HELP - Volvo 740 Turbo Engine Transplant Info' Required!!!!!

[Peter Moorcroft]

Hi,

It is Peter Moorcroft here from the UK, maybe you saw my car in Bilsport a few years ago, or just check out my website just incase you haven't.

I was hoping that you cool Swedish people could help me out with ANY turbo engine transplant information! Knowone here in the UK knows much about Volvo turbo engines so as with my Volvo modifying I seem alone!

My 1990 740 curently has a B230E engine and M46 gearbox, but I would like to put in a turbo engine. I just don't know which engine is best and easiest to fit. I was thinking of a B230ET because I think the electrics etc are very simular to my E engine, but I have heard that the FT engine is a much better engine even though it is a low compression engine. I would like to get the car upto about 300hp or so and so what would I need to do that and which engine is best and most reliable? But the car is my daily driver so I don't want to push the engine in any way, because I don't want it to have any problems and start breaking down etc.

I have also heard that the M90 gearbox is a lot better gearbox than my M46 and that it can handle a lot more power, anyone know if this is correct and if it is a direct fitment.

So ANY information would be so helpful, I want to show people here in the UK that Volvo can be quick! I think I have got the car looking just the way I want (maybe get a set of new rims sometime) so the engine needs to be sorted now!

Anyway, thanks guys, think I'll be coming over to VallakaTraffen this year so maybe see you there!

Pete!

[mrabarth]

Hello!! I hope you can understand my english
First I have to say that you have a very nice car (even if it´s a 740 )

In a "show and go" car like you have, you must have a 16valve turbo engine- it´s the coolest engine you ever could put in a Volvo "and the best"!!
So my tips is to get a B234 engine from 740GLT. This engine can perform high power already stock (only with lower compression). I would say near 400bhp.. You use stock cams, cylinderhead, block, crankshaft, pistonrods= only change the pistones and ofcourse the injection system to tex. a Haltech!!
It´s a childgame to get 300bhp out of this engine with very much torque even in lower rpm= Just wonderful respons, and so powerful that you never have enough grip (not even in 4th gear at 160km/h in fine weather)!!!! .
You seems like a handy man, so building a turboexhaustmanifold is a peace of cake..
PS: Get a engine from -89 or later- better crankshaft an p.rods!! DS

This is my "sold" car.. Twinturbo B234!!
http://www.matsmotorsports.com/mickepv.html
http://medlem.spray.se/nikl/index-11.html
MVH Micke Fredriksson

[Peter Moorcroft]

Hi,

Thanks for that information!!! I really appreciate it, the only proplem is I have heard the 16valve engines wern't too reliable and need a lot of work to keep them maintained, so that was the reason why I hadn't thought of them.

We looking into getting a B230FT engine (because they are supossidly stronger than the ET), then just get the M90 gearbox added and work from there.

Let me know what you think!? Oh, and your english is VERY good!

Thanks, Pete!

[mrabarth]

Quote- "the only proplem is I have heard the 16valve engines wern't too reliable and need a lot of work to keep them maintained"

Hello again!!
I just can´t think about one thing that makes the B234 less reliable. I think the bad reputation depends on the fact that if the "cambelt" broke (=bad service), the B21,B23,B230 just stopps (no further damage) but if it happened on a B234, the valves and pistons get together...

The B234 crankshaft is the same (exept for the ballance beltdrive) as the B230. The B234 P.rods is better then the P.rod in the B230. A stock 16v cylinderhead can handel flow up to 500bhp with just another (hydraulic) intake camshaft (dur:284, lift: 11mm).

You have to change alot of things in a stock B230 to get 300bhp- when you can use a stock B234 (whith lower comp.) up to about 400bhp....

What have you heard about B234?

[Peter Moorcroft]

Hi,

A friend said his friend had the 16Valve and was constantly having problems, thats the only reason why!

But I am open to any ideas!!! And hey if you reckon the 16Valve is the best then I should think about getting the B234 engine!

Let me know any info' you have and what I would need to get some decent BHP out of this engine, and if an M90 gearbox is a must-have need and if it is straight bolt on etc! Any info will help about modifying this engine, obviously starting off on the more simpular modifications first. Or the best modifications to get my car shifting!

Also what needs to be done to add the turbo on to this engine and what turbo is the best to put on!?

Thanks in advanced for any info and helping me out!

[Minos]

a BIG truck turbo the bigger the better! naaa dunno =)

[mrabarth]

Hello!! I´m glad you like to try the B234. Yes, the M90 is bolt on. There are two sorts of M90= M90L (LOW first gear) and M90H (HIGH First gear).
The choise of Turbo is quite easy: Garrett T04E. This turbo is designed to a small diesel engine. On a petrol engine it delivers air to 350-400hp whith good respons. And it doesn´t cost so much eather (meny second hand turbo chargers awalible!!

[koenvbr]

I also decided to use a B234 head, first wanted to use a 531 head, but I read some more and found more info and I guess a maximum adjusted 531 head would cost as much as a 16v head conversion.

I still am lucky that I found a good 16v head over here in belgium. Cause they are very rare over here.

Koen

[Peter Moorcroft]

Hi,

What M90 gearbox do you recomend M90L/H? But been kind of thinking about just getting a B230FT because it is an easy upgrade and not too difficult to do, not a custom engine setup.

As I said before I'd like 300hp or so, not too bothered with 400-500hp, just want and nice competative engine that suits the car.

[Da_Snake]

Hi Peter.

I haven't tried both M90H and M90L so i realy can't say witch one that works best but M90H worked good in my car.

Are you sure that you have B230E in your car?
In sweden the 740:is have B230F from 87/88.
If you have a B230F with LH-jet 2.4 in your car the switch to B230FT is realy easy, just stick the engine in, move the cables to the AMM to the other side of the engine, install the ECU and ingitionbox from the B230FT and depending on what kind of injektors you use install resistors for each injektor (6,8ohms/25w).

[Da_Snake]

I looked at the pictures on your homepage and it looks like you have a B230E with K-jet injektion in your car, i would recomend that you get a complete injektion and engine from a turbocar.

[Peter Moorcroft]

Hi,

Yeah iti s K-Jet B230E, the car is a late 1989 model.

Do you think B230FT would be an easy upgrade, think it will basically need everything electrically wise installed from FT engine car. Think it is a LONG job but I have heard the ET engine isn't as good as FT.

Still trying to find out what exactlly need to be done and and tips to get the car upto 300hp the easiest with FT engine.

Thanks all, Pete!

[Peter Moorcroft]

Forgot to say, how do you know if you have M90 L or H?

[Peter Moorcroft]

Also is M90 gearbox a direct bolt-on to the B230FT engine, and if so is the stock M90 clutch plates good enough to handle 300hp? Only I have read that people use 850R clutch, is that a direct bolt on in M90?

Thanks, Pete!

[Da_Snake]

Hi Peter.

The upgrade to B230FT from B230E is alot more work then if you upgrade from a B230F but not at all impossible.
You need a complete injektion from a car with LH2.4, it doesn't matter if it is B230F or B230FT, injektors, resistors to the injektors, ignitionbox and ecu-box from a B230FT if you use a injektion from a B230F.
All sensors is the same on both engines, tempsensors etc.
You dont need to replace your entire electrikalsystem in your car for that, the "engineside" of the elecrikalsystem is separated from the rest of the car.

If you use an B230ET instead of B230FT you still need to replace the entire injektion, the B230ET uses Motronic injektion witch allso is an electrikalsystem.
The only volvoengine with turbo and K-jet is the B21ET from 240.

There is no realy simple way to get 300 hp from a B230FT if you want it to survive for more than i couple of days, you need bigger injektors, modified AMM, ported 531 head, a good cam, progressive fuelpressureregulator, big aluminum intercooler, 3" exhaust, modified controllprogram in the ECU, a good turbo (T04E or something of that size) and lots of other small things.

Ask the people at turbo performance club's messageboard, there are lots of people there that know all the secrets in the LH2.4 and know how to get alot of hp from an B230FT
http://forum.turboperformanceclub.com/index.php

The b230ET is not as good as the B230FT, the pistonrods are alot weaker and will not hold up for 300 hp.

The M90 gearbox is fitted stock on B230FT from 93/94 in 940 turbo so it fitts bolt on.
There are both aftermarked clutches and clutches from other volvomodells that are stronger avalible to that gearbox.

The number on the gearbox tells you if it is a M90H or L
http://forum.turboperformanceclub.com/v ... hp?t=22338

Excuse my spelling, my english is not that good..