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Qwkswede's 1992 244 daily driver. Back to my rolling roots.

Based on KDEN's barometric data that translates to 8.59 inches of Hg at 950 RPM, which is very, very low. I would say those rings are definitely sticky and/or worn, and that the decent compression numbers may be a result of carbon deposits on the piston/CC area.
 
Interesting thought. What vaccuum does a healthy motor pull? I never have a gauge connected to watch it.

And to qualify those numbers a bit, I'm basically doing a brake stance because the idle hangs so high in neutral. The engine is pushing pretty hard when stopped with the brakes on. But your logic makes sense. If it does have extensive carbon buildup, then maybe some Seafoam might help. I still find it odd because it doesn't use any oil really.

harribert said:
Based on KDEN's barometric data that translates to 8.59 inches of Hg at 950 RPM, which is very, very low. I would say those rings are definitely sticky and/or worn, and that the decent compression numbers may be a result of carbon deposits on the piston/CC area.
Click to expand...
 
My B21 sees 15-17" Hg with no load and 11-12" at 900 in D, stopped. I feel you on the brake pedal idle control. Makes it too easy to lock up the fronts when my idle is high and wonky.

I believe a completely stock, completely healthy engine pulls 20" without load, 15" with.M
 
are you blowing a lot of stuff out the breather? popping the dipstick out of the tube? seals leaking?
 
I'd agree on the stuck rings. You will usually have other issues as well. As for vacuum, my wagon is in the 55-60kpa range in gear, 40kpa in N. The 140 on the other hand has ALWAYS been low, sitting around 55-60kpa at idle. Bump it to 1000-1100 and it's around 35-40. Never been able to figure that one out, nor has anybody else.

Any chance the cam is going flat? Leakdown test show anything? Ignition side good under load? Fuel pressure good at WOT?
 
gsellstr said:
I'd agree on the stuck rings. You will usually have other issues as well. As for vacuum, my wagon is in the 55-60kpa range in gear, 40kpa in N. The 140 on the other hand has ALWAYS been low, sitting around 55-60kpa at idle. Bump it to 1000-1100 and it's around 35-40. Never been able to figure that one out, nor has anybody else.

Any chance the cam is going flat? Leakdown test show anything? Ignition side good under load? Fuel pressure good at WOT?
Click to expand...

The cam is OK. I just had the valves adjusted yesterday and it looks good in there.. Its brand new, about 1000 miles on it now. The fuel pump is brand new, the old one died a month ago. The regulator appears to be working correctly judging by the AFRs that hold rock steady and the injector pulsewidths are right where you would expect for a motor making about 101 hp.

I have not done a leakdown test yet. I do have a gauge though. I really think something mechanical is amiss with the longblock. Even before turbocharging this was the slowest Volvo I ever drove. I blamed it on LH problems, but I think this problem was there before the turbo went on.
 
Just to re-cap (and help guide troubleshooting), you've:

1) pressure tested and resolved any issues there
2) verified mechanical TDC and reconciled base ignition timing
3) correct shim on cam
4) no excessive blow by or oil consumption
5) problem existed prior to MS with LH
6) fuel system in good shape
7) compression numbers were good (did you do this with all plugs removed?)

what happens when you slap it with more timing? does it knock? can you slap it with more timing?
Has the head been off? if not, wonder if there's any between-cylinder issues causing problems.

Can't think of anything else that wouldn't manifest itself in an obvious way.. a BHG would be pressurizing the cooling system or crankcase.
same with a cracked head, unless they can crack between ports (but I don't think they can except just in the seat area)
Broken crank sprocket that slipped would have shown up with the TDC test. same with broken cam roll pin.
Flexplate installed incorrectly would have been comically obvious with LH and likely still obvious with MS.

I'm just not sure what else could be wrong with the engine itself that wouldn't be obvious. I'd think if you had really bent rods, it would have shown up on the compression test (and probably in other ways as well). How's the transmission holding up? any chance it's dragging badly? I'd think it would spool quickly with that kind of load though.
 
Vacuum is a little low but not bad given the altitude. I dunno, something really is odd. Is it normal off-boost, or still slow there? I would wonder still about a cat issue when you get around to pulling the downpipe.

Any chance the coil is breaking down under load? Fought that for a few weeks on mine until I checked it hot vs. cold and saw a huge resistance difference on the secondary side. Jumped about 3k when it warmed up, where a new coil resolved it.
 
- I did perform the compression test with all plugs removed.
- The transmission is holding up OK for now. Its not taking the beating I would hope for with the current performance levels. So no complaints from it yet.
- Timing experiments. I did have the spark timing too aggressive at higher boost for a while, and it would knock a bit if I got into the mid 20s BTDC at 10-12 psi boost. It seems like I'm about 18-20BTDC now, it can be seen on the datalog I attached before in the thread. I mostly noticed knock when I was pulling the long steep grade in the mountains last week. You drive with heavy/full boost for 10 minutes straight in some stretches there.
- I keep ignoring Gary's ignition comments, not on purpose. I haven't played much there. I figure its working and not misfiring. I do have a spare coil I could try, but haven't really been thinking about that at all.
 
My brand new Magnaflow catalytic converter has now developed a rattle. So if the cat was not a problem, it soon could become one. I might have to give it the broom handle modification if it continues to rattle.

gsellstr said:
Vacuum is a little low but not bad given the altitude. I dunno, something really is odd. Is it normal off-boost, or still slow there? I would wonder still about a cat issue when you get around to pulling the downpipe.

Any chance the coil is breaking down under load? Fought that for a few weeks on mine until I checked it hot vs. cold and saw a huge resistance difference on the secondary side. Jumped about 3k when it warmed up, where a new coil resolved it.
Click to expand...
 
Stupid question but
A. anything in the intercooler that could be blocking airflow?
B. sure the throttle plate is opening all the way?

I'm running out of ideas unless the turbo is bad I don't have any other ideas..

-Sam
 
Dead rat perhaps crawl into the intercooler before he died? lol

It really doesn't add up does it. For some of the others on here I'd be more suspicious of something being skipped over, but I think Ken has been around long enough to know better, like most of us in this thread...
 
I have not made it through the entire list yet. I have a few more things to check, and just haven't gotten to them.

I do have an odd feeling about a clogged intercooler. Its an NPR, and it had normal exterior crustiness. Who knows what it sucked on before I got it. A restriction somewhere seems like a good guess. The engine makes a weak weird weezing sound, like it is having an asthma attack too. It is hard to describe, but my mechanic friend said the same thing after driving it. It sounds like it isn't getting air. Geez. Maybe I should remove the cone filter I have on the intake and run open turbo for a trip around the block.

And after messing with the wastegate rod on Monday, ( I tightened it a few turns) I think the problem may be worse. So I really need to get a look inside the turbo and make sure the round puck is intact and working correctly.
 
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