Okay, heres my problem.....I have a 1982 242 Dl w/B21F motor. Boyfriend(Les) replaced the timing belt about two weeks ago. Seemed fine, but have noticed it is not really up to par. gas mileage seems to be lagging, doesn't accelerate as rapidly as it should, etc. Told Les he needs to check the timing w/ a light. Okay, when I look up the timing specs for my car @ Volvoworld.com, it says "8 @ 900 Calif" (8 degrees BTDC @ 900 RPM). And yes, I live in California. Under the hood of my car on the fenderwell it says 12 +/- 2 degrees BTDC. Okay, now to get even more confusing, I decoded my vin # and the 6th & 7th number tell you what engine you have. My number is 49 which of course has two items listed as so: B21F MPG-1981 & B21F Kjet-1982. So what the hell does that have to do with anything, you ask? Well, back to the timing specs from volvoworld, under the "8 degrees BTDC @ 900" is "12 degrees BTDC @ 750 MPG". Now who can tell me what the whole MPG thing is about? Miles per Gallon or some other code I'm unhip to? Supposedly I'm a Kjet and not a MPG..whatever that is. CAN SOMEONE PLEASE SHED SOME LIGHT AS TO WHAT TIMING SPECS TO GO BY??!!!! Thank you in advance, I'll stop babbling now :).

Payne in the whatever.....

I doubt that your friend goofed on the timing belt installation. If it's off by one tooth, that's almost 20 degrees at the crankshaft and your mileage and power would be down by more than somewhat. Check the ignition timing at slow idle and if it's anywhere near spec, the belt is OK.

Set the timing to the spec on the emissions compliance sticker on the left fender under the hood, and yeah - ignore Volvoworld's or anyone else's info.

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Bob (81-244GL B21F, 83-244DL B23F, 94-944 B230FD; plus grocery-getter Dodge minivan, MGB, and numerous old motorcycles)

Go by what you've got listed on the emissions plate on your car. That will tell you if your car is designed to meet California smog requirements or not. That's probably where Volvoworld got confused (assuming, possibly correctly, that California got the last of the K-Jet cars or vice versa).

Regardless, the timing and idle speed specs are the same for the 1982 K-Jet and LH-Jet B21F engines. The real difference is in the fuel mixture (LH-Jet is designed to run leaner).

Before you fiddle with the timing at all, double check the timing belt. It's extremely easy to get one of the pulleys misaligned as you're installing the belt.

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alex

'89 765T, 174,1xx mi

From what I read on product lables they now believe that people in California are getting cancer from so many different products, strange why it only happens there. And now we learn that cars run different there too.

I think it must be something in the water, perhaps too much heat or maybe even too much government.

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David Hunter

Beacuse you know that the rest of the 49 states are going to be very cautious with regards to cancer causing agents. Riiight. That's exactly why Bush wants MORE arsenic in our waters. Sounds like an excellent idea.

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alex

'89 765T, 174,1xx mi

Sounds like that belt is off a noch and you need 12 BTDC, nothing else, ever. Gotta re-do the belt.

Retarding the timing tends to improve emissions at the expense of performance. So perhaps Volvo met Calif emission specs by retarding the timing from 12 down to 8 degrees.

A lot of car manufacturers use "tricks" to meet requirements as design is near its best.
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1980 245 Canadian B21A with SU carb and M46 trans

Hello,

If you have a white distributor cap it is must likely an MPG model with a Chrysler ignition. I own that model and the timing is 12deg BTDC. The MPG model was advertised as a more fuel efficient model. Hope that helps.

Mario

MPG is name used for early Volvo/Chrysler ignition.

I have heard of some '82 Kjet cars with V/C ignition. If you have it, the Control Unit will be on the right side below the windshield reservoir. Blue label on top, P/N 1317874, I think.

8° BTDC sounds late. Haynes (not my favorite) says 10° to 14° BTDC @ 750 rpm for '81 and later USA cars, which does agree with your fenderwell decal.
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Bruce Young
'93 940-NA (current) — 240s (one V8) — 140s — 122s — since '63.

Hello,

Looks like you are confusing CAM TIMING with IGNITION TIMING. It's okay, common mistake. Looks like your b/f didn't get the new belt on in the right spot. What you are going to have to do is get back in under the timing covers and make sure things are all squared up. There are timing marks on the crank pulley and the cam pulley. You can line everything up, or simply advance or retard the belt one to two notches at a time until you get the right feel back.


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Happy Bricking!!! - Richard - '87 245 DL , '82 242 GLT - Half a million km between them!!!