" Tim (Remove NOSPAM. Registry corupted, reformated HD and lost alot of
stuff :( said:
Right. There isnt an overly definitive answer to this one- it depends on
which engine you have- B14.1 / .2 / .3 / .4, solex or weber carb, and what
the serial number on the Renix ignition module is. The valve seats are
physically hard enough on the B14.3 and B14.4 engines for unleaded, but with
the wrong ignition unit / carb combination you'll have cronic pinking.
The un-official fix is to go along to Mr Renault and buy the adjustable (as
opposed to Volvo's fixed) crank sensor mounting plate which allows you
to....adjust.. the CAS position thus you can retard the base timing abit.
I would try a tank of optimax or unleaded + octane booster first and see how
you get on.
Being an 86 car it will be a 14.4 engine, so valves are fine and LRP is no
help atall. This idea of filling up occassionally with LRP (or leaded if
available) is rubbish and almost all volvos do not require lead as a valve
lubricant. Older varijet carbs need a mod so the needles don't wear out
otherwise the 97/98 octane superplus will keep all Volvo running sweet and
torqy.
When leaded was phased out the Volvo web site had a full set of info on all
engines and modifications that could be done.
High Octane is required for a combination of compression ratio and ignition
advance. Older UK 360s have 10:1 ratio and hate 95 octane unleaded,
superplus is the only answer to keep the BHP and torque. Newer BMWs have
10:1 also but have knock sensors and more intelligent ignition computers.
I thought the 1.4 were fairly flexible (lowish compression ratio) and if it
runs ok on 1 or 2 tankfuls of 95 octane unleaded then it will be ok in
future just listen out for pinging and consider the adjustable crank sensor.
Certainly filling up with LRP is not going to do anything, it doesn't even
have 98 octane, in fact it should not be called LRP.