240 General: Which was the best red block engine?

[qwertyuiopseb]

Very straight forward - with your experiences and your knowledge, etc I'd like to know which was the best of the volvo red block engines fitted through the 70's (or whenever they were first made, feel free to give me a history lesson) to the 90's or so. I know they were fitted in 200's 700's and 900's! But which was the best? ---- Just so you know I beleive I have the B23? It's 2.3 L, 4 cyl. Fuel injected with mechanics and not black boxes!

[DW42]

I've had a B20A, B20E, B200E and B230F. I like the B230F the best. I like the diagnostics on the injection -- I bought the car from someone who didn't understand the LH 2.4 diagnostics, and I was able to find out straight away that the O2 sensor was not plugged in, and the coolant temp sensor wasn't working. It also gets better mpg than the others I've owned. The worst thing about it is that it has mild piston slap for the first few minutes after a cold start. It's not getting any worse, but doesn't sound very classy. My 1971 B20A 144, although good looking, didn't like uphill on-ramps or cruising at 70mph.

[loki_the_glt]

For ease of owner-servicing it has to be the B21/B23 unit: conventional adjustment of accessory belts (big lever then tighten up the adjustment) and half a dozen small bolts holding the crankshaft pulley.
Power-wise, among the normally aspirated ones probably the B23E and early B230E with 140BHP; torque-wise the later B230E.
Personally I'd love a 2.5litre Penta that had never seen salt-water, but that isn't going to happen.

[heckflosse]

No takers for the gutless mid eighties B200K in a 240 with a Renix ,useless carb and all?
or the lumpy old 230KH with gargling EGR junk?
Or that 16V 234F that revved but had no real oomph in normal use?
Not all of the classic engines were that brilliant.

Got to be an on song 230E .
James.

[Stephen Edwin]

Originally Posted by loki_the_glt

For ease of owner-servicing it has to be the B21/B23 unit: conventional adjustment of accessory belts (big lever then tighten up the adjustment) and half a dozen small bolts holding the crankshaft pulley.
Power-wise, among the normally aspirated ones probably the B23E and early B230E with 140BHP; torque-wise the later B230E.
Personally I'd love a 2.5litre Penta that had never seen salt-water, but that isn't going to happen.

Re the crankshaft pulley, the tool to hold the crankshaft to undo the single bolt version is not much cost, under £30 if I remember correctly, and it can be re-used and eventually sold. And each new bolt is currently available for less than £7.

Which engine to choose? Sorry, I don't know. But that comment re torque would be important in my opinion. B230E.

I hanker after a pre-electronics engine ....

[DionBullock]

Am I right in thinking my '87 GLT has the B230E?? or B23E?? anyway, It's nice and torquey

[wooble]

Define 'best'? The last of the first generation redblocks were the strongest from the factory, with the B23ET coming standard with forged crank, rods and pistons. The last of the second generation were more efficient and 99% as strong, as well as benefiting from modern EFI and 20 years of development. The B230ET from the 740TIC was among the weakest, but made the most power from the factory. The 16 valve engines were the most technically advanced and got better power and economy than the 8 valve engines, but less forgiving of deferred maintenance and developed a reputation for being 'unreliable'.

There's no really 'bad' choice to make, but the mid-80s redblocks come close, more because of questionable choices in carbs and ignition than anything else.

I'll do a slightly more in-depth rundown later. of course, there's no definitive guide even that way, as volvo played mix n' match with differently specced engines between world markets.

[loki_the_glt]

Originally Posted by DionBullock

Am I right in thinking my '87 GLT has the B230E?? or B23E?? anyway, It's nice and torquey

It should be a B230E - look at the crankshaft pulley and if there's a set of small bolts around it then it's a B23E (or possibly a B21E if someone's been really naughty...) otherwise it's a B230E (or B200E as per my previous parenthetical comment).

[qwertyuiopseb]

Thanks everyone for speedy and detailed replies, I really love volvo forums uk.

Hmmm... It would seem that people don't like 80's red blocks.. Oh well at least mine's got fuel injection, and back to the thingo about electronic fuel injection I think mechanical is probably better because from where I come from to replace a black box costs about £600 or so.. (Tasmania)

Define best.... I want to know what you think is best, but what I think is best is something that is reliable, easy to fix and maintain yet has a bit of grunt... still, on a 30 year old car I'd have to say that the first two are on the top of my list.

I'm glad to hear your opinions and I will take them into account

However, on an unrelated topic, any thing I should know about Volvo 360's?
By this I mean engine choice, trim options, if rust could be an issue, if there were ever common major problems with them... I'm thinking of buying one when I have money etc.. And just by the way I live in the state Tasmania in Australia so 360's are rare and the only brought them in for a few years.


Thanks guys!

p.s, red blocks with turbo? reliable? fast?

[Clifford Pope]

2.3 litres are much nicer to drive than 2.1 or 2.0. You don't notice till you own one, then you suddenly realise how gutless the smaller ones are. Even to a mimsing driver like me.