Cam ID in the block

Others will have more extensive recommendations, as the engine has been sitting, but re: identifying the cam, you're in the unique position of being able to pull the expansion plug behind the cam, something you can't do with the engine in the car. Behind that plug is the end of the cam which should have cam designation stamped into that end.
Others will have more info - non volvo cams (the ISKY line) may not have marks there, but a Volvo cam should indicate which flavor C, D, A, R, whatever.

To remove plug, drill hole in plug, insert sheet metal screw and attach slide hammer, remove plug.

George (Walrus) will identify the engine (at least what it was from the factory) for you based on #stampings on the distributor side of the block - though, having been rebuilt, you won't know what's inside until you open it up. The cam though, might be identified by looking at it's rear end.

 

Thanks, good info. As this will destroy the plug, I'm assuming it's a commonly available part?

 

Yes - common and available but not cheap.

George Dill

 

To be clear, I pull the expansion plug from the rear of the engine to see the cam letter?

Removed the valve cover yesterday, and found some additional markings.

3
SBG (or perhaps S3G)

and

ES (or E3)
G

There is a nice layer of cooked-on crud which makes reading some of the markings difficult....

It also has a flat over the #2 exhaust port, as in the picture of the '72-'73 F head on the VPD site, but no injector openings
http://www.v-performance.com/articles/volvo_b20_head_identification.html

 

None of the block or head markings mean a thing, other than the type number cast and stamped near the oil trap teardrop. And that doesn't mean much either if you have a modified engine. Is the flywheel held on by six bolts or eight?

The head with the flat above the #2 exhaust port, while having no features machined for injection, is a late, non-US market carburetor head, which is generally desirable. They were used on Canadian cars, and we do come across them at times. It has the larger intake valves and combustion chambers as the E and F heads, but with smaller intake ports more suited to carbs. It should have spring rings to mate the head and intake manifold, unless the ports have been opened up.

Does the Weber have a primary and a secondary barrel, or do both throttle butterflies move in unison?

The plug at the rear of the cam is a generic 42mm domed freeze plug, and should be available for under one dollar at you friendly local car parts store. Isky usually marks their cams on the back, as did Volvo and some other aftermarket cam providers. Go ahead and yank it.

 

More info on mystery head

None of the block or head markings mean a thing, other than the type number cast and stamped near the oil trap teardrop. And that doesn't mean much either if you have a modified engine. Is the flywheel held on by six bolts or eight?

The head with the flat above the #2 exhaust port, while having no features machined for injection, is a late, non-US market carburetor head, which is generally desirable. They were used on Canadian cars, and we do come across them at times. It has the larger intake valves and combustion chambers as the E and F heads, but with smaller intake ports more suited to carbs. It should have spring rings to mate the head and intake manifold, unless the ports have been opened up.

The valves are 35mm and 43mm, and the combustion chamber is 91-92mm across (my calipers aren't great). The head is 85.8mm thick, but I don't have a stock value to compare that to to see if it has been milled. Cylinder bore measured 89mm.

 

Excellent info, thanks Phil!

The tranny is still attached, so can't see the flywheel 'til I unmate them. The butterfly action I'll check next time I'm over there, probably tomorrow.

 

Phil,
John McRaven's "R" head kinda fits that description. Its history is pretty hazy.
Can we get a motor type number? I'm curious!

 

Phil,
Can we get a motor type number? I'm curious!

Are you asking me this? If so, where do I find it?

 

Looking over the service records, the cam was installed 4/90, maybe at Don Beyer Volvo. No mention of the head or carbs being replaced in the records I have. Funny, the last entry is 4/94, indicating it went in for routine service and to "tighten steering" - guess he got the bad diagnosis and decided to unload it on an eager and unsuspecting high school kid!

 

Motor type number is near the top of the block on the driver's side. The first 2 or 4 digits will be cast and the rest stamped into a boss immediately following. Probably will be 4968xx or 4969xx maybe followed by some more digits. The motor type number is the first 6 digits
starting with 49. If you can give us this we can tell you more about how your engine was originally equipped.

 

Cool. I will look for it next time. What I really need to do is bring it to my house so I can wrench on it, but I don't have a proper spot for it. Are engine stands expensive? Do I need a certain type? Cheaper alternatives (plywood workbench with oil pan size hole, maybe?)

The carb is progressive.

Can't tell you how thrilling it is to be working on this again. I have been in love with these cars literally my whole life. It is the car I was brought home from the hospital in when I was born. So maybe I am biased, but no other car has piqued my interest quite as much. Only had a few short years of driving her, though, but soon this will change! Need to plan a trip to retrieve my '68 and lay my eyes on the '67 to see how far along she really is.....

 

A reasonably decent engine stand can be had for $60 or so, and it will make the job much easier.

The progressive Weber can work well with a stock engine, but is inconsistent with performance mods, event though it's sometime sold as an upgrade to the original intake system. It will supports roughly 135 HP, which is more than any stock B20 was rated for. If the engine is modified to potentially make more power than that, the carb becomes the limitation.

 

Got the motor type number - 49 82 57, followed on the next boss by 9112.

Chassis number 183451026825

 

498257 is a LATE B20B rated at 100 HP DIN which is equivalent to about 118 SAE hp. Most of the engines that have this rating have "C" cams and may have either SU or Zenith-Stromberg carbs. My chart gives very little info about this particular motor type.

 

Damn that was a quick response..... gotta love this forum!!! Does your chart say what it came out of?

Haven't pulled the expansion plug yet to check the cam.

 

Picked up an engine stand this weekend for $50. It's progress, sorta......

 

Unless someone brought it over from Europe, it came from a Canadian '74 140 or a '75 240.

 

All of the digging I have done so far shows constant output over the years for the B20B engines. Doesn't it stand to reason that if the same improvements were made to the carb head that were made to the FI head that power should have gone up? Maybe not to the 130 of the FI models, but somewhere between there and the 118 of the earlier carbed models? Even if compression was lowered, it seems unlikely that the end result would be the exact same 118 figure.... Anybody know what the ratings were for the '74/'75 Canadian B20Bs? Tried digging around in those forums, but came up empty.

 

Pause over each entry in the top menu bar...

http://volvo1800pictures.com/

George Dill

 

Very cool site, but seems to only contain info on the 1800 engines. Did I miss something? There are some pretty wild modified 1800s out there!

 

6 bolts holding the flywheel on, no letter on the cam (at least not on the flywheel end)

 

That would mean that someone put earlier crank, rods and piston into a later block. This is all good -- the later rods are both heavier and weaker, the pistons are no better, and the later ones have larger, heavier wrist pins, all anti-performance "improvements." I don't know what Volvo was thinking when they made those changes.

 

So if that is correct than it would seem that I ended up with a well thought out engine.... And if the whole bottom end was redone with better parts, than perhaps the head was worked-over, as well. Guess I'll still need to pull it to be sure what I'm dealing with, huh? Seems worth the extra time and trouble, I guess, since the engine is out and everything is easily accessible. Going to need to do a carb swap, if not for performance than for the fact that the old Weber got somewhat mangled when the engine rolled over on it (in the process of putting my back out!). Those things are not meant to be moved by one person! The dizzy got kinda broken up, as well. Anybody tried out the 123 ignitions and/or Mikuni carb setup that VPD sells?

 

We are sort of pushing this "off topic" but my guess is that they were trying out the lower end for the B21, B23, turbos, etc and going more metric. Or maybe they started with a new parts contractor who made them an offer they couldn't refuse. As I recall some of the later red blocks could swap heads with some Ford engine - maybe that is a clew in this mystery.

 

I remember hearing that way back when, too.... I think it was 302 heads that he said would fit, but I'm not sure how solid that source was.

 

It's the 2.3L Pinto heads that fit the B23/230, but they are not at all the same heads. But yes, we're getting way off topic.

 

4 years later..... Progress!
Got '67 back, and after thorough examination I have decided to do almost a full restoration. Car is stripped of almost all but interior, almost ready for body prep and paint. Decided to pull engine for easier access to engine compartment, brake and clutch lines, suspension bushings, etc. Thinking I ought to swap in the bigger engine, as the only visual difference will be the B20 on the block. Had the SUs from the '67 rebuilt by Tom Bryant, as I plan to run those with the original manifolds.
Pulled the oil pan (which has been baffled) on the mystery motor, and was able to see some more markings on the cam. 1000074, LYD4, and an S, in that order on different parts of the shaft. Google search didn't net much, possibly from KG Trimning S cam requiring a stage 3 or 4 head and dual carbs. Only other marking I saw inside was an H on the crank. The two visible cylinder walls look mirror smooth. Lots of oil and crud on the outside, but not sure if engine seals were leaking, or just oil pan or valve cover gaskets. At this point, though, it's been sitting for 20 years, so changing the seals seems like a necessity... Advice on how to proceed? Should I just tear down the whole engine, inspect, and rebuild with new seals and gaskets?

 

Also interested in your experience with clutch and flywheel. Flywheel weighs in at 21 lbs. Thoughts on machining stock vs aluminum/aftermarket?

Rubber and poly suspension bushings from IPD, or are there better options?

123 distributer worth the $$?

Also, is there a source for the solid red tail light lenses? Both of mine are cracked. If not, was thinking 3D printing may have come along enough by now.....

Appreciate any and all help and advice!
-Jim

 

Also, is there a source for the solid red tail light lenses? Both of mine are cracked. If not, was thinking 3D printing may have come along enough by now.....
-Jim

I got mine from iRoll motors.

I've also found parts over at Skandix but the International shipping costs have been expensive.

 

If you want a correct "look" engine, but more power, here is a site with some VERY interesting options... http://www.v-performance.com/products/engine.html

 

John Parker has a terrible reputation. He's happy to take orders but hates to deliver. His in-person and local customers come first, some people wait for years for product that never comes. I wouldn't spend a penny with him.