240GLT T5 conversion

**antz** · Sunday 24th July 2011, 15:14

Well guys I thought Id better start a thread about my new 245 and plans.

I bought it off eBay a few weeks back and had a 5 hour road trip down to Ipswich to collect it followed by its first modified car cruise the same night.

Shes a 1988 GLT with the 2.3 engine and horrible automatic gearbox. Only done 127k from new. The last owner had her a year and covered 15k miles so I know shes reliable. (She went to Le mans in June!). He also spent quite a lot on her including adding Kilen 40mm lowering springs and Monroe gas shocks.

My plans are to rip the whole 2.3 engine and automatic gearbox out and drop in a 850 T5 engine just for some fun! Im not sure on modifications yet but Ive already got a 960 sump, oil pickup pipe and engine mounts on the way from Tomcat and Ive bought a S60R turbo manifold for it too. Ill also be looking out for a 16T turbo at some point then some IPD sway bars, polybush it right through, add some upper and lower strut braces with an adjustable panhard rod.

Here it is the day I bought it as she came off ebay:

First job was to add my Nardi Torino steering wheel which I bought from a scrapyard for £3.60. YEP £3.60!

Then I removed the roofrack because quite frankly, the wind noise was horrible and it weighed a tonne.

Then off came the spotlights as they werent my thing, headlight wipers as I dont like them and I changed the indicators to some clear ones from the USA with a compliment of some V40 side repeaters.

Then onto the towbar and electrics. I decided to ditch the towbar as I wont need it and its just dead weight. A few hours heaving and swearing then an almighty scream at the wiring which was a sea of scotch locks and random wires and I was left with this. I need to brace up the plastic rear valance as the tow bar had twisted it though.

My next step is to get the old girl up my unit when I get the keys next weekend and then get on with removing the engine and prepping for the T5 conversion whilst also keeping my eyes peeled for a 960 M90 gearbox which I need for it.

It wont be a quick conversion cos im paying off some debts and trying to do this all myself learning as I go along or roping in whoever I can to help out in exchange for favours and beer tokens.

**cherry1809** · Sunday 24th July 2011, 16:18

I love 240's. If I had the balls I'd do a full on B230 245 16v turbo on BBS 17's... Keep us posted.

**Tomcat** · Sunday 24th July 2011, 16:21

Gotta say that just from the jobs you've done so far you've taken years off it, oh...the sump and stuff got removed today so I've just got to wrap them up for you and they're ready to go.

**antz** · Sunday 24th July 2011, 17:57

Originally Posted by Tomcat

Gotta say that just from the jobs you've done so far you've taken years off it, oh...the sump and stuff got removed today so I've just got to wrap them up for you and they're ready to go.

Thanks mate! Let me know how much I owe you for postage!

The only thing on the exterior I would possibly change now would be some rear lights from PFS that are red, white, white, red to get rid of the orange but thats not on my immediate list.

**t5 pete** · Monday 25th July 2011, 10:05

looking good if theres anything i can do just give me a shout

**antz** · Monday 25th July 2011, 12:39

Originally Posted by t5 pete

looking good if theres anything i can do just give me a shout

Thanks Pete! Ill definately need to rack your brains at some point! I cant really do a lot until I get the keys to my unit next weekend.

**The Flying Moose** · Monday 25th July 2011, 15:31

Looking good so far, I think its definately going to be a "learning experience".

I have only ever seen one other conversion done to a 240 which was in PPC and it looked fantastic.

Best of all can you imagine the look on drivers faces as an F reg Volvo comes screaming past.

**T5frankie** · Monday 25th July 2011, 15:46

i have always thought of owning a t5 245 awesome mate can't wait to see how it turns out

**t5_monkey** · Monday 25th July 2011, 15:53

I wanna do something similar with a crazy 2.3 turbo upgrade

I hear that the T5 is a bit big and heavy for the 240? still... will be totally awesome when you get it done.

**antz** · Monday 25th July 2011, 16:35

Originally Posted by t5_monkey

I wanna do something similar with a crazy 2.3 turbo upgrade

I hear that the T5 is a bit big and heavy for the 240? still... will be totally awesome when you get it done.

Cant be any worse than the 2.3 N/A cast iron red block engine thats already in it! The quickest thing about it is the fuel gauge. Plus according to curb weights online a 240 Estate only weights 9kg more than a 850 T5 estate.

TFM you dont happen to have a copy of that PPC mag I could grab a photocopy of or buy off you for reference do you?

Thanks for the comments guys. Its really spurring me on to get my arse into gear. Money is the main issue though (as with everything) so Im buying bits as and when I can afford them and recruiting as much slave labour (friends) as I can during the build!

**The Flying Moose** · Monday 25th July 2011, 16:42

Originally Posted by antz

Cant be any worse than the 2.3 N/A cast iron red block engine thats already in it! The quickest thing about it is the fuel gauge. Plus according to curb weights online a 240 Estate only weights 9kg more than a 850 T5 estate.

TFM you dont happen to have a copy of that PPC mag I could grab a photocopy of or buy off you for reference do you?

Thanks for the comments guys. Its really spurring me on to get my arse into gear. Money is the main issue though (as with everything) so Im buying bits as and when I can afford them and recruiting as much slave labour (friends) as I can during the build!

Ill dig it out and grab some pictures for you mate. No problem sending photocopies either. Ill see if a photo is legible first though.

**antz** · Monday 25th July 2011, 22:01

Thanks dude! If you have the date of the issue ill try and get one off ebay or something too =)

Just claimed dibs on an engine and ECU from Smithness which I need to pickup sometime and Im planning a major scrapyard run this weekend for whatever else I can get that will help me such as a wiring loom!

**WOODY T5** · Monday 25th July 2011, 22:05

No probs mate it's yours hope u enjoyed the little run in me car?

**The Flying Moose** · Monday 25th July 2011, 22:11

Originally Posted by antz

Thanks dude! If you have the date of the issue ill try and get one off ebay or something too =)

Just claimed dibs on an engine and ECU from Smithness which I need to pickup sometime and Im planning a major scrapyard run this weekend for whatever else I can get that will help me such as a wiring loom!

I have just been on the phone to smithness, he did mention you.

Just taken a few pictures of the mag once I found it. Demeber 2010 issue. If they are not legible ill take some more tomorrow during daylight.

Just seen your not too far from my playground either. Will have to catch up sometime soon.

What did you think of smithness's car? Does clinging on for dear life ring a bell? According to him you were!!!

**antz** · Monday 25th July 2011, 22:23

Originally Posted by smithness

No probs mate it's yours hope u enjoyed the little run in me car?

Originally Posted by The Flying Moose

I have just been on the phone to smithness, he did mention you.

Just seen your not too far from my playground either. Will have to catch up sometime soon.

What did you think of smithness's car? Does clinging on for dear life ring a bell? According to him you were!!!

I loved the ride out in your T5! Its got me thinking about 19T turbos, MBC's, bigger injectors and MORE POWER!!!!

Yeah sure thing we will have to catch up! Always good to meet more Volvo lovers than all the haters who take the piss constantly. Thanks for the pics of the mag! Im going to try and get myself a copy if I can find one

I learnt a long time ago if you are going to cling on for dear life then fold your arms and grip the seatbelt as hard as you can! That way you dont look so much of a fool as your grasp wildly for something solid going AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

Its one hell of a machine and goes like a flipping rocket! Definately a whites of the eyes moment! My T4 feels slow now

**antz** · Saturday 30th July 2011, 18:03

Well today I dragged a couple of mates with nothing better to do over to U-Pull-It near York to try adn get some parts for this project.

First up was an engine bay loom which althought it was still there, some tit had cut right a big chunk of it whilst trying to remove some uselessly boring piece of ABS kit although we can repair that.

So after 3 hours we managed to extract a full engine bay loom complete with fuse box that we can strip down, throw bits away from and splice into the 240s loom.

I had no idea how heavy and massive the loom would be!

I also got a couple of interior switch blanks for the 240 and a spare T5 engine cover for re-painting.

Also yesterday I received the keys to my new industrial unit which is now home to Porject 240 so a great amount of time has been spent removing all the old **** the previous occupant left, dying of shock at the wiring of the place which Ive complained about and demanded be fixed as its too dangerous to use the power at the moment and I bought an engine hoist.

**t5 stealth** · Sunday 31st July 2011, 07:55

just a thought.........................
your getting a 960 sump for your t5 engine ?

960 is a 6 cyl engine,t5 is a 5 cyl engine.
the sump may be 1 cylinder too long ?

correct me if im wrong ?

**antz** · Sunday 31st July 2011, 11:19

Originally Posted by t5 stealth

just a thought.........................
your getting a 960 sump for your t5 engine ?

960 is a 6 cyl engine,t5 is a 5 cyl engine.
the sump may be 1 cylinder too long ?

correct me if im wrong ?

You arent wrong! But the sump is the only one suited to a whiteblock for a RWD application so what you need to do is cut a cylinders worth out and re-weld it like this: