Two new projects

[v8volvo]

It has been years since I wound up with a new to me diesel Volvo but in the last two months, I have been surprised to have two of them land in my lap. Didn't really think there were any more surviving examples still left out there.

Both are in need of plenty of help. One is a 1980 265, NA D24 M46, and the other is a 1983 764 GLE, D24T M46.

The '80 has a leaking water pump and I am hoping that's all, other than the obvious cosmetic issues. Fingers crossed the headgasket is OK after the WP went out. The cosmetics are rough but serviceable. Bad paint but chrome is in good shape and interior is not the worst.

The '83 runs well and has had a 1985 or 1986 engine swapped in at some point, since it has the later style IP throttle spool bracket, altitude compensation, and EGR. But the car is a roach, much worse even than the '80 green wagon. There is not much left to save of the interior and body. It came from the East Idaho desert. Been repainted at least once, badly, and baked by the sun inside and out. However the metal at least is straight and not rusted. And unbelievably, the air conditioning is ice cold.

Not sure what to do with these. Demolition derby? That might be what they deserve. I may take the TD motor from the 760 and put it in the 265 this winter, especially if the D24 in the wagon seems like it has been hurt by the cooling system failure.

[ngoma]

Those rims!

But yes, depending the body/interior roughness factor, demolition derby could be fun (Volvo I think should be able to last a while there), then partout.

[v8volvo]

Yeah the 10-spoke wheels were a bonus. The silver car came with a full set in decent shape -- need refinishing but they are straight. The green wagon didn't have them, that is my winter tires from my other 760 that I bolted on there, but it did come with nearly new good quality 14" tires on its stock steel rims, exactly the tire size I needed for my daily driver VW so I recycled the tires to that. So those two things made each car worth the effort!

And the 265 came with a full set of timing belt service tools too -- much more of an attraction than the car itself was. Those are available for loan if anyone needs them.

[ngoma]

If you do get to the parting out stage, put me in line for an m46!

[v8volvo]

Well, here's a quick update on these two project cars just for fun.

Despite my hopes to the opposite, the green 265 wagon does have a blown head gasket. I am guessing the PO drove it around for a while with a leaky water pump. I found out the HG was blown when one day I went out to start it just to move the car, and it wouldn't turn over... hydrolocked.

I started taking glow plugs out one by one to find which cylinder was full of fluid.... Of course it was the #6, which was the last plug I went after, and the hardest one to get to. Murphy's Law again.

With the #6 glow plug removed it was able to start and run on the front 5 cylinders, spitting antifreeze and diesel out of the glow plug hole and out of the exhaust pipe. Not a good situation, but enough for the car to move under its own power for a short distance. I don't think this early small-headbolt D24 engine will be worth fixing so not too concerned about collateral damage here fortunately.

For entertainment value I made this video of the wagon firing up to move indoors one day over the winter. https://photos.app.goo.gl/Ezhmu6WSZWLcYiDw8

Still hoping the engine from the silver sedan will make its way into this wagon sometime this year. May end up being a project for next winter.

[Goteborg Vapenfabrik]

A new head gasket and you may be back on the road. I have a head gasket for the 11mm head if that’s what you need.

[v8volvo]

Thanks for the option. I may take you up on it. It would certainly get the car back to driveable condition more quickly. I was never sure if the 11mm engines took a different head gasket but it makes sense that they would.

I think my first step is I should pull the head off the motor and see how things look inside. I have a feeling this engine may have gotten hot since the WP was leaking and it was run low on water, leading to the HG failure presumably. If the head is warped or bores are damaged from either the overheat or from sitting with coolant in them this past year, then it's probably not worth trying to fix the engine. But maybe it'll get lucky and only need the gasket changed.

[Goteborg Vapenfabrik]

In the event of a warped out of specifications cylinder head with no cracks and good bores, 65Ford posted a YouTube video where he was able to remove the warpage out of a four cylinder VW IDI diesel cylinder head with an oxy acetylene torch. It would probably work on a six cylinder just as well.

[v8volvo]

I checked it out. Skilled and brave work.

Not sure I would have that kind of success but I guess the first question is what kind of shape the head is in now. I'm hoping to get it apart this summer. Just need it to first be sitting in a place where it doesn't have to move from for a while...

[v8volvo]

A long overdue update on these two: I still have the 764, but sold the 265 to a fellow out in Western Montana who was excited to have it as a shell after his gasoline 245 was sadly involved in a wreck. He pulled the D24 out and swapped in an interesting setup, a gas B230F with a Penta carburetor conversion. It was a good outcome since I'm really not a 200 series guy anyway so wasn't excited about putting in the effort on the 265, glad to see someone else take it on. It'll have some good years ahead. The new owner still has the D24 and might use it someday, or I may buy it back from him later.

I also wound up with another 744 TD parts car that came back from SLC. That will help with a swap to be logged in another thread. I'm fortunate to have some space for parking these parts cars now. Not sure if that will always be the case but taking advantage while I can.