240 swap

[catty]

I have an 88 Volvo 240dl and its my new project car. Wondering what engines can fit into it besides chevy small block also if there are any kits for those engines, how much they cost, HP produced, etc.. Any help would be appreciated.

[Volvord 784VC]

The common engine conversion on Volvo's is either the small block Ford or Chev. Both engines make ideal powerplants with HP only limited by your budget. I have a Ford 302 in my 700 series which produces a dyno'ed 350HP, 1/4 miles times of mid 12's at over 110mph.

For conversion information Jags That Run http://www.jagsthatrun.com/ have a book on the Chev conversion, but the Ford conversion is just as simple.

A great group for info is at http://www.brickboard.com/V8/

As for cost, again the sky is the limit, I have seen conversions costing as little as $2,000 and as much as $20,000 it all depends on what you are after.

Hope this info helps.

[catty]

Yea, that helped a lot thank you, looks like its time for me to start counting pennies.

[Cliffcon]

Or you can add a turbo in you car. It will cost you less than $500 to add turbo. A growing number of people in www.turbobricks.com have done this.

Cliff

[bludnik]

Putting a V8 from an american car into a Volvo is just blasfemy... A Volvo with a Volvo heart...

put a B21ET or B23ET or B230FT volvo turbo engine into your car...

[Volvord 784VC]

Originally Posted by bludnik

Putting a V8 from an american car into a Volvo is just blasfemy...

Everyone has their opinion, and in your eyes I have sined
But that sin has resulted in a creation that is more fun to drive and fosters more excitement and envious comments.

...and besides the transplant was donated by a family member since Ford owns Volvo there is common DNA

[bludnik]

Was Volvo owned by Ford when your 744 was made?

But by all means... Volvord or GMolvo or what ever people call them... It's all up to the individual...

[Tomsriv]

Putting a V8 in anything is always the right thing to do.

[bludnik]

not neccesarily... keeping the 4 cylinder and turbo charging it or even taking a newer volvo engine is the best actually... then you get a hybrid, but not a bastard hybrid...

[Tomsriv]

hey bludnik, you got any videos of drifting volvos? I would love to see that.

[bludnik]

drifting 240s ey? i think i have some laying around... i'll check...

[SATCHI36]

hey yea if u got some saved up send them this way to bludnik.
Thanx

[ortizballer77]

i also have a volvo 240 DL 1990, i was wondering what would be the best to put in my car to make it fun the fastest and most powerful?

[ortizballer77]

i mean to say "run" above, not "fun"

[bludnik]

Originally Posted by ortizballer77

i also have a volvo 240 DL 1990, i was wondering what would be the best to put in my car to make it fun the fastest and most powerful?

Well to make an old Volvo go faster, you have several choices...

1: Fit in a new volvo turbo engine
2: Turbocharge the engine you have now
3: Tune the one you have now without using a turbo
4: Squeeze a V8 in the car

---4---
The ones i would recommend, or rather, the one i dont recommend is number 4... I dont care that much for GMolvo or any other hybrid projects... Its a swedish body, therefore they need a swedish heart... But still, an easy way to get more grunt out of you 240... Volvo has approved their 240 to be fitted with a V8 engine, IF you do this to your car:
- Front springs should be changed to the "diesel type" ones...
- Stiffen up with a bar between the tops of the front suspension
- Ventilated brake discs in front
- New brake booster

I have the technical data here for the parts you need, if you want them...

By doing this, you decide for yourself how much hp you can get, since V8s vary from make and model of how much hp it has.

---1---

The one i would recommend is to change the engine to a newer turbocharged engine from Volvo. As luck would have it, the 200, 700 and 900 series of volvo are pretty much the same when it comes to the hardware... The mountings for the engine is the same, even the side blinkers are the same (and on the 800 series as well there)... This means that you can easily change the engine in your 240... I would recommend the B230FT or the B230FK engine, from the 940. They are pretty easy to get second hand, though you can buy them "new" from Volvo. That being that they have never been used, just been sitting in a warehouse. I would go for a 2nd hand one, since you can run these engines well over 350 000 km (or 200 000 miles if you'd like) with no greater problems.

Most of the engines in the 200, 700 and 900 series are 4 cylinder engines. This does not apply for the 260 (went out of production in the early 80s), the 760 and the 960, which had 6 cylinder engines. I do not recommend the use of these, as they are not as reliable as the 4cyl ones... You can also get a turbocharged 5cyl engine from a 850, V70, S70, S60, S80 (6cyl also) or even XC90 (6cyl also) and if you can get it, from the new S40/V50, but remember that those car are either FWD or 4WD, which means that it isnt the same easy slot-out slot-in mechanical work as with the 4cyl ones... They are also more expensive and frankly, they're not worth it since the B230FK/FT are very good engines.

By doing this (B230FT/FK), you can expect to get aprox 260hp before having to do heavy work on the engine.

---2---
You can also turbocharge your engine as it is now with a r-sport kit from Volvo. I am not sure you can get it for your engine, as i dont know which engine you have... After what i've heard, the r-sport kits (comes from volvo touring car inhouse tuning division r-sport) are avalible for these engines:
- B19A
- B21A (compression 8.5)
- B21A (compression 9.3)
- B23A
- B230A
- B200K

A means carb. engine, whilst K is mechanical injection. the nubers indicate if it's a 1.9, 2.1, 2.3 or a 2.0 liter engine.

But remember, its always better with an original turbo engine, than with a rebuild, as volvo knew what they were doing...

Doing this, you can expect aprox. 220hp as the max power, before you need to do some serious work on the engine.

---3---
You can change the cam, air filter, maybe get a Haltech injection system, race cat. and a 3" exhaust system and by doing that up the power. If you have a carb. engine (which i doubt since its a 90-model), you can get double Weber carbs to also up the power.

By doing this, you can get aprox. 160hp before having to do some serious engine work.

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I hope I've been helpful by writing this. If you want some help regarding a possible 240 project, just IM me on [email protected] or join the volvo club i'm in, which has alot of expertice regarding volvos. Volvo Power Team at www.volvo-power.net - It's free