Yes a VOLVO head on a 2.3 ford style engine
It’s ACTUALLY a cool project but in all honesty not a “cheap” way to make power!!!
So here is the scoop:
In the mid 70s to compete with import cars ford contracted with Porsche to assist in designing a “metric” compact car engine for “their” compact car (the pinto) the result was the Lima engine 2.0 liter.
The “big brother” became the 2.3 Lima or the 2300 pinto engine which is the same base for all the Lima engines up to the turbo coupe and ranger engines even the 2.5 and the multi plug heads. Porsche suggested an aluminum engine but ford said no way, no how, Americans want iron.
Fast forward to the mid 1980s Volvo reaches out to Porsche to assist in designing a family of engines that are OHC and 2.0-2.3 liter displacement. The Germans being who they are used the same firing order, and similar bore spacing from their American project several years before!
So in a round about way the volvo head physically will bolt on the fords head mounting pattern. There are a few MAJOR differences, dowels need recut, the bores or NOT centered on two cylinders (2mm off) and the exhaust manifold and intake manifold must be fabricated.
To make it all “work” you must fab up several parts. I had to build a timing belt tensioner and modify the block. The ford feeds water and oil at the rear of the block to the iron head. The Volvo is aluminum headed so it doesn't need extra water. You can weld a block to the head or plug the deck. I chose plug the deck using “core plugs” I sprayed the deck with dykem layout ink traced a circle template over the abnormal shaped holes and cut perfect circles in the iron, I then drove cup style core plugs in the deck surface to plug the holes. A 1/8 NPT Brass plug Plugs the oil feed. ( this is why I must oil the head externally)
There are MUCH cheaper ways to make the Lima engine a screaming HP machine but this way is VERY unique!
The Volvo head flows great numbers in its stock form. It’s all from memory but I’m thinking with the stock ports at .464 lift it’s about 235-240 cfm intake and 190-200 on the ehhaust. My head has been worked over and it’s flowing 295 on the intake and 240 on the exhaust with .464 lift cams. This has been converted to solid buckets as well. And the Volvo is a true interference engine meaning watch that timing belt!!!
The turbo I’m feeding it with is a BorgWarner EFR-9180 and I have FID2000 injectors. It’s fuel is E-85
The block is an Esslinger mid deck 8.500 aftermarket block, the crank is an Esslinger 3.590” stroke, Dyers 300M too rods 7/16 bolts. CP pistons with Nipon turbo rings and HEAVY pins.
This project has been a labor of love and almost more of an ego thing. My pals on turbo ford think these can make power for sure but many people start these conversions and never finish them. They also are very disappointed in the power they make because the numbers say it should make power but fabrication skills and corner cutting really hinder the output.
Basically this engine is just so I can say “look I did it!” In Europe there are a few making serious power but there are no expenses spared, much like this one check it out
http://tvracing.net/?Kilpurin_tekniikka::MoottoriHe has videos on YouTube as well he made 930 hp at the wheels on his Dyno pull it’s unreal!
Also check out Phil Marshal Dyno pull he smokes the wheels at Carlsile on the Dyno with this combo.
I’m hoping I can hit 600-700 at the wheels with my combo. All my parts and numbers say I can. Actually doing it is another story. All I can do is try! Either way 500 at the wheels is An amazing 4 cylinder!
If anyone has questions reach out I love sharing and showing what I’m doing. I also love asking questions as that’s the only way to learn.
Thanks for the replies guys and thanks for listening
Dave
