In the USA, we often called these Volvos bricks. Non enthusiasts called them that because of their looks, enthusiasts called them that because they are so tough.
I think that term got imported to the US from Sweden since that was common here aswell. The drivers in the DTM was according too interwievs scared when they saw that "brick" in their mirrors🥳🇸🇪
I still drive the 1985 245 my parents bought new and i took my driving test in. 235000 miles and the head has never been taken off. Compression test is still 190 psi + on all cylinders. One of the most reliable engines ever made!
Pretty funny how the Saab engines are almost completely ignored outside of scandinavia. The t5's and t7's are some of the easiest to tune, and can reliably run 350+ with only a turbo, injectors and a dp
Thanks very much for the video. Another reason that the 4 and 6 cylinder inline engines were so good in the automotive versions was that the same engines were also designed and made to be used by Volvo Penta in marine applications where the high loads are constant for long periods of time ( no corners or braking! ). Best regards, Niall Leslie.
Great video! One of the most powerful noncharged redblocks I've heard of, was a Volvo 122/Amazon with the 2,3 L OHC engine, stroked and bored to 3 L and used twin Weber 52 carbs. The engine wasn't tested for power, but calcylated by weight and performance at the strip, it was thought having about 300 hp.
Great job. I love hearing about these engines and I especially love hearing about these engines from somebody who’s done research and knows something. I only had a standard N/A B230 mated to an M47. But it looked brand new inside at 200k miles when I did the seals preventively. Sold her at 250k, still going strong. I’m kicking myself for that. I was finished with mild suspension & brake work. Just began absorbing the work of Paul Grimshaw so I could wring as much N/A horses out of it before considering a head swap & a turbo. She was a blast to be with to cross cross the country. I’ll miss her always; my Annika.
Good bang for buck is also to add a turbocharger to an normally aspirated engine. They handle that fine, daily driven one for from 250k to 350k and the engine never skipped a beat. Very wide powerband for the simple setup and a lot of fun to drive.
@@Rasse796 min erfarenhet är att titta på bilar och själv ägd saabar. Här är alla sommar rosthögar. Volvo av samma ålder kan ha rost men är ofta inte något som förstör.
absoloutely adore my brick, i have a 940 with a b230 and it is totally worth all the legal and financial problems it's got me into, i just love how simple, effective and well designed the engine is, can't wait to slap my big chinese turbo on it and get her boosting to decent levels
Maxpeeding makes some decent turbos I can’t even lie 😂 but that’s awesome ! Gonna need a better transmission tho if you got the m46/m47. Lord knows they don’t handle torque well
I have an m46 for free off a friend and another one lined up for once i blow it up, it's an auto at the moment, should be manual swapped in the next 2 weeks or so, I'm saving up for a zf gearbox out of an e36 that a guy in sweden adapts to fit onto redblock motors cause the end goal is going for 400whp+, but the substantial modification to the bellhousing mean it's not a cheap purchase, so I'm just gunna keep blowing up m46s with an uprated clutch set up for a while, my turbo is a holset hx35 clone if anyones interested, the hx35 is the bread and butter for turbo brick fans for budget big power, abit laggy :/
All the rods are forged. It's the pistons and crank that may or may not be going by the engine type. The strong stock rods in a B21FT are also heavy. They won't fit in a B230 type engine either. __________________ Dave, 1982 242 turbo. 338k miles. MVP coilovers and 3" exhaust. Flowed 405 with a V15. Cossie turbine housing with upgraded compressor housing. 90+, IPD remote oil filter. Some other goodness, too. Been lots of fun over 25 years. Restored in 2k. Now ready for a 2nd restoration.
IIRC the reason for the Redblock's Slant design was due to Volvo having stillborn plans to develop a Redblock-based V8, however a combination of costs and some other little known factor led them to decide it was cheaper instead to get involved in the creation of the PRV Project in 1971 (where the costs were spread out more compared to an in-house project). There was an attempt by Volvo to develop Redblock-based diesels during the 1970s that never made it to production with the company instead using Renault and VW sourced diesels. There may have also been an attempt to develop a Redblock-based 6-cylinder engine, before Volvo decided to begin Project Galaxy / X-100 engines that became the Volvo Modular engine.
Indeed. Yet what am not sure about is beyond sharing the same bore and stroke in 2-litre forms via the B20 and B19 / B200, what else did the Redblock carry over from the B20?
@@wickiezulu They had the same bore center, and the last years of the B20 started to switch over for the upcoming engine (like Volvo does with everything), like metric hardware, 8 bolt flywheel etc. Volvo actually had a prototype V8 ready for production, but it was cancelled, so the first was the B36 (two B18 in a V) and the last is the one fitted in newer cars.
I had 337whp on my stock 98 b230fk. Only mods on the engine was gasket, arp studs 531 head with A-Cam, 680cc injectors, walboro 265 pump, 3" alu cooler, 3" jt exhaust, comp turbo, and autrinic sm4 standalone ECU. Drove with that for 6 years, before I sold the car. Stock internals are capable for way more than 250hp with a good tune.
the best version IMO is the US model 1983 240T, a 505 (claimed but forever disputed) build car to make it eligible to be homologated in Group A racing as a 'sporting evolution'. It featured the 2 valve head with J-Tronic electronic fuel injection, water injection and a bigger Garret TB03 turbocharger, the block had webbing for extra strength, the biggest conrods in any red block and a forged crankshaft. These engines in racing trim put out a very reliable 360HP even with Group A's restricted valve lift regulations. I dont recall one engine ever failing in racing, rarely sometimes the turbo let go, but it was usually a suspension or drivetrain failure that sidelined the cars. These cars were very competetive and it wasnt until the homologation of the Ford Sierra Cosworth RS500 that they became obsolete
The 405 head was available with small cooling passages as well, but they're EXTREMELY rare. 👍🏻 Also, the 531 head have a little different angle and placement of the spark plug to make it more centred in the combustion chamber for better combustion.
I love my 89 740 wagon! Thing is a beast! Im a little sad its been stuck parked since October of 23. Hopefully I can get my car moving again after putting a new fuel pressure regulator in.
My 16v pulled like a train. Great engine. Just need to make sure the coolant is good enough to stop corrosion. Having seen what happens to an engine when a belt snaps, it pains me to see unprotected cam belts. One stone flicked into a pulley and it's game over.
The B234 is the 16v version of the Redblock and it is amazing, especially in the slightly lighter 740 GLE. I believe that Porsche/Cosworth may have done a better job than expected as the 155hp claim for these engines always seemed off to me…but I suppose it’s not great for business if your NA model is more powerful than the turbo 🤣
Nope, they just are actually honest 155 crankies. They usually measure around 138 to the hubs, for comparison my own modified 8v NA is measured to 146 on crank, and put 130 honest to the hubs. (740 GL, M47 and 1031 rear end with 3.73) The 16v engine has a very broad power band (alot under the curve) for those 155 crankies, thats why it seems "bigger", same with my own modified 8v. The torque "curve" is basically flat from 2000 to 5000 rpm, and passengers guesses were always around 170 to 180 hp, the confusion when i handed over the actual hub-dyno trace of 130 hp, was fun tho 😂
B234F: 157hp without cat. There are also the B204FT (cat, 195hp) and B204GT (no cat, 200hp) Those engines are rare. They were only sold in some specific markets like Israël, Italy. You can find them in 740 T16v, 940 T16v and 780 T16v. (only 169 ever made with that engine)
5:36 there was actually one variant that had a forged crank, the B204FT/GT which was only sold in italy and is super rare :O Edit: the G variants were the same as F but made to run on leaded gas. And there's a guy, dieselpacko, who used a modified K head on a non-K to diesel convert a 240...F, K and turbo engines have different height pistons, F has the highest ones, K the lowest and turbo in the middle and a K head with F pistons provided high enough compression for combusting diesel ;D
B204ft the best Volvo redblock ever. One friend of mine has one on stock in his garage. They made from 190-205hp stock. And made 250 easy with just a boost and exhaust uppgrade
I had a 1986 Volvo 740 Turbo wagon with a M46 transmission. Had the B230FT with a Garrett T3 turbo, intercooler. Sold it last year. That car drove me up wall. But lord knows I miss it.
Actually the early edition of the b230 had narrower crank journals than the b23 to reduce friction, different axial bearing design but volvo later decided to go back to the 63mm crank journal width that the b23 had together with thicker conrods and a better axial bearing design. This is very important for tuning whereas the early edition conrods will not handle much power at all and have been known to bend quite easily, different from the later revision conrods that can handle up to between 3 and 400 hp on a standard type rotating assembly.
I got 2 volvo b23 k-jet engines. One a put a cam and done a exhaust. both of them just goes like dreams. I also got a b23a (carb) with a extraktor and cam. its just funny how they takes a real beating like nothing on the ice or track.
If you want to see a really cool conversion, there's a guy called dieselpacko who converted his redblock engine to diesel. Swedish only.
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My 84 240 has 463k miles on the original unopened motor and trans. Getting ready to rip it out, reseal it and add boost. Compression still at 210psi after all these years. Healthy healthy
Nice video about the redblocks! U missed one thing and that is the B234f (16v) engines has it's own block. U mentioned the balance shafts but it is the only block that they fit on. And the b234 has a belt driven oilpump. with that said the 16v head fits straight on a regular b230 with some modifications to the belt drive. If you really want to tune a redblock go for the b230fk block from 1995-1998. they have oilsquirters under the pistons.
My b 23 lasted (as I recall) 335,000 miles, and my wife's b 230 was still running at 225,000 miles when we traded it in. Excellent cars, both, but I preferred my b 23.
A problem not mentioned (because its the gearbox, not engine) is the m47 transmission. They can hold about 300-350whp before it starts to slipp. It started to happend on the Dirfts n Lifts Volvo you used in this video. So if you want high hp numbers you also have to change out the trans with a modded bmw zf trans
M90 does is quite good also. But 3rd gear sync can be broken if you does hard gearshifts. Also OD on m46 or m47 and "stupid" OD on all gears can be quite fun also.
@@eyesodd you'd have an easier time making power from ANY T5 engine, and especially the 3.0T. the only redblock worth modding is the 91+ oil squirter blocks and even then the 8V head is quite restrictive compared to the 16v
Volvo . Not really considered a " Performance " Marque . But DAMN they build some GOOD engines . And their Trucks are considered the Most Reliable too . The INCLUDES comparison to the American Engine makers too .
Word. I had 337whp on my stock 98 b230fk. Just 531 head, gasket and arp studs and flyweel from fx engine. Std rods, pistons and all. Drove it like that for 6 years before i sold it. That was 8 years ago, and engine is stil healty
I had a bone stock 1986 b230 bottom with the 9mm conrods coupled with a 531 head and b230 pistons and a ”swan neck” intake so as a n/a it would put out 140-150 hp then i forced it with 1,6 bars of boost and drove it like that for a couple of seasons and broke nothing. So in my opinion the fear of the weak early b230 is overexaggerated. But if money hadn’t been an issue during those days i would have used more safe parts.
As a volvo freak i can tell everyone that the 9mm rod engines are ok for NA tuning. Im running a Stock B200k block (stock 10.0/1 compression pistons) with -2mm skimmed head so about 11.5 or 12:1 comp), ported, H Camshaft, Weber DGAS 38/38, agressive timing , stock ported intake, some stiffer valve springs and its a blast to drive. 7500Rpm winter skids no problem. And gets 7.5L/100 no problem on the highway. But Not in the city 🙈😜
I have had three 740's; '91 B230F (electronic injection), 1988 B230E (mechanical injection) & 1985 B230A (pierburg 160CD carburettor) 😄 I found the A best even in cold ass Finnish winters. The F was the worst kind of F, Bendix Regina. always electrical issues. E was fine but had bad idle and throttle stuck open sometimes. Funny enough a connecting rod came through the block in my 85 B230A 😂 I did drive it hard, slides etc. but I took good care of it. Bet someone didn't. No idea how many miles were on it because of typical 740 broken speedo.
Thank you 🙏 Great video again. Although they are already a familiar topic to me but still i learn few new things ☺️i am just redblock fan boy and just start tuning my own b230ft whit 531 head 😁
História muito parecida com o motor VW AP Brasileiro, além de ter um design de construção muito parecido e robustez única, é muito popular aqui no Brasil e suas peças são baratas, é o queridinho dos preparadores e e capaz de atingir 1000 cv em carros de arrancada. Forte abraço!
Power figures are a bit optimistic tho. Honest power at 1 bar boost is about 200 for most any B230 8v with any combintation of stock (8v) parts and no modifications other than higher boost. A 16v head (stock) on a B230 turbo bottom end will give about 300 on 1 bar. The 531 head is overrated, too big ports compared to actual flow, as it's the seat and valve config that is the limiting factor for any of the 8v heads. Otherwise the info is fairly decent.
My 1991 740 wagon seriously needs some of that turbo power. Good information if I want to build mine into a Hot Rod In the meantime what is best modification to squeeze a bit more horses out of it?? Has around 200,000 miles and still going strong. ( speedometer broke years ago at 165k) JT: Orlando Florida
Developed by Bosch and used by a lot of different mfg, they tend to work for years with minimum maintenance, but can be a handful once they need more elaborated service.
I've been messing with rwd volvos my whole life along with other makes. Not many 4 cylinders sound better than a boosted 8v redblock. Only the saab B234 can rival that sound.
In the USA, we often called these Volvos bricks. Non enthusiasts called them that because of their looks, enthusiasts called them that because they are so tough.
I think that term got imported to the US from Sweden since that was common here aswell. The drivers in the DTM was according too interwievs scared when they saw that "brick" in their mirrors🥳🇸🇪
Yep
I still drive the 1985 245 my parents bought new and i took my driving test in. 235000 miles and the head has never been taken off. Compression test is still 190 psi + on all cylinders. One of the most reliable engines ever made!
Pretty funny how the Saab engines are almost completely ignored outside of scandinavia. The t5's and t7's are some of the easiest to tune, and can reliably run 350+ with only a turbo, injectors and a dp
can agree on that, running a T5 @ around 420hp in my R900
But saab is fwd and that’s not very epic
@@392_isak9 We're only talking engines. The title of the video is also only referring to the volvo engine
@@TheCHRISintheMIX Ah I see
@@392_isak9 litteraly just place one in a RWD car and your problem is solved..
Thanks very much for the video.
Another reason that the 4 and 6 cylinder inline engines were so good in the automotive versions was that the same engines were also designed and made to be used by Volvo Penta in marine applications where the high loads are constant for long periods of time ( no corners or braking! ).
Best regards,
Niall Leslie.
Cool video…it’s nice to Volvo get some attention, I’ve always loved the 240 series…even to this day.
They’re literal art
But 700 series >>>
Great video!
One of the most powerful noncharged redblocks I've heard of, was a Volvo 122/Amazon with the 2,3 L OHC engine, stroked and bored to 3 L and used twin Weber 52 carbs. The engine wasn't tested for power, but calcylated by weight and performance at the strip, it was thought having about 300 hp.
We have 2.7l 16v with more power🤑
Great job. I love hearing about these engines and I especially love hearing about these engines from somebody who’s done research and knows something.
I only had a standard N/A B230 mated to an M47. But it looked brand new inside at 200k miles when I did the seals preventively. Sold her at 250k, still going strong. I’m kicking myself for that.
I was finished with mild suspension & brake work. Just began absorbing the work of Paul Grimshaw so I could wring as much N/A horses out of it before considering a head swap & a turbo. She was a blast to be with to cross cross the country. I’ll miss her always; my Annika.
Get another one bro
Good bang for buck is also to add a turbocharger to an normally aspirated engine. They handle that fine, daily driven one for from 250k to 350k and the engine never skipped a beat. Very wide powerband for the simple setup and a lot of fun to drive.
What do you need to do this? I have a N/A b230F
I'm more of a Saab guy but the old Volvos are hella cool
Well old Saabs are great too i own long time back i thing it was old Saab 900 Turbo and it was fast and driving feels like tank:)
Jo förutom att saabar är mer rost än plåt idags läget
@@Rasse796 finns bra mycket mer fräsha 940 och 740 än 9k och 9-5or
@@Rasse796 min erfarenhet är att titta på bilar och själv ägd saabar. Här är alla sommar rosthögar. Volvo av samma ålder kan ha rost men är ofta inte något som förstör.
Både 7/940 och saabar har piss rostskydd från fabrik
absoloutely adore my brick, i have a 940 with a b230 and it is totally worth all the legal and financial problems it's got me into, i just love how simple, effective and well designed the engine is, can't wait to slap my big chinese turbo on it and get her boosting to decent levels
Chines turbo,Lmao:):)
Maxpeeding makes some decent turbos I can’t even lie 😂 but that’s awesome ! Gonna need a better transmission tho if you got the m46/m47. Lord knows they don’t handle torque well
@@TooFlyNico m46/m47 can handle a simple +t. Clutch wont but the box is fine with 200hp. Luckely an upgrade pressure plate and clutch is 140euro.
@@TTURBOVOLVO or you just get a m90 and dont have to worry about it till you get to 350-400
I have an m46 for free off a friend and another one lined up for once i blow it up, it's an auto at the moment, should be manual swapped in the next 2 weeks or so, I'm saving up for a zf gearbox out of an e36 that a guy in sweden adapts to fit onto redblock motors cause the end goal is going for 400whp+, but the substantial modification to the bellhousing mean it's not a cheap purchase, so I'm just gunna keep blowing up m46s with an uprated clutch set up for a while, my turbo is a holset hx35 clone if anyones interested, the hx35 is the bread and butter for turbo brick fans for budget big power, abit laggy :/
Extensive research on this. Love it!
Thank you. These are kind of unknown to me, so yeah - it was quite a time to soak everything up and make a proper video about it.
ive waited for his episode for the whole time that ive been your subscriber for over 4 years!
All the rods are forged. It's the pistons and crank that may or may not be going by the engine type. The strong stock rods in a B21FT are also heavy. They won't fit in a B230 type engine either.
__________________
Dave,
1982 242 turbo. 338k miles. MVP coilovers and 3" exhaust. Flowed 405 with a V15. Cossie turbine housing with upgraded compressor housing. 90+, IPD remote oil filter. Some other goodness, too. Been lots of fun over 25 years. Restored in 2k. Now ready for a 2nd restoration.
Great video ! Absolutely love these engines
IIRC the reason for the Redblock's Slant design was due to Volvo having stillborn plans to develop a Redblock-based V8, however a combination of costs and some other little known factor led them to decide it was cheaper instead to get involved in the creation of the PRV Project in 1971 (where the costs were spread out more compared to an in-house project). There was an attempt by Volvo to develop Redblock-based diesels during the 1970s that never made it to production with the company instead using Renault and VW sourced diesels.
There may have also been an attempt to develop a Redblock-based 6-cylinder engine, before Volvo decided to begin Project Galaxy / X-100 engines that became the Volvo Modular engine.
Yea volvo actually had a inline 6 based on the B20 called B30 from 69-75
Indeed. Yet what am not sure about is beyond sharing the same bore and stroke in 2-litre forms via the B20 and B19 / B200, what else did the Redblock carry over from the B20?
@@wickiezulu They had the same bore center, and the last years of the B20 started to switch over for the upcoming engine (like Volvo does with everything), like metric hardware, 8 bolt flywheel etc.
Volvo actually had a prototype V8 ready for production, but it was cancelled, so the first was the B36 (two B18 in a V) and the last is the one fitted in newer cars.
@@wickiezulu The crankshaft :-) early b21 has b20 crankshaft with cam gear splines covered by a socket where the oil seal is
I had 337whp on my stock 98 b230fk. Only mods on the engine was gasket, arp studs 531 head with A-Cam, 680cc injectors, walboro 265 pump, 3" alu cooler, 3" jt exhaust, comp turbo, and autrinic sm4 standalone ECU. Drove with that for 6 years, before I sold the car. Stock internals are capable for way more than 250hp with a good tune.
I miss my ‘86 Volvo 240. Best car I’ve ever owned.
Rebuy one
@@sulaimaanhr6982 I’ve been thinking about it for a long time but with the used car market going berserk right now, I have to wait. 😁👍🏼
@@elgonza69 well prices on the 240 is just rising. it aint becoming cheaper to get
FINALLY Redblocks get the attention they deserve!
the best version IMO is the US model 1983 240T, a 505 (claimed but forever disputed) build car to make it eligible to be homologated in Group A racing as a 'sporting evolution'. It featured the 2 valve head with J-Tronic electronic fuel injection, water injection and a bigger Garret TB03 turbocharger, the block had webbing for extra strength, the biggest conrods in any red block and a forged crankshaft. These engines in racing trim put out a very reliable 360HP even with Group A's restricted valve lift regulations. I dont recall one engine ever failing in racing, rarely sometimes the turbo let go, but it was usually a suspension or drivetrain failure that sidelined the cars. These cars were very competetive and it wasnt until the homologation of the Ford Sierra Cosworth RS500 that they became obsolete
Thanks for mentioning my engine in this, redblocks are truly exceptional
Really well researched and great presentation! keep up the great work mate! 👍
The 405 head was available with small cooling passages as well, but they're EXTREMELY rare. 👍🏻
Also, the 531 head have a little different angle and placement of the spark plug to make it more centred in the combustion chamber for better combustion.
The 531 runs colder too. The heat is a problem with the 530 and the small turbo's often used stock
i've got a suzuki sj413 with a b21, barely starts sometimes but with all those 75 dead horses i understand it
Wow, I am really impressed by your knowledge on these engines.
I love my 89 740 wagon! Thing is a beast! Im a little sad its been stuck parked since October of 23. Hopefully I can get my car moving again after putting a new fuel pressure regulator in.
My 16v pulled like a train. Great engine. Just need to make sure the coolant is good enough to stop corrosion. Having seen what happens to an engine when a belt snaps, it pains me to see unprotected cam belts. One stone flicked into a pulley and it's game over.
The B230FT got 13mm rods in 1990. They are typically happy up to 350whp/25psi on E85
Love the trackor and Drifts and Lifts, these cars are tough, motors are too. Cool video!
On 1991 I had a friend who had a 740 2L16sTURBO 200hp in rigid rear axle and 4gears with overdrive!!🥳
Love these longer videos man. Love from New Jersey USA
The B234 is the 16v version of the Redblock and it is amazing, especially in the slightly lighter 740 GLE.
I believe that Porsche/Cosworth may have done a better job than expected as the 155hp claim for these engines always seemed off to me…but I suppose it’s not great for business if your NA model is more powerful than the turbo 🤣
Nope, they just are actually honest 155 crankies. They usually measure around 138 to the hubs, for comparison my own modified 8v NA is measured to 146 on crank, and put 130 honest to the hubs. (740 GL, M47 and 1031 rear end with 3.73) The 16v engine has a very broad power band (alot under the curve) for those 155 crankies, thats why it seems "bigger", same with my own modified 8v. The torque "curve" is basically flat from 2000 to 5000 rpm, and passengers guesses were always around 170 to 180 hp, the confusion when i handed over the actual hub-dyno trace of 130 hp, was fun tho 😂
Fun fact us ford guys use the f head on ford pinto block 2.3L engines since the red block is based on the ford engine.
B234F: 157hp without cat.
There are also the B204FT (cat, 195hp) and B204GT (no cat, 200hp)
Those engines are rare.
They were only sold in some specific markets like Israël, Italy. You can find them in 740 T16v, 940 T16v and 780 T16v. (only 169 ever made with that engine)
5:36 there was actually one variant that had a forged crank, the B204FT/GT which was only sold in italy and is super rare :O
Edit: the G variants were the same as F but made to run on leaded gas.
And there's a guy, dieselpacko, who used a modified K head on a non-K to diesel convert a 240...F, K and turbo engines have different height pistons, F has the highest ones, K the lowest and turbo in the middle and a K head with F pistons provided high enough compression for combusting diesel ;D
My b204ft is from italy. And i have lucky buying second engine for around 230$😁
köpte hans gamla 340, han kan sina grejer när det gäller volvo motorer kan man säga.
@@Rostvin nae jag bara är sån när jag börjar snacka volvo, bara börjar svamlar en massa 😂
B204ft the best Volvo redblock ever. One friend of mine has one on stock in his garage.
They made from 190-205hp stock. And made 250 easy with just a boost and exhaust uppgrade
@@Wasio212 best Volvo redblock ever
I had a 1986 Volvo 740 Turbo wagon with a M46 transmission. Had the B230FT with a Garrett T3 turbo, intercooler. Sold it last year. That car drove me up wall. But lord knows I miss it.
Actually the early edition of the b230 had narrower crank journals than the b23 to reduce friction, different axial bearing design but volvo later decided to go back to the 63mm crank journal width that the b23 had together with thicker conrods and a better axial bearing design. This is very important for tuning whereas the early edition conrods will not handle much power at all and have been known to bend quite easily, different from the later revision conrods that can handle up to between 3 and 400 hp on a standard type rotating assembly.
Wow! Great show about the good old Volvo potential! Thanks!
I got 2 volvo b23 k-jet engines. One a put a cam and done a exhaust. both of them just goes like dreams. I also got a b23a (carb) with a extraktor and cam. its just funny how they takes a real beating like nothing on the ice or track.
Nice video, I always like Volvo's. But how about EJ Series? They deserve a video too.
You've convinced me to keep my 940 for another 2 year.
3:03... Holy smoke, that's some serious turbo lag!
I think that's actually why they ended up using a Mitsu turbo if I'm not mistaken. The Garret was beefy but tons of lag so they switched
best cars ever, undiscovered treasure, so easy to work on
If you want to see a really cool conversion, there's a guy called dieselpacko who converted his redblock engine to diesel. Swedish only.
My 84 240 has 463k miles on the original unopened motor and trans. Getting ready to rip it out, reseal it and add boost. Compression still at 210psi after all these years. Healthy healthy
I am loving these engine specific videos!
Swedish LS engine:):)
16v heads flow more than stock Ls head
@@TurboWorld Can be...
please don't say that,
any swedish brick is better than any usaer car
@@joe125ful they do, tested on a flow bench, fact.
@@TurboWorld Ok.
Nice video about the redblocks! U missed one thing and that is the B234f (16v) engines has it's own block. U mentioned the balance shafts but it is the only block that they fit on. And the b234 has a belt driven oilpump. with that said the 16v head fits straight on a regular b230 with some modifications to the belt drive. If you really want to tune a redblock go for the b230fk block from 1995-1998. they have oilsquirters under the pistons.
Ad a 16v glt head wit cams, and a penta crank, and you have a powerplant
1:51. Volvo Terror. Rip.
YESSSS 240 owner here, man I love these engines.
got a volvo penta in my boat. seems great, hear good views on it.
Even though im a whiteblock guy redblock is legendary engine
Swedish turbo monsters 🇸🇪💪
My b 23 lasted (as I recall) 335,000 miles, and my wife's b 230 was still running at 225,000 miles when we traded it in. Excellent cars, both, but I preferred my b 23.
A problem not mentioned (because its the gearbox, not engine) is the m47 transmission. They can hold about 300-350whp before it starts to slipp. It started to happend on the Dirfts n Lifts Volvo you used in this video. So if you want high hp numbers you also have to change out the trans with a modded bmw zf trans
M90 does is quite good also. But 3rd gear sync can be broken if you does hard gearshifts.
Also OD on m46 or m47 and "stupid" OD on all gears can be quite fun also.
Which cars mounted the 3rd generation (B230) ? And which is the engine name of the turbo versions?
I mean i would say Saab B2x4 or Volvo T5s are the best swedish engines for tuning
Yes and no, they can be tuned for big power but it'll probably cost 4x as much as a hi po redblock.
@@eyesodd you'd have an easier time making power from ANY T5 engine, and especially the 3.0T. the only redblock worth modding is the 91+ oil squirter blocks and even then the 8V head is quite restrictive compared to the 16v
Volvo . Not really considered a " Performance " Marque . But DAMN they build some GOOD engines .
And their Trucks are considered the Most Reliable too . The INCLUDES comparison to the American Engine makers too .
Very informative.
Great vid! Would you make a similiar vid of Volvo's 5-bangers ?
love the video, i have a volvo 360 with b200 engine. i’m gonna do a NA build with camshaft twin weber carbs and free flowing headers.
Can you please do some videos on some Aussie made engines. (Ford Barra, Ford Cleveland V8, Holden 253, 308 V8, Vallient 245 etc)
Still daily my 1991 240 with b230ft engine running 1 bar. 200k miles
Here in sweden we know the limits of the fk b230 we just change rods to h-beam and port the cylinder head and for those upgrades we reach 700hp
Word. I had 337whp on my stock 98 b230fk. Just 531 head, gasket and arp studs and flyweel from fx engine. Std rods, pistons and all. Drove it like that for 6 years before i sold it. That was 8 years ago, and engine is stil healty
I had a bone stock 1986 b230 bottom with the 9mm conrods coupled with a 531 head and b230 pistons and a ”swan neck” intake so as a n/a it would put out 140-150 hp then i forced it with 1,6 bars of boost and drove it like that for a couple of seasons and broke nothing.
So in my opinion the fear of the weak early b230 is overexaggerated. But if money hadn’t been an issue during those days i would have used more safe parts.
I had a 400hp b230(from 1995) with stock internals.
Just a small correction. There are 405 heads with the smaller cooling passages. I have one.
I have a 531 head sitting in my room just waiting for a Penta crank too apear one day
As a volvo freak i can tell everyone that the 9mm rod engines are ok for NA tuning. Im running a Stock B200k block (stock 10.0/1 compression pistons) with -2mm skimmed head so about 11.5 or 12:1 comp), ported, H Camshaft, Weber DGAS 38/38, agressive timing , stock ported intake, some stiffer valve springs and its a blast to drive. 7500Rpm winter skids no problem. And gets 7.5L/100 no problem on the highway. But Not in the city 🙈😜
I have had three 740's; '91 B230F (electronic injection), 1988 B230E (mechanical injection) & 1985 B230A (pierburg 160CD carburettor) 😄 I found the A best even in cold ass Finnish winters. The F was the worst kind of F, Bendix Regina. always electrical issues. E was fine but had bad idle and throttle stuck open sometimes. Funny enough a connecting rod came through the block in my 85 B230A 😂 I did drive it hard, slides etc. but I took good care of it. Bet someone didn't. No idea how many miles were on it because of typical 740 broken speedo.
2:45 you have to install a hotter cam also.
Hopefully one day I’ll find a clean Volvo C30 or s40-60 manual!
Excellent job
Finally! Once you Drive Volvo you never Go Back!
I recently replaced the turbo on my original 940. It's done 430000 k's and I'm hoping I can make it do the same distance again.
0.10 thats me and my friend having fun :D
It would need to be estimated engine HP to be 300hp with not much work. Still love my redblocks.
95-98 engines normaly uses 13mm connecting rods, the -94 uses the 9mm ones.
A humble request..Please make a video about Mercedes M111 engines
What do you think of the volvo pants 3 liter 4 cylinder motor?
How do you know what engine type you’re looking at? I’m thinking of buying my neighbours and just want to check what’s under the hood..
B230FK & B204FT
B230fk with the 531 head, or the head from you'r B204ft 👍🏼
saab b204
Or b234, both have really good potential
@@rikardandersson7288 Or B235
Ja om man bygger om den med delar från en B204/B234@@isakjohansson7134 😉
1:35 the Sacred Trinity
K-Jet for life! 🇸🇪
how much power for b230fk connecting rod ? NM and horses ? merci
Saab engien steps in to the room that can run 700hp on stock internels ;)
Thank you 🙏 Great video again. Although they are already a familiar topic to me but still i learn few new things ☺️i am just redblock fan boy and just start tuning my own b230ft whit 531 head 😁
História muito parecida com o motor VW AP Brasileiro, além de ter um design de construção muito parecido e robustez única, é muito popular aqui no Brasil e suas peças são baratas, é o queridinho dos preparadores e e capaz de atingir 1000 cv em carros de arrancada. Forte abraço!
Power figures are a bit optimistic tho. Honest power at 1 bar boost is about 200 for most any B230 8v with any combintation of stock (8v) parts and no modifications other than higher boost. A 16v head (stock) on a B230 turbo bottom end will give about 300 on 1 bar. The 531 head is overrated, too big ports compared to actual flow, as it's the seat and valve config that is the limiting factor for any of the 8v heads. Otherwise the info is fairly decent.
My 1991 740 wagon seriously needs some of that turbo power. Good information if I want to build mine into a Hot Rod
In the meantime what is best modification to squeeze a bit more horses out of it??
Has around 200,000 miles and still going strong. ( speedometer broke years ago at 165k)
JT: Orlando Florida
YES!!! Thank you!
Good to hear good thing about this engines. I have a 1982 244 gl. I think it’s A k jet tronic. Any info on that fuel system ?
Developed by Bosch and used by a lot of different mfg, they tend to work for years with minimum maintenance, but can be a handful once they need more elaborated service.
Yes the redblock!!!
Good video. Please do a video on the audi/vw 1.8t
Since I own one right now, I am very open to this topic and soon I will get into that.
The turbo is bigger on the b21ft especially internally .
People who love their Volvos suuuure love their Volvos lol
hey sir , can you do a video about volvo t6 engine
I've been messing with rwd volvos my whole life along with other makes. Not many 4 cylinders sound better than a boosted 8v redblock. Only the saab B234 can rival that sound.
I agree
Originally designed for Ford but they chose ohc cortina engine instead ( the one which ate camshafts)
Как можно заказать именно такой четырех целендровый,дву кубовый двигатель,на легковой автомобиль Вольво 740,1991года выпуска,контрактный двигатель?
Plz do volvo B6284/B6294 :P