Is it the best red block? How about a 1983 GL? I am considering picking one up that has a clear title and a small dent in the back 1/4 panel. nice maroon color too and minimal rust!

Thanks for your input.
Chuck
--
'88 244 171K, '87 BMW 325e 172K (used to feed a '84 245 'till 227K)

My only (so far) and first volvo is an 84 w the b23f
I wish I had the higher CR version
The only issues I know of in this car:

Engine harness falls apart
The distributor has been declared obsolete by Bosch
(I'm still trying to sort this one out)
Weak Headlight Wiring - not the engines fault

Mine runs like a champ...
more of a draft horse than a thourough bred
but a champ none-the-less

Easy to work on
Parts are available
FI makes sense but requires some attention to detail
Ignition sys is reasonably solid
Camshaft upgrades are common and, I understand, effective
Timing belt failure is inconvenient but not expensive

Keep an Eye on the flame trap
be prepared to replace the harness

The turbo bricks guys like these blocks for HiPo buildups
due to the large bearings

Thats all I know
Miguel
--
My First Volvo - stock (for now) '84 244, 230+kmi. Owned it since 9/03

I have a 1983 GL which I bought in May for my son to drive. AT the time, it had just under 80,000 and I thought it was a steal.

When buying it, I learned the previous owner (I had dealt with her husband) had had "some" problems with the car dying sometimes and no one had figured out, usually no one could reproduce the problem.

I have now invested near $2000 at my local dealer for a variety of things I lacked the know-how or tools for, and now am a dedicated DIY. For example, I paid huge dollars to replace the front and rear main seals; true, they may have really needed it and I couldn't have done it myself, but my PCV system was totally plugged and was probably all that needed fixing. Cost to me to do the PCV repair: about $8.00. Cost of replacing the seals before trying this: about $500.

I also paid to replace the water pump and timing belt. Probably a good investment.

We can regularly reproduce the dying problem, and have worked our way through all electrical components related to ignition. With each fix we seem to make some progress, then it recurs: We have concluded it is most likely the decaying ignition wiring harness. I'm trying to buy a used one (about $100 online if available; over $200 new from Volvo).

Other than the dying issue, which is obviously really annoying, as long as the car is running it is great. If you know what you're doing, the engine compartment provides plenty of access to do any work you want. But I'd be very careful how much you pay to get into one, because I've certainly been paying to keep mine. But that appears to be after 20 years of only fair maintenance.

If (a very BIG "if"..) it has had decent routine maintenance over its life so far, it should be a great unit. A neglectful (or abusive) owner can trash the finest engine. So try to determine its history. Take my mother-in-law's (yeah, sad but true) '94 Olds. Just 26,000mi and looks brand new. Putters around Phoenix a little. It has had only ONE (yes 1), oil change - and that was after I pulled the dipstick and saw TAR. Lots of little scraping, ticking, grinding noises and no wonder. Caveat Emptor.

We've had our '83 for nearly 21 yrs, now (built Oct 83). It too is high-compression (10.25:1) with M46, and has been a totally trouble free engine...albeit not many miles on it (152k). One valve adjustment in its life, plugs every 30k, never touched the ignition (Chrysler white-cap). Wiring harness is crumbled and on borrowed time. It's on its second water pump and O2 sensor, third timing belt. Uses a qt of oil (Mobil-1) every 3000mi or so.

Frankly, its power output is anemic, but I'll accept that as the price of the incredible reliability that comes with it!
--
Bob (81-244GL B21F, 83-244DL B23F, 94-944 B230FD plus grocery-getter Dodge minivan, MGB, and numerous old motorcycles)

If (a very BIG "if"..) it has had decent routine maintenance over its life so far, it should be a great unit. A neglectful (or abusive) owner can trash the finest engine. So try to determine its history. Take my mother-in-law's (yeah, sad but true) '94 Olds. Just 26,000mi and looks brand new. Putters around Phoenix a little. It has had one (yes 1), oil change - and that was after I pulled the dipstick and saw TAR.

We've had our 83 for nearly 21 yrs, now. It too is high-compression (10.25:1) with M46, and has been a totally trouble free engine...albeit not many miles on it (152k). One valve adjustment in its life, plugs every 30k, never touched the ignition (Chrysler white-cap). Wiring harness is crumbled and on borrowed time. It's on its second water pump and O2 sensor, third timing belt. Uses a qt of oil (Mobil-1) every 3000mi or so.

Frankly, its power output is anemic, but I'll accept that as the price of the incredible reliability that comes with it!
--
Bob (81-244GL B21F, 83-244DL B23F, 94-944 B230FD plus grocery-getter Dodge minivan, MGB, and numerous old motorcycles)

Best Redblock Ever!

Well, one of the best anyway. I've had mine for ~11 years now. I have a rare early '83 with 10.3 CR and the M46 tranny. It runs strong, especially with a K-cam. 258K miles and counting. Oh, and it's just about ready to become turbocharged, too. I think it's about broken in...

The B23F has the big bearings, and almost all had a forged crank (total overkill for the NA motor.) Long piston side skirtsmeans no slap issues.

LH2.0 is a reliable system, but as mentioned, wiring was especially bad these years. I've rebuilt most of my wiring harness, particularly the branch which runs from the firewall down under the front of the engine.

If you coupled the beef of the B23 components with the piston oil jets of the L block B230, you'd have the ideal redblock.
--
Speed Racer, '83 240 R, '74 164 E, '93 940 OL1 (Manchester, CT)

Chuck -

Good solid engine. Forged crank, large bearings (compared to early B230). After doing timing belts on B23 and B230, the B23 with its split pulley seems a bit easier - no special tool or rope trick needed.

HOWEVER - the 1983's have the crumbling insulation problem on the wires from the gray connector. Look carefully for the problem or evidence of repairs.

GL should have power windows and FIVE Corona 25-spoke alloy wheels. My first GL also had tan leather and a tach and chrome plated door lock knobs that could cut fingers when they peeled.

The LH injection system was begun in 1983, so that's a guinea pig year. Has two fuel system relays, get the Volvo Service Manual Wiring Diagrams book for sure.

Good Luck,

Bob

:>)

fyi, lh started in 82 with lh 1. those were the real guinea pigs. 83-84 was lh 2.0, 85-88 1/2 was lh 2.2 ansd later was lh 2.4. chuck.

Right on, Bob. I've had two, and my impression, whether backed up by numbers or not, is the B23F is stronger off the line. One I drive has 332K without having the head off.

I just received my latest ebay winning - a manual on the rare B21F - LH1.0 built during part of 1982. After attempting to help a brickster using my experience on LH2.0, a lot of questions are answered in that book. The earlier LH has split injector drives (2 and 2), the main and fuel pump relays are like the LH2.0 but under the driver's feet. It has a cold start valve run while cranking through a thermo-time switch like k-jet, and looks like no ballast resistor, if I interpret that little box right. Drawing shows separate computers for FI and Idle Air Control.
--
Art Benstein near Baltimore

Reputed to be a great engine. Strong crank. I passed up a really nice one once and have regretted it.
--
Thanks to everyone for the help, Doug C. 81 242 Brick Off Blocks, stock, M46; 86 244, 140k , auto.

best one around, no small bearings to give you fits-b230, bigger than a b21 and you can hang kjet or lh on it with no real problems. if it's a late enough automatic, then it's high compression and runs real good. m46 and early autos were low comp. good luck, chuck.

I think they are pretty good. Got two of them, an 83 245GL @ 270K and an 84 244GL @ 181,000. Havn't owned a later year Volvo so can't compare.

Took the wagon from FL to Michigan and back last year and she ran like a top while loaded with the wife and two dogs and other requisite cargo!