Operation Get Out of its Own Way

[PKFIRE]

This weekend I'm going to finish taking the rotating assembly apart and check the bores to see how out of round they are. I hope they are in spec because std rings are easy to find and much cheaper than oversized.

[PKFIRE]

This upcoming week I'm taking my motor to the machine shop. If the block needs bored I'm going to need to get new pistons. So I'm trying to decide at that point I just get forged pistons and h beam rods. If I do that then that opens the door for future mods. If I just go with new cast pistons I would just leave it where I've gotten it. I guess I will have to decide soon.

[draggin50]

Best bet is to go ahead and do it while its apart. You know that you will continue to do mods and that will give you more options in the long run!! I guess it all depends on what the future holds for it.

[PKFIRE]

Yeah it's the best thing to do. Next step would be better engine management, transmission, exhaust manifold, fuel pump, turbo and more head work or 16valve swap. I could go 5.3 now but then lots of downtime and fabrication but I would have to modify a 5.3 to make it faster than what my car is now. It would be so much easier and faster to just put a tvs in my Cobra and do a basic rebuild on the Volvo. Though I would probably kick myself when I get an itch to go faster in Volvo again if I didn't upgrade the bottom end.

[PKFIRE]

Tore the motor down after lunch.

[PKFIRE]

Pistons are wore out. A Volvo engine builder said that .004 or larger ring groove clearance would cause excessive blow by. 0.004 fit in between all the pistons top grooves. It should be 0.001 to 0.002 clearance.

[redfirepearlgt]

Dumb question. What is that shaft next to the crank in the box?

[draggin50]

Looks like a balance shaft.

[PKFIRE]

Accessory shaft, it drives the oil pump and the distributor.

[redfirepearlgt]

Gotcha.

[PKFIRE]

Tomorrow I'm taking my motor to machine shop. I talked to various performance vendors for this motor. I learned the stock rods are good to 350whp, stock pistons are good to about 500whp and the block is good to about 700whp before it needs modified.

I'm thinking about just h beam rods and new factory pistons. They said that the custom order pistons have better geometry since the rod is longer and the piston rotates in the block more easier. The one thing is those forge pistons are 4-6 weeks out and 600-800 dollars. Stocks around 300 oversized. H beam Rods are about 400 with arp bolts

[draggin50]

That sounds like a good plan though. I cant believe that the stock parts are that good but that's impressive!

[PKFIRE]

There are some 6 second drag cars overseas that run 6 second quarter mile runs with the old 2.3 block.

[PKFIRE]

Ahh, I need a new Block. The block needs bored .030 minimum and the limit is .024 for turbo applications. I guess I'm on the hunt for one now.

[draggin50]

Man that sucks! Is there any stock blocks that will work that are stronger? I know you said the block was good for around 700. Im sure if you get to that point, you would upgrade more than just the block though.

[PKFIRE]

http://www.maxxtuning.eu/customer-ca...-turbo--johan/

I guess with good head work you can get these sohc's to flow 700 whp. Here's one making 681 whp on E85. I don't know any specifics on what blocks are out there for it. I found a penta boat block that I may buy. I believe they have forge cranks but this will be a bare block. The 1993+ B230s have oil squirters. I never thought about making much more than 350 whp in this car.

[PKFIRE]

I located a few motors. I should be picking one up next week. The guy is ok just giving it to me. He said if I feel like it I could give him a smaller car part. I couldn't follow all the builds but he's building a 700 plus horsepower big block GM Volvo. He has another built small block Ford Volvo also. Pretty cool stuff.

[PKFIRE]

I picked this short block up today for 135 dollars in Springfield Ohio from a guy who built a 16 Valve B230 engine for his 240. He decided to buy a 1960s Volvo Amazon and he is parting his build. Lucky for me he cleaned and painted this motor and added a an10 drain tube. I'm going to add stronger rods to it. He even cut reliefs for a 4 valve head into the pistons from a rental jig. I should be getting another motor soon to build on the side. I guess I'm not done building it yet.

[redfirepearlgt]

good deal. will it make a pass this year ?

[PKFIRE]

Possibly, maybe later next month.