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1988 740 16v?

Sjeng

Member
Joined
Sep 3, 2017
1988 740 16v

I would like to share the progress of my cars with some people, so I'm making a project thread!

First lets share some of my Volvo history.
I had several whiteblock volvo's, but I have always wanted a RWD Volvo.
Gave the C70 to my GF, and bought myself a 1997 940 (B230fk + M90):

IMG-20190513-182623.jpg


Performed some mods to car had a HY35, coil overs, 3 inch exhaust etc.
Already quite fun to drive! This was my daily driver for a while.

Then I crashed the thing because I did not pay enough attention. :oops: (Lucky I survived)
I removed all the good parts (m90, engine, etc) for a new project!

I saw a cheap 1990 940 GLE 16V and bought that:

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My original plans with this car were to build a turbo 16V.
Then a couple of months ago I bought a very clean and cheap 1988 740.
I decided that this would become the project car:

Inked-IMG-20200301-102139-LI.jpg

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Boring b230k:

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My plan for the car:

B234 head on B230FK bottom
Turbocharger
Standalone EMS
M90 Gearbox
Coil over suspension
LSD
Additional strengthening of rear suspension :roll:

So what has been done so far:

Car is fitted with the coil overs I built for my old 940:
350/225lb/in springs with GAZ shock absorbers.

IMG-20181228-101132.jpg

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Also I started with the engine.
Base is a b230FK junkyard engine.
I brought it to the machine shop, had it measured (was ok), honed and decked.
I bought a rebuild kit and rods which were probably hand-forged by some chinese kid.
Let's continue:

First lets go crazy with the wire wheel and get the rust off:
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Paint
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OK! Let's start assembly:
I measured bearing play for the conrods and crankshaft, everything in spec.
Filed the piston rings. 0.60mm gap for the top ring, little larger for the second. (I believe 0.68)
I cut the valve recess into the stock b230fk pistons, with Josh' jig (Thanks Josh).
Crank, pistons and rods fitted:

IMG-20191017-200620.jpg

IMG-20191017-200304.jpg


Next I removed the B234 from the estate and removed the head.

IMG-20191231-133611.jpg

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Started cleaning the head and all the valves.
After this I lapped all the valves:

IMG-20200102-175510.jpg

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Brought the head to the machine shop to have it skimmed.
Let's install the valves and springs (ford 4.6).
IMG-20200203-205017.jpg


Let's continue with assembly:
IMG-20200203-204825.jpg

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Installed cams, gears and tried the timing belt setup:
Opel 1.6 diesel timing belt with VW golf 2 tensioner.

IMG-20200224-135205.jpg


I bought a KL-Racing crankshaft sprocket with seperate key for the keyway.
This meant my crankshaft damper had to be "modified". I had the perfect file for this, so I made a jig to file the keyway. (some of you are gonna hate me for this :lol:).
Key fits perfectly.

IMG-20200215-170606.jpg


Painted the valve cover and fitted the oil pan: (This is the current status of the engine)
IMG-20200301-102626.jpg


Next on my list is cleaning intake manifold and gearbox, so the engine can go in the car soon.

Fitted new seals to the M90 and cleaned:
IMG-20200229-164621.jpg


For the exhaust manifold my first idea was to use the 16V manifold and mount the turbo on a up-pipe.
I figured out the turbo position on the 940 and made an up-pipe:

IMG-20191102-170939.jpg


However, when I removed the 16V exhaust manifold from the head I saw how much worse this was than the 8V NA manifold. The radii are very short for cyl 2 and 3.
I decided I will build a whole manifold:

IMG-20200201-145337.jpg

IMG-20200229-124647.jpg


12mm thick hand filed/drilled. With beer and good music it was not too bad.
Ports line up nicely with the head.
IMG-20200125-150603.jpg


The rest of the manifold I will build when the engine is in the car.

Next on the list:

- Install clutch/flywheel/intake(need to clean this)/gearbox/
- Remove engine from 740
- Make room/brackets for IC/rad in 740
- Clean engine bay
- Install waterpump/generator/PS to engine
- Install new engine
- Fabricate exhaust manifold
- Fabricate IC piping
- Fabricate DP/Exhaust
- Install fuel pump and EMS

To be continued!
 
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Another Flying Dutchman? Sorry, an old USA reference relating to a legendary gold mine.....

What intake will you run? What clutch for the M90? Following as well, always love to see the 7/9 sedans get some love!
 
Thanks guys.

Here's a small update, a lot of time went into cleaning and painting rusted parts!
The engine is close to done, I have cleaned and painted the accesories and mounted everything to the engine. Because the 16V crank sprocket is wider, I had to space out the water pump pulley, alternator and power steering pump. Now it needs an intake, clutch and gearbox.

As you can see the alternator is on the right side, just like on the b230k. If it obstructs the build of my exhaust manifold I might move it to the left side of the engine.




We also removed the b230k from the greasy 740 engine bay.




Gave the engine bay a good clean:
I also found some rust spots which I will need to address, nothing too serious.



Today I cut out the original rusted radiator support, and started building a support bar for the intercooler. The IC used is a 600x300x76mm Chinese one, works very well. Inlet temps were very close to ambient when using my HY35 and 1.3 bar. However it requires some modding to the front end to make it fit. A 550mm version would probably fit the 740/940 without modifications.





Next up: make support for radiator (large 940 type), clean rust spots from engine bay, and paint where necessary.


Another Flying Dutchman? Sorry, an old USA reference relating to a legendary gold mine.....

What intake will you run? What clutch for the M90? Following as well, always love to see the 7/9 sedans get some love!

Indeed another Dutchman! I will be running the stock b234f intake for a start. The clutch setup I have is a TTV flywheel with 707 pressure plate. I will be using the 850R disc which has the same spline pattern as the M90, and correct thickness for use with the 707. Clutch setup should be good for 580Nm.
 
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I will be running the stock b234f intake for a start. The clutch setup I have is a TTV flywheel with 707 pressure plate. I will be using the 850R disc which has the same spline pattern as the M90, and correct thickness for use with the 707. Clutch setup should be good for 580Nm.

I didn't realize the 707 pressure plate could use the 850R disc; however it makes perfect sense as several Stateside whiteblocks (Homer comes to mind) are running the 707 clutch with their 850 flywheel, single mass.

AND for those hopelessly hanging onto the ridiculous FT LB INCH system, that clutch is good for 428 lbf-ft of torque. When you've surpassed 100 units per cylinder, you're doing something!

USA should have converted in 1980, but the spineless Politicians caved into special interests (their campaign financiers) and retained the Imperial units........ :wtf:
 
Thanks for the kind words.

Small update, what has been done:

- Installed flywheel, clutch, and gearbox. Shimmed pivot ball 4mm.
- Some paint repair/rust removal in engine bay.
- Installed brake booster and hydraulic clutch master cylinder. (was cable stock)
- Installed the engine into the car. (damaged some paint at the firewall, might repair it haha)
- Determined position of the turbocharger.
- Made a start on the exhaust manifold.
- Made changes to my MS wiring loom. I had some noise issues on the crank signal I think, and I have to admit that I grounded it on the wrong side. Now it is grounded on the ECU itself, that should hopefully fix the problem.





Here you can see the exhaust flange. We mocked up the position of the turbo, and welded support bars to the collector to get the correct position.


Broomstick is always good as temporary support. :lol:
Turbo is a S200G 54mm. Quite large in physical size.
I tested with a HX35 also, a little more room.




I tacked up three runners for now as a test.
Obviously not equal length, but I don't really care.
Next up is figuring out WG placement, but should be doable I think with the current position.
I hope all nuts are acessible haha, although I am trying to take everything into account.

I will be running a single 50mm gate with a divider up to the gate.
I am more worried about the turbo drain as I was planning to use the stock turbo drain location.
Might be difficult with the turbo in the front and the #1 runner I still have to make.
However I can always modify if necessary.



To be continued!
 
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That passenger side "lean" makes it clear why some folks are vertically mounting the 16V engines in these RWD cars.... especially the 2 series which are tightly confined by comparison to the 7/9 engine bay.

Following your progress, quality work is always a pleasure to find on TB.
 
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Thanks DET17! Yes on a 2-series it would definitely be more difficult to build a manifold and fit the turbo nicely.

Tacked the last runner quickly and fitted the manifold on the car.
There is enough room for wastegate and piping.
I think I will make a small heat shield for the brake lines (WG will be fitted there) and alternator, even though the manifold will be heat wrapped.
Or maybe I drill a new hole in the body and completely redo that brake line.

I might need an elbow on the water pump, what do you guys think?

Overall I am happy with how it turned out.



 
I'm impressed with your exhaust manifold fab skills! I hope you aren't free handing those pipe sections with a METABO cut off wheel, as I did my SS exhaust on my sedan? For sure that suction side entry point to the WP might lend itself to a TIG'd 45* fitting so to get it past the #1 exhaust runner. Will you MIG or TIG that exhaust manifold? Do you plan to ceramic coat it? Are those runner lengths EQUAL or near equal length? I don't know how critical that truly is for these 4 banger exhaust manifolds.

Following!
 
Yes, cutoff wheel and angle grinder. I have a belt sander so i can make the ends nice and flat. Runners 1,2 and 3 are close in length, but 4 is a lot longer. This should not be too critical. It would probably be easier when switching 2 and 3 with 1 and 4 at the collector side. Everything will be MIG welded (don't have TIG yet) which works well for this mild steel. For those curious: it costs about 60€ tot make a manifold like this in mild steel.
 
Manifold looks great! Think I'll gonna look at a steel mani as well (though the bends you used are better than plain mild steel).
Engine bay cleaned up nicely, or did you have to do some spray painting to touch it up?
 
Ah yes you will join Shaved240 in the Redblock That Sounds Like A Subaru club :-P

That would be cool!

Manifold looks great! Think I'll gonna look at a steel mani as well (though the bends you used are better than plain mild steel).
Engine bay cleaned up nicely, or did you have to do some spray painting to touch it up?

Thanks JW. I cleaned some rust and painted it with the original color (just 1K motip spraycan).

What has been done:
Bought 17x7 Renault steel wheels. 50mm offset.
I still have a good set of 225/45 tires that will fit nicely.
Also, the white wheels in post 1 have the same 60.1mm center hole, so I can use the same 30mm spacers I already have.

I welded on a ring, so the original hub cap can be mounted (these have really grown on me :lol:)




I welded up the manifold, some spots were difficult as they were hard to reach, the unit is quite compact. Also my prep/welding could have been better. But it is done.



Heat wrap applied (I decided I hate this stuff)



Also, the intake manifold is ready. I enlarged the center hole so I can fit the 960 TB. Although I have not seen any evidence that it makes huge difference, I already have it.

 
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