Is there any resource available that allows the B18 owner to find out when his (or her as the case may be) engine was made by referencing the SN?

Stamped Number on the side of my "Spare" is 27986 and I would like to find out if this engine may indeed be the original for the chassis that it came out of.

Thanx!

Suppo176
1965 PV544

The "Type" number will give a pretty good approximation and
also will tell you exactly which engine you have,
They start with 49 and are six digits long (although there may be more digits
there only the first 6 give the type). The first two or four will be cast on
the block and the rest are stamped and sometimes hard to read. They are at the
top of the block above the distributor. If you'll post the type number I can interpret it for you.
--
George Downs, Bartlesville, Heart of the USA!

Thanks George!

The cast number is 4968 which is followed by a stamped 1 6 which is followed by a separate stamped 27986


The engine I have in the car currently has a cast number of 968 (there is no "4" in front of this 3 digit number on the block), which is followed by the 1 6 and then 27935

Appreciate your help.

Phil

Well, they are both type 496816 and only separated by 51 serial numbers.
It is a B18D, 90 HP, "A" cam, 2 SU HS6 carbs, used on PV544 Sport G, 122S from August 1961 to July 1965
and also on the 222S wagon up to July 1965.

This engine would really benefit from a slightly increased compression ratio and change to a "C" or "D" cam.
--
George Downs, Bartlesville, Heart of the USA!

George: One of the main reasons that I am attempting to obtain detail on these engines is that I am about to start the rebuild process on the "newest" one - an unknown entity to me as it came with the wreck that I purchased in phase 2 of my restoration project of 2005-2007.

One of the things I have planned, once I get to the point of determining just how much I have to bore out the cylinders and what bearings need to go oversized, is to put in a D grind cam.

In the process I presume to have the ports cleaned up and maybe get the head shaved down a little. I guess if I really wanted a B20, I could just go ahead and buy one, but...

Any other hints on what might be prudent as regards upgrading the valve train, carb jets and needles, etc., without turning this into a $5,000 project. (I have already read Phil Singher's informative piece on How Not To Rebuild An Engine)

Phil

Volvo blocks and cranks are made of GOOD STUFF! Bearing that in mind, be sure and MEASURE the cylinders and the crank.
It may well be that standard rings and bearings will put you in very good shape.
And in fact, if the crank mikes good you should plastigage the bearings.
I have a whole box full of bearings that are "as good as new" by measurement that I have taken out of engines.
Some cranks do need to be ground and fitted with UNDERSIZE bearings, but in my experience it is fairly rare.
Much more common on B16s and later engines that have suffered lube failure.
--
George Downs, Bartlesville, Heart of the USA!

George et al.-

As much of a fan of Volvo stuff as I am, I have to respectfully disagree with you on the blocks in the older cars. The design was more robust with the five bearing main and that gave the extented life. The material the blocks were cast from was nothing special. They are a standard grey iron with the only abnormality being slightly increased levels of Phosphorus and Sulfur. These two elements can lower the viscosity of molten metal. This would be common in casting engine blocks (lots of nooks and crannies) via non-pressureized sand casting.

I to, had 'heard' of the superior metal quality of the old blocks. One time when I had a destroyed b18 block, I took a chunk into the metallurgical department at work. They were curious as well and I think they did a full 12 element analysis of the block down to hundreds of a percent in one of the gas spectrometers. I have the full chemistry report at home if you want me to dig it out...

But reguardless, I love my Volvo...

Chris

I would very much like to see the analysis.
BTW I am a retired metallurgist/materials engineer and have done a lot of failure analysis on
oilfield and petroleum processing equipment as well as a variety of military aircraft and engines.
My experience with Volvo blocks indicates that they seem a lot less likely to develop a ridge at the top
of the cylinder. When I tore my first B30 engine down with 204,000 miles of fairly abusive driving
there was less than 0.005" of cylinder wear in the worst place, and no measurable wear on the crank.
I still have the block. Maybe I should knock a chunk off it for analysis before I scrap it out.
Any suggestions where to send it?
--
George Downs, Bartlesville, Heart of the USA!

Phil,
According to a Volvo Service Bulletin I have from October of 1967,
your engine type (496816), is a 90 horsepower B-18D. That was delivered in both the PV544 and the 122 Amazons. Those most likely came with twin S.U.'s.

The other number sounds similar, despite the missing "4", and I believe the 27935
is the actual serial number of your particular block.
BTW, a "496815" would be also a 90HP, but for a Borg Warner-35 automatic 122.
The number "496817" makes the B-18D an 108 HP from an 1800.
Hope this helps, and I could scan a copy of this bulletin if you need it.
Richard
email; peevee444(at)gmail.com

Hi there - I have a 122S Amazon and the engine number is 496637. Any chance you know the original vehicle that had this engine in it?
Thanks - Tim

Thanks Richard (and others)! I am hoping to determine if either of these engines are the original that came from the factory installed in the Chassis. As my 544's (one of which is now "dearly departed") were 3,687 apart from each other on the assembly line, I find it intriguing that the engine serial numbers are so close.

Phil

IMHO, unless you are running the Pan
Carrera Mexican Road Race, or moonshine through the Ozarks,
how much horsepower do you really require? (I know, I know, as any red blooded American male would answer; MORE! NOW!)
My point is that a well built and regularly maintained B-18 is fully adequate for everyday usage, and driven sanely might even get you a respectable 25+, or more MPG.
I mean, isn't 90 or 100+ horses enough to keep up on the roads nowadays?
Take those extra tire chains and cinder blocks out of your trunk, check your tire pressures, etc., etc. Just like they've been telling us for years!
The B-18 is arguably one of the most effective pushrod 4 cylinders ever built, and you get one already installed in your car!
Oh, well, I wax poetic, but I'm prejudiced.

Howdy all,

If I might suggest, anyone with old documents willing to share them, check with the guys at volvoamazonpictures.se to see if they might need it for their database. Those fellows are providing an invaluable service to the veteran Volvo community.

--
Mr. Shannon DeWolfe -- I've taken to using mister because my name misleads folks on the WWW. I am a 52 year old fat man. ;-)