Which B20 intake manifold is best: Cannon #2845, Pierce (same mfr. as Cannon?), or Mangolesti #4910?
Or, are they all about the same?

Application: 1971 B20, .030 overbore, 'D' cam, WEBER 38 DGV, header, M41 trans.

Thanks for your thoughts!

I know Pierce used to make their own DGV intakes for B18 and B20 Volvo engines, but they show a Canon manifold on their website.

We have extensive experience with the Canon, but have never installed or seen a Mangolesti.

I don't see a place for the throttle linkage to attach to the intake manifold in the picture on the Mangoletsi website.

Don't be surprised if you have to make stepped special washers for the studs and nuts that hold the manifolds to the head as the overlap areas almost never are the same height. If you don't make stepped washers, you will bend the studs and you won't get a good seal.

FYI, I have a near new later version Canon intake manifold and a new linkage kit in stock.
--
Eric
Hi Performance Automotive Service (formerly OVO or Old Volvos Only)
Torrance, CA 90502
hiperformanceautoservice.com or oldvolvosonly.com

What's different about the 'later' CANNON version?
Swedish Relics sells the stepped washers .

Thanks,
Mark.

The early Canon manifolds came with a single 1/4 NPT vacuum port and it's on the far side of the plenum which makes for awkward hose routing, while the later versions have 2 additional 1/4 NPT vacuum ports on the near side of the plenum.
--
Eric
Hi Performance Automotive Service (formerly OVO or Old Volvos Only)
Torrance, CA 90502
hiperformanceautoservice.com or oldvolvosonly.com

I checked mine, and it is the newer version.

Can you recommend someone to port & polish a B20 cylinder head?

Thanks,
Mark.

Yes, I know a guy, but it's almost impossible to get him to work on old Volvo heads, especially during racing season.
--
Eric
Hi Performance Automotive Service (formerly OVO or Old Volvos Only)
Torrance, CA 90502
hiperformanceautoservice.com or oldvolvosonly.com

I did, but I am in Australia.

You don't need a ported head with a DGV Carburettor, it's already a choke point on a stock B18B. The DFV/DGV is 100BHP maximum. I would bypass the 38 DGES Carb & go to a 350 or 500cfm Holley with PV restrictors, provided you have a decent manifold.

What head do you currently have? The LATE B20 A/B/E/F heads have an improved exhaust port that needs a very precise SSR job that takes skill.

With a DFV/DGV style carburettor & D cam, all you need is a B20E/F exhaust system or better, they are 2.125", an eighth of an inch bigger, which is 13% more flow then the 2" system seen on B20A/B powered 140's. Volvo would not have spent the money unless they had too.

DO NOT BUY HEADERS ESPECIALLY the crappy 4-1 Simmons ones IPD use to sell. DO NOT BUY VPD ANYTHING.

Cheers,
Paul.

Paul; If the SIMONS header is no good, is their 'Sport Exhaust Kit' OK?
Why not buy from VPD? They have a very informative website tech section.

Thanks.

The Simmons 4-1 sucks.

The exhaust system looks high quality, but it's 2", the stock size. On 140 B20E cars it is 2.125", there is no way Volvo used one size large pipe unless they had too.

Until you get a very professionally ported head, big cam & twin 45DCOE's, there is no gain in changing the exhaust manifold. Here is Australia it is easy & relatively cheap to get a custom exhaust, but in the USA, that is pricey.

I build my own. 2.25" for stock to mild, 2.5" for decent engings featuring decent Stahl style 4-1 & using Volvo style mufflers.

VPD has a very poor reputation, you pay money & 18 months latter still have nothing. Search this board & you will find horror stories of people sending a long motor + thousands of bucks, then getting nothing.

IPD stuff is severely overpriced.

The bigger issue with the Simons header may not be quality; but, the fact that it is a 4:1 header. A 4:1 header will not improve the performance of most B20 engines unless they are approaching a race tune. Most B20 engines will do very well with the stock exhaust manifold as used on the B20E / F heads with the 4 into 2 design. It was Volo's standard fitment for most of the R performance packages for the B20. If you don't have access to an E or F manifold, Tinus Tuning and at least one other (can't remember the name) sell 4:2:1 designs.

As a side note, the IPD header was made by Patriot, not Simons (unless Simons outsources it from Patriot - unlikely). I think VP Autoparts (definitely not VPD) may list some 4:2:1 headers.

And yes, do not purchase from VPD. If you Google Vintage Performance Developments and customer complaints / customer reviews / scam / fraud you will get a pile of hits. John Parker is notorious for accepting orders on parts and once the order is processed, proceeding to a delaying tactic based on variations of 'waiting to ship because short xx of the pieces'. The objective is to wait out the Pay Pal dispute time limit at which point he stops responding to enquiries. If you are tempted to order from VPD make sure initiate the PayPal dispute resolution if you don't get immediate delivery. Even that does not always work. I know someone who shipped their head to Parker for a type II rebuild. The work took forever and what eventually came back definitely did not qualify as even a good basic rebuild.

VP, SKANDIX, NORDICAR, and TinusTuning sell the Simons Sport Kit. Tinus Tuning has a good selection of parts. Am thinking of their T5 or T6 cam, as a 'street performance' upgrade from my current D cam. Interesting that Tinus notes their newer cams improve on the now 50+ year-old designs.

If you have or know someone who has an E head for sale, please let me know.

Thanks!

Mcloud

I have an E head and exhaust manifold for sale.

dangbatebay at yahoo dot com

KG Trimning is the other reputable company that sells 4-2-1 header systems. It comes in 3 flavours of tube sizing depending on your level of tune. I think VP Auto sells or used to sell the KG Trimning headers.

Hi Performance Auto in Torrance CA can source products from VP Auto. Depending on where you are located, they may be able to supply the exhaust system at a lower cost. The Simmons sport exhaust system is robust = weighs a tonne. Make sure to check shipping costs when evaluating the total cost of the package.

Tinus Tuning seems to have a good reputation as a reliable supplier. I know of at least one owner with the TT3 cam who is very satisfied. Tinus Tuning has the advantage that if you email Ben and tell him what you have / want he can make product recommendations.

If you are looking for a head, rumour has it that the F head make actually be a better piece to start out with than the E head. Rumour has it that exhaust ports are slightly different and don't have quite the nasty bend on the short side radius (as in better , not necessarily good). I have never had an F head in my hands so I can't verify that. If you have significant plans, an F head which has the same larger valves as the E might be a better starting point. Where I live, vintage Volvo parts are rare / non existent. You could check or post in the wanted section of Turbobricks to see if there are any kicking around. You could also try Planetman (Hi Performance Auto) since they have a trove of salvage parts.

CVR lists B20 heads for sale.
https://classicvolvorestoration.com/category/classic-volvo-parts/volvo-engine-parts/volvo-b20-engine-parts/volvo-p1800-b20-engine/
I don't know whether those are restored or just salvaged. If it is a restored head and it is available from their North American warehouse that might not be a bad price. If it has to ship from Europe that will be ouch.

From what I have read, the late cast Volvo twin outlet exhaust manifold is very good. So good that there is no advantage spending lots of your money on a tubular 4-2-1 header. In fact some say many of them are worse than the cast ones. The basic Simons system one bolts straight onto the cast manifold. Probably the sports system can be adapted to match the larger pipe size.
What engines got the F head? Am I right in saying that they only got fitted to the 1 year only B20 engined 240 in 1975/6? Not many of those around and AFAIK those were only sold in the USA, maybe a handful in Japan?

As I noted, the 4-2 cast manifold from the B20E and F engines was the standard offering in the Volvo R performance packages and is a very good option - if you have one. Since Mcloud is asking about acquiring a B20E head it would seem likely that he does not have a B20E or F engine which is what he would need if he wanted that particular manifold. You can purchase reproductions of the B20E / F cast header from VP Auto, CVI, Skandix.
https://www.skandix.de/a/1068116/

They are definitely not inexpensive and after you add in the shipping costs for a chunk of cast iron they very much fall into the expensive category. Especially after you add in shipping costs to North America I expect that the cost of the 4-2-1 headers may be significantly cheaper than an OEM cast iron manifold.

Salvage B20E / F manifolds are very rare. I have been tempted to fabricate a replacement for the OEM cast iron manifold from tubular stainless using one of these
https://martelius.com/en/volvo-b20-manifold-flange-set

They don't spec the thickness so I don't know whether they will work with the FI intake manifold. I would also need to find a competent fabricator!


The OEM B20E / F cast manifold did have issues with developing cracks at the merge. That is where my B20E manifold failed and I couldn't find a shop willing to do a fix. The 4:1 tubular header offerings are best avoided. The KG Trimning 4:2:1 headers look like they might be a viable option. About 1/2 the cost of a replacement OEM manifold.

IN North America the B20F head was fitted on fuel injection equipped cars starting in 1972 and continued until the last B20F was fitted in the very first year of the 240 series. The first B20F versions still had D jet. I am unsure about the 1974 B20F; but, I am very sure that in 1975 they were fitted with the first version of the K jet system.

I've owned a '74 142. It had K-Jet fuel injection. - Dave

I'll add another possibility to the mix. When I built a B18 for my '68 144S in the late 1980's I decided to prepare a head in advance and then tackle the bottom end when I had the use of the shop over a weekend. My boss had a pile of heads in a back room for me to sift through. I was hoping for a FI head -- E or F but found none. What I did find, however, was a carb head (had the locating rings for the intake ports) but did have the 44mm intake valves. From a Canada car perhaps? By measuring the deck height I determined it was a low compression head (in the 8 point something to 1 ratio). I milled it .125" to bring the CR up to 10 point something range and cleaned up the exhaust port inside radius and port matched the transition to the FI exhaust manifold I was using. It all worked very well and later I moved on to a '69 144 and moved the head (and K cam) over to the B20 block. I'D ALSO LIKE TO POINT OUT---in the Volvo "stage" offerings the highest HP combo listed was 190hp using a stock B20E/F exhaust manifold with the section before the front pipe merge extended 4 inches. I have a copy of some (from the late 1980's) of that and can e-mail to anyone who would like a copy. fastforwardphoto(AT)yahoo(DOT)com -- Dave

What about the SIMONS 2" Sport Exhaust kit sold by VP Autoparts?
And an ABARTH system? VPD has an excellent website with good tech information, but some say Mr. Parker could improve his business practices...

Paul, what about an ABARTH system?

Paul; Cylinder head is #419 305, from a 1972 144S.

NEW Plan: .030 clean-up bore
IPD 'Street Performance' cam kit
MANGOLETSI #4900 intake
WEBER DCOE 40 or 45
123 electronic distributor
Header (which one ... ?)

Thanks,
Mark

Do you have a Twin SU manifold?

Twin 40mm DCOE's are a dead end, unless you have some old ones already. 45's are pointless until after you have spent a couple of thousand dollars on the cylinder head, that is like fitting a 1150 Holley Dominator to a 305 SBC.

Don't buy the cam from IPD, go to Isky who are the actual manufacturers or somewhere else like Schneiders. Where are you located?

If you buy a 123, MAKE SURE IT's THE PROGRAMMABLE MODEL

Do you have a picture of the head? Can you get yourself 1 or 2 more old long motors?

What is your car? What is the purpose of the car? How much $$$$$ have you got?

If you are only going to +.030" on the bore, then you are going to be missing out on alot of power. +.125"/92mm is what you want for a performance engine because it unshrouds the intake valve, I offset bore towards the intakes.

Tinustuning.nl is one good source for all your parts if shipping from Europe is no problem for you.

Header? Lots of stories about problems fitting headers, and loss of performance from some. The word is if you can get a dual downpipe exhaust manifold from a FI 1800/142, you're 99% there.

The stock exhaust manifold will do just fine up to a certain point. Take a look at the original picture of the Amazon Rally Pack headers I posted. Elongating the engine pipe to that length is step one if you have done a little to the engine.