I am looking at up grading to a 94 960 that is almost to good to pass up, I know nothing of Volvos inline 6 (2.9L) my Volvo experience is with 2 245's one with 260,xxx and the other with 245,xxx K miles. My question to the board is do these engines last as long as the B21/23/230, and I mean with perfect maintance or total abuse, btw I am anal on my maintance.
Thanks Rob
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STG1(SW)

With perfect maintenance they'll last pretty well. The early years had some teething problems, but 94 will be OK. Of course these engines are more complex than the inline-4, so check the maintenance records carefully - like the V6 the temptation to skip bits of maintenance are there...

With abuse, forget about it. Tolerances are much tighter, so regular oil changes are more important. These are all-aluminum engines, so use quality antifreeze rated for aluminum engines (which is most antifreeze these days). Maybe most important of all, don't skimp on timing belt changes, and carefully check the tensioner pulleys when you do the t-belt. If in doubt, change. Unlike the I4 the I6 (and other white block engines, like anything used in the FWD cars) these are interference engines, and a broken timingbelt will lead to expensive damage.

Also check the rest of the vehicle: They're full of electronics, and make sure everything works as it should, and consistently. The wiring looms on these are large, heavy and complex.

Bram

There have been more discussions on this list than you can shake a stick at (do a search & see what I mean). Some refuse the B6304 out of hand because it is an interference engine, and others have had 960s that turned into money pits. Others love their 960s for the power, smoothness, and comfort, and have only good things to say about them.

The upshot seems to be this: The red block 4-cylinder engines were overengineered and can run poorly longer than most other engines will run when properly maintained. The B6304, while still an excellent engine, isn't quite as fool-proof. You must change the timing belt as specified (the interval changed from the early 960s to the later models), and synthetic lubrication is pretty much a requirement to avoid buildup of deposits which can lead to sticking valves. Also, a number of the early blocks had a problem in casting that resulted in porous engine blocks weeping coolant and oil. All this aside, if you find a 960 with complete & clean service records that has been maintained according to spec, and you plan to do the same, it seems that it will be just as reliable & robust as a 4-cylinder Volvo.

Do read the 960-specific sections of the FAQ for more detail on what I mentioned above, and be aware that some parts & procedures will be more expensive on a 960 than on, say, a 940, due to lower production numbers and a slightly more cramped engine bay. But all these things aside I toy with looking for one as my next Volvo; the only problem is finding one that meets the above requirements. Cast a wide net, and good luck!

jeff daigle
'89 745GL 137,000mi