Ooh Barracuda - The End of 'Christine' R.I.P

[Sniffs]

you've got a potential Deadlight, there. your passenger high beam is fulla moisture. getting replacement light lenses is gonna be a pain even with junkyard access (all our junkyards have gone out of business hand had their contents sold for scrap, now). it's nice to see the tinfoil trick, though.

 

[Barracuda]

Always nice to see a fold-out third row seat facing backwards like it's supposed to. There are a grand total of three important seating places in a car such as yours.

1.) Your seat.
2.) The third row. Are your friends fighting over it?

Getting a K-cam for the volvo shouldn't be too much. That will improve the engine's liveliness by a noticeable amount. (If I remember from all the volvo research I did)

I don't usually drive around with my friends in my vehicle, but that might change depending on if I get a job or my friends want to reimburse me for gas. As for the third row, it's pretty cool but the problem is it's not meant for an adult size person. I'm relatively short and I don't even have any room for my head, my taller friend has to tilt his head almost completely sideways to fit. It even says on the seat the maximum weight capacity is two 80lb children, which I think is just BS because I've sat on it for a while and it felt fine. All in all it's still great for if I have to work in the back, which I will be when I get a new antenna and gas cap, and my friend and I have already thrown around some ideas including a strap attached to the door and a potato gun

But even if it's only meant for children, or short people, it's a great design idea. Shove the kids in the back facing the opposite direction so they can make all the noise they want and you can have some peace and quiet up front, lol.

I'll have to look into a K cam. Would be nice to have a little more pick up when I'm first starting off, between 20-40 is brutally slow without putting it in second.

Edit: The high beam still works despite having moisture in it, but if it goes out it's no big deal. I'm used to driving with minimal light from the Barracuda. When I raised the ass end the low beams were pointed straight towards the ground, and the high beams probably put out as much light as my low beams on the Volvo. Eventually I'll look into fixing it, and the fog lights, but for now I can live with it. And to be honest I've actually forgotten how to turn my high beams on, and I still don't know how to get the rear windshield wiper going.

 

[Jim Prower]

You can still get sealed-beams around here, I assume it wouldn't be too hard. I'm running a similar four-sealed-beam setup, I can find them at AutoZone or Advance Auto Parts with ease.

 

[Omnis]

Dude, get on Autopia.org and detail that sucker!

 

[Barracuda]

According to a guy I know at the car show I have to clean my car with comet. It has enamel paint with no clear coat so when I went to wash it the other day it didn't look any different afterward, no matter how hard I scrubbed the grease spots.

 

[High-Test]

Shouldn't high beams be activated by flipping the turn signal stalk forward?

Strange that the back seat in the volvo can't fit anyone your size. that tidbit takes away a whole lot of shenanigans.

Yes, follow Leonidae's advice. Greycap is the person you seek for advice. he speaks station wagon, you should be good.

 

[Greycap]

I'll have to look into a K cam. Would be nice to have a little more pick up when I'm first starting off, between 20-40 is brutally slow without putting it in second.

I've been mentioned, I'm here and I try to put my knowledge into use...

First off, high beams are very likely activated by pulling the turn signal stalk towards you. If it works like that in my 240 as well as my father's V70 chances are that it works that way in the 740 too. The rear window wiper works by nudging the little plate on the "front side" (the one facing you) near the tip of the wiper stalk. Left for intermittent rain, right for continuous wiping. The rear window washer is activated by the little button on the very end of the stalk. Again that way in both the 240 and the V70.

But about the technical part, the K cam is quite an aggressive cam that gives good high end power without much thought for the low range torque. Found originally in the naturally aspirated engines of the "power years" in the early eighties. I don't know if your engine is a B200 or a B230 but if it's a B200... good luck because you're going to need it. Little low range torque as it is, add to that the turbo lag and the high end cam and you'll have to floor it every time you want to get it going from low revs. If it's the larger bore B230 the situation is better but you'll still lose low range torque compared to the A cam it probably has now. Oddly enough the A cam is considered one of the best turbo cams out there for every day use as it has a bit of everything.

The acceleration thing is a bit odd. You say you don't want to shift into second during the 20-40 (I presume mph) sprint but you really have no choice. If you want to do it in the first gear you'll run out of revs at around 30 mph because the first gear is bloody short. If you want to do it in the third gear I'll say forget it, you'll begin the run from around 1200 rpm and even the old VW turbodiesels found in these bricks don't pull from that low. This concerning the manual transmission though, if you have the automatic I can't help with it.

 

[Sniffs]

I've had and driven both kinds of "high beam" switches. push foreward highs and pull back click highs usually, pullbacks are the american technique, push forewards the import. play with the controlls to figure em out...and don't forget to check your fuses.

 

[Barracuda]

Yeah I have a 3 speed auto. When I leave it in drive I get passed by grandmas in little toyotas until it hits 40. When I put it in second I get all the acceleration I want at the expense of some fuel economy, so I've been trying to just suck it in and let it get up to speed.

Thanks for the help on the switches, haven't tried the rear wiper one but the high beam is correct.

 

[buickgnx88]

Do you know if your transmission is shifted via cable or electronically? (going from park to drive and such)

 

[Greycap]

It sounds like you need low range torque (told you about the turbo lag, it really is quite bad) more than high end in which case the K cam isn't the best choice. The unusual thing would be to fit the M cam, enough low end to turn the Earth the other way round even in a NA engine so you can imagine the effect in a turbo. The downside is that it'll restrict the high end quite severely being a low lift economy cam. Found in just about every stock NA engined 240 and 740 out there and people are mostly virtually paying you to take them.

 

[Barracuda]

It sounds like you need low range torque (told you about the turbo lag, it really is quite bad) more than high end in which case the K cam isn't the best choice. The unusual thing would be to fit the M cam, enough low end to turn the Earth the other way round even in a NA engine so you can imagine the effect in a turbo. The downside is that it'll restrict the high end quite severely being a low lift economy cam. Found in just about every stock NA engined 240 and 740 out there and people are mostly virtually paying you to take them.

I'm kinda interested in doing that if it'll make the low end better. How badly do you think it would restrict the top end, I mean daily I only go about 65mph tops, would it make that range terrible? How bad of a job would it be to do that too? Having the cam right up top makes it a million times easier but what would I need to do, just switch the cams out and replace the cover gasket, or would I need to adjust a bunch of things.

I'm also wondering what it would do gas mileage wise. At the moment I make about 13mpg, which is probably a combination of needing to be seafoamed, and having to literally floor it in that range and still not getting anywhere. The practical way would be to just switch it into second whenever I need to accelerate like that, but I don't think that's helping my gas mileage or my transmission for that matter. It wouldn't be that bad but the road I live and drive to school on is a 45-50 with a bunch of traffic lights, and the traffic likes to stay at 55-65.

I guess I really just need to suck it up and get used to it. The Barracudas been my daily driver ever since I got my license so I'm too used to having more torque and low end than I know what to do with.

 

[Leonidae]

It almost sounds like your kickdown isn't working properly either.

 

[Sniffs]

ladies and genlemen, diablo has officially described what america got (even domesticly) in the way of automobiles in the eighties and ninties. I've had a couple like this that were even worse because someone hadn't payed a drop of attention to the engine before I got em.

you need to spend a chunk of paycheck on tuning that thing as well. and I don't mean hot-rod, i mean getting the thing back up to where the factory ratings are supposed to be. the next used I'm getting is gonna get the full treatment as soon as possible. if you've got the time and werewithal, check your tranny fluid and filter (i saved a three speed auto like that, and it had a Porus case!)

 

[Greycap]

I'm kinda interested in doing that if it'll make the low end better. How badly do you think it would restrict the top end, I mean daily I only go about 65mph tops, would it make that range terrible? How bad of a job would it be to do that too? Having the cam right up top makes it a million times easier but what would I need to do, just switch the cams out and replace the cover gasket, or would I need to adjust a bunch of things.

It'll "stop breathing" around 4500 rpm in the B230F (normally aspirated) after which there's more noise than power, I doubt you'll have to rev the engine that high in normal traffic. And seeing that you have the turbo forcing air through the engine at high revs it'll go all the way to the limiter if needed. You'll lose some high end power but it's probably a worthy trade in this case. In the B230F it gives 137 lb/ft well below 3000 rpm and that's the "F for Federal" engine with all the attention aimed to reducing fuel consumption and emissions instead of making power. You could get almost twice that torque, possibly at lower revs. Even the stock B230F pulls from 1500 rpm without complaining.

Changing the cam isn't much more than taking off the valvetrain cover, removing the timing belt and the old cam - and putting it back together. These cars are like building Lego cars for most of the time.

I'm also wondering what it would do gas mileage wise. At the moment I make about 13mpg, which is probably a combination of needing to be seafoamed, and having to literally floor it in that range and still not getting anywhere.

Or, like Sniffs says...

you need to spend a chunk of paycheck on tuning that thing as well. and I don't mean hot-rod, i mean getting the thing back up to where the factory ratings are supposed to be.

Those engines will run for ever if you keep them in good condition (and pretty damn long even if you don't) but a thorough service is still a good idea. Even a stock turbo red block should easily do 16 mpg city and 25 mpg highway. I can get perhaps 23 mpg city and 33 mpg highway out of my B230F so if you're getting 13 mpg there's definitely something very wrong. As said the M cam is the highest mileage stock cam so you can probably only see improvement.

If you're going with the M cam you're the first person I know to even consider it, let alone do it. Usually people throw the M into the nearest swamp and get an A or V cam instead to get more top end with the expense of low range torque.

 

[Sniffs]

Grey: believe me, I've had more abused engines than you'd believe. they've all had the same glitches. bald plugs, low or non-existent fluid levels (I've had loads of overfilled trannies as well), dead oil, completely unused AC systems (to the point that the compressor has seized and let all the coolant out without touching the pipes), etc.

I've even worked up a special plan just to get them back to normal. it involves replacing every fluid, filter, engine firing component, and the brakes and exhaust, whether they need it or not.

and this Vov needs that kind of routine.

 

[Barracuda]

Yeah I plan on replacing a ton of things as time goes by. I found out that the power steering line that's leaking is not even the correct line. It's supposed to have some metal bits on it but he just cut the end off and put a rubber line in. Lots and lots of things to replace.

By the way, you wouldn't happen to know how to check the transmission fluid on a 740 would you? I went to check it yesterday and I couldn't find a dipstick.

 

[Joey D]

Matt have you checked at your local library for a Haynes or Chiltons repair manual yet? I know my library has a ton of different ones that you can check out. If they do have it, it might help sort out some of the quirks of the car for you.

 

[Greycap]

It has a stick but I have no idea where. Having said that don't check it, change it. Get seven litres of ATF G (F) oil (or ten litres to be safe) and follow these instructions. Translation from Finnish by me, hopefully it makes sense.

Warm up the oil on a short drive.
Open the drain plug and pour the oil out. Measure the amount. It's hot, remember!
When nothing comes out anymore refit the plug with a new copper gasket and pour new oil, the same amount as you just took out, in the filling pipe (this is where the stick should be).
Open the return pipe of the oil cooler (the lower one), and let the oil pour out.
Start the engine and let it idle until you've got one litre of oil out.
Add one litre of fresh oil.
Start the engine "for a litre".
Add oil.
Continue until the oil coming out is clear.
Attach the return pipe.
Check the oil level - you need the stick now - with the engine running, go through all the gears. Add or remove oil judging by the "cold" scale.
Go for a test drive, don't pop a vein in your forehead if the gears don't work smoothly in the very beginning. After a couple of miles you can begin considering that.
In the end check the oil level normally when warm.

EDIT - If it didn't become clear already, this is for changing the transmission oil.

 

[Sniffs]

they should have color coded the dipsticks by then. i take it it's like most used cars, someone went in and cleaned out the glovebox without looking at the contents, and threw away the manuals.

greycap: that's the first time I've ever heard of THAT routine for an oil change, of sorts. sounds like a good way to purge stubborn old oil.

 

[Barracuda]

Yeah I was able to get a manual. For some things it's pretty helpful but for others it's totally useless. The book recommended the same routine for changing the transmission fluid, sounds like a lot of work for just changing the fluid but I can understand why. The book shows me where the dipstick is but I didn't see it when I looked again, I'm gunna have to bring the book down with me.

One of the main issues I'm having is whether everything is in the correct place or not because of how redneck they fixed everything. The book doesn't really help either because it only shows what the right hand drive's engine bay looks like.

 

[Barracuda]

Not a big update but I've figured out my speed and possibly fuel mileage problems. There's a small connector hose that goes from the intercooler to the intake, and I've known for a short bit that its been blown out like my other hose was. For some reason it didn't click in my head until I was skimming through my Haynes manual and it said a possible cause of rough idle is a break in the intake hoses. I find some electrical tape, wrap it around a few times, and tada, HUGE power increase. I still want to get an M cam, but at least now I can actually accelerate like a normal car. Eventually I'll get a new hose for it, but for now my redneck fix is all I can afford.

On a random note I got a little extra money from my mom (She wanted to buy me premium, and I would have loved to have it, but my car needs it more) so I bought some seafoam and I plan to do that maybe this weekend or sometime next week.

 

[Jim Prower]

Ah, that WOULD help things. X3

 

[Barracuda]

Nothing special, just did a little torque comparison video. To be fair that was before I figured out the hose problem, but still there's no comparison.

 

[Leonidae]

All Volvos aren't slow..

 

[Greycap]

I'll top that.



656 bhp and 709 Nm. Using Volvo's own B230 block and B234 16V head with an insane turbo. Made in Finland, not running at full boost yet.

 

[Sniffs]

you STILL gotta convince most of America that a Vov is more than an appliance. *i'm convinced*

 

[Barracuda]

I was in a fixing kind of mood yesterday so I decided to buy a thing or two for my cars. First I bought some Stab-bil for the Barracuda. It's had a half a tank for a few weeks and the gas around here pretty much sucks, well all gas with ethanol sucks really, so I don't want it to turn bad on me. Apparently there's a place around here that sells some really good gas with no ethanol so I'll have to look into getting some of that for the Barracuda.

As for the second thing, I stopped by ACDelco after buying the Sta-bil at Autozone to try and price check the hose between the intercooler and the intake. The last time I was there the lady that was helping me somehow found the big hose I needed, but this guy couldn't find it, so I went back over to Autozone. I knew they had those build your own intake things over in the ricer section so I went over and what do you know, the connectors they sell are just the right size.



I chose black over red and blue because, well, I'm not a ricer. I reckon that's still gotta be like 50hp with the name on it though

 

[Barracuda]

Now that all the new car happiness has rubbed off I've realized I have a real piece of crap work on my hands. The first three paragraphs are all boring bad news so skip em if you wan't to get to some real good news.

Lately I've been doing a lot of work on the Volvo with very little to show for it. To start my brake light bulb decided it felt like blowing up because water got into it. No big deal, except for the fact that the brake light bulb holder broke and the previous owners rednecked it together so I had to take the whole taillight out to work on it. Again, no big deal, wrong. As I went to take the top mount off, the plastic bit it secures to on the taillight decided to break off, wonderful. I put a new bulb in, made sure all the connections were touching, then electrical taped the hell out of it so it stayed on and didn't leak. Problem solved, yeah right, it works as a running light, but nothing when I brake. My friend should be getting me another taillight from the junkyard so I can be done with it, but until then I just have to hope that no cops decide to get behind me.

It seems that my car has a real distaste for being worked on, because whatever plastic bit I touch decides it's going to shoot plastic bits at my face like some kind of defense mechanism. It started with my hood when I took the underside padding thing off because it was covered in oil and other assorted fluids. For the most part all of the connectors on the edges of the hood were just uncooperative, but once I got towards the ones above the engine they literally exploded at my face with just a slight turn, but that's not so bad, I wasn't going to reuse them anyway. The other night I decided to take a look at the wiring at the rear wiper because I can't get it working. The book made it sound very easy, and it was, especially after the trim piece around the inside handle decided to break in half. After that it was really pleasing to find out that the wiring back there is in better condition than all of the wiring in my car, and only at the cost of a trim piece, what a deal. The problem must be a relay or the motor itself because otherwise everything back there is in tip top shape.

The intake system is what I've been really tackling lately, and it's done some good, but I won't see any real benefit until I get some other things fixed. To start I did a bit of research and apparently the throttle bodies get really dirty, the guy who wrote the article cleans his every oil change. The best way is obviously to take it off, which I thought about right up until he said there's a plastic bit you have to be careful with, yeah I'll save that for when I have all the money in the world to take to the Volvo dealership to have them replace everything that I could magically break. Doing the next best thing I took off every hose going into the TB and the intake and sprayed a crapload of TB cleaner through everything. To say that it really needed it would be an understatement, half of the things were clogged. I let it sit and it starts running a lot better than it was... but at 1600rpm. The idle is supposed to be 700-750, which completely baffles me because my engine stalls at 800. I would adjust it, but the engine still idles so differently at various times it would be constantly stalling. The main two culprits of this, my PCV, and my fuel pump. Unfortunately my PCV is ever so kindly located under the intake manifold at the back of the engine, and surrounded by a number of different wires and hoses. A guy on the Volvo forums suggested I take the manifold off to fix it, I think I'll stick with breaking my hands to get to it. As for the fuel pump, a few days ago it decided to blow the fuse, completely baffling me for two hours until I went to check the relay and a shiny red light in the fuse box came on. Luckily for me the rednecks put in a few glow fuses that glow when they're bad, I probably would have been stuck another half hour before I realized it was the fuse. Since it did that it's really started to run like crap so I'll need to replace it eventually, I'll try for this weekend if it makes it till then.

Now for a bit of good news, my friend and I were messing around with a few things and I got the sprayers to work. I's not really a big deal, I could care less if the front ones work, but the rear one is broken off and sprays straight back, so if anybody decides that they feel like being a dick and start riding my ass a little too close I can give them a nice dose of cleaner all over their windshield

And in much much much better news my friend got another Beetle, and not just a regular Beetle, but an already fully baja'd one for $1,000. I'm talking all fiberglass fenders, shortened fiberglass front end with fiberglass hood, big tires on the back, and a recently rebuilt engine (albeit not running perfectly right now, but for $1,000 it's a steal). The guy who owned it is currently in jail until January and he wanted some spending money when he got out, and my friend was lucky enough to find it. I don't have any pictures yet, but the next time I go over I'll definitely take a bunch of pictures.

 

[mustangGT90210]

That sucks man. I'm not sure what to tell you, except pissing water on others cars better make up for all your headaches!