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Stop me if this is a dead horse type of question...

1K views 6 replies 3 participants last post by  LordJax 
#1 ·
Has anyone done the Getrag 5-speed swap? I saw it over at TurboBricks and it seemed like a pretty cheap easy way to get a 5speed into the volvo.
 
#2 ·
Re: Stop me if this is a dead horse type of question... (LordJax)

Many folks with a turbo or V8 Volvo do this conversion.

Here is one online conversation on the subject...
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Is it possible to up the boost on a Volvo Turbo?
From: John Werner
Subject: Turbo boost

Hmmm... They *feel* faster, especially if the vacumn hose comes off the turbo, and your boost is maxed out at the slightest nudge of the
"go" pedal. :>(

Or this can happen when you have been playing with the waste gate hose and accidently crimped it closed. Volvo is quite conservative on the tuning of its turbos. In full racing tune, a water injected B21FT can put out over 300 bhp. Longevity does suffer some.

The stock boost in Volvo turbos is from 8 to 10 psi, depending on the exact year. The late model 740s got abou 10 lbs from the factory. At 14.5 psi, there is a fuel pump cut off switch. If your boost hist or exceeds 14.5 psi, it cuts the fuel.

Now, the fun stuff. It is possible to up the boost on a Volvo Turbo. At one point, I was running about 13lbs of boost. I estimated the bhp to be well over the 200 mark, with torque over 220 ft-lbs. (Torque, BTW, is what pins you to your seat, not bhp.) The car was very fast, the only stop light drag I lost was to a 5.0 litre Mustang. I should have been tipped off by the loping idle and the apparent lack of exhaust. Still, he had to work for it.

The big draw back of all that power is that the driveline gets a little stressed out. On a manual, this is shown in two major places. One, the clutch, it does not really like all that power and clutch life is reduced. Two, and more importantly, the manual gear box. When you unleash all of the torque on the gear box, especially in first gear, the gear have a tendency to push apart. If the box were made of steal, this would not be much of a problem because the steal would resist being deformed. Unfortunately, the manual gear box in a Volvo turbo is made of alloy. It deforms. Eventually, the internal clearances change and you are left with quite a mess.

Some of you may be questioning this, `What is your source for this info?' This comes from my mechanic, Dan Theil. He ownes a 242, Group A Homologated Turbo, complete with all of the group A options, roll cage, etc. It was his rally race car. He told me that he used to expect to get one to two events on a gear box. When he took them out, the sides were bowed outward. He finally solved this problem with a alloy racing Getrag gear box. It apparently can be easily held in place by one person while another bolts it in. The only failure he has had with this $3000 gear box is when he broke the rear tires loose and did not get off the gas before the hooked up again. The case held, but one of the gear disintigrated. (BTW: One quick check for a true Homologated 242 Turbo is to open the hood. It should weigh next to nothing.)

-- John
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...and specific details at

http://forums.turbobricks.com/....html

George Dill
 
#3 ·
Re: Stop me if this is a dead horse type of question... (LordJax)

Getrag 5-speed, which car does that come from?
There are otherwise 3 types of 5speed to these Volvos. But maybe there aren't many of them in the US.
M46 4speed with overdrive (stronger than M47)
M47 5speed
M90 5speed, newer and stronger

The only getrag I know of is the one from 164, but that only have 4speed if I can remember right,
 
#6 ·
Re: (LordJax)

Unless you enjoy hours of anguish better pull the engine for a trans swap.

This would be a good time to make engine improvements.

You may wish to consider major suspension, brake and chassis up-grades as the 200+hp will be wasted on the stock car.

George Dill
 
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