Volvo onto bus tranny

TIMBERWOLF · Post by **TIMBERWOLF** » Thu Nov 21, 2002 11:28 pm

Landed a good used FREE! 240 GLT with a strong engine and lots of twiddly bits. Anyone done this swap? It must be like all the other swaps essentially. I've done a wbx into a buggy so everything for cooling etc just needs upgrading. Question is mating the engine to the box. Has anyone done this diy - making an adapter plate and fixing the flywheel? The starter is attached to the engine bell housing so I suppose using the volvo fly wheel and modifying for a bus clutch would be the way to go.......?

Any help greatfuly received evenif it's for another in line 4 lump ta.

Seen Crash's site BTW.

Hank Winning · Post by **Hank Winning** » Fri Nov 22, 2002 8:20 am

Kennedy makes the adapters.
(KEP in California)
do a search in conversion perversions
We had a Volvo B20 in our '74 bus.. great engines
we used the Kennedy adapter and modified Volvo/VW flywheel and a automatic VW starter motor-
email me if you like with questions
hank

TIMBERWOLF · Post by **TIMBERWOLF** » Fri Nov 22, 2002 11:58 pm

I've heard about and seen the Kennedy products, they're also available in UK. It would be the sensible and probably best option, but also it'll take £££££'s. I was thinking if they can do it so can I, without the labour charges. I don't want to reinvent the wheel, but part of doing the swap is the challenge, not just the final result.

I'm not quite sure what engine i've got. It's 2.3 kjeted with a red block, ohc. I think it might be the 140 horser by the way it shifts the big old brick. It's done 178k but feels fresh as a daisy. I only do limited mileage so in a buggy it should last fine, i just want some cheap grunt and this engine certainly has that!

Hank Winning · Post by **Hank Winning** » Sun Nov 24, 2002 7:58 pm

I'm not sure what Volvo engines were in the UK,But in Canada we had fuel injected and carb models. I have a few single carb manifolds if you should need one
I like your attitude on doing it your self but it was our of my league machining and balancing the Volvo/VW flywheel
If you need some photos of the adapter or flywheel let me know
good luck
hank

Baja Wes · Post by **Baja Wes** » Sun Nov 24, 2002 9:02 pm

So far I have made my own V6 to vw adaptor, and am currently sorting out the flywheel part (almost done).

The adaptor is easy if you can measure stuff accurately, and you have some sort of CAD program. My adaptor has cost me about US$35 to have it professionally laser cut from 20m Al plate. Just give them the Al and the drawing.

I am going to use the V6 pressure plate and flywheel, with the VW (228mm) clutch and ring gear. Just have to press the VW ring gear on the V6 flywheel. I will get a shop to do it and it shouldn't cost much either.

Certainly a lot less than the $550 I was quoted from KEP.

Check my site for more info
www.offroadvw.net/bajawes/linktoV6.htm

TIMBERWOLF · Post by **TIMBERWOLF** » Mon Nov 25, 2002 4:03 am

Cheers guys, this sounds good. I'll email you Hank for the photo's. I'll be keeping the kjet as it'll give good low rev driveability off road.

I'll be checking out the site Wes, but for now how do you support the gearbox shaft in the fly wheel? and how does spacing the engine away an extra 20mm effect things?

Baja Wes · Post by **Baja Wes** » Mon Nov 25, 2002 6:20 pm

This is a CAD drawing of the hybrid flywheel in the VW bellhousing.

As seen in the picture, the V6 flywheel has an input shaft bearing in the middle (ball bearing). Lucky for me it is the exact right size (ID) for the vw input shaft, so it was not a problem. If it wasn't the right size i am sure I would have been able to find a suitable replacement bearing to do the job.

The front face of the V6 flywheel was 16mm further out than the vw one. So I originally wanted a 16mm adaptor to get it in the right spot. 20mm was easier to find and gave a bit more pressure plate clearance, so I went with that. It just means that the ring gear on my hybrid flywheel will overhang the front face of the flywheel by 4mm. I don't think it will cause me any problems.

[This message has been edited by Baja Wes (edited 11-25-2002).]

TIMBERWOLF · Post by **TIMBERWOLF** » Wed Nov 27, 2002 12:44 am

Hopefully i won't have the ring gear problem as the starter on the volvo is on the engine casting. I will try to keep this set up as the motor is matched to the engine and as such will be more reliable than asking a vw starter to turn 2.3 litres at 10.3 cr. Also it might be easier to machine the volvo flywheel to suit the vw clutch or just use the friction plate, or something clutch related! You are a jammy beggar getting the exact correct bearing, I bet Volvo use something weird!

I understand the 20mm 'gap' now, I'll have to wait until I get the volvo engine out and measure things up. I've just got a copy of a good 3d cad programme so I'll have a go at drawings and also just yesterday I was in touch with a laser profiling co. thro' work, so things seem to be falling into place a bit. The very basics are anyway.

Nice image btw. What programme is it from? We've got Deskpro.

Baja Wes · Post by **Baja Wes** » Wed Nov 27, 2002 1:33 am

I use AutoCad, but I imported that pic into working model so I can move and rotate it easier.

I wanted to stick with the mazda starter, but the ring gear was way too big to fit in the bellhousing.

depending on the laser cutter, you may only be able to cut 10mm in alum. That's why I had to go to water jet cutting. You could use steel in something <10mm though.

I am using the mazda flywheel and pressure plate with the vw clutch. They are 4 different vw clutch size so you should be able to find one that'll fit.

------------------
Wes offroadvw.net

TIMBERWOLF · Post by **TIMBERWOLF** » Thu Nov 28, 2002 3:20 am

So, whilst trying not to sound thick, you had the mazda flywheel turned down to the vw ring gear size then the ring gear sits slightly off centre to match the position of the vw starter?

Will the vw friction plate give enough stiction to hold 200hp or are you going to an after market friction plate. Or is it a function of the mazda pressure plate?

I've 'only' got to worry about 140 ( maybe 150 hp with the fan and powersteering pump disconnected) so maybe the vw friction plate will live. I've got everything crossed on the pilot bearing issue!

Baja Wes · Post by **Baja Wes** » Fri Nov 29, 2002 12:59 am

Yes on everything basically.

The vw clutch and the mazda clutch should be the same friction material. The holding torque is a function of the mazda pressure plate. That's why I stuck with the mazda pressure plate, so I don't have to buy a HD VW one. The vw and mazda clutch plate look exactly the same, except the mazda has a bigger input shaft.

If you go to www.skf.com and find your way to the online engineering catalog, you will find the complete SKF bearing catalogues. You can select a bearing and even down the CAD drawing of it completely free. I am sure you will find a bearing that will adapt. The volvo pilot bearing will be bigger if anything, easily fixed by a sleeve.

justcallmebob · Post by **justcallmebob** » Fri Nov 29, 2002 2:55 pm

Just to add a little bit...
SKF was the parent company of Volvo many years ago, so it should come as no surprise that they will have parts matching Volvo specs. (Volvo means "I roll")

According to Simon Glen, in his new book "Volkswagens of the World", (www.veloce.com.uk) Volvo used Volkswagen 6 cyl diesels in the 240 and 760 series between 1981 and 1992. From 1996 on, Volvo used a 5 cyl Volkswagen diesel in some passenger cars.

In as much as VW is well known for seldom changing the engine-to-trans bolt pattern, this might lead to a search of factory parts for help in the conversion. Just a thought.

I once raced Volvo's and, at least pertaining to the B-20's, ya can't break them...

[This message has been edited by justcallmebob (edited 11-29-2002).]

sandtowd · Post by **sandtowd** » Sat Nov 30, 2002 9:56 pm

on the piolt earing kenndy uses a early pinto bearing same ID as vw input shaft. then make a alloy housing for that to set in. it,s easy to make on a lathe, but i did have one to copy. this is for a 3.8 ford. ti sets in the end of the ford crank. machine a lip on the OD so that you get the depth you need cut the ID for the bearing, hard part is knowing what the length has to be. kenndy may give you the spec there realy good people. i made my flywheel and sent it to them for a balacne and resurface.cost 50.00 us can,t beat that price or the quality. to do my flywheel i cut the center out of the ford.then cut the same amount out of the vw f/w welded the ford center in. the remachined that is way i still have a vw clutch (kenndy).you can do it i,ve a volvo hooked to a vw as far back as 1970. you guy wont know this motor, but the 1st transplant i saw was in 1965 it was a 50,s dodge flathead 6 cylinder in a 1956 vw pickup. no the bonnet didn't close. an old man in his 70,s did it to haul his fire wood in. good luck

TIMBERWOLF · Post by **TIMBERWOLF** » Sun Dec 01, 2002 9:29 am

Thank you, all you good people!

I'm very happy the way this thread has progressed and far from having a worry that it couldn't be done, now thanks to the ingenuity of the STF people I know I'll do it, and cheaply!

I came across a site where a guy was swapping in an Audi 5 cyl into a camper. South African VW has this engine in some vehicles as stock (why didn't the rest of VW?????) the SA engine bolts to the 091 with a special bell housing. I know there was some cross pollination between Volvo and VAG along the way (and Porsche) .......maybe it's too much to ask that this SA bell housing will fit the 240 engine? (still not sure of the designation code for this engine is it a b20?)

I'll rip into the 240 over christmas and get all the goodies off. Buggy will be getting the servo and calipers off it as well as the engine. Bug might just end up with electric windows too........

jmillheiser · Post by **jmillheiser** » Fri Dec 13, 2002 10:13 pm

those volvo engines are great. they certainly haul around big heavy swedish cars with little trouble. lots of torque and the only problems ive seen with em are cooling system related