Volvo head...on the car!

Documenting your big project with photos/videos? Have photos/videos to share of anything Merkur related? Place your links to photos and videos here. Please - Merkurs and Merkur-related pictures only. Cosworths welcome!!
Carlisle and event related pictures are to be placed in the relevant section under 'Events'.
Merkur Club web site
Colin
Level 7
Level 7
Posts: 3396
Joined: Tue May 27, 2003 1:35 am
Location: Minnesota
Contact:

Post by Colin »

Thanks.

Volvo sold two models with the B234 stateside:

89-90 740GLE
91 940GLE

The later model has a different style tensioner and supposedly is a little harder from a metallurgical standpoint. I have a later style head. :?

No major problems since the conversion, except a leak between the cam carrier and lower head and a bad alternator. :lol:

Use the 2.3 gasket - I used a Fel Pro 8993.

I don't add up receipts - this is a hobby, not a business. :)

Colin
Instagram @colinrdoyle
89 Scorpio 2300-16V // 07 F-650 Cummins // 00 Beetle TDI
File to fit, paint to match.
User avatar
DPDISXR4Ti
Site Admin
Posts: 14830
Joined: Wed Jan 08, 2003 11:40 pm
Location: New York

Post by DPDISXR4Ti »

mikerobison wrote:And last but not least how much do you figure the total job cost you?
Aside from Colin's point (it's for fun, not resale), what kind of fabrication skills do you have? This is not an "off the shelf" solution.
Brad
MerkXRTurbo
Level 7
Level 7
Posts: 4612
Joined: Mon May 17, 2004 11:08 pm
Location: Vancouver, WA
Contact:

Post by MerkXRTurbo »

Colin wrote: Use the 2.3 gasket - I used a Fel Pro 8993.
OMG, you did all that and you didn't even use a good HG? :x
3" mandrel bent exhaust, Ported/Polished head, 1.89/1.57 valves, Gutted uppper/Knife edge lower intake, T3/T4, LA3, Big VAM, Cold air intake, 40bob header, Gillis valve, Forge BOV, Mustang SVO T5, Conquest intercooler, 20psi.
User avatar
DPDISXR4Ti
Site Admin
Posts: 14830
Joined: Wed Jan 08, 2003 11:40 pm
Location: New York

Post by DPDISXR4Ti »

MerkXRTurbo wrote:
Colin wrote: Use the 2.3 gasket - I used a Fel Pro 8993.
OMG, you did all that and you didn't even use a good HG? :x
With the number of issues I've seen people have with the "high-end" 1035 and MLS gaskets over the years, I'd say Colin made an okay choice, especially given the experimental nature of what he's built.
Brad
BeefFajitas
Level 6
Level 6
Posts: 886
Joined: Mon Jan 12, 2004 2:15 pm
Location: MA

Post by BeefFajitas »

What makes it not good?
-Nate
'85 Merk. Back together. Only thing stock is the head and block.
mikerobison
Level 2
Level 2
Posts: 186
Joined: Tue Sep 26, 2006 10:20 am
Location: Spokane,Wa
Contact:

Post by mikerobison »

I have all resources to get the job done. When I asked the price I was wondering about a ball park figure so the average dude would have an Idea of what he/she was getting into. From the looks of it I would have a guess that the price range is somewhere around $500-$1000 am I close? thanks guys! have fun.
mikerobison
Level 2
Level 2
Posts: 186
Joined: Tue Sep 26, 2006 10:20 am
Location: Spokane,Wa
Contact:

Post by mikerobison »

I understand the not wanting to add up the receipts... I have built 2 Ford Model T's from the ground up and I know how expensive things are and to add them up and realize you can never get the money back buy selling it doesn't make for a very good day! lol so you make up the loss in the pleasure of driving!
User avatar
DPDISXR4Ti
Site Admin
Posts: 14830
Joined: Wed Jan 08, 2003 11:40 pm
Location: New York

Post by DPDISXR4Ti »

mikerobison wrote:I have all resources to get the job done. When I asked the price I was wondering about a ball park figure so the average dude would have an Idea of what he/she was getting into. From the looks of it I would have a guess that the price range is somewhere around $500-$1000 am I close? thanks guys! have fun.
Okay, so at least you have a clue about such things. The reality is that the "average dude" wouldn't know where to start with this project, nor would even the "average grease monkey". Pricing this project out is rather difficult and all over the map, depending on how you do it. For starters, the head might cost you anywhere from $20 to $350, depending on how resourceful you are. There's several other items that would likely have a similar broad price range.
Brad
mikerobison
Level 2
Level 2
Posts: 186
Joined: Tue Sep 26, 2006 10:20 am
Location: Spokane,Wa
Contact:

Post by mikerobison »

I was just being lazy.... I'll Get'er figured out I'll make a best case scenario list.

1 ) Head $150
2 ) Head gasket $35
3 ) Chunk of aluminum $30
4 ) Machine work $400
5 ) Cossie intake $90
6 ) Custom exhaust $50
7 ) Holset turbo $200
8 ) Waste-gate $100
9 ) BOV $ 50
10) Engine management $450
11) Serpentine belt $25
12) Radiator $70
13) Intercooler $150
14) Misc. Parts $200
15) Time...Priceless
Sooo......Everyone you should look to spend at least $2000 to do this conversion
Thanks Colin for all of the great pics.
mikerobison
Level 2
Level 2
Posts: 186
Joined: Tue Sep 26, 2006 10:20 am
Location: Spokane,Wa
Contact:

Post by mikerobison »

I am sure you have all seen this link.
http://www.merkurtech.com/merkurtech/te ... tem045.php
Colin
Level 7
Level 7
Posts: 3396
Joined: Tue May 27, 2003 1:35 am
Location: Minnesota
Contact:

Post by Colin »

1 ) Head $125
2 ) Head gasket $15
3 ) Chunk of aluminum - free
4 ) Welding and Machine work $500ish
5 ) Cossie intake $150 (I think... right, Erik?)
6 ) Custom exhaust [manifold] $100ish in weld els, plus $60ish for the flange, plus whatever welding wire I used
7 ) Holset turbo - basically free (traded my stock turbo and forgave debt on parts car's engine to Nick with the Ranger)
8 ) Waste-gate $75
9 ) BOV - free (my buddy Paul gave me this in exchange for allowing him to store/modify his 240 in the shop)
10) Engine management $300ish
11) Serpentine belt $20ish
12) Radiator $80
13) Intercooler $50
14) Misc. Parts $1 Billion (?) muahahhaah
15) Time...Priceless

There, I modified Mike's list with my costs on stuff (as far as I can recall). Of course, that's just brushing the surface. I didn't include prices of experimental items which didn't get re-used on the "final" product... such as the V2.2 megasquirt board, the 1.5" mandrel J-bends for my initial header, the weaksauce radiator I initially had, etc... Then, there's all the miscellaneous equipment not on the list - catch can, expansion tank, all the hoses, braided lines and AN fittings (probably about $300 total), the exhaust itself (I bought a Cummins downpipe just for the ball flange :lol: ), big injectors and a Walbro pump, adjustable FPR, a transmission and diff capable of dealing with the power, etc...

Basically... there's more than one way to skin a cat. If you're an experienced cat-skinner, you can probably do the job a lot more efficiently than I did. It took me a few tries before I got a well-extracted kitty pelt. ;)

Colin
Instagram @colinrdoyle
89 Scorpio 2300-16V // 07 F-650 Cummins // 00 Beetle TDI
File to fit, paint to match.
Colin
Level 7
Level 7
Posts: 3396
Joined: Tue May 27, 2003 1:35 am
Location: Minnesota
Contact:

Post by Colin »

MerkXRTurbo wrote:
Colin wrote: Use the 2.3 gasket - I used a Fel Pro 8993.
OMG, you did all that and you didn't even use a good HG? :x
Yeah, I was going to remove the 160k mile stock shortblock, have it decked, and put a $50 headgasket on it before I even knew if the engine would run. No thanks, an 8993 will work just fine.

I don't understand why people are so quick to point fingers and blame the gasket. If you can't get an 8993 to hold (especially on a lightly modified 2.3...), it's probably due to a bad tune. Blame the guy sitting behind the laptop, not the part. :?

Colin
Instagram @colinrdoyle
89 Scorpio 2300-16V // 07 F-650 Cummins // 00 Beetle TDI
File to fit, paint to match.
mikerobison
Level 2
Level 2
Posts: 186
Joined: Tue Sep 26, 2006 10:20 am
Location: Spokane,Wa
Contact:

Post by mikerobison »

Now for the answer we have all been waiting for.........WAS IT WORTH IT? hehe :lol: reasoning behind the madness, what were you shooting for? the AHHH factor or the double take? or god it feels good to be different? not sure it matters but I am curious.
Colin
Level 7
Level 7
Posts: 3396
Joined: Tue May 27, 2003 1:35 am
Location: Minnesota
Contact:

Post by Colin »

Sure, it was worth it. I'm not quite certain how worth it, yet... but as soon as I can beef up the fuel system a bit, crank the boost, and get to a dyno, you'll know. :lol:

Colin
Instagram @colinrdoyle
89 Scorpio 2300-16V // 07 F-650 Cummins // 00 Beetle TDI
File to fit, paint to match.
User avatar
KingpinCEO
Level 7
Level 7
Posts: 1388
Joined: Sat Mar 13, 2004 1:26 pm
Location: Delaware now, but from Brooklyn NYC.
Contact:

Post by KingpinCEO »

nice
1985 Merkur XR4Ti - 2.5 ranger block greyhound bus turbo
1988 Mercedes Benz 190e - awaiting airbag suspension
2005 Dodge Magnum - 336,000 Mile Daily driver
2008 Subaru Legacy GT - crazy loud boxer rumble
2009 Suzuki GSX650F - crotch rocket

ig: @DJ_Kingpin
Post Reply