Some 940 V V90 questions please

**Basil** · Friday 1st January 2016, 13:05

A healthy and prosperous New Year to all. I am new here and have a few basic questions on some aspects of 940 versus V90 chassis.

I have a 1998 V90 estate with the 3 litre whiteblock engine and a manual transmission. I have been told a couple of times by Volvo main agents that only two manual V90 cars were sold here in the UK!

It has, (I think) what is called the M90 gearbox, is that correct?

It also has independent rear suspension.

It is tired, the interior is a mess. and I am thinking of retiring it and getting a mint 1997 940 estate I have seen for sale. It has the 2.3 HPT engine, and again is a manual transmission car.

Can anyone tell me if this will have the independent rear suspension?

What manual gearbox will it have in it?

What engine designation the 2.3 HPT engine is?

If it does have the IRS what LSD options are available? I may want to do some performance mods to it, namely a GT2860 series turbo, somewhat wilder cam, bigger injectors and coil on plug ignition. Basically an updated version of the B21 engine I had in a 244 years ago, that ran blow turbocharging, through twin side draught Dellorto carbs, a big external wastegate turbo from GIK Turboteknik in Gotenburg, nad a Group A cam in the 8 valve head. It gave a genuine 320 BHP on a proper engine dyno and with forged pistons and steel rods was reliable, if hugely thirsty. Modern engine management should make something similar far more drivable and more economic!

Thanks for looking

**t5 pete** · Friday 1st January 2016, 13:18

The 940 will have a solid axel and if it's a hpt it will have the b230 fk engine which is around 170bhp iirc.
It will also have the stronger internal rods and piston oil squirter.
The gear box will be a red block m90 so good and strong.
Where abouts are you based

**Basil** · Friday 1st January 2016, 13:45

Hi, thanks for that. Will the gearbox in my manual V90 3 litre whiteblock be the same model, albeit with probably different ratios? Or something different?

I am in north Shropshire. Between Whitchurch and Shrewsbury, out in the sticks.

**t5 pete** · Friday 1st January 2016, 14:26

The v90 m90 is the same but the fitment is different as it's designed to fit a white block engine so your gear boxes won't be interchangeable.

**Basil** · Friday 1st January 2016, 16:30

OK, not detachable bellhousings then, thanks for that Pete, shows how much notice I have taken of my V90 the odd time I have had it on the ramp

**craigoodwood** · Friday 1st January 2016, 16:53

welcome neighbor, live in telford but work in Prees i cant wait to get back over that way on monday

**Basil** · Friday 1st January 2016, 17:21

Small world, just around the corner in Lower Heath. The wife works in Telford.

**Doingitsideways** · Friday 1st January 2016, 17:23

Welcome

Like has been said, both will be M90s. Just different non-removable bell housings.
Both would probably be H2 'boxes, GIving longer legs on the motorway, ratios are most likely the same through out.
Later M90s also have the stronger 3rd gear synchro that failed a fait bit on earlier models, good strong 'boxes, good for north of 300bhp. Essentially the same innards as the FWD M56 in the 850.

As for your rear end, yes the 940 will be a solid axle, most likely being a G80 locker being one of the last. Easy way to tell is to clean all the crap off the label on the diff cover - 1031 means open diff, 1041 means a locker.
Lockers are good off the line, but won't lock after something lame like 15mph. Once locked though as long as you keep your foot in and can get through the 'box quick enough, they'll stay locked. Epic fun on a wet (private) roundabout!
They can be modded though so they'll lock at any speed.

Suspension is much easier to mod than the 960 too. No daft fibreglass transverse leaf spring on a 940.

Coil on plug is probably easier said than done on a redblock, I would have thought they'd get fried from the heat from the exhaust manifold. Plenty of big power engines still run with the dizzy

**craigoodwood** · Friday 1st January 2016, 17:48

Originally Posted by Basil

Small world, just around the corner in Lower Heath. The wife works in Telford.

bloody is a small world i work at Harry West's, ive not seen a v90 about but i have seen a blue ph3 V70R within 1/4 mile of wests

**Basil** · Friday 1st January 2016, 18:03

Good detailed info, again, many thanks! This locker diff, does it fully lock or something, like a spool diff, up to a certain speed, then become fully open? Centrifugal release or electronic?

I was going to remote mount the coil packs and wire them to the plugs with short plug leads. From what I recall of some Volvo engines I have seen out they have a windowed sheet steel rim on the flywheel, I think my whiteblock has two sensors on it, one for the crank signal and one for the "cam" signal. Can't remember what the 4 pots had, something tells me pegs in the flywheel? If I did go to an aftermarket ecu I would probably just put a Hall effect sensor looking at a peg in the cam pulley for the cam position signal.

Thanks again.

**Basil** · Friday 1st January 2016, 18:07

Originally Posted by craigoodwood

bloody is a small world i work at Harry West's, ive not seen a v90 about but i have seen a blue ph3 V70R within 1/4 mile of wests

It just got smaller still. I live in Harry's old bungalow, the one he lived in with Gwen before moving into the one by the factory gates. I know Harry, Gwen, Julie, Roger and David West well! There's a ratty looking silver V90 always on the drive here! I take it you are a welder there at Harry West's?

**craigoodwood** · Friday 1st January 2016, 18:19

ha ha ha i was just puttin the kids tea on and it dawned on me, i look down your drive every time i pass but i only ever see the back of it so couldnt see it as a v90

yep im the main welder/fabricator/go to guy there been there 6 years now, if id ever of past your place and seen anyone about id of stopped to talk about your volvo (im not a stalker)

**smithy** · Friday 1st January 2016, 18:42

I don't know much about 940s but they can be made to hit 300 Bhp very easy for not much money .major mod is getting a ttv flywheel and 850r clutch fitted what what I've read .

**Doingitsideways** · Friday 1st January 2016, 19:14

Originally Posted by smithy

I don't know much about 940s but they can be made to hit 300 Bhp very easy for not much money .major mod is getting a ttv flywheel and 850r clutch fitted what what I've read .

How the hell would you know?

Pmsl!!

Yeah, there's a pawl that swings in and locks the diff solid.
Releases if you let off the loud pedal.
The mod is to basically grind it down so it'll lock at any speed.

They're a bit rough in their engagement tbh, mine caught me out a few times, as once it's locked in the axle is solid like a welded diff, so cornering is much more exciting

**Basil** · Saturday 2nd January 2016, 18:32

They sound `orrible! Is there a commercially available centre section to make them into a proper plate type LSD? Cheers.

**Doingitsideways** · Saturday 2nd January 2016, 19:06

I seem to remember there being a few options from America, but that's all I can remember tbh.

**t5 pete** · Saturday 2nd January 2016, 22:26

Quaife is a uk supplier for 1031 there are a few other diffs for over seas aswell

**dionbullock** · Sunday 3rd January 2016, 12:09

Originally Posted by Basil

A healthy and prosperous New Year to all. I am new here and have a few basic questions on some aspects of 940 versus V90 chassis.

I have a 1998 V90 estate with the 3 litre whiteblock engine and a manual transmission. I have been told a couple of times by Volvo main agents that only two manual V90 cars were sold here in the UK!

It has, (I think) what is called the M90 gearbox, is that correct?

It also has independent rear suspension.

It is tired, the interior is a mess. and I am thinking of retiring it and getting a mint 1997 940 estate I have seen for sale. It has the 2.3 HPT engine, and again is a manual transmission car.

Can anyone tell me if this will have the independent rear suspension?

What manual gearbox will it have in it?

What engine designation the 2.3 HPT engine is?

If it does have the IRS what LSD options are available? I may want to do some performance mods to it, namely a GT2860 series turbo, somewhat wilder cam, bigger injectors and coil on plug ignition. Basically an updated version of the B21 engine I had in a 244 years ago, that ran blow turbocharging, through twin side draught Dellorto carbs, a big external wastegate turbo from GIK Turboteknik in Gotenburg, nad a Group A cam in the 8 valve head. It gave a genuine 320 BHP on a proper engine dyno and with forged pistons and steel rods was reliable, if hugely thirsty. Modern engine management should make something similar far more drivable and more economic!

Thanks for looking

IIRC there is a demand for the m90 from the V90 for the boys who want to drop a T5 into and older 240/740/940 series car. Could be worth hanging onto for the time being!

**Basil** · Monday 18th January 2016, 11:36

OK, thanks for that. the car is too good to scarp, I will swap the near new Nivomats and front struts, front ARB links etcetera from my "spares" automatic V90 to the manual one, along with the seats which a rodent has attacked and the dogs have also previously taken their toll on them as well..... When the time comes to finally get rid I will pull the gearbox, cheers.