and then let us know how you get on ...

Just enjoy the car and if it's not broken it's not needing no fixing at this stage

But when it's time stick with a nice medium full rebuild

- Gas flowed
- Nice cam even a D cam will out last a K cam so don't fret spend wisely and go
for endurance rather than to many horses stability is the key in my book .
- well balanced naturally any good engineering place will do a grand job goes
without saying .

But I would rather be without my car over winter time than when the suns shinning

Good luck and happy Volvo'in

Kind regards
Robert.w

[Clan]

agree with Robert above ,
There is unlikely to be much wrong with the engine , They don't wear :-)
Never grind the crankshaft they are hardened and therefore don't wear , once ground the hardening is gone . you won't need it balanced either , you won't be going much over 5000 - 6000 rpm for long periods i guess ... remember they are balanced from the factory . how much oil does it use ? 1 litre per 1000 miles is probably an acceptable max limit , any blue smoke when driving? How many miles has the engine done? What is oil coming out the exhaust? in liquid form ?
The work you describe could cost a LOT of money, £2000 + these days ??

You need to get the engine set up properly first , then see how it drives ...

You could fit a B23E or B230 E and it's gearbox with 130 bhp for £500 ....

or even a volvo alloy 5 cylinder 2.5 with 175 bhp .. depends on your plans and abilities of course .

[Tint]

Thanks Robert and Clan for the advice, wise words indeed, and has actually tempered what I intended.

The car just this weekend has travelled down to Linconshire Spalding to the Stoneleigh national kit car show and drove superbly, momentarily hit a 100mph effortlessly.cruised at 70mph and didn't miss a beat.
On a long run revs can be high at idle around 2000. Switch off and on and they come down to about 1000, ave played with timing, balancing carbs, damper pot oil checked and all linkages seem ok so not sure what the issue is. Can't get car to rev below 1000 rpm.
Oh and after few hours driving particularly through country lanes car occasionally runs on when you switch her off.

I will do some reading to better understand Robert about the D cam and thanks for the informed pointer so much easier to hone in on where you want to be from those that have had experience. What is meant by gas flow Robert is it the porting of the inlet and exhaust manifold? Have done the valve clearances over the wonter when hot which needed approx 10% adjustment so didn't seem too bad.

Great advice regarding crank Clan I would do more harm than good there. Oil out of exhaust is waterlike not thick globs and spits out and splatters on the floor. If I rev car hard do get black spoke out of back but don't notice any during normal driving. Yep uses about a litre every 1000 miles but oil is leaking from the rocker cover casket which won't be helping.

Again gents much appreciate the advise and for now I'm going to enjoy the car and if I do decide to have some engine work done do indeed go for indurance rather than horsepower, at 51 years old my boy racer days are a distant memory ",).

Any advice on who would undertake some engine work should I go down that route in the future.

Take care
Enjoy the bank holiday weather here lovely.
Steve.

[pookie]

Well hello, you have PM. I'm 70 odd and I've not lost the need for speed 51 indeed, I must talk to you. :-)

Salut!

Pookie

[Tint]

Hey hey hey Pookie,
How are you Sir, great to hear from you, just seen PM, signal here in the back of beyond hit and miss. Cheers cookie will give ya call when I get back tomorrow. Ha ha 71 going on 21 in the red baron mobile.
Toodlepip
Stevie