TOPIC:

Is there anyone else out there who has a 16 Valve Twin Cam 740? Or are there any other models that used this engine? I have only owned this car for a year. It has a beautiful body with virtually no rust and original paint, all intact! The engine is the point of my inquiry. It has been in the shop a lot but hopefully I am coming to the end of it's life in the shop.

Any ideas what the car is worth?

Well, since no replies on the original post I guess I'll follow up with additional info should someone be interested.

At this point I have put roughly twice as much money into this car as it cost me. It has been dependable and never let me down on a long trip but it has been expensive to keep it going. I have replaced nearly all the seals on the engine at this point. That includes virtually every seal except the rear main seal. Both cam seals and front main seal, the water pump and timing belt as well as fan belt and airconditioning belt. I have replaced the oxygen sensor and the Mass Air Sensor. I replaced the oil pump and the renewed the seal on the housing that the oil pump is attached to. The belt for the balance shafts was missing when I bought it so that has been put back on (now I am starting to understand why it was missing). I also replaced the head gasket and all the other seals in the head including the small distributor shaft seal. The car seems to run very smoothly now and easily pulls 80 miles an hour but still does not get great gas mileage. I am getting about 22 on long trips but only about 15 to 18 around town.

There have been several strange discrepancies that I've found in the owners manual and my mechanic tells me that even the official Volvo documentation is flawed and incomplete in some cases. The PCV system is a good example of this. Also, my owner's manual states that the engine takes 4 quarts of oil and my mechanic says it takes 6.5 quarts. Anyone have anything to add on that score?

Here is a quick blurb on the B234 engine…

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volvo_Redblock_Engine#16_Valve_Variants

…including removal of the balance belt.

Engine oil capacity is 8.1 US pints including the oil in the (small) oil filter.

Add 0.7 quart for turbo versions.

From 1989 to 1992 the B234F was found in the 700 and 900 models.

A detailed how-to on engine maintenance is found here…

www.volvoclub.org.uk/faq/B234Ftimingbelts.htm

Information on the PCV system is found here…

www.volvoclub.org.uk/faq/EngineSealsBeltsVent.html

…keeping in mind that EU smog differs some from USA. Share the VIN for your Volvo so we can confirm the model version which will lead to the correct PCV info.

The engine will operate on low octane fuel but not at maximum efficiency as the ECU/sensors inhibit optimum performance. The engine thrives on high octane gas and this is where maximum mpg may be obtained. Measuring mpg is a bit tricky especially if one employs the "last fill-up" method. Given the car's frontal configuration and sedan aerodynamics mpg at the higher speeds may vary greatly from tank to tank. On my '86 245 B230F the mpg improved measurably once I resolved the sticky caliper issue. The lubricant type in the transmission and diff may influence mpg especially in cold weather during short trips.

"…what the car is worth?"

$65 salvage, $850 auction, $1,100 to $1,500 blue book, $5,000 Volvo Lover and $50,000 in mint condition after 2089.

George Dill

All this information is extremely helpful and I will try to get my mechanic to read and understand it. I only wish I had it a couple years ago when he and I were trying to sort through the many problems the car had when I originally purchased it. Many thanks!, George Dill!

Thomas Brouwer

The vin# is: YV1FA8959 K2219044

Thanks again for all the help!