I think I may be able to work out a trade with the lady that owns the car I was talking about in "What's this 242 worth" from Dec 13th.

I'll be driving it on Monday and getting my first close look at the car.

I'd prefer a 242Ti but I'm not in the position to travel to find one and I've never seen one for sale locally in the last five years.

How difficult would it be for me to add an aftermarket or used Volvo turbo to this 84 242? My neighbor has supercharged his Miata and then took the SC off and turbo charged it. Wouldn't it be just as easy to do the same thing to the 242? I've seen a turbo added to just about everything kids are driving these days.

N/A motors have different connecting rods and crankshafts than motors set up for blowers. It will fail sooner than you would like, for all the work involved. Check out turbobricks.com to see what all you will need to convert from N/A to turbo then find a lo-miles turbo motor in the bone yard.

No, most of the red blocks don't. The only major differences are:

- lower compression pistons

- sodium filled valves

- less aggressive cam

- oil return line

- different exhaust manifold

- different ECU / fuel delivery components

The B23FT is of course the black sheep of the family and does indeed have a stronger than normal bottom end.

- alex

The b23Ft and the B21FT have exactly the same bottem ends, expect for the pistons. The B23Ft have a diameter of 94MM while the B21Ft has 92MM (this is where the exctra .2L of displacemnt comes from)

You would have either a B23F or a B21F. You can turbo any of them with some work. Fuel system will need to be upgraded to allow for the boost compensation. You should also get a distributor from a turbo as it retards during boost.

You ll have to tap the block and oil pan for return lines.

Bout it!

you can do it. Also if you use the stock pistons (9.? for compression) run very low boost. maybe 7PSI at very max with an intercooler.

Jordan

Really? So a B23 is smaller than a B230? B230 has 96mm bore for 2.316L I thought? Learn something new every day...

-Kenny

Well,is 150hp all you need or do you want more? Garret t03 can give you up to 200-250hp absolute max 300hp (intakerotor dim. 40-43mm,exh.rotor dim.49mm;stock version).Response is good,but power drops about on 5000 rpm (too much exhaust pressure).Use intercooler and 1.4Bar boost and LOTS OF FUEL you can get 220-250hp.If fuelmixture is too lean it causes pistons to meltdown,on thoose pressures you have to make sure that there is no fuelcuts.Since i use Garret t05 (int.rotor dim. 65mm,exh.rotor dim. 80mm) engine does not create extra heat on exhaustmainflood (exh.pressure is low). Response is fair, boost starts on 4000rpm,full boost 5000.Max rpm on my engine is 8400rpm (rev.control).It creates @0.6 bar boost,measured on rear tyres 245hp/8200 rpm,320nm/5800rpm.Of course there is a limit how much power is safe to use.Ones i used 2,2Bar,well engine survived but the chassis didn't.One of front tyres didn't touch to ground and front window lookt like spider net,rear window blowup,rear side windows dropt on the ground after test ended.Now i have this -79 242GL with same engine but only 0.6bar boost. Send me a photo on your car. I like to see how you build your car. (e-mail m_soininen@yahoo.com).

First, my english is not good,but i hope you can understant it.I have a 242 Volvo -79 with turbo,intercooler and fuelinjection (not by factory).My engine type is B230A, turbo garret t05 (on 12-litre volvo truck),intercooler is custom made,fuelinjection system is LH-Jetronic,(my aplication is more 'heavier' than stock).First you have to find what compression ration you have your engine?,Second how powerful engine you want? The power determs what must be done to the engine.In Finland we have 2-types of factory turbo volvos (200-series).Engine type: B19ET and B21ET,tecnical: comp.ratio both engines are 7,5 horsepower/toruque B19ET 145hp/5500rmin,226Nm/3750,fuel octane 98. B21ET 155hp/5500rmin,240Nm/3750,fuel octane 98.Factory components are usally theese:Cylinder head 530 (3-last numbers on head,theese have Natrium exhaust valves),turbo garret to3,fuelinjector LH-Jetronic and boost pressure is about 0,4Bar.If you have high compression on the engine,i recomend lower it.Turbo engines have difrent pistons than normal engines and piston rings are diffrent,same connectionrods,crankshaft,clutch is much 'stiffer' than orginal carburator model.You can use your camshaft if it is orginal (works fine, if not used on race purposes).If you use 'race' camshaft, turbocharger usally must be bigger than orginal (garret t04).If the engine is worn,do not turbocharge it,it works very short period until it brakes down.(i have experienced it)

What to do? You can use normal pistons with turbo pistonrings (dont use over 0,8bar boost,recomend 0,4bar),lower the compression,use new bearings,use garret t03 charger,stock camshaft,turbo exhaust system and LH-Jetronic with fuelpressure regulator that is used on turbo engines (engine needs lot of fuel on boost).If you want more 'insurances' on engine,balance connectionrods,pistons and crankshaft.I can sed you list and (picture) what i have done to my engine.please send your e-mail adress and questions,if i can help you on theese projects.

just a thought after my other posting. For all the work to switch to a turbo it might be easier and cheaper to switch to a mustang 5.0 liter v8 engine. I would bet a new 5.0 liter crate engine would be cheaper then a rebuilt volvo turbo with all the extra bits.

Bill D.

Thanks but no thanks. Half of the Volvo experience for me is having a motor that is close to bullet proof in reliability and that allows for good gas mileage. I'm not looking for some performance car. I have one already. I just want enough boost to let me drive over the mountain pass ,that sits between work and home, with pleasure.

If turbo charging this car turns out to be unlikely then I may still buy it. Then I'd either sell it when I find a factory turbo coupe or swap a factory turbo motor in when I find one.

Cheers

With the Miata and other cars, you can buy kits. The parts are there, the instructions are there, the support is there. With the Volvo, there are no kits at present. The parts are there, because Volvo turbocharged the motor. But you have to find all the parts, decide which you need, and engineer this project. I think it could be done. A few years ago, I wrote some of the details in an article that is at the Turbobricks website under the Mods section. In the years since, I have not read much of people attempting this. There may be a couple of people out there. Give it a try, but remember that you are proposing to stress an old motor. For that reason alone, I would tend to lean towards salvaging a turbo drivetrain (engine and transmission and fuel injection and ignition) from a turbo car and using those parts. The newer the better.

Philip Bradley

Thanks. I'll search for your post in the other forum. I will take a look at what I'd need to do to put a low pressure turbo on the car. The point of it being an old engine doesn't really deter me though. These motors aren't that hard to find and replacements can be had for $1K or less. My point is to just get a little boost so I can drive over the mountain pass with pleasure instead of gritting my teeth. I want a coupe so my only other possibility is a 780 but they all had auto transmissions and I won't see one of them for sale around here either.

Cheers

You can buy a 780 from another part of the country if you really want one, and you can put an M46 in it. That should not be any harder than adding a turbo.

Philip Bradley

The easiest way to do this would be to buy a turbo parts car and install

everything. You could buy a 7xx series and then you wouldn't have to change

your fuel pump. You will have to adapt all the computers and wiring. There

was a web page from a guy in AZ I think that put a B230FT in his 87 245.

Everything from a 2xx series turbo bolts in but you will have to change

the fuel delivery system because they both use different injection. The

7xx series uses the same type of fuel injection. Scott Hart of IPD installed a B230FT in a Bertone coupe that he used to have.

You know if you just want enough power to easily make it over the mountain

you may want to just consider addding a performance exhaust and the VX cam.

Modify the airbox for only cold air and this should have you around 135hp. That would make your car much more responsive with better low rpm torque than a turbo. According to what I read in Paul Grimshaw's book it will have

much more high rpm power with the VX because the stock cams fall off above

4k rpms but the VX was good to 5500rpm. Hope this helps you.

Dave 82 242ti 262k mi.

Wow, an alternative? I've always heard that if you want more power out of the 240 series then a turbo or engine swap was the only answer. If I could really get 135HP then I'd probably try to go that route first along with dropping some of the car's weight. What I need is responsiveness or strength in the 55-70 mph range and good longevity. This is a ten minute climb at those speeds done twice each day. I'm guessing that the grade is between 7-12%.

Yes, If 130-140HP are all you need, you can do it with NA parts. Get a K-cam from a Canadian B23E, and an ipd sport exhaust or some custom 2.25"-2.5" exhaust with a single muffler. Add a free-flow filter from Amsoil or K&N, and maybe open up the airbox inlet a bit. Pop in fresh plugs, cap & rotor and wires, advance your timing a bit (+14-+16deg) and run plus or premium fuel. BAM - for under $300, you've got 130-140HP, and nice engine sounds. Some other relatively low cost mods include doing a mild street port of your head/intake manifold using a kit like Eastwood sells. Also swapping in rear axle from another 240 can get you a final drive of 3.54, 3.73, 3.91 or even 4.10. 3.91 is probably as extreme as you'd ever want to go with an M46 though. And you'll have to change the speedo drive gear too.

If you do all of the above, you'll have a NA 240 that outruns the non-intercooled Turbo, and can almost hang with a stock intercooled version in most driving situations.

The VX cam is a Volvo designed cam. Most folks that I've read about using

it like the cam. I think that hp coupled with some slightly smaller diameter tires will give the car good climbing. If you stay with the 14" wheels then use a tire like a 196/65-14. Then you'll slightly lower your gearing for better climbing. With the O/D you'll still have a good highway

gear, also.

Best regards,

Dave 82 242ti 262k mi.

Consider that the B23E as found in Australia and Canada, and likely throughout Europe made as much as 136-140hp from the factory. They had higher compression engines with a more aggressive cam (K or H grind). The US did get some high compression B23F engines as well (in late 83 and all 84 auto equipped 240s -- normally aspirated of course). Pared with a more agressive cam this might accomplish what you're looking for (but might not smog easily). You may also want to swap in a different rear end with a more appropiate ratio (so that you can keep the engine in its peak power band up the hill).

- alex

The quickest way would be to get a turbo motor and install it. besides a different intake and exhaust the fuel system and computer must be changed. Here is a partial list of the internal engine changes. Na filled exhaust valves, different pistons, crankshaft, camshaft, and maybe cylinder head and connecting rods. Also check the transmission and rear end may be different as well. Radiator size? etc.

Bill D.

Actually the only real engine differences were valves (sodium filled), camshaft (less aggressive), and pistons (lower CR)... well this is between turbo and na motors of the same family (i.e. B21F v B21FT, B230F v B230FT). The B23FT is of course a departure from the norm.

For the LH-Jet powered ones, the ECU was probably mapped a bit differently, for the K-Jet ones (B21FT), a few tricks were employed to adapt 6cyl bits for the extra flow.

- alex