• Hello Guest, welcome to the initial stages of our new platform!
    You can find some additional information about where we are in the process of migrating the board and setting up our new software here

    Thank you for being a part of our community!

b230ft or t5 whiteblock

sc0terdad

sc0terdad

Active member
Joined
May 1, 2020
Location
Victoria, Bc
hi there, I have just recently picked up an 81 242, I have every intention of removing the leaky old sputtering b21 with something, I am simply between these two options for these reasons:

B230Ft (93+ maybe) , I figured this would be the more straight forward route to go, as the engine mounts are already there and I wouldn't need to swap the transmission until I started to make larger power figures (goal for both engines would be somewhere around the 250-300 mark)
i would also for both engines have to do some ecu work, most likely going with some form of megasquirt.

5cl whiteblock: the appeal of a whiteblock motor to me is the aspect of the 5cl rumble and higher potential power (I think), as well as the uniqueness of it.

I understand that there are comprehensive pages on how to complete both of these swaps, but what I am more concerned with is the feedback from people who have completed either or both, wich engine makes for a more enjoyable drive, which one is more worth the effort, and lastly as someone who has never swapped and engine before (myself), would a whiteblock swap even be achievable?

thanks very much, I apologize if I got anything wrong.
 
What is your mechanical ability?

What is your fabrication ability?

Yes a red block will just bolt in. Wiring in an EMS and bolting in the engine is pretty straight forward for someone with mechanical ability. Fabrication would be limited.

A white block, has many different routes to take depending on which engine (5/6). Will require some fabrication, even though many parts can be purchased in Sweden now a days.

What part of Canada are you in? You might have someone near by that has done both swaps.

Jordan
 
GTJordan said:
What is your mechanical ability?

What is your fabrication ability?

Yes a red block will just bolt in. Wiring in an EMS and bolting in the engine is pretty straight forward for someone with mechanical ability. Fabrication would be limited.

A white block, has many different routes to take depending on which engine (5/6). Will require some fabrication, even though many parts can be purchased in Sweden now a days.

What part of Canada are you in? You might have someone near by that has done both swaps.

Jordan
Click to expand...

fabrication ability is good but by no means professional.
I live on Vancouver island on the west coast of BC and there are some groups here for volvos but I figured I first ask turbobricks since it's a larger platform.

also if I chose to go whiteblock it would most certainly be a 5cl

thanks
 
If you?re going to go to the time and expense of an engine swap? have you considered other engine platforms? There are sooo many out there now. Are you ready to nickel and dime purchase adapters and pieced together clutches? Driveshaft? Rear end strong enough? Are you really ready to pay someone to do the work for you? Take whatever budget you think you have right now and quadruple it by the time you?re done? even if you?re doing the work yourself.

The 5 makes a nice sound, but for less work and not much more room you?d get the Volvo I6?. Or how about a platform that fits and has a relatively cheap manual trans swap? something like the bmw m50 that?s as close to a drop in as you can get. Pix and engine mounts. https://www.speedingparts.eu/p/chas...ount-volvo-200-240-bmw-m50-m52-m52tu-m54.html


It?s considered sacrilege today but even a 5.0 small block ford out of a mustang or exploder would fit easily and have tons of potential (and it comes with a manual trans that fits from the factory.)

Dare I say LS swap? What?s your time and money worth?
 
740atl said:
If you?re going to go to the time and expense of an engine swap? have you considered other engine platforms? There are sooo many out there now. Are you ready to nickel and dime purchase adapters and pieced together clutches? Driveshaft? Rear end strong enough? Are you really ready to pay someone to do the work for you? Take whatever budget you think you have right now and quadruple it by the time you?re done? even if you?re doing the work yourself.

The 5 makes a nice sound, but for less work and not much more room you?d get the Volvo I6?. Or how about a platform that fits and has a relatively cheap manual trans swap? something like the bmw m50 that?s as close to a drop in as you can get. Pix and engine mounts. https://www.speedingparts.eu/p/chas...ount-volvo-200-240-bmw-m50-m52-m52tu-m54.html


It?s considered sacrilege today but even a 5.0 small block ford out of a mustang or exploder would fit easily and have tons of potential (and it comes with a manual trans that fits from the factory.)

Dare I say LS swap? What?s your time and money worth?
Click to expand...

I hear what you are saying,
frankly I do not know what a whiteblock swap would cost so I don't have much point of reference as to what "Quadruple" that would be, I do know that for me to even considor continuing with a swap It will be between the 5cl and a b230ft, its just what I have decided.
It isn't a matter of how much power I could potentially make but rather that I like the idea of a retrofitted volvo engine in a volvo be it a redblock or a whiteblock,

I appreciate the input a lot and I will definitely consider what you have said, I just kinda wanted to know the more worth it swap between the two listed options.

thanks
 
Since this is your first engine swap and you have basic mechanical experience. I would take the route with the redblock. A redblock with a good cam sounds great and a good setup with the redblock will give you the power goal you mention. With 250-300hp redblock. If you take it easy the trans might last a few weeks. :lol:

A whiteblock does sound glorious and will make your power goal easier but with this being the first engine swap you have attempted and limited fab experience. It might be a bit over your level right now.
 
244tiCanuck said:
https://www.mkmotorsport.se/t5-rwd/

Most of the stuff to make it a "bolt in" swap is available off the shelf. That said, for the effort (the same) I'd do a T6. If you use 960 parts they're already set up for RWD, and you get an extra .5l displacement and 4 more valves.
Click to expand...

I don't see a modded oil pan in the last - that is about the biggest issue with using a T5, besides what trans you will mate to it.

For someone like you who has never done a drivetrain conversion, it really doesn't make sense to use the T5. Research the oil pan mod required & see if that falls into your skill set. There are several T5 conversions on here, take a look at what it took to get there.
 
lookforjoe said:
I don't see a modded oil pan in the last - that is about the biggest issue with using a T5, besides what trans you will mate to it.

For someone like you who has never done a drivetrain conversion, it really doesn't make sense to use the T5. Research the oil pan mod required & see if that falls into your skill set. There are several T5 conversions on here, take a look at what it took to get there.
Click to expand...

That's kind of why I would go with the T6 over a T5. Can use 960 head, pan, intake, accessories, buy the bolt in engine mounts. Build a y-pipe for the turbo from the manifolds. Maxxecu sells a T6 harness to match their standalones.
 
lookforjoe said:
I don't see a modded oil pan in the last - that is about the biggest issue with using a T5, besides what trans you will mate to it.

For someone like you who has never done a drivetrain conversion, it really doesn't make sense to use the T5. Research the oil pan mod required & see if that falls into your skill set. There are several T5 conversions on here, take a look at what it took to get there.
Click to expand...

this. there are a lot of factors that go into a whiteblock swap, a ton of nuances. if you're not familiar with engine swaps it can be more than a little bit overwhelming, hence the suggestions for the oft trotted out (and somewhat boring, but still fun) ls swap/5.0 swap mantra.

Roll the b230 for now, and when that gets boring, then you will have a much better idea as well as skills of where you want to go.
 
thanks everyone who replied, I have decided to go with a 93+ b230f and then go +t just so long as I can find one.

turbobricks ftw
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top