I purchased a used B20E or F engine last year that I need help in identifying.
The engine is marked B20, has and 8 bolt crank and double front pullies. It is marked as follows;
B20 Has cast 49 and 1000197 and has the following numbers stamped: 8049 6449
F.I.Cylinder head has cast 8 BG Volvo with following number stamped: 460908
Is there a way to identify this engine by the above numbers. Is it a B20E or F, If it is an F, would the head have hardened valve seats ? Thanks

http://www.v-performance.com/articles/volvo_b20_head_identification.html

B20F, K-jet version, and yes, it should have valve seat inserts from the factory.

I can only relate my most recent experiences. It was always my understanding that the seats in the 8 bolt motors were hardened (induction or stellite), but the last 3 heads F heads I've had done had cast iron seats. Too much time has past to really get a good read on what was actually made At the time and I sense probably some of each. All three heads were not virgin so any induction hardening they had was long since left on the machine shop floor.

Your machinist will know right off. Take it to the bank tha Phil has as much experience and then some as any of the rest of us. The cost of adding hardened seats is not significant when you have the head done... Go for it!

mike

I thought the factory never used harden seats in the B20's. I thought the best is flame hardened or something? I had a B20F head from a '74 144, and couldn't see any hardened seats in them. I had the head rebuilt, and hardened seats added. The guy said the valves were very recessed, but no hardened seats were in them.

Paul

Thanks, that helps a lot