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All you need to know about the M90

the L2s are estate only.
Not really. Generally just assumptions.

All the "Classic" 940's got the L2 box unless you specified it to be equipped otherwise. It is just that the saloons are much more rare.

The L2 also came in a big chunk of 940's in 1997, but most of them were estates since those usually had a different engine (B230FK vs. FT) and different rear end ratio. Probably due to the cargo capabilities, the roof rails and the tow hitch.
 
So is there more than one part number for the L2...one other than 1208947? We know the "937" is a plain M90L, and Vadis says that box went right through to the end of production for saloons. "937" (saloon) and "947" (estate) are the only two redblock M90s at the end of production, so either Vadis is wrong about 947 being 5-door only, or L2s only came in estates. It just doesn't tally, otherwise...check out your own list on the first page - it only lists the L2 against 5 doors. Sadly Vadis doesn't say what version of the M90 is associated with which part number...that would make this a lot easier.

After 1995, here in the UK, FTs were never common....the vast majority of cars in all years and both body styles were then FKs.

Rob - is your Celebration a saloon or estate. If it's a saloon, that would prove Vadis wrong...unless it had a box-swap at some point :rofl:

cheers

James
 
I looked at the part numbers I have on my box, the only one I can read is 1023650, which is the part number for the end cover casting I think. This is out of a 1996, M reg car 230fk. I'm not sure what the numbers are on the one in tha car but was interested to see if they are the same.
I guess the actual version number is on a sticker like the rear axle.
 
Yeah, the sticker is very much like the one on the axle...when it's present :rofl:

It looks like the '650' number is indeed just for that piece of the casing...:-(

cheers

James
 
So is there more than one part number for the L2...one other than 1208947? We know the "937" is a plain M90L, and Vadis says that box went right through to the end of production for saloons. "937" (saloon) and "947" (estate) are the only two redblock M90s at the end of production, so either Vadis is wrong about 947 being 5-door only, or L2s only came in estates. It just doesn't tally, otherwise...check out your own list on the first page - it only lists the L2 against 5 doors. Sadly Vadis doesn't say what version of the M90 is associated with which part number...that would make this a lot easier.

After 1995, here in the UK, FTs were never common....the vast majority of cars in all years and both body styles were then FKs.

Rob - is your Celebration a saloon or estate. If it's a saloon, that would prove Vadis wrong...unless it had a box-swap at some point :rofl:

cheers

James
The FK cars were the ones normally associated with the L2 box actually, even though they came in cars with both FK and FT engines.

And they exist in saloons as well. It is just that it might be...

1: Regional.
2: The "Classic" saloons are much more rare.
3: The saloons never came with the L2 unless it had a package/configuration that required it.

And the "Classic" saloons I have seen in real life can be counted on one hand, where as only one of them had the L2 as far as I know. Most of the "Classic" estates had the L2, and most of them had the FK engine.

So that leads me to beleive that the Classic saloons never normally got the L2 box. Only if it was specifically requested as part of a package when the order was made.
 
Vadis doesn't list the L2 against the FT...only FK. What with that and the 4dr/5dr thing, I guess Vadis can't be trusted on this subject. I guess there were too many combinations...

I'm hoping to count output shaft rotations on my box a bit later...

cheers

James
 
Vadis doesn't list the L2 against the FT...only FK. What with that and the 4dr/5dr thing, I guess Vadis can't be trusted on this subject. I guess there were too many combinations...

I'm hoping to count output shaft rotations on my box a bit later...

cheers

James
The number of combinations is not an issue here.

What matters is where it actually came stock. I can definitely say that all the 940 Classic wagons wit an FK engine had the L2 box. And that is what they came with stock.

The other ones were options (and very rare cars as well).

There are many car types in VADIS that doesn't have the optional engine/gearbox/rear-end choice listed since that is not something that they had stock in production. It is something the customer or dealer has requested specifically. You have no idea how many of tose cars are rolling around here (not just 940's, but Volvos with strange configurations).

And counting input/output revolutions is easy enough to settle what gearbox it is.
 
...so by implication, you can't assume that a late saloon will have an L2, but a late estate should, right?

I still haven't counted the rotations :rofl:

cheers

James
 
Why are people wittering on about the L2 being some kind of holy grail? As far as I can see all the '97 on M90 boxes were the upgraded version and the only difference the L2 has is a different top gear ratio. A ratio whose desirability is at best debatable.

Even the earlier versions are pretty good, the one in my own car is whisper quiet at 500K miles, with nothing other than fairly regular oil changes.
 
The reason I'm enquiring is that someone is specifically asking me for an L2...and they're not at all easy to find...or more to the point, positively identify. I, too, am highly dubious of the benefits of an L2 over all others. Of course if someone wants a specific box, I'll do what I can to source it...but it's proving to be a little tricky. (Says the man who still hasn't got around to putting the box in the garage in 5th then counting output shaft rotations :rofl: )

Once you have a healthy amount of torque (250+lbft) the only thing I'm interested in in terms of gear ratios is making sure I can achieve my intended VMax without running out of RPM. Ryan's 740 has that problem...it hits the 6200rpm limiter in 5th at around 160mph. Based on that, it must have the shorter 5th gear ratio. :rofl: An L2 gives gearing for 185mph with his diff :omg: For the 360 turbo, I'm putting the tallest diff I can find in (all gear ratios are the same for the M47R-II) so it will cruise at 100mph without sounding horribly noisy. The torque will take care of the rest.

Ryan's 740 is putting 300lbft (at the 20psi it ran on the dyno...and 27psi has been run on the road prior to injector problems) through a 1995 M90-I-have-no-idea-what with 300k miles on the clock, and it's just as good as all the others I know of. I didn't even know there were different versions (other than the bellhousings) until about 6 months ago :rofl:

cheers

James
 
I know, I'm getting to the point I don't answer PMs for gearboxes from the US any longer. There is all this L2 bull going on from people who have never actually seen the friggin box, it's dull.

It would appear the L2 box was geared for economy, little or nothing to do with strength. The late saloons I've looked at recently were geared down by altering the axle ratio. I don't think they could have pulled the gearing had they had an L2 box. As for strength my 940 actually runs an early M90 out of a 2 litre car. I bought it cheap because it had 350K miles on it, and I've put on a further 150K. Third gear has never been welded. It tows 2 tonne car trailers and is still quiet at 500K miles. The car will easily hit 120mph on the autobahn.
 
It's a bit like a 531. I can totally understand it from a novelty value point of view, and if I had both sat side by side, I'd fit the 531 every time...but purely as a performance mod, I'd not pay $300+ to get hold of a standard junkyard 531 head which probably has at least 150k on it...unless I was going to go on and spend big money turning it into something special...something which supposedly can't be done to a 530. As they lie, though, there's almost nothing in it.

I'm happy to ship out M90s...and I don't mind the odd special request...but I have noticed a side-effect of this thread is that people are now specifically asking for L2s...which can be a fiddle, and I'm just not convinced of the virtue...

As for strength...Ozzy has broken two...IIRC...one in a standard car, and one in a 940T with chips, boost, and a few other go faster goodies (~250bhp?). Ryan's high mileage and 'weak' early box is still going strong with more like 350bhp behind it. I think their weakness is rushed or violent shifts, not power. I think 400lbft is probably a fairly safe rating in a 940 for 'fast road' use. If it's going to see more abuse (or torque) than that...I'd start to question how it'll cope.

Some people here (in the UK) even think they're weaker than M46s...but they usually a bit Norfolk, if you know what I'm saying ;-)

cheers

James
 
I'm happy to ship out M90s...and I don't mind the odd special request...but I have noticed a side-effect of this thread is that people are now specifically asking for L2s...which can be a fiddle, and I'm just not convinced of the virtue...
Ony reason people should want the L2 is because of one of the following reasons:

1: If it is an L2 box, then you know 100% for sure that it is newer than 1997 and the stongest box. (An M90L or M90H can be one of the weaker since the year is hard to prove).

2: The gearing. I would never trade the gearing of the L2 for the L or H with the rear end ratio I have. (If I swapped the differential, then it would be another thing though, and the only thing I would then care about is if it is the newer stronger one. Then it would not really matter if it was an L box).

It can also be debated whether or not the L2 is stronger because of the different gear and tooth count. But that is hard to prove in either direction.
 
yeah, i wondered the super special qualities of the L2 too. I find it hard to believe that volvo would make the L2 much much better than the rest of the 1997-1998 boxes.
the top gear ratio is nice for people who have an automatic rear axle ratio, otherwise it is probably even a tad too low.

the M90(H) i have has done 230K km now, it came from a car from December 1994, one of the very first 940's to have an M90. Still looks brand new inside with very little shavings on the magnet and the synchro's that i looked at were like new.
Fresh oil, seals, shifter linkage and a welded 3rd gear synchrotron (thats what my speling cheker makes of synchro lol), fit and forget, thats the plan.
 
Yes, but even early on in the production Volvo made M90L and M90H boxes, which in 1997 changed to M90L2 and M90H2 boxes. And for some bizarre reason people will pass up on an M90 out of a late 1997 car "cos it isn't an L2". But hey it must be right cos they read it on the interweb:rofl:

I wonder what M90 boxes are worth weighed in for the aluminium? Be a damn sight easier:-P

Ony reason people should want the L2 is because of one of the following reasons:

1: If it is an L2 box, then you know 100% for sure that it is newer than 1997 and the stongest box. (An M90L or M90H can be one of the weaker since the year is hard to prove).

2: The gearing. I would never trade the gearing of the L2 for the L or H with the rear end ratio I have. (If I swapped the differential, then it would be another thing though, and the only thing I would then care about is if it is the newer stronger one. Then it would not really matter if it was an L box).

It can also be debated whether or not the L2 is stronger because of the different gear and tooth count. But that is hard to prove in either direction.
 
the top gear ratio is nice for people who have an automatic rear axle ratio, otherwise it is probably even a tad too low.
The L2 has the highest gear of the M90 boxes you know... 0.7 on the L2 instead of the H and L which has 0.81

I chose the L2 because it has a better spacing between gears, and therefore you can also choose a different rear end ratio to get you both acceleration and good economy.
 
The L2 has the highest gear of the M90 boxes you know... 0.7 on the L2 instead of the H and L which has 0.81

I chose the L2 because it has a better spacing between gears, and therefore you can also choose a different rear end ratio to get you both acceleration and good economy.

I know, just different way of saying. lowest ratio. lowest rpm while cruising.

a too low rpm while cruising wont do any good either. Im happy with the top gear ratio i'll get, its the same as on my m47 now, so 2600-ish rpm @ 120 km/h.
 
Hi James,
I am knackered and there is far too much to read through. There has been a thread posting explosion over the last day or two.
PM me if you want me to look at part numbers.

My 940 is 1998 has an M90L2 box. It is the 'Celebration' model and is an estate with a B230FK engine and silly dual-munge flywheel.
It is great on motorways with the top gear but top is just too high to use much in the lanes around here.
I am not sure what axle ratio I have. From memory is about 2600rpm at 70mph

Rob
 
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