Has anybody on here done the Volvo head swap cuz I’ve got some questions.

Topic: Has anybody on here done the Volvo head swap cuz I’ve got some questions. (Read 11069 times) previous topic - next topic

Has anybody on here done the Volvo head swap cuz I’ve got some questions.

Reply #15 – October 04, 2007, 10:17:06 AM

This is the first I've heard of a V8 head swap on the 2.3. Does anybody have pics or links to any info pages? I know people have made some really impressive HP from the 2.3 with the original head but can't you squeeze more out of a DOHC than you can a SOHC? To be honest I wasn't sure if the Volvo head would give more power opportunity or not but it looks cool as hell and I was thinking about it the other day and it would be really cool to have the 2.3 with the Volvo head swap in a Mazda FB3S (1st gen RX7). I used to have one with the 12a carb engine but it ran py and needed a lot of work but I still loved the out of that car and I think with a bad ass engine it would be an awesome car to have.

Has anybody on here done the Volvo head swap cuz I’ve got some questions.

Reply #16 – October 04, 2007, 10:20:33 AM

Quote from: JoeNoble;180773

This is the first I've heard of a V8 head swap on the 2.3. .

Huh?

Has anybody on here done the Volvo head swap cuz I’ve got some questions.

Reply #17 – October 04, 2007, 10:33:02 AM

Quote from: Chuck W;180774

Huh?

Yeah, I don't know... I misunderstood. I'm pretty sure that's not possible. You'll have to forgive me I haven't slept yet.

Has anybody on here done the Volvo head swap cuz I’ve got some questions.

Reply #18 – October 04, 2007, 08:41:08 PM

Quote from: Aerobird Motorsports;180728

Even Bob's blown more then one shortblock.

Someday, I really want to try some of what you are smoking out there.

I've been hammering these 2.3 turbos since 1992. My silver 87 TC left me with the stock shortblock in place. My Maroon 88 TC left me with the stock shortblock still in place. I melted my first piston EVER this year in the Capri. I know what I did wrong there, knew it was going wrong, and didnt lift.

By my count, thats ONE piston in ONE shortblock in my stuff. As hard as I push this stuff, I'm a lucky SOB, but its still only ONE.

Bob Myers

Has anybody on here done the Volvo head swap cuz I’ve got some questions.

Reply #19 – October 05, 2007, 07:50:42 AM

If I ever had a 2.3 it would have the Volvo head.. its just super cool.

Has anybody on here done the Volvo head swap cuz I’ve got some questions.

Reply #20 – October 05, 2007, 09:49:42 AM

That's not what MAP told me Bob, but whatever. We all know you're the almighty go-fast on stock 2.3 guy, but don't kid us, you've broken your fair share of parts and had to miss a few races. We ALL know you have more wasted T3's laying on your bench then I have blown HG's.

Has anybody on here done the Volvo head swap cuz I’ve got some questions.

Reply #21 – October 05, 2007, 04:39:15 PM

Quote from: Aerobird Motorsports;180985

That's not what MAP told me Bob, but whatever.

Your listening to a guy that has his head in fiberglass resin all day and that is building a Pinto

I am telling you, this was the first short block I EVER hurt, for whatever its worth.

Quote from: Aerobird Motorsports;180985

but don't kid us, you've broken your fair share of parts and had to miss a few races. We ALL know you have more wasted T3's laying on your bench then I have blown HG's.

For sure, if you are going to bracket race a 2.3 powered, stick shift car, parts are going to break. I know the price of it, and am willing to do it because its my thing. This summer I fell into a sprial of buying other peoples junk, and ate three T3's in four weeks. Thats the story on that. I bought a fresh rebuild from Evergreen (my 1st "new" turbo ever) and have been fine since.
So yeah, I have a pile of junk T3's, none of them tuning related, just plain trying to use junk to go semi-fast.

BTW, I did not miss a race this year, the two weeks the Capri was down, I raced my truck, and went rounds with it too. (runner up once, semi's the other).

Bob Myers

Has anybody on here done the Volvo head swap cuz I’ve got some questions.

Reply #22 – October 05, 2007, 05:46:37 PM

Quote from: Aerobird Motorsports;180985

That's not what MAP told me Bob, but whatever. We all know you're the almighty go-fast on stock 2.3 guy, but don't kid us, you've broken your fair share of parts and had to miss a few races. We ALL know you have more wasted T3's laying on your bench then I have blown HG's.

Also consider that Bob was on the verge of overspinning nearly every T3 that he had on that car. If he had a good turbo on it, he wouldnt have been eating them alive.

Bob was able to keep his parts together and he actually ran his at the track with good results ;)

Has anybody on here done the Volvo head swap cuz I’ve got some questions.

Reply #23 – November 24, 2007, 01:49:48 AM

What is this "drag racing" you speak of?

A properly setup Volvo head will yield double the power of a stock iron head on the same boost, in my opinion, I haven't proven it yet but will try soon. You can play with the SOHC heads a lot but I doubt you'll ever hold the powerband and port velocity of the 16V head. Bo's 511 rwhp was with a big cam, I'm sure he did just about the best porting imaginable, and he built a header that costs more than most of our cars. A lot of the Volvo setups use log headers that cost a 300 bucks or less and homemade intakes. I'm not knocking Bo, it's clear he's doing a good thing and honestly most people are very well off with a good ported SOHC engine.

The DOHC project is a frankenstein and has many implications and complications and ifications but it clearly works and is clearly structurally stable, even more so by Don's method which prevents welding on the heat treated head.

I would argue that anyone should be able to turn 500 HP type numbers from a Volvo head engine. Big talk I know but that's just because my confidence in it has been built up for actually driving one a bit. I'll be sure to let everyone know as soon as I can get to a dyno with it working good.

Has anybody on here done the Volvo head swap cuz I’ve got some questions.

Reply #24 – November 24, 2007, 01:30:41 PM

Quote from: martin0660;181035

Your listening to a guy that has his head in fiberglass resin all day and that is building a Pinto I am telling you, this was the first short block I EVER hurt, for whatever its worth.

For sure, if you are going to bracket race a 2.3 powered, stick shift car, parts are going to break. I know the price of it, and am willing to do it because its my thing. This summer I fell into a sprial of buying other peoples junk, and ate three T3's in four weeks. Thats the story on that. I bought a fresh rebuild from Evergreen (my 1st "new" turbo ever) and have been fine since.
So yeah, I have a pile of junk T3's, none of them tuning related, just plain trying to use junk to go semi-fast.

BTW, I did not miss a race this year, the two weeks the Capri was down, I raced my truck, and went rounds with it too. (runner up once, semi's the other).

Bob Myers

He kids you not, i watched him DESTROY a t3, and in the truck he got and raced it!

Has anybody on here done the Volvo head swap cuz I’ve got some questions.

Reply #25 – November 24, 2007, 02:26:44 PM

Joe,

If you have any questions, you can PM me here, or email me using [my screen name] at yahoo dot com.

Has anybody on here done the Volvo head swap cuz I’ve got some questions.

Reply #26 – November 25, 2007, 11:23:03 AM

What good is a mega-horsepower anything... IF you can't drive it on the street???

Sure XYZ made 90 bazillion hp on the track for 1/4 mi, but in IMHO it ain't worth a $$@*% if you can't drive it EVERY day(and not break)...

I drive my car to and from the track, on trips(one over 1400 mi), and been to Carlisle (320mi) with it FIVE times... All with the A/C blowin' cold and cruse set, listen' to the tunes..