Volvo Head Conversion

Quasi Mofo · Post by **Quasi Mofo** » Sat Oct 22, 2005 6:52 pm

I cannot for the life of me find the "guide" to the Volvo head conversion. I saw it right here on my desk... Now where did it go?

If you kids were playing on my desk I will whoop your...

Let's start this over... Has anyone seen the guide to installing a Volvo DOHC head on a 2.3L (2.5L) Ford engine?

Quasi Mofo · Post by **Quasi Mofo** » Sat Oct 22, 2005 7:15 pm

You're really gonna make me ask Colin, aren't you?

Damn that's harsh.

Colin · Post by **Colin** » Sat Oct 22, 2005 7:34 pm

Sign up for the 2300-16V group and read all the archives. Inspect every picture in the group's files secton. Browse my pictures of the conversion (check out the Carlisle pics, too... many close-ups of Alex and Stokely's engines.) Check out Stackz' site. Search TurboFord and read, read, read. When you've done that, present questions and I'll do my best to answer them.

Don't be afraid to ask... we're all still learning about this conversion.

Colin

Quasi Mofo · Post by **Quasi Mofo** » Sat Oct 22, 2005 7:52 pm

http://www.merkurtech.com/merkurtech/te ... tem045.php

Was th one I was looking for.

Colin · Post by **Colin** » Sat Oct 22, 2005 7:55 pm

The head is from a Volvo B234F (2.3 4valve/cylinder)engine, as found in some select 1989-90 740 GLE's and some 1991 940 GLE's. The head bolts line up. The bores are equal size to the Ford 2.3 (Lima.) The center two cylinders are spaced SLIGHTLY different, but the difference is negligible. You will have to fabricate an intake and exhaust manifold - the intake manifold from the Volvo will not clear the brake hardware, as the engine was originally slanted in the bay - the european B204FT (2.0 DOHC turbo) manifold will bolt to the head, but will position the turbo where your starter needs to be.

Start your head modification by welding an extension block to the rear of the head. This will cover up two exposed water jacket openings and one oil drainback hole in the Lima block. Use a 1/2NPT tap to thread the oil drain hole, then fill it with a pipe plug:

Next up, weld shut the center oil drain port in the head. Add some material to the outer edges of the other two oil drain holes. They are too close to the edge of the head gasket otherwise:

Compare the water jacket openings between the Lima block and Volvo head. The water jackets on the head apparently need to be lengthened. I haven't gotten to this stage yet.

Figure out how you're going to get oil to the upper head. There are little oil gallies that run along the underside of the upper head (the portion which holds the cams)... I chose to drill a hole from under one of these gallies to the mating surface between the lower head and block. This matches up with the Lima block's stock oil feed port. I still need to drill/tap into the side of the block for my turbo's oil feed. Others have used hoses external to the head for oiling - I figured it would be best to have it all contained externally. Unfortunately, the drill's path "as the crow flies" goes right out the side of the head, so I had my welder add material to the side and beef it up prior to drilling:

The crank sprocket and aux shaft pulley must be spaced approx .465 outward in order to be alligned with the cam sprockets. I used material from the back of my accessory pulley to shim the crank sprocket, so that my accessories (alternator, ps pump, etc) would not have to be shimmed. (Thanks for the tip, Stackz!)

I'm sure there's more.. I'll post as I think of it...

Colin

MerkXRTurbo · Post by **MerkXRTurbo** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 12:40 am

I'm also going for 4v/cyl... only I'm taking a slightly different route.

Quasi Mofo · Post by **Quasi Mofo** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 12:55 am

Well I am torn between two engines I really want to build.

I have a bastard Little British Car and I am prepping it for the GRM Challenge. The Triumph engine is useless and I want to make a minimum of 250 RWHP in race tune.

Option 1: I have Turbo Ford 2.5L 16V Hybrid
Option 2: I have Turbo Chrysler 2.5L 16V Hybrid
Option 3: I have Turbo DSM 16V RWD conversion
Option 4: I have Supercharged Oldsmobile 2.7L Stroker QUAD4 RWD conversion

All will make the minimum power needed for about the same cash in the budget, The DSM will be easiest, followed by the Chrysler, The Ford and then the Olds. Some will make more than the minimum requirements.

I have time but this decision is a pretty tough one!

Post by **DPDISXR4Ti** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 10:53 am

I realize we all love the boost, but what about doing a N/A motor with the Volvo head? Maybe throw some nitrous at it for a power-adder. The obvious advantage to this is that you can use the stock Volvo manifolds, so fabrication requirements drop considerably. The downside (aside from the obvious one), is that you would need custom pistons, both because I'd assume you wouldn't run a 8:1 N/A motor, and the required cut-outs for the valves.

Just a thought....

MerkXRTurbo · Post by **MerkXRTurbo** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 11:27 am

Brad, I think most of us are here because of our love for turbos.

AnHonestCitizen · Post by **AnHonestCitizen** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 11:36 am

Personally, I hope that we are here because we all love Merkurs!

BTW, I think yours is a really sweet example MerkXRTurbo. Really dig that graphic across the back. Don't want to hijack, but is that stock?

Quasi Mofo · Post by **Quasi Mofo** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 12:33 pm

Actually if I do the VolVord I think I might use the Eaton M90 supercharger that is attatched to the QUAD4 right now.

The torque resulting would be immense!

fastmaul · Post by **fastmaul** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 1:58 pm

I was wondering when the next. Volvo head question was going to come up. LOL

Quasi Mofo · Post by **Quasi Mofo** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 2:01 pm

Okay we will call it a Triumph DOHC swap then

KingpinCEO · Post by **KingpinCEO** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 5:51 pm

brad is that your real name? or is it bradford or something?

Post by **DPDISXR4Ti** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 9:46 pm

Well, I just like to do things different. Obviously, simply owning a Merkur was "different enough", so I do my motors and coachwork a bit differently as well. I actually have a 16V Volvo head and manifolds in the basement (for $30 at the U-Pull-It, how could I not grab it?). Judging by how many of these Volvo swaps have been "work in progress" projects, some of them for several YEARS, I thought a 10:1 N/A Volvo DOHC head swap might be a way to get-er-done sooner rather than later. But it's not on the near-term project list for me.

Yes, my name is Brad. I was named after a small thumb-tack sized nail.