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Canadian 1984 244 DL B21A/B6304 project log.

Looks like I'm heading to the scrappers this weekend. Should be a fun time, since it's supposed to be ~-30*C-ish. I was trying to remove the thermostat from the I6...and broke the ears off the elbow. Ok, well all is not lost, surely I can get the thermostat housing off...snap. F**K.

So, looks like I need a new thermostat housing and elbow. Luckily it seems to be a shared part with other pre-2000 whiteblocks, so I should be able to get something that works. The yard won't be crowded either, due to the insane cold, lol. I guess I'll have to dig up my arctic junkyarding gear.
 
Don't ever go to the junkyard in -40*C (which is the same as -40*F, coincidentally). It was sunny, I was bored, but it was still very, very cold...so I went to get a thermostat housing. I got one, but even after 15 minutes outside, I started shaking like a leaf when I came in to pay for the housing. I was dressed very well, so the only parts of me that got cold were my face and one hand (glove off to remove bolts), but apparently my body was using all it's resources to keep me warm/warm back up afterwards. I felt like ****, and had to go get some food since it felt like I hadn't eaten in days.

This wasn't my smartest move, but I at least got a thermostat housing for free. The junkyard guys took pity on me and called it square, lol.
 
You are seriously brave to go out in that temperature. I saw 16?f a couple mornings ago, and that was the coldest I've ever felt. I wouldn't have considered hitting the junkyard.

That was positive 16?f, by the way.
 
Positive 16*F would have been a dream, it's been -30*C-ish here for the past couple weeks. The furnace has been working overtime, and the old battery in my subaru DD has been close to death more than a few mornings.

I'm definitely NEVER going to the junkyard in -40 though. Learned a lesson today.
 
I put in an order at FCP for all the stuff I need to put the engine back together. I may drop by the jet cutters this week too, to get my "Homer's Whiteblock Swap Mounts Puzzle" cut out, and then...maybe a mid-winter swap.
 
Awesome build OP! My first car was an M46 B21A rusted pile in the late 90's with massive holes in the floors. What your doing to this Volvo, I only dreamt of on mine!

John242Ti said:
Yeah, the stwomboig carbs do that even on the 1969-70 B20B engines and on the 1969-72 B30A engines. They also like to idle high. Most ohv guys either went SU HS6 or HIF6 on their B20's, if they were smart. If not, they'd wind up putting Weber DGV kits on instead. Not really sure why Volvo went back to the 1969-70 carb setup in 1982.

-J
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The SU's weren't that much better overall. On cold prairie mornings mine would buck and hiccup like crazy until the engine warmed up sufficiently. Boy I don't miss that!

Also, the reason why Volvo went to carb's on the DL model in Canada as of the late 70's, was to keep the purchase (and building) costs low on the car to make it more "affordable". Yet they recommended running it on premium fuel in the owners manual:wtf: that's some Volvo logic for ya! :rofl:
 
StanleyR said:
Awesome build OP! My first car was an M46 B21A rusted pile in the late 90's with massive holes in the floors. What your doing to this Volvo, I only dreamt of on mine!



The SU's weren't that much better overall. On cold prairie mornings mine would buck and hiccup like crazy until the engine warmed up sufficiently. Boy I don't miss that!

Also, the reason why Volvo went to carb's on the DL model in Canada as of the late 70's, was to keep the purchase (and building) costs low on the car to make it more "affordable". Yet they recommended running it on premium fuel in the owners manual:wtf: that's some Volvo logic for ya! :rofl:
Click to expand...

Yeah, I think the B20 guys usually swap the HIF 6 carbs out for the older HS6 carbs with the external float bowls. Supposedly they work better. Not that I'd know. None of my Volvos have been carbed. Almost had a 544 many moons ago, but, body was too roached and it needed too much work that I turned down the $75 price on it.

That, plus, Canada didn't have as stringent an emissions requirement, and the cars were being built up there for the Cdn market, so the Cdn spec cars were optioned more like the European cars, but still looked like the US spec cars externally. At least, until 1983, where Canada seemed to be stuck in the 1982 model year, and the US advanced to 1983... ;-) Personally, I think they probably would've been better off just installing the 49 state B21F in the 1977-81 Cdn spec DL's and maybe using the Chrysler ignition B21F in 1982 on the DL up there. Then, in 1983, install the B23E in all non-turbo 240's up there. By 1984, Volvo would've been able to just use the California emissions B23F in all North American 240's that didn't have the B21FT. After all, Halifax did have the US engines on hand. Some of the US spec cars were made there through at least 1985.

Anyway, I digress...
 
StanleyR said:
Awesome build OP! My first car was an M46 B21A rusted pile in the late 90's with massive holes in the floors. What your doing to this Volvo, I only dreamt of on mine!
Click to expand...
Thanks :).
I'm trying really hard not to 'ruin' it, since it is in such good shape. So far, it's just a yellow copy of my first car, an 85 244 GLTic, and I couldn't be happier :).
 
It was so nice out today (a balmy 5*C!), that I was able to work with the garage door open.

6LT8NYZN_o.jpg


I got the new O-rings installed on the oil filter/oil cooler assembly, cleaned up the thermostat housing and installed it, and then moved on to checking the cam positions...

Uh...wut?

HKWVExdl_o.jpg


Is there supposed to be a cam seal behind the cap on the exhaust side?
 
Today I also learned that there is no cam seal on the intake cam of the B6304S. The cap itself is the seal. That OTP DVD is worth it's weight in gold :).

Tomorrow I'll get the cams lined up perfectly, then put the timing belt on. Hopefully I can still work with the door open!
 
JW240 said:
Nice car, really like what you are doing. Curious how you'll like the difference between Turbo and NA!
I'm happy it isn't that cold here!
Click to expand...

Thanks! I'm wondering about that too, especially since this is the largest displacement engine I've ever had in a car. I guess I'll find out :). We're in the middle of a melt, so I'm taking advantage of the warmer temps. It'll go back to -20*C-ish next week I'm sure. I've got propane for the heater though, so I'm ready.

Did the timing belt on the B6304 today, which meant making a cam lock tool, because I just don't trust the terrible marks on the cam gears. I ended up being a tooth off (at the crank), but the gears adjusted just enough to bring it back to proper :).

xVw8rPFX_o.jpg
 
I needed a cam seal/plug, but didn't feel like buying the disposible kind. Bought some aluminum stock for cheap from the scrap room at the local metal place, and 'borrowed' time on the metal lathe at work. Good practice, and it's the first thing I've ever really made. Fits pretty good, so now I need to find an appropriately sized O-ring.

Deeworks.ca makes one, and it's waaaaaaaaaaay nicer than mine, but I figured it'd be fun to try :).

UJArcoiE_o.jpg
 
ysna9GqS_o.jpg


Finished my POI Paddle Shift? controller, added some LEDs to show what solenoid is active (and by default, what gear I'm in), threw it in a project box, added a connector (the smallest one the store had), and done. Not really sure what type of switches I'm going to use, or how I'm going to mount them, but the swap is still a ways off.
 
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