First thing to clarify is what the heck is a Folvo?
A Folvo is a hybrid 2.3 liter four cylinder turbo engine considting of a Ford 2.3 Turbo bottom end mated to an aluminum Volvo B234 16 valve DOHC cylinder head.
This will be a build in progress so don't expect to see the finished product for quite some time.
Next thing is WHY?
The Volvo B234 DOHC head has lots of flow capability while the stock cast iron Ford SOHC head is severely limited. Yes, Esslinger Engineering makes a aftermarket aluminum SOHC heads for the Ford engine that have much better flow than stock and their top end product has equvalent flow to the Volvo B234 head but at much higher valve lift.
I have one of these in my 1976 Ford Capri II. A dyno visit in February recorded 240 hp at the wheels at 17 psi with ignition timing and cam timing both retarded about 10 degrees from where they should have been. Don't ask why just accept that I screwed up.
I actually built a spare long block engine for the Capri since I really expected to blow up the first one. It's been running for 7 years now and I've decided to repurpose that long block into an MGB.
I decided I wanted to use a rubber bumper MGB just to make the build a little easier. I acquired one about 2 weeks ago.
OnTrailer.jpg
Ready for a test fit?
MolvoAbove.jpg
Playing games with turbo location. Turbo is backwards. I'll have to build a header....
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And finally, the Folvo engine in my Capri II.
Folvo_Engine_9_19_2013.jpg
Right now the engine compartment is gutted. I need to sand, prime, and paint it. Lots of existing paint has been lifted by leaking clutch and brake master cylinders.
Wow.
How much hassle was it to get the Volvo head onto the Ford block? Is the Volvo head aluminum?
The Volvo B234 head is Aluminum. The head bolt pattern matches the Ford 2.3 engine block. Dowel pin holes are a little off but the Volvo uses smaller dowels so machining the head to the correct location and size is possible.
The B234 DOHC head intake flows 230 cfm at .320" lift compared to a stock Ford head at 149 at .500" lift.
The B234 DOHC exhaust flows 196 cfm at .320" lift compared to a stock Ford head at 142 cfm at .500 lift.
At .500"+ lift an Esslinger ARCA or SVO head will flow the same, if not a bit more than the Volvo B234 head at stock .320 lift.
The Volvo head greatly out flows the stock head at lower lifts. This is all about area under the curve.
Coolant pasasges and oiling passages must be modified. There are 2 ways to do this. Either weld a block on the head or modify the engine block.
I chose to modify the block rather than weld on the aluminum head.
5 passages in the Ford block have to be sealed
Oil drain back at the front (Not shown in picture)
Oil drain back at the rear
Two water jacket holes at the rear
The oil passage near the head stud
Oil drain backs were sealed using 7/8" freeze plugs. An appropriate end mill was used to take the oil drains to round deep enough for the plug to go flush.
Both the coolant passages were machined round to 15/16" again with an end mill. Freeze plugs were pressed in.
The oil supply was plugged with 1/8" NPT and redrilled on the side for 1/8" NPT.
Here is a comparison showing the stock Ford head gasket overlaid on the modified block.
PassageComparison.jpg
Here is a picture of the modified block.
ModifiedBlock.jpg
There is a coolant passage on the front of the Volvo head that has to be sealed. Again I used a freeze plug.
The pistons need additional clearance reliefs for the 4 valves. Yoshifab rents a fixture to notch the pistons. I used slightly shorter flat top forged pistons as I wanted to reduce compression ratio since these are going to be boosted engines.
I had to fabricate a timing belt tensioner as well as exhaust and intake manifolds.
Here is a dyno sheet from my February session. Note the wheel torque available at 2800 rpm. Remember I had timing wrong on these pulls. I've done better but I don't have the charts available to post.
FolvoDyno2_7_2015.jpg
Why not use the entire Volvo engine ?
Is there an advantage using the Ford engine bloc ?
The Ford is shorter than the Volvo block. (hood clearance)
The Volvo block is laid over at 15 degrees to the exhaust side. No room for a turbo in a Capri or MGB
I don't have to fabricate or buy special stuff to hook a T5 to it.
At the time Ford 2.3 Turbo blocks were readily avaiable as were cheap forged pistons and good rods.
I originally built it to go into a 1976 Ford Capri. Factory engine mounts were available for the Capri.
I have one sitting on an engine stand already built.
This is a really cool thread!
The head bolt pattern matches the Ford 2.3 engine block.
This alone gobsmacks me.
I figured there had to be some sort of modding going on, though.
I really admire the craftiness that goes into this, but it seems a lot of hard work.
It's certainly a unique engine, but bang for the buck, would it not be easier to just get a 2.3 Duratec or Ecotec? Either of those two engines have heads that flow as well as the Volvo.
And I really admire the craftiness of your Zetec build.
Hard to beat the bang for the buck when the engine has been sitting on the stand for 7 years ready to go....
Seriously, I have a Mazdaspeed6 with the MZR DI turbo Duratec. Wonderful engine. There are quite a few challenges (just like a ZETEC) to getting it mated to a rear wheel drive transmission. One of my concerns with the Duratec is that it is tall and the oil pan is deep. Transmission selection is very limited although the Quads4rods bellhousing opens that up some.
This will be my last Folvo engine. If I do anything else it will probably be a Duratec/Ecotec based project.
I've been looking for a good set of heads for years and nothing I've come up with will fit on an MGB block. Anyone know of a SOHC or DOHC that has similar cylinder spacing and head bolt pattern that could conceivably fit on an MGB block? Something reasonably entertaining, not expensive and super time consuming.
Thanks,
Bill
I recall seeing this head swap several years ago and thought it was amazing. I have no doubt that it will perform as well as you hope and I'm looking forward to seeing how this turns out! I just love the pure inventiveness of these types of solutions, just like turning a Zetec 90 degrees!
Bill, I once saw something about a Zetec head on a B-series block, but I think that would be a tremendous effort. Using a complete Zetec or Duratec would get you better, newer engineering in the bottom end and a lot less weight as well.
It is kinda mind boggling to think that bolt patterns line up like this. I have heard about this with 1275cc MG midget motors and bmw k-something single overhead cam heads bolting right up and placing the cam gear in the right place to run it off the crank....!@#%!@#
Here are some pictures of the B234 combustion chamber.
IM004834.JPG
This shows the coolant return port on the head that needs to be plugged.
IM004837.JPG
This is an overlay of the Ford head gasket to the head. You can see the difference in size of the dowel pin holes. Note the Volvo head never had coolant passages behind #4 cylinder. No need to add them.
IM004838.JPG
This is a view under the valve cover.
FolvoVCandBeltOff.jpg
I purchased the engine side mounts from a member. They came today. I cut off the old frame side mounts, installed the mounts on the engine, attached a T5 transmission and set the engine/ transmission in for a trial fit. I wanted to see what I needed to do for the frame side mounts.
Passenger side
Passengermountinstalled2.jpg
Driver side
Drivermountinstalled2.jpg
And shifter alignment
T5Mockup.jpg
The gentleman making my new intake sent me photo's a few minutes ago. I'm VERY pleased. I may have to put this on the Capri and move the one from the Capri over to the MGB.
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In response to Bill Russel's question regarding four valve heads for the MGB engine there is a possibility that a head from the rover M or T series engine might fit. If I remember correctly BL needed new engines for the seventies to meet emissions regulations, but being strapped for cash and maybe political issues within BL a new engine was developed from the B series block and was called the O series. This was made in two sizes 1.7 and 2.0 litres and was used in various BL cars during the seventies to early nineties.
When Rover was designing the SD1 they needed a modern 2 litre engine and the M series was created by putting a 16 valve head on the O series block. If I remember correctly the engine weighed about 50 lbs less than the B series and gave 120 or 140 bhp. A later turbo version gave in excess of 200bhp and I think Superchips? could boost that to over 250 bhp. As a bonus I believe the MGB gearbox bolts directly up to this engine.
Sometime ago on the web, I found a reference to a MGB with the M or T series engine fitted.
Philip
Intake mockup on the engine in the car.
IntakeOnMGB1.jpg
IntakeOnMGB3.jpg
And the Driveshaft. This is a Speedway 28" shaft with a Neapco 2-2-899-1 yoke flange and a Ford T5 slider. The shaft is 2" dia and uses 1310 series universal joints.
MGBDriveshaft.jpg
It's mindblowing how well that is all coming together!
Yeah, The 2.3 is like the SBC of fours and with a modern DOHC head! Cool!
Hi Guys!
Betcha thought I was gone.....
Photo of engine almost ready to be dropped in. Still working on exhaust manifold and alternator mounting though.
EngineRedVC.jpg
Thanks to Phillip for the information on the Rover heads that might fit. Probably not something I could find readily in the US? I was hoping one of the modern heads might have a similar head bolt pattern. Of course Oil and water would have to semi line up for it to work. I think I could handle the belt drive.
Cheers,
Bill
5th test fit. engine is bolted in on mounts. May not have room for the stock heater.
I'm thinking cutting holes in the inclined inner walls and running IC piping under the fenders.
5testfit1.jpg
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Radiator Test Fit
RadFitting2.jpg
RadFitting4.jpg
Looks like you have plenty of room between the motor and radiator. Why not move the mounts forward a little so you can keep the heater (I'm assuming you'd have liked to since you mentioned it). Looks like using the forward suspension mounting bolt for the mount mmight be just enough.
Crank pulley will hit the rack. I Barely have enough room to squeeze a V belt between them.
I can put the heater in if I remove the distributor from the intake cam. This fall I'll convert the megasquirt to crank fire, COP, waste spark and remove the distributor.
Sorry for the lack of progress. I met Murphy...
I decided I should put a new thermostat in. Of course one of the thermostat housing bolts broke. I drilled it out and ran a tap down the hole. Unfortunately it was an old dull tap. I broke the tap.
I worked for some time trying to ge tthe tap out and eventually pulled the head. I took the head to a machine shop to get the tap EDM'd out. I've got the head back now and I'm goong back together. I rebuilt the clutch MC and installed the pedal box with a new brake MC today.
Murphy NEVER sleeps.
Picture Updates.
I had some issues and really got slowed down. I hope to have it ready to fire in about 2 weeks. The plan is to start the engine with an 8UA, small VAM, 35 pph injectors. Once it runs I'll begin the conversion to a Meagsquirt. That means the piping to the VAM is temporary.
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That Volvo engine really looks at home in a MGB bay.....nice work!
The Volvo Head looks great on a Blue Oval Block! Hope to see some great Dyno #'s in the future. Great Job.
SAFETY FASTER!
An interesting option for sure... What kind of power numbers are you looking for or expecting?
A few minutes ago I attempted first engine start. The wiring is really messy right now and it's using stock Ford EFI, not Megasquirt. The thermostat cover is leaking. Oil pressure gage is not hooked up.
http://www.amcansolutions.com/amcandocs/docs/Folvo%20MGB/Folvo_MGB_Start.mp4
The link isn't working. I had to go zip the file and you will have to download it. Apparently my FTP site does not support MP4 format.
go here:
http://www.amcansolutions.com/amcandocs/docs/Folvo%20MGB/Folvo_MGB_Start.zip
Video of the Folvo MGB driving. Note: 8 psi 5000 rpm max. Still in tuning stage. It's running an MS2 with 50 pph injectors. Stock T3 with a .63 exhaust. VE live was tuning during this little drive.
http://www.amcansolutions.com/amcandocs/docs/Folvo%20MGB%20Drive.wmv
Yesterday was a bad day for the Folvo MGB. I was out working on the tune with VE Live and was struggling to get the boost above 5 psi. I was kinda WTH is going on. The engine was noisier than usual I could certainly hear an exhaust leak.
I was a mile or so from the house doing a 2nd gear accel when there was a bang and the exhaust got super loud under the hood. AFR's went lean and the engine seemed down on power. Since it was running, intake manifold pressure was good, staying cool, and had oil pressure I decided to drive GENTLY back to the house as there was no real place I could gracefully pull off.
Made it back, parked it in the garage, shut it down, and opened the hood. It was pretty obvious what happened. The turbo was no longer attached to the exhaust manifold. The oiutlet where the turbo attaches had broken off. Ford Lima 2.3 are vibration prone and this thing has very limited flex in the motor mounts. I'll need to weld the manifold back together with thicker tubing and some support pieces.
No permanent problem and it was running nice until the manifold broke.
I've had to go out of town on business. I'll post a picture when I get back but it will be the weekend before that happens.
That's a bummer. This is so cool!
Tim
As far as problems go, that doesn't sound too bad. I thought you were leading up to a catastrophic failure story.
Ford Lima 2.3 are vibration prone
You ain't kidding. One of my buddies in Fla had us do some work on his ministock ( an oval class pretty much dominated by the Ford 2.3L, they crank them up to something like 250hp through a two barrel carb ) and we took it out on race night and did some shakedown runs.
I did really well in the heat but the car didn't seem to run right in the feature. Came off the track and Boneman asked me if I had tightened the carb bolts after the heat race. I say, "Why would I tighten the carb bolts again, we double checked those at the shop?" At which point he informed me that there's so much vibration in these 4cyls that he would re-torque the carb after every practice session.
*facedesk*
We checked the carb and two of the bolts were almost falling out of the bowl. Car performed much better the next week.
I still can't get over the idea that a degreed engineer would NOT figure out a way to get those bolts secured ( in an aircraft application, they'd have drilled and wire secured the bolt head ) so you weren't constantly fiddling with them.
http://boneman.homestead.com/
That 4 day trip turned into 2 weeks. Just got back Sunday. So, this evening I welded the manifold together and added some braces. It's all bolted together now but is supposed to rain through Wednesday.
I'll fire the engine tomorrow and check for oil leaks. I'm a bit unsure if I got the drain on the bottom of the turbo tight. That is really difficult to reach.
I had to take the engine/transmission out to fix an oil leak around the pan. I changed out the speedometer drive gear on the output to a 6 tooth gear at the same time. This way I can use a 20 tooth gear rather than the non Ford 23 tooth self destructing gear.
All back together except for the heater. Hey, It's spring now right?
Engine now....
BackTogether1.jpg
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BackTogether3.jpg
Having just seen this post again it reminded me again about the Rover T series engine, about 200 bhp stock 250 with a chip or megasquirt. As far as I can remember it bolts straight onto an MGB gearbox or LT77 if you can find a bellhousing (Sherpa vans and Discovery 2 litre) It also weighs less than the B series engine. This one is on ebay for £300 or $430 plus freight.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/rover-800-vitesse-2-0l-turbo-full-car-engine-box-breaking-dust-cap-/111937529364?hash=item1a0fff2614:g:JM0AAOSwYlJW6Ha5
It will never be as strong as the Folvo but if you search the internet this can be done, in the nineties several MGBs had the non turbo version, this give quite a bit of power for little money.
Philip
Philip,
I'll never find a Rover T series engine here in the States.
On another note, ALL RIGHT! FINALLY!
I have fought this thing to get the internal wastegate to actually hold boost. I changed the actuator out while the engine was out but still only got 7 psi with the bleed open to atmosphere at the fitting. I finally realized the control orifice in the fitting before the tee was missing.
Cobbled a control orifice out of a Mig welder tip and took it for a drive. 16 psi boost. I guess I need to add the circuits into the MS2 to use one of it's outputs to pulse width modulate a boost solenoid. The firmware I'm running on the MS2 supports that.
Great except AFR was 12.2 at that boost level. Ok, back to tuning....I need to get that to about 11.5 under boost. I need to add some timing at medium rpm and near atmospheric. It's a bit sluggish on a throttle blip for down shifting.