|
Hi, our 1981 volvo has the B19A engine.
At idle it stays around 1000/1100rpm. Carburettor has been revised some years ago and is now quite perfect. Fast engine starting, regular idle, immediate cranking at hot and cold car. Even after 1 month of the car not starting it starts at first crank with some choke.
Only doubt is if these rpm are ok or maybe some high: that car is not exactly known for being economical in consumption and maybe this won't help.
Can you suggest me what may be the correct rpms at idle for that model?
|
|
|
850 rpm idle sounds right. You may be able to find your cars technical manuals here: https://ozvolvo.org/archive
|
|
|
What nation state or regulatory market you motor in or originally sold?
The (whacko) 'states' (yoo ess ayy) did not receive carbed 240s. Only Bosch K-Jet injection and ignition.
Engine bay image would help us all to identify your engine control configuration. I'm guessing you have an early version of Bosch EZK ignition?
Else, inspect fuel management. I guess? And adjust idle speed. Like 900 RPM for auto slush box (to compensate for torque convert drag at a prolonged stop at engine idle as you press the brake pedal [brake fluid clear or honey colored? If black, replace now to avoid seizing calipers Use a pressure bleed like Motive makes. Stopping is #1 safety])
I guess you know the idle control setting on your carb? What carb do you have?
There do exist UK Volvo site that cane maybe better help you,
Also, web search for your model and configuration.
I'll see what I can find, if anything, as reference.
Use the web search. Search by model and / or year. The browser web search may help better. While an AUS site, primarily Murkian market info.
https://ozvolvo.org/archive/
And:
https://www.240.se/litteratur/instbok.htm
Some green manuals here from car regulatory markets other than Yoo Ess Ayyyy, Fonzie.
UK sites. One or both require currency and an account to access.
Finally, and best with FREE subscription, the brother from another mutha brickboard sibling:
https://turbobricks.com/index.php
Questions?
--
Give your brickboard.com a big thumbs up! Way up! - Roger Ebert & Gene Siskel
|
|
My car is from Italy, here's the engine bay

My carb should be zenith/stromberg, but I'm not very skilled about this car
|
|
|
Yes, your carb is Zenith-Stromberg. Common in Europe, you could also find them in the 120 and 140 models here in North America, with SUs and Webbers being more commonly found in the sport trim and later models as I recall.
The aftermarket and fairly easily found Haynes 240 manual has a whole section on SU and Stromberg carbs, including breakdown, adjustment and fault diagnosis, as well as all the associated stuff like the cold start valve. Everything you need to know should be there. Haynes covers these carbs on the B20A and B21A engines, but it should be extremely similar if not identical to your B19A setup. Idle spec for Strombergs is listed as 850 rpm. SU carb idle spec is 700, although many may find that a bit too low and opt for 750 as I recall I did on my B18 SUs. Idle specs are sometimes a bit different for automatics over manuals, but I don't see mention of that in Haynes. One of the links Kitty and others have given you to the Volvo green manuals will likely turn up the full specs, but without the narrative text sometimes found in Haynes. A lot of the stuff like that on OzVolvo is listed by publication number, not description, so you'll want to spend extra time poking around there and keep in mind these were on 140s as well. I don't have Bentley or Paul Grimshaw's manual, but I'm guessing some excellent stuff can also be found there.
I'm curious. Are you sure your 1981 240 is B19A, not B20A? The B19As are listed as 1974-1978 production in two versions, 97HP (presumably the SU carb'd ones) and a slightly lower compression 90 hp (presumably the Strombergs). I'm not sure why they'd want to give you such an underpowered engine when a bigger carb'd engine was available within the 2 litre tax limit. The Stromberg's also call for high test premium gas -no surprise there.
--
Dave -still with 940's, prev 740/240/140/120 You'd think I'd have learned by now
|
|
|
yes, B19A 97CV. Is common in italy due to tax limits of that era.
|
|
|
The B20 is overhead valve.
B19 is a variation on the B21, i.e. OHC as evidenced in resunoiz's photo.
--
'79 242, '84 DL 2 door, '80 DL 2 door, '89 DL Wagon, '15 XC70 T6 AWD
|
|
|
Ah, of course, how soon some of us forget the OHV days.
--
Dave -still with 940's, prev 740/240/140/120 You'd think I'd have learned by now
|
|
|
Hi Resunoiz,
I'm surprised that no one has answered you, perhaps they are busy watching playoff football.
I have no almost no experience with 240 but did save 240 service manuals while searching for a wiring diagram for my 1993 940.
It seems the B19A is a rare engine, available in either 90 or 97HP.
What is the 2-digit engine code in your VIN number?
From the manuals I looked at you have the "CI" system and NOT "CIS".
The CI system has an "auxiliary air valve" that increases engine speed during warm up.
It should have a number stamped on it: 0 280 140 ...
If it doesn't completely shut you will suffer high RPMs.
This valve is located between the airflow sensor and the cold start injector.
It contains a bi metallic spring which is heated to 70C to fully close it.If you have this valve, check that you have 12 volts to the connector when the engine is cold, and that the valve is closing properly. Put your ohmmeter on the valve
connector and expect to see some heater coil resistance and NOT an open connection.
Provide your email link and I can send you the info.
Bill
|
|
|
B19A is not so uncommon in Italy, due to power limitations of that era
|
|
|
I think it is a tax dodge engine. B19. Engines over 2 litres are in the next, higher, tax bracket in some countries. Italy being one of them. A friend had one new in the UK. He said it was gutless and after getting nowhere with complaints to Volvo, quickly swapped it for a 2.3l.
I had a 1992 240 Estate and that had a B200E. 2 litre with about 110bhp. 5 speed. Quite perky with 100mph available if needed. I didn't! Close to 30mpg (UK) overall.
|
|
|
Volvo's ultimate 2 litre tax dodge in Europe was the B204FT turbo'd 16-valve. It could be had in some of the late model 1989-on 700s and early 900s and was mostly sold in the Italian market. I vaguely recall these were 760/960 trim level and badged as such. Getting 184hp out of a 2 litre engine was pretty impressive in avoiding the Euro surtax. Some got mated to an M46 manual trans that would have been fun to drive. B234F 700/900 owners have long sought these engines to add the turbo to their 2.3-litre blocks and push out closer to 200 hp. I'm not sure how many B204FTs were made, but it wasn't a lot. A B234FT was never made by volvo.
--
Dave -still with 940's, prev 740/240/140/120 You'd think I'd have learned by now
|
|
|
I think it is a tax dodge engine. Engines over 2 litres are in the next, higher, tax bracket in some countries. Italy being one of them. A friend had one new in the UK. He said it was gutless and after getting nowhere with complaints to Volvo, quickly swapped it for a 2.3l.
|
|
|
B-19A engine has a single carb. That's what the 'A' indicates. Therefore it is not CI. Therefore it does not have the aux air valve.
The idle speed for this engine should be the same as the B-21A which, if I'm not mistaken, is 850 rpm.
--
'79 242, '84 DL 2 door, '80 DL 2 door, '89 DL Wagon, '15 XC70 T6 AWD
|
|
|
Hi Bulletproof,
Thanks for the correction. I wasn't sure that it had that valve.
What engine management manual covers the B-19 carb setup?
I found a List of Volvo engines at www.wikipedia.org
and here's what they have for the B19:
1976–1984 B19 — 2.0 L (1,986 cc) SOHC 8-valve Volvo 340/360, Volvo 240, Volvo 740
1974–1978 — B19A — 8.8:1 compression — 97 hp (72 kW; 98 PS)
1974–1981 — B19E — 8.8:1 compression — 117 hp (87 kW; 119 PS)
1979–1984 — B19A — 8.5:1 compression — 90 hp (67 kW; 91 PS)/97 hp (72 kW; 98 PS)
1982–1984 — B19E — 9.2:1 compression — 117 hp (87 kW; 119 PS)
1982–1984 — B19ET — ??:1 compression — 136–145 PS (100–107 kW)
Bill
|
|
|
What engine management manual covers the B-19 carb setup?
I don't know exactly but there's a green book for everything so there must be one out there for carb'd engines. Check the usual websites.
My old, beat up, falling apart at the spine Haynes manual has quite a bit of info on carb engines. If you can get ahold of a copy that might be your best bet.
I am not sure if you are aware but CI generally refers to Continuous Injection which is Bosch K-Jetronic. CIS is the acronym for Constant Idle System which you are probably familiar with.
Interestingly enough, the earlier B-21 engines with CI use the Auxiliary Air Valve but '81-'82 B-21 engines with CI use the Constant Idle System.
--
'79 242, '84 DL 2 door, '80 DL 2 door, '89 DL Wagon, '15 XC70 T6 AWD
|
|
|
Here's the cockpit and actual rpm at idle
|
|
|
|
|
©Jarrod Stenberg 1997-2022. All material except where indicated.
All participants agree to these terms.
Brickboard.com is not affiliated with nor sponsored by AB Volvo, Volvo Car Corporation, Volvo Cars of North America, Inc. or Ford Motor Company. Brickboard.com is a Volvo owner/enthusiast site, similar to a club, and does not intend to pose as an official Volvo site. The official Volvo site can be found here.
| | |