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turbo questions[240-260/1980] posted by Aaron on
Thursday, 28 May 1998, at 2:05 a.m.
I am interested in purchasing a 240 turbo, and was wondering which years come with oil cooled turbos and which come with water cooled turbos, also, which years come with an intercooler? Finally, how do I tell, just by looking under the hood, whether the turbo is water cooled or oil cooled, and how do I tell if it's intercooled? Thanks.
--Aaron
Re: turbo questions[240-260/1980] posted by Don Foster on
Thursday, 28 May 1998, at 7:50 a.m.
Aaron ---
1) All turbos have oil going to them (and draining back to the oil pan). This is solely for lubrication, but in the process, also removes heat from the turbo. Strictly speaking, no turbos are "oil cooled", although the oil does cool the turbo. You will see an oil supply line and oil drain pipe connected to the turbocharger.
2) A water cooled turbo can be identified by the (two) coolant pipes connected to the turbo and cooling system. These are in addition to the (two) oil lines.
3) The intercooler is a radiator-like device (heat exchanger) mounted in front of the radiator. If a car has one, you will see the high-pressure pipe (about 2-1/2" in diameter) going from the turbo outlet to the intercooler, and another pipe from the intercooler exit to the intake manifold. A non-intercooled car has a pipe directly from the turbo to the intake manifold (going over the valve cover).
4) The 240 turbos were all B21 engines, even though in the 240 Volvo switched to the B23 in '83 and the B230 in '85. 1985 was the last year for the turbo in the 240.
5) I believe (but not absolutely positive) that turbos were available in the 240's starting in '81 (maybe '82 -- I have one). I also believe that NONE of the original 240 turbos had water cooling (I think that started about '86 or '87 on the 740's). However, there is a Volvo kit to retrofit the water cooled turbo into the 240's and early 740's, and many people installed them.
6) Again, I believe (but not positive) that the intercooler became standard in the 240 in '84 and was an option in '83. I think Volvo sold a retrofit kit to install an intercooler in the earlier 240's for anyone wishing to shell out the $$$.
--Don Foster
Re: turbo questions[240-260/1980] posted by Paul Schuh on
Thursday, 28 May 1998, at 8:35 a.m.
Don,
Great summary, but one small clarification. I'm not sure when the dealers first began to offer the intercooler as an option, but I know they were still optional at the beginning of the 1984 model year. I'm not sure if they were available at all in 1983 because when I ordered mine new in 1984, I remember the 1984 brochure describing the IC as a new option. The intercoolers were standard beginning halfway thru the 1984 model year (i.e. 1984.5) up thru the end of 240T production in 1985.
--Paul Schuh
Re: turbo questions[240-260/1980] posted by Philip Bradley on
Thursday, 28 May 1998, at 10:15 a.m.
I would buy as late a 240T as possible, although I might buy an earlier one if there were receipts for a water cooled turbo, a catalytic converter, and a wiring harness. Thirteen to seventeen year old cars will have the usual assortment of worn outparts (shocks, suspension bushings, exhaust, brakes, A/C, trans and OD, alternator, starter, front and rear wheel bearings, parking brake, steering rack, and so forth), but those three are the ones particular to turbos. The more of these that the previous owner has remedied, the fewer thousands of dollars you will be putting into your new 240T. That said, a well tuned and well maintained 240 Turbo with a mildly modified suspension and motor is a terriffic car. I would not buy an automatic 240 Turbo unless absolutely necessary and if so, I would make sure that it was a factory intercooled one with the factory shift kit modification and the factory differential modification. I would also try to buy a 240T with the factory intercooler, although one can be added. The factory intercooler models have an improved cold start system and a smoother idle and low end due to a heavier flywheel.
Philip Bradley