New to the volvo world

**DerbyT4** · Saturday 27th December 2008, 18:11

Hi everyone,
I have never owned/ thought about owning a volvo up until last month. A friend was selling his S40 T4 and as it has a turbo and was only up for £400 i thought why not. Since that day I have been really impressed!. Very comfortable, well equipped and a fair bit of power. A couple of small problems with it but other than that it's spot on. Can i just check that the specs I've got for it are correct and if anyone knows the missing ones:
1998 so it's a B4194T phase 1 with 1855cc, 8.5:1 CR, 14.7 psi boost, Mitsy turbo, 81mm bore, 90mm stroke, VE of 146% approx, aluminium block and head, does anyone know the Con rod length and the combustion volume (the volume of the chamber shape at TDC)?

I was originally planning just to turn the boost up a tiny bit and stick a bigger intercooler in there but I have realised the turbo compression ratio is running the limits of pump fuel. Just having a quick browse over the internet etc it seems very expensive to gain not much more power.

Overall it's a cracking run a bout and has no problem keeping up with my mates modified 2.9 cossie.

**Enigma666** · Saturday 27th December 2008, 18:25

Expensive to get power?
A re-map will take it to 235 -240 and it runs very well then

Mine is currently on that but I had bigger plans for it since.....I have now bought a T5 though so I am at a crossroads as to which car to go for the 400bhp mark

The cars are great

Can't help you much with the information you need but there is a good deal of power left in the standard pump.

Hopefully the mods wont mind too much but go Here for the most information on the S40 range

Welcome to the forum

**DerbyT4** · Saturday 27th December 2008, 21:26

Thanks for the info.

At first I wasn't planning to do anything to it but I'm tempted to throw a bit of money into it and see what it can do.

**Enigma666** · Saturday 27th December 2008, 22:06

Well, depending on the budget you have it can do lots

There are a few people with 400+ bhp on the forums and there are some crazy Swedes with more than that (one guy has 800 ish)
Main thing with these engines is the rods.....over or approaching 300hp and they are best being done however the Mahle pistons are good for 400+

Get the suspension sorted first, there is also and Evo 3 brake upgrade for the fronts which can be had readily and cheaply

**DerbyT4** · Saturday 27th December 2008, 23:41

Just spent the last hour going through that link you showed me, some impressive stuff on there. As for budget I'm a Student doing Motorsport at Uni so money wise it's minimal but time wise i have a couple of years lol. It'd be nice to use the volvo as a course project next year but can't find an affordable catergory that it falls into (Has to be funded by ourselves you see). To be honest I'm pleased with the volvo as it is, but i do have cheap access to rolling roads and a few other tuning company's so I may just do a bit of experimenting with it, mainly for educating myself in the Turbocharged world. Spent most of the time with carbs and N/A revy jap motors.

Having said all that and seeing all the info you've provided I must say i'm really tempted to have a go at the 400+bhp mark

**Enigma666** · Sunday 28th December 2008, 09:27

I have a VEMS standalone ECU in the cupboard which is up for sale (unless I tune the S40 I suppose) which will be an awesome place to start with if you want to self tune or the whole setup can be had for around £600 ish now (due to the poor pound).
400+ is achievable but the turbo choice is essential...too big and the poor thing will never spool in time. The GT3071 or alike seem to be the favourite for that sort of figure though.
The biggest pain in the ass with the Volvos is the lack of 'off the shelf' parts (especially in the UK) so costs are often quite high and then you have to add shipping

For 400+ I would budget at least 5k to make it up there to that realm.
I do have a spare T4 engine though for sale (no turbo etc) in fact I have a whole setup which will hit around 380bhp for sale.
The list will soon add up though mate....more power better rods, exhaust, injectors, head-work, manifold upgrade (exhaust) then the tuning. It's a long and expensive road lol
If you went to Marco at MTE for the custom tune too expect to pay in the realm of £500 for that custom tune also.

HTH

**mexybhouy** · Monday 29th December 2008, 03:53

Welcome first and foremost to the many many different views of the forum! but me thinks that you have a well and trully big advantage to most folk on here! no disrespect to anyone, but you know Xtly wot you're taking on!!!!!

**DerbyT4** · Thursday 8th January 2009, 23:09

I was at the autosport show today and spoke to a good number of companies about parts for the T4, I've sourced suppliers for forged H rods/ pistons, camshafts (reground orignals), equal length 4 branch manifold, stand alone fully programmable management system with anti lag option, camber adjustment kits (nothing special though) and a few other bits like ARP bolts etc.

The majority of the stuff has to be made special, some are a lot cheaper in bulk buy but some of the stuff I can get at very little over cost price.

To be honest i don't know where to go with this lol.

I'm half tempted to use a stand alone management system and stick the lump into a 340 or something (I have to be doing something to keep me busy). Just don't really feel like butchering a perfectly nice S40.

Oh well no rush i guess, I'll keep on thinking

**Enigma666** · Friday 9th January 2009, 00:16

I have a spare T4 engine if you want to play....not to mention a full stand alone ECU up for grabs...hell I have a GT2871 and manifold for sale too...add it all together with larger injectors etc and you have a good 380bhp motor

**DerbyT4** · Friday 9th January 2009, 00:37

hmmmmm......

comfy s40 t4 for everyday use and then a beefy 340 drift toy

so very tempting, I dare say we'll have to discuss this further at some point.

**Enigma666** · Friday 9th January 2009, 09:38

Lol yeah mate no worries

**T4FLY** · Wednesday 28th January 2009, 04:09

Originally Posted by Enigma666

I have a spare T4 engine if you want to play....not to mention a full stand alone ECU up for grabs...hell I have a GT2871 and manifold for sale too...add it all together with larger injectors etc and you have a good 380bhp motor

Out of interest, how much are you selling the manifold for mate?

**Enigma666** · Wednesday 28th January 2009, 09:17

The manifold on it's own or the manifold with the adaptor for T3 turbos?

**T4FLY** · Wednesday 28th January 2009, 17:43

The manifold on its own thanks

**Enigma666** · Wednesday 28th January 2009, 18:56

Are you deliberately after a ported manifold or just a replacement to play with as I have a full spare engine with a standard mani on it if that's any interest to you?

**T4FLY** · Thursday 29th January 2009, 02:13

Originally Posted by Enigma666

Are you deliberately after a ported manifold or just a replacement to play with as I have a full spare engine with a standard mani on it if that's any interest to you?

Might be interested in the ported one as I'll be fitting a 14T with 16G compressor wheel (2.0T engine).

**Enigma666** · Thursday 29th January 2009, 09:16

Ok, if you go down that route then most likely you will need the forged rods too...I have had 2 friends who have bent rods with upgrades to the 2.0T engine.
1 just went 14T with FMIC and MTE tuned and bent a rod, the other was a 14TBig16G wheel and also bent a rod.
Combine that with a ported manifold and you will most likely bend something mate.
By all means give it a go, but it is an expensive repair bill

**T4FLY** · Thursday 29th January 2009, 17:08

Ahh yes I'd be way too nervous about fitting the 14TBig16G without the safeguard of forged rods. I'd probably do the same if it was the T4. I'm taking delivery of Andy_P's engine in a few days so it should be more than up to the job

Must say I am tempted by a bigger turbo but the 14T will be a good start and then can progress from there if I need to.

You not fancying taking your T4 to the next stage then?

**Enigma666** · Thursday 29th January 2009, 17:38

Yeah I really did, but then bought a T5 so that will be my silly car, thinking either sell teh 40 or strip her out and send her round the track, approx 200hp per tonne should be fun to take round a track

Good luck with the new engine mate

I thought Andy had a custom made tubular on his? Or did he keep that?
Either way if you want the manifold you can have it for £50 +p&p. Seem reasonable?

**T4FLY** · Saturday 31st January 2009, 17:43

Originally Posted by Enigma666

Yeah I really did, but then bought a T5 so that will be my silly car, thinking either sell teh 40 or strip her out and send her round the track, approx 200hp per tonne should be fun to take round a track

Good luck with the new engine mate

I thought Andy had a custom made tubular on his? Or did he keep that?
Either way if you want the manifold you can have it for £50 +p&p. Seem reasonable?

Yes Andy auctioned off some of the stuff inc his tubular manifold and clutch, intercooler etc. Thanks for the info on the manifold, will deffo bear that in mind mate

-Presuming its the same on the 2.0T as on the T4?