Old debate - B230F: Is it an Interference Engine?

[Server]

This may be a tired question on this forum. I am a new owner of a 1994 940T
(B230F Engione). I do not know the vintage of the timing belt on this car
(with 104K), but before I plunk down $500 to replace it, I would like to
know - for certain - if this engine has an interference valve design.
Various web sources disagree on the answer; All with great certainty.

Has anyone in this forum has a timing belt break on a B230F engine? Was the
result annoying (get towed to a shop for replaecement), or was it a disaster
(getting the physics lesson from your mechanic about what happens to the
crankshaft when piston hits valve).

Must there be ambiguity and nuance when we are talking about a matter of
mechanical engineering?

Dave from the upper left hand corner.

 

[James Sweet]

This may be a tired question on this forum. I am a new owner of a 1994 940T
(B230F Engione). I do not know the vintage of the timing belt on this car
(with 104K), but before I plunk down $500 to replace it, I would like to
know - for certain - if this engine has an interference valve design.
Various web sources disagree on the answer; All with great certainty.

Has anyone in this forum has a timing belt break on a B230F engine? Was the
result annoying (get towed to a shop for replaecement), or was it a disaster
(getting the physics lesson from your mechanic about what happens to the
crankshaft when piston hits valve).

Must there be ambiguity and nuance when we are talking about a matter of
mechanical engineering?

While I haven't had one break, I have rotated the camshaft 360 degrees with
the engine at TDC, no collision. The only B230 that I'm aware of that's an
interference engine is if you have a K cam installed in a NA B230F.

 

[Tim McNamara]

This may be a tired question on this forum. I am a new owner of a
1994 940T (B230F Engione). I do not know the vintage of the timing
belt on this car (with 104K), but before I plunk down $500 to
replace it,

Five hundred dollars! You must be talking to a Vovlo dealership
mechanic to get such an exorbidant estimate. This should cost you
abut $250, slightly more if the water pump and accessory belts are
replaced. Try a different mechanic.

 

[powellwd3]

First. All Red Block engines except the B234 (on later model 740 GLEs) are
all non-interference. I know this from reading and personal experience (I
have an '87 740 wagon, an '89 240 wagon and a '95 940 sedan) and have
broken the T-belt in the 240 while driving. Nothing happened except that
I was stranded and inconvenienced until the dealer replace the belt.

As for the cost, $500 seems way to steep even for a dealer who should
replace the belt and front cam seal. Might be a good time to replace old
drive belts and the water pump and seals if they are old. Bear in mind
that a T-belt kit (belt and seals) costs about $25-40, the H2O pump about
$ 70 (max!) and the it should be no mote than 2-3 hrs of labor. I'd say $
300 max for all that. Good luck. Also, try looking at Brickboard
(http://brickboard.com/RWD/) for maintenance tips/instructions on Volvos.

 

[Peter K L Milnes]

You say you have a 940T with a B230F engine. What do you understand by the T
designation? To most people it would indicate that you have a Turbo engine
which is a B230FT which should be even less interference than the B230F.

Cheers, Peter.

 

[James Sweet]

First. All Red Block engines except the B234 (on later model 740 GLEs) are
all non-interference. I know this from reading and personal experience (I
have an '87 740 wagon, an '89 240 wagon and a '95 940 sedan) and have
broken the T-belt in the 240 while driving. Nothing happened except that
I was stranded and inconvenienced until the dealer replace the belt.

Not *all* redblocks, I had the head off a B23E recently and the valves very
clearly stuck down below the edge of the combustion chamber by more than the
thickness of a head gasket, pistons had flat tops.

 

[Peter K L Milnes]

B234F was fitted to 740 GLT not GLE which had B 230E or F.

Cheers, Peter.

 

[Mike F]

B234F was fitted to 740 GLT not GLE which had B 230E or F.

Cheers, Peter.

Well I suppose it just depends on where in the world you are. In the US
and Canada, we got the 16 valve engine in the 740 GLE, 1989 and 1990.
This had chrome trim and 15" wheels with the large flat stainless steel
caps. In other parts of the world there was a 740 GLT with this engine,
which looked like a 740 Turbo and used the 15" 5 spoke wheels.

--
Mike F.
Thornhill (near Toronto), Ont.

Replace tt with t (twice!) and remove parentheses to email me directly.
(But I check the newsgroup more often than this email address.)

 

[Jeff Lesperance]

The 850 engine is an interference engine - get the timing belt changed ASAP
for piece of mind.

Bent valves (damaged head) and related repairs cost about 2000, 4 times the
price of a timing belt, roughly. It can be a DIY job, see volvospeed.

 

[James Sweet]

The 850 engine is an interference engine - get the timing belt changed ASAP
for piece of mind.

Bent valves (damaged head) and related repairs cost about 2000, 4 times the
price of a timing belt, roughly. It can be a DIY job, see volvospeed.

Nobody's ever argued against that, we're talking about the B230F used in the
240, 740 and 940 cars, completely different beast than is under the hood of
an 850.

 

[wah]

thank you for your contribution, james.

bonus points who can name ANY volvo 4-cyl which is interference.
double-bonus points for the person who can post this in a FAWQ so that we
don't have to rehash this every month. \

RTFM, MOFO! (BTW, JS@MSFT, I still have my '91 manual-trans for sale...)

 

[James Sweet]

thank you for your contribution, james.

bonus points who can name ANY volvo 4-cyl which is interference.
double-bonus points for the person who can post this in a FAWQ so that we
don't have to rehash this every month. \

Someone already did, the B234 16V 4 cyl is very much an interference engine,
as well as the B23E, high compression flat pistons, K cam, very impressive
motor but definitly also interference though not to the same extent as the
16v. Interferes by only about 1mm so you might get away with only a couple
slightly bent valves if the belt breaks.