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Who builds complete B230 race motors?

Fred Gwynne

New member
Joined
Oct 18, 2015
I, like everybody else, wants more power out of my naturally aspirated 245. I have read that a V8 is the best and cheapest way to get a legit amount of power. A good friend on mine offered me a 5.3L LS core motor to use as trade in for a rebuilt 5.3. That sounds awesome but after I estimated the price of a professionally rebuilt 5.3 motor(ATK) plus the motor mounts, transmission, fueling, ignition and all the other accessory parts as well as a guy willing to make all that stuff work will cost quite a bit of money. Although it may be worth paying that for 385 or so HP.


Another option is to have my b230 motor pulled out and shipped to a place that will rebuild the entire motor and perform modifications needed to up the HP a good amount. I'm not a motor guy but I'm thinking about things like hi-comp pistons, stronger crank and arms, enlarged valves, port and polish, lightened fly wheel etc. I won't get anywhere near 385 but it may be considerably cheaper/easier because after I get the motor back I can just have it planted into the car and the project will be completed.


Do any of you know who will work over a B230 like this? I thought there was a place in Oregon that may do this but I cannot find their website.

Please provide any thoughts/opinions about this.

I'm very seriously considering having either a V8 or essential B230 "race" motor swap.

If this topic has already been discussed then please send me a link to that thread. I'd rather not congest this forum with a question that has already been answered.


Thanks for your help.
 
I, like everybody else, wants more power out of my naturally aspirated 245. I have read that a V8 is the best and cheapest way to get a legit amount of power. A good friend on mine offered me a 5.3L LS core motor to use as trade in for a rebuilt 5.3. That sounds awesome but after I estimated the price of a professionally rebuilt 5.3 motor(ATK) plus the motor mounts, transmission, fueling, ignition and all the other accessory parts as well as a guy willing to make all that stuff work will cost quite a bit of money. Although it may be worth paying that for 385 or so HP.


Another option is to have my b230 motor pulled out and shipped to a place that will rebuild the entire motor and perform modifications needed to up the HP a good amount. I'm not a motor guy but I'm thinking about things like hi-comp pistons, stronger crank and arms, enlarged valves, port and polish, lightened fly wheel etc. I won't get anywhere near 385 but it may be considerably cheaper/easier because after I get the motor back I can just have it planted into the car and the project will be completed.


Do any of you know who will work over a B230 like this? I thought there was a place in Oregon that may do this but I cannot find their website.

Please provide any thoughts/opinions about this.

I'm very seriously considering having either a V8 or essential B230 "race" motor swap.

If this topic has already been discussed then please send me a link to that thread. I'd rather not congest this forum with a question that has already been answered.


Thanks for your help.

I have a complete B230 long rod with 7/16 ARP rod bolts, flat top forged J&E Pistons bottom end ready and in the stand..Block bored 0,5mm, block decked, 0/0 crank, all new bearings,
new Melling oil pump... Pan not screwed down so buy can oogle at all the pretty stuff inside..

Head cleaned and ready for final machining...plan is 44/38 valves and a fairly hot cam and about 11.4 compression (static)...It is No.2 of three same spec n.a.motors. So headers and steel flywheel and clutch---flywheel here just depending on what ultimate engine management spec..For any real fun, the OEM intake manifold must go and either ITBs or 2 x 48 Webers be used. Manifold can be supplied as well..
So yeah as far as i know I'm the only one here building this sort of motor in n.a...

Output depends on head spec but seriously 25 years ago the norm for B230 is the use i do them for was about 230 hp @7100 and good broad powerband..

(and back then the target for the class for 2,0 motors was Opel's 2,0 XE which was a very nice engine and made 217-220hp and I built a 2,0 16v Saab which when finally was dailed in a rolling road dyno did make 215@7200....It used Volvo B234 intake and exhaust valves which were 34 x 32 vs Saabs 32 in and 29 exhaust..But club spec 2300 Volvos topped that for a ton less money. That's why I became more interested in Volvos: the great dollar to fun ratio.)

Does the phone number appear below?
 
Naturally aspirated race motor and 245? Interesting combo.
What are your actual goals? While I’m all for building sweet race motors, it’s not always necessary.
 
If you want to keep it NA, bravo, just be prepared to drop some cash. Josh at Yoshifab would be the best person to talk to.

If you just want more power, it's cheaper to slap a turbo on it and go go go.
 
16v in NA application would net some good gains, no? From what I recall a basic 16v conversion on a stock long block isn't that expensive and would give a great hp/$ ratio, with Yoshifab's parts it's about the same price as a good +t solution.

What's wrong with going turbo? There's many swaps keeping lots of original, reliable, parts that are daily driven. You can make 225hp on a turbo motor all day with all Volvo stuff. Having done the deed to my own car I'd be happy to chat further.
 
I, like everybody else, wants more power out of my naturally aspirated 245.

I went this way too (with John) you can have a LOT of fun with an 8v NA for a reasonable amount of money.

I like the simplicity of the setup in particular.

And if you are planning to actually drive the car, I mean really beat on it, I think he is the guy to build that kind of engine.

This is John's work, he knows his stuff, you should give him a call, just for fun.

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16v in NA application would net some good gains, no? From what I recall a basic 16v conversion on a stock long block isn't that expensive and would give a great hp/$ ratio, with Yoshifab's parts it's about the same price as a good +t solution.

What's wrong with going turbo? There's many swaps keeping lots of original, reliable, parts that are daily driven. You can make 225hp on a turbo motor all day with all Volvo stuff. Having done the deed to my own car I'd be happy to chat further.

There are some real advantages to 16v...but so far the way virtually every one I've seen done by everybody misses the point by a mile...

It shouldn't be out of the question...But it does double some costs...simple becuz there's twice of a whole lotta things. twice the valves, sperings cam sprokets, and twice the real cam if the guy actually wants some power..limp-dick OEM sh!t cams hain't gonna give anybody a big stiffie.
Discussion with the Oh Pea will reveal if he wants that much power or might he be happy with 8v ...and gears and final drive..
 
Real cams on those heads require solid lifters and sadly the only solution there is shim under bucket lifters. Expensive and very time consuming. Really, just a general pain in the ass.
 
My b230 was built by Larry’s in Groton CT to a pretty high level, rods, pistons, crank treatment, block o-ringed etc. I bought it off a stand a friend Paul’s garage and the machine shop bill for the bottom end work was ~$3500 (not including hard parts)

Very well respected shop down here, lot of 40psi Subaru type of things. They have a lot of whiteblock and redock experience as well.
 
Just read through 10 years of John threads



You can swap in an ls for that price, granted its going to be really ugly but its going to run and do burn outs right out of the box.

Maybe not in 2011 when it was built but, yeah. With the RSI head and rod/pistons there was +$7k in the long block.

If I were respending my money and repowering the car now it wouldn’t get an ls but it wouldn’t get a redblock either. That said my redblock performs really well and I think it’s character suits the car. Plan to enjoy as is and own/build other cars.
 
Good luck with the engine, keep us posted on the progress, this sounds pretty cool!

And John's right with the gears, a I swapped a t5 when I put my first engine in, na b230f with a b cam, it was fun! Make sure to do suspension too.
 
Yeah that has been a concern of mine. I'm hoping for a motor that you can just drop into my car and all the stock stuff will work.

We will have an answer to that question.

My car is at John's place right now and it's got a charging issue, once that figured out, we can see if the stock engine management will work. It should be ok, John has done similar setup before, but we can't confirm... for now. Have you talked to John?
 
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