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Dave's 1990 740 Turbo Wagon T5 Manual

DavePolyakov

Member
Joined
Aug 3, 2020
Location
Shoreline, WA
I should have started my project thread when I started the project. Now I have already finished the T5 swap in my 740 and I will cover everything I did as well as other things. I will do my best to guide you on your own 700/900 t5 swap which is documented much less than the 240 t5 swaps.

My first car was my 1986 244 m46 which I bought the day before my junior year of high school. I love that car but I always wanted to know what a turbobrick felt like. A week before my senior year began I saw this 1990 740 turbo wagon show up on craigslist for $800 with a blown turbo and some other issues. I picked it up and drove it home (smoking the whole way) for $650. The engine was fully rebuilt in 2007 and the car has no rust.
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Maintenance time:
These are not in any particular order, this is everything I can remember doing since I bought the car. Probably forgetting some items, in hindsight I really should have started the project thread when I bought the car:oops:

When I bought my 240 the PO had gathered a decent amount of parts for a +t he never did. He even had a 15g in good shape and he already fabbed a wastegate mount for it. I clocked it to about what looked right and installed it on the 740 to replace the blown 13c. I also replaced the blown exhaust gaskets. It was a real tractor before this:rofl:
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The issue with the 15g is that it needs to be exactly clocked perfectly or you will have difficulty installing the oil drain pipe and the oil feed pipe. I managed to get the drainpipe in but it cracked the o-ring over time (I think this is what happened). I did the classic TB method and cut the pipe and reconnected it with some hose. It's been holding about a month, when it fails I'll buy the Yoshifab AN solution for this. To connect the oil feed line I need to use a pry bar off of the exhaust manifold to massage the hard line into position so I can thread the bolt. It works. I have not had any trouble with this.


At some point, I got these minty cloth seats from the junkyard


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Engine mounts: My hydraulic mounts were not good, I found a solid mount set for sale here on TB, and then I bought 240 diesel mounts to go with them. You need to cut one hole in each metal mount to allow the 240 diesel mounts to fit but this is really easy. I don't have pics but it's very straightforward to make them fit. Swapping them was pretty easy, I found it way easier than on a 240 to thread all the bolts. I jack from the oil pan and have not had any issues.

Boosting: No pics, but I bought a boost controller and a boost gauge. I installed the boost gauge in the vent near the door. I still need to wire the lights for it so I can see my boosting when it's dark. I've kept it around 13psi.

IPD Turbo Cam: Second time installing a cam for me, my first time on a 740 with head-mounted dizzy. I found it easiest to shim the new cam by removing it and reinstalling it than trying to mess with the shims while the cam is installed.


The T5 Swap: I guess I'll just jump right into it. This is my parts list, I'm not going to include prices. I went with a cable clutch system, not hydraulic. I may swap to hydraulic in the future but for now, I'm sticking with the cable.

Dee works adapter plate and input shaft bearing retainer (part of the kit).
Clutch components: Yoshifab Stage 2 clutch and PP kit.
Flywheel: STS Machining 20lbs flywheel.
Clutch cable: Aftermarket 740 cable from IPD. (It's cheap, if you can find a genuine Volvo one buy it! this one kind of sucks but it works). To attach the clutch cable to the fork you need a rubber damper PN 1329785 and a metal damper 1273675. To connect the cable to the pedal you need rubber block 1329786. I've included a photo of these clutch parts below.
Manual pedal box: Bought from a fellow TB member.
Pilot bearing: Ford 5.0 bearing is the one
Clutch fork: Volvo 1212189
Throwout bearing: Sachs SN3727, 3549881, 1220955, 3151190031
Center support bearing: Spicer 210084-2X
Driveshaft: I took my stock AW-71 two-piece and had a driveshaft shop cut the front shaft down to 16.5 inches and install the CSB.
Slip yoke: Ford Slip yoke F6ZZ4841BA. I found mine on a 4 cylinder Ranger in a junkyard. In 700/900s the slip yoke has no clearance issues. I've heard on 240's it may have some clearance issues.
Crossmember: Yoshifab 700/900 t5 cross-member and poly trans mount.


Clutch diagram and required dampers you need. I was finished with everything when I realized I needed these dampers. It was a frustrating three weeks sourcing the parts because otherwise, the car was ready to go.
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Removing the AW71: This was my first time removing a trans. I did it on jack stands without a transmission jack. I bought a trans jack to install the T5 but it's doable to remove it without one, maybe a little bit sketchy. I tried to save the cooling lines and the dipstick but I had to cut the dipstick and the lines got all bent and destroyed. There was nothing particularly difficult about removing it other than the fact it's 150lbs or so.

Rear Main Seal: It didn't look like it was visually leaking but I thought I might as well do it. I paid top dollar for the genuine Volvo seal which came with a plastic seal guide to get it to install without bending the lip.

The Deeworks adapter plate: First, I want to talk about the bearing retainer that needs to be installed in place of the stock input shaft retainer on the T5. The Deeworks bearing retainer will only fit on a trans with an 83-93 v8 input shaft, which is a different length and thickness than all the other input shafts on T5's. I bought a 4-cyl T5 and sold it when I realized it wouldn't work with the adapter. Then I bought a WC 4cyl-T5 and had to sell that one too before I bought a professionally rebuilt T5 with the proper v8 Input shaft.

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This is a good reference for t5 interchangeability: http://www.pro-forceperformance.com/t-5_interchange.htm

The adapter plate itself took some messing around before everything sandwiched together with no gaps. Don't force anything. I also bought the Deeworks Speedometer plug but it didn't fit. I bought a B&M speedo plug and that one fit perfectly.

Before installing the trans I spaced out the pivot ball on the shift fork about a half-inch. The clutch engages closer to the top of the travel than the bottom but it's fine. I've not had to remove the trans since I installed it for the first time.

I have no pictures of installing the pilot bearing, flywheel, and clutch assembly but it's all straightforward. At TDC, install the flywheel so the gap in the teeth points through the hole where the starter goes. I reused my flywheel bolts and I'm still here.

Ready to slap in!

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Installing it wasn't too bad. The only way to install it is to install the bellhousing first, then attach the trans. With a trans jack, it's relatively easy. I did have some trouble aligning the clutch with the input shaft but I eventually got it in.

Driveshaft and the center support bearing: I shortened my stock two-piece driveshaft at a driveshaft shop. The front shaft was shortened to 16.5 inches, u-joint center to u-joint center. If I were to go back, I would have got it shortened to 17.5 inches. At 16.5 inches, I had to drill another set of holes in the CSB bracket because 16.5 inches was just too short. The slip yoke was sticking out too far.

I used the Spicer 210084-2X center support bearing. It is much beefier. To make it fit in the 700/900 trans tunnel the top of it needs to be shaved down. I just used a cut-off wheel. This is what it looked like when I was finished:

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Here's the full driveshaft when I picked it up from the driveshaft shop. To recap, the front shaft is 16.5 inches connected with a dampened slip yoke from a 4-cylinder and the spicer CSB. The rear shaft is stock length. I went to Drivelines NW in Everett, WA for this service. Including a balance and paint as well as installing the new CSB it was just under $300.

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Shifter Dilemma: This has been a big PITA for this swap. In a 740, a T5 with a mustang tail housing will place the shifter several inches too far forward to the shift hole. To make the swap work you need to extend the shifter backward. Below is a picture of my first prototype shifter I made with some steel. I also had to hammer the shifter hole quite a bit. This would be much easier if this is done before you install the trans again. I would recommend buying a shifter from Qwik Stik on eBay if you are going to do this swap.

My custom shifter:

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Qwik Stik Shifter:
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Neutral safety bypass: The wires I sautered together to bypass the neutral safety in the automatic. It's the two pink wires and the one blue wire. I can't remember exactly what they're from because I did this several months ago but I remember it was pretty easy to find which one's needed to be sautered.

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Here's a photo of the interior installed. Instead of buying a plastic center console piece from a stock manual 700/900 I just cut the automatic one that came with the car. It basically looks stock. Here's a photo of my interior. The rubber-style stock shift boot likes to pull the shifter into neutral when I'm in 3rd and 5th so I will need to find another boot that doesn't do this. I would be happy to trade this rubber style 700/900 shift boot for the leather style with the collar. Someone hmu if you want to trade. I can add a few bucks.
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Driveshaft operating angles: When you install this driveshaft you will need to buy adjustable torque rods to be able to adjust the pinion angle. You will also need to shim down the CSB bracket. With a two-piece shaft, the trick to getting proper angles is setting the first shaft 1-1.5 degrees different than the trans. Then, set the pinion angle identical to the angle of the first shaft. Even with proper angles, my car has a resonance of around 2-2,500. I would describe it as a deep reverberation. It's very livable but takes some time until it felt normal. I was confused between this and driveshaft angle vibration but I think this resonance is common when you mate a T5 to a redblock.
 
Two hours ago I went wot in 1st, hit limiter a little more than I anticipated, white smoke immediately spewed through the shifter hole into the cabin and the car stumbled for several seconds then shut off. The car is running very poorly, won't hold an idle.

The coolant looks uncontaminated for now. When I removed the oil fill cap white smoke was coming out. Is this normal? I'm doing a comp test in the morning.
 
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sure reads like you blew the head gasket.
Is there high pressure in the cooling system when the engine is at operating temp? (hard coolant hoses are a sure pointer to a blown HG)
Pull the oil dipstick, is it milky brown? (=coolant contamination.)

Does the car have the proper turbo-ECU, green injectors + resistor pack, turbo EZ-K module? You need those to run 13psi
 
It's a stock 1990 740 turbo only with a 15g turbo. Completely stock everywhere else. Doing a compression test soon. I can't really get the car to operating temp anymore because it's barely running. When it happened, the coolant still looked uncontaminated.
sure reads like you blew the head gasket.
Is there high pressure in the cooling system when the engine is at operating temp? (hard coolant hoses are a sure pointer to a blown HG)
Pull the oil dipstick, is it milky brown? (=coolant contamination.)

Does the car have the proper turbo-ECU, green injectors + resistor pack, turbo EZ-K module? You need those to run 13psi
 
Compression tested:

Cyl 1: 125
Cyl 2: 130
Cyl 3: 135
Cyl 4: 125

The car currently starts up, jumps to like 2-3k then dies immediately. Can't get it to idle. Sound ok though from 2-3k. The dipstick looks like it's only oil and the coolant looks like it's only coolant. Nothing is leaking.

I'm seeing that min compression for a b230ft is 131 psi. My engine is at 262k but was supposedly rebuilt in 2007. It is a little bit piston slappy but runs good and was boosting nicely. The turbo has no excessive shaft play.
 
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No rips/ tears or any damage to any piping. All clamps are nice and tight. I checked the timing marks and the belt did not slip. The timing is still correct.
 
The car will only run for 2 seconds then die. Unplugged the maf, the car now runs rough and idles around 1,5k, jumping up and down in the revs without any throttle input. Is there a possibility the issue lies in the maf? I don't have much diagnostic experience or knowledge.

I think when I unplugged the MAF it threw code 2-3-2, "Fuel trim (lambda control) too lean or too rich at idle"

Should I investigate coolant temp sensor?
 
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If it runs with the MAF unplugged but wont run with it plugged in I would start with the MAF. that sounds like normal behaivor for the car with the MAF unplugged.I dont suppose you have a spare known good unit lying around or you would have already swapped them. You could try hitting the old one with some CRC MAF cleaner but it is probably beyond just a dirty sensor if it wont run with it plugged in. How is the idle air control valve?
 
I'm currently on the hunt for a good condition 016 maf but I've really been thinking about making some power upgrades now that I've got my t5 installed for several months now. I don't have a power goal necessarily, but I know I can make some more power without TOO much extra cost/effort.

Rundown of current specs:

15g
Bosch boost gauge set to 11psi
T5 WC with stage 2 clutch and PP
Stock 1990 b230ft. Compression is about 130 on all cylinders. Runs good. Boosts good.
IPD turbo cam
IPD adjustable cam gear

From what I've researched this is what I want to do to add some power:

eBay Intercooler
3-inch downpipe and exhaust with high flow cat. Would install an AEM wideband here as well.
Upgraded Kinugawa CBV(already ordered one).
TLAO chips
55-65 lb injectors?
Catch can setup?
e-fan swap?
Yoshifab 700/900 rear subframe reinforcement kit. Could I trust an exhaust shop to install this properly? Would like to hear from someone who has direct experience with this kit. I have no welding experience or friends who do.

What may I be missing? Would I possibly be maxing out my 15g at this point depending on boost levels? I don't want to upgrade turbo's right now. I'd like to run my 15g to its maximum capacity for several months before considering going bigger turbo.
 
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Small update, I sourced a 012 3 inch AMM and 42 lb/hr green giant injectors. Below is a picture of how I adapted the 012 AMM to work in the stock location with the stock airbox. I bought some 2.75" OD exhaust pipe and fitted it between the connections, then bought 2.75" to 3" silicone adapters that connect to the AMM. 2.75" ID will not work. I had to trim the stock plastic airbox section several inches, and also trim the stock hose a couple of inches. I think looking at the photo is easier than me explaining it. Also, because these injectors are high-impedance and stock injectors are low-impedance you need to bypass the resistor pack on the driver's side fender. I just cut the wires at the pack and sautered them all together. If I need to go back to low-impedance injectors I will need to get another resistor pack from the junkyard. You can also see my new Kinugawa CBV. Now I can hear the turbo even with stock exhaust.

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After driving a little bit, I'm pretty sure it's running a little bit rich. Idle is slightly worse than with stock injectors and AMM, and it's smelly. When I put the clutch in over 3.5k the car often dies as the rpm's come down. It immediately restarts but this was not happening when everything was stock. I'm going to continue driving as is to see if things improve. I haven't really been boosting it that much. Below I did some calculations to find exactly what size injectors I need for the increased size of the AMM. If I did my calculations correctly, 38 lb/hr would be a perfect match?

I'm a little confused because I swear I've seen other people on this forum running the same size injectors or bigger and their car runs well.

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have you fixed the injector/maf variables in the ECU? iirc just swapping maf and injectors without fixing the software screws up the load axes pretty bad. It'll never be perfect without ecu manipulation or chips that correctly specify the correct maf table and injector constants.
 
All I've done is remove the #1 fuse for the fuel ECU for 1-2 minutes. I believe this will reset the fuel ecu. I am in the process of looking for the right chips as I'm sure they would help. Redblock powered seems to have the only chips from what I've found (TLAO isn't doing them atm? idk). listed as a stage 1 chip, I am still not sure if they would help as my car is closer to stage 2. He said he tested the stage 1 chip with a 13c (I have 15g), stock exhaust (I'm upgrading to 3 inch soon), stock-sized injectors (not anymore), and the stock t cam (I have the IPD turbo cam). If someone can assure me these chips will still yield me the benefits I need I will happily buy them, I'm just not sure.
have you fixed the injector/maf variables in the ECU? iirc just swapping maf and injectors without fixing the software screws up the load axes pretty bad. It'll never be perfect without ecu manipulation or chips that correctly specify the correct maf table and injector constants.
 
that's too much injector for a 15g. White injectors are what you need. They will put you in a safe range/ not run too rich.
 
Cranking compression is normal for the IPD turbo cam. More duration means more cranking compression is lost since the valves are open.

Not sure if this is always the case but when I used the 012 maf on an otherwise unmodified tune it stayed in closed loop up until some 5-6 psi. I would stick with the smaller one until you get a tune for the 012.

People have used my stage 1 chips with some success with similar setups, I think...
Certainly should be fine with stock intercooler/exhaust and lower boost, like 10-12 psi.
 
To get a tune for the 012 AMM I either need chips or a standalone ecu correct? I had to hack up my airbox to fit the 012, I can’t go back to the 016 unless I get another top half of the airbox and the piping to the turbo inlet. I need to get this car running good soon. I start college soon and need this car to be running smoothly in less than 2 weeks. Im ready to spend money where it is necessary, any more advice would be awesome.
Cranking compression is normal for the IPD turbo cam. More duration means more cranking compression is lost since the valves are open.

Not sure if this is always the case but when I used the 012 maf on an otherwise unmodified tune it stayed in closed loop up until some 5-6 psi. I would stick with the smaller one until you get a tune for the 012.

People have used my stage 1 chips with some success with similar setups, I think...
Certainly should be fine with stock intercooler/exhaust and lower boost, like 10-12 psi.
 
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I got the injectors and installed them. The car idled a little smoother and pulled slightly harder from what I could tell compared to the green giants.

On the weekend a full 3-inch exhaust popped up for sale on craigslist, I went down to Oregon and picked it up. It fit in my 240 using the pass-through hole in the center back seat. I ordered an AEM wideband kit and got the bung welded on at a local exhaust shop. The seller didn't tell me there was no clearance for the oil filter. Lol, I'll address this at a later date, more important issues to fix first.

I tapped into the blue-yellow wire on the headlight switch to power the AEM. The other wire is powering the boost gauge light. In my picture it's on the red wire, I made the mistake of only checking continuity with the key "on" and this red wire is constant 12v so the gauges were on with the car off. I made the connectors using a rivet and a harbor freight electrical connection set.

The car is not running right. Whenever I put the clutch in and shift into neutral in boost the car shuts off as the rpm's drop. This happens really anywhere above 3.5k, just a little bit of boost and it will die when you shift into neutral. During boost afr's look ok for under 10psi which is where I'm staying at for right now. I've barely driven the car with the wideband, but I can recall seeing 10-11 when I was at about 9psi. I'm pretty sure it's lean spiking then leveling out. I've never driven a car with a wideband and I'm not sure what exactly it should be reading. Sometimes during idle, it will go lean, generally, it idles around 14-16. I'm assuming on decel it's normal for it not to read at all?

I need some advice. Please help me get this car running right again. I thought the 012 amm with 36lb/hr injectors should in the sweet spot, from what I've read and from what I've calculated. That is all I've changed since experiencing this issue.

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