Sstef

I had recently driven 345.1kilometers - around town, up a very steep highway to 120km/h, for about 15 kilometers then flat for another 15kilometers, winding country roads speed varying between 25 and 100kmp/h, last Sunday, then some more city drivng, 50 and 60 km/h and got 8.6275km/L and 20.293137mpg

After having the Carburetor overhauled and Distributor recurved to Factory or Bosch JFU4 0231170284 Distributor Specifications, new Volvo Air Filter, Oil Changed to Valvoline 20W50, the Valve Clearaances adjusted, and tires inflations to 34psi front and 35 psi rear, I had expected better. Maybe, I am expecting too much.

What do you think?

Also, I gathered all the materials ($60 worth) to make a Valve Spring Compression Tool to install new Valve Stem Seals and Cushions. I measured everything, made pilot dimples with a impact self-punch, but do not have a 5/16 drill bit. Project stalled, until maybe next weekend.

Does your car occasionally stumble at idle, in Drive, at a Traffic Light, for examle. Every once in a while, the car seems like it is starved for fuel or someone momentarily yanked the Spark Plug Leads and re-attached them. My B21E did it. I have heard of other owners cars doing it. Any ideas?

Got into a royal pissing contest with the Volvo Dealership over my Valve Clearance Settings and the car smoking, since they did the job. The Dealer Principle/Owner told me to take my business elsewhere. He called into question my mechanical ablities and the fact I am not an Ausralian qualified Motor Mechanic. I have worked along side some who were fresh TAFE graduates whom couldn't change a sparkplug. I guess having an engineering degree and an aircraft mechanic licence makes tools fairly useless in my hands. I have worked for two independent shops, and a wrecking yard, here. Oh well, lesson learned. I should have just bitten the bullet and done the job myself.

I have a second car, a 1980 242DL with an SU and a four speed manual. In combined driving it gets about 25 mpg imperial. The tires are at 30 psi. The SU is not supposed to deliver the mileage of the Stromberg, but the BW55 will drag your economy down.
The long pull up the highway would have really chewed the fuel, and made a noticeable difference in the caluculated mileage.
When the carb was overhauled, was the bypass valve diaphragm replaced? Those carbs will suck fuel through the bypass when it perforates, and run rich. Also was the pressed-in main jet replaced? Most shops won't do that as it requires some special tools to install at the correct height. But the spring loaded needle will wear the jet oval.
Of course if the plug colour is near white to light tan, it is OK anyways.

These guys are "Carburetor Specialists".

The Float Bowl Gasket Leaked and the Dashpot would not hold ATF.

I brought it back. I was told they could not find any leak and they put another new gasket above the needle and checked it all day.

After the second visit and a day without my only car, the Float Bowl gasket still leaks and the Dashpot still does not hold all of its oil or leaks slower.

Yesterday, I installed a new Float Bowl Gasket, that he mailed me, free. I put some petrol-resistant "Gasket Goo" on the Gasket and reassembled.

Guess what I found in the bottom of the Float Bowl. It looked like a coffee pot or hot pot exposed to had water over a period of time . . . the same scaling, even the same color. I cleaned it all up.

Bastards!

$408 to overhaul my carburetor and re-rig my Distributor to Bosch specs and putting it on a dyno to tune it.

I really and truly hate bringing my car(s) to anyone. The older I get, the more it is reinforced.

That is good for an automatic and those speeds/situations.
My last 3 tanks I've gotten 10km/L on 94 octane, but I go about 85km/hr steady and accelerate gradually on manual gearing.
Timing and point service helped; I adjust idle and carb (still need to get a rebuilt carb from Rhys); I'm putting in new plugs today.
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Stef -- 1981 245 B21A SU M46 323000km my volvo pages