Adding a turbo to a 92 240

I have an auto 1992 240 wagon that needs a boost. I've put in IPD sways, Bilstein HD shocks and struts, new exhaust system from IPD, custom cold air intake etc...

My first thoughts were to swap out the engine for a 96-01 Explorer 5.0 and corresponding T5 tranny from a late 80's Mustang. Ross Converse conversion style. Wellllll looking into that, the $$$ just started adding up. And putting close to 7 or 8 grand into a 20 year old wagon just didn't seem smart. Especially for a 23 year old.

SO, now the plan would be to grab a turbo, upgrade the camshaft, new header pipe, turbo intercooler etc.. and the electronics from a 940T so I could get the boost up to at least 4 or 5psi. But the advice I seem to be getting from my mechanic and from Volvo junkyards in the area is to just replace the engine with a 940 turbo motor, which pretty much brings me back to my starting point of replacing the engine.

My brain seems to think that I can have some fun with the B23 engine I already have, without needing to replace the whole thing. I also live in an apartment, so most of the work being done will be by my mechanic. Hence me not wanting to replace the whole thing which would take a ton more time and $$$$.

Thoughts?? Has anyone been here before? Cost difference between doing the work to get the turbo in vs. replacing the whole motor?

Thanks for the help guys!!

'92 240 has a b230f engine with the thicker rods. it's a strong engine. handles boost well.

I daily drive a '92 240 with a TD04-13c added from a 940 Turbo, along with the intercooler/piping, water/oil heat exchanger, injector resistor pack, injectors, fuel computer, ign. computer, and e-fan. Runs well at 8psi, gets about 20mpg around town with a heavy foot, gets 26mpg highway at 70-80mph avg. It's a 5spd though. Auto will do worse on gas, generally. I run premium (93oct)

Pretty much what it looked like after I bought, already w/turbo added:

I have done both. I had a 1992 that I added a turbo set up to, and now I have a 1991 that I swapped a complete turbo motor into. It may actually be cheaper (less labor) for you mechanic to just swap complete engines. You mechanic is going to need to pull your oil pan out of your non turbo engine and make provisions for the turbo oil drain if you decide to keep the non turbo engine and just add a turbo set up. Your mechanic may not even want to do all the mods necessary to adapt a non turbo engine block to work with a turbo. You may want to study up here, take a lot of notes, and discuss the options with him.

Ja know, if a mechanic does all this for you, you'll be $10K in it anyway...

larry818 said:

Ja know, if a mechanic does all this for you, you'll be $10K in it anyway...

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No he won't.

Keep the B230F and do it yourself - see build thread here. A 15g, cam, and supporting mods is a helluva lot of fun. Absolutely transforms a 20 year old car. Doing it yourself is way more fun and educational.

Well first off, thanks for the help! As much know-how and advice I can get from people who have been here before is appreciated.

If I can, I'd like to keep the original B230f in it and add the turbo. As much I would have loved to drop a V8 in it, keeping everything from the original car delights the volvo lover inside me.

I guess a question I come up with while researching this setup is how far 2-3 thousand will get me. Will I be able to install the turbo/intercooler and computer from a 940T (to get the boost up) with that kind of cash? Then add on the rest of everything in time.

I'll start doing some serious research on this method and be back with more questions, I'm sure.

Thanks again!

I've got maybe 1.5-2k in my car, not counting the original purchase price (and I just replaced my transmission). You can put together a really nice 240 with your budget. Read up and ask questions. My biggest mistake was thinking I'd be happy with a stock intercooler, 13c, and 33 lb injectors. I outgrew them in weeks.

And when I say "in time" I mean in another week or 3, not months and months later.

Monkecmonkedo thanks for the build thread, what a story! It gives me a lot more confidence going into this, seeing other people that have done just the same thing.

Volvo. For life.

2-3k is more than enough to do a nice +t with a nice exhaust if you don't weld yourself. I just finished my turbo addition running 10psi through an auto and it's like a whole new car.

If you hit up the yards on half off day (plenty of yards in LA and OC, I used to live there) you can probably get everything you need for like $500. Look for deals here too. People practically give away stock intercoolers and random piping and hoses. You have lots of people in LA who can help out. I have some parts that you'd need as well that I'm trying to sell. Let me know if you're interested.

I've decided to add a T instead of replacing the engine with a 940T or 740T. I know the B230f that's in the car pretty well, know how clean it is etc.. so I'd like to stick with that. Called around to a couple yards and looks like I can get everything I need for around $7-800, which I'm ok with.

I'll check back in in a day or two when i the process is in full swing.

92'240wag said:

I've decided to add a T instead of replacing the engine with a 940T or 740T. I know the B230f that's in the car pretty well, know how clean it is etc.. so I'd like to stick with that. Called around to a couple yards and looks like I can get everything I need for around $7-800, which I'm ok with.

I'll check back in in a day or two when i the process is in full swing.

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Have you thought how you will smog this?

I have not. Do you think it'll be an issue?

92'240wag said:

I have not. Do you think it'll be an issue?

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Why do you think I asked?


"legally", you'd have to swap in a turbo motor (complete) from a '92 or newer car.

Many people have been lucky and have snogged their +T's by insuring it all looks as stock as possible and not saying anything, such as "yea, I just added this turbo to the car"

adding "bling" or anything too flashy might get someone asking questions.

Just something to think about so you do the proper research.

Gracias. Will do.

92;240wag meet jeblieWun

Seems like a possible match, someone needing turbo parts, and someone selling a turbo car.

I'd offer him $800, take the parts you need, sell the rest of the vehicle and profit.

Thanks for the help Mueller! I went by a junkyard today that had just about everything I was looking for so I may just go that route since I have a good relationship with them already. I'm still VERY new to the forum here so the next couple weeks will be spent reading, searching, and learning.

Thanks again to all who put in time and advice. I'll post up some pictures soon, or just write up a whole piece on the car and show her off. Volvo. For life.

You could also go the direction I am currently going.
Instead of pulling a possibly unreliable turbo engine from a car that might run or turbocharging a NA enigne:
A rebuild with turbo internals with all the trimmings is about 2.6k installed and ready to go, in that way, you can get a brand new engine that is better suited for a turbo.

larry818 said:

Ja know, if a mechanic does all this for you, you'll be $10K in it anyway...

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More like 2.6k

OOhhh That's a good idea too. I think I'll go with just the parts necessary for now. And perhaps work up to rebuilding the B230, it sounds backwards i know. But this way I can have the turbo in the car without spending too much and then start upgrading the engine as money allows