340 Nate wrote:i would like to get this car properly sideways sometimes .

Roundabouts in the wet.. say no more. Power oversteer in a RWD car is alot of fun.

However, yeah the bodyroll can be a bit nasty (worn shocks being a main culprit, and rear leafs not being designed for anti roll capabilities ).. but a totally flat cornering car can have less grip and be sliding all over the place!

[/quote]Roundabouts in the wet.. say no more. Power oversteer in a RWD car is alot of fun.

but a totally flat cornering car can have less grip and be sliding all over the place![/quote]

well some people wouldnt like sliding round roundabouts all the time , obviously im not going to be a loonatic and drift around corners during daylight, ive got a place figured out already where to go at night .

thanks

Nate

Hehe...would I?!

I'm trying to source a suspension setup myself, I was just trying to point out that it's not easy, and there isn't a company you can call to buy a coilover kit to fit. I think Dave Slater / DBS Motorsport (www.volvorsport.co.uk) do a lowering kit, but it uses standard shocks, and standard rear springs....so its pretty much for the look only.

There are a load of setups that fit, and one of them uses a coilover shock/spring combination as well as the leaf spring! Not sure how well it would work, but a very interesting idea! This is an area which definitely requires some more research!

cheers

James

ive heard from other websites ages ago that you can get certain car places (dont know what they specialize in i.e tuning, m.o.t etc), to build adjustable coilover kits from scratch, but it was about 600 pounds to get them done etc .
if the car was faster and had a turbo or something i'd probably get a set when im older but with a car with around 100bhp it isnt worth it really in my opinion.

foggyjames wrote:I'm trying to source a suspension setup myself, I was just trying to point out that it's not easy, and there isn't a company you can call to buy a coilover kit to fit. I think Dave Slater / DBS Motorsport (www.volvorsport.co.uk)

link dont work

Edit: sorry guys i didnt really explain what i said well lol, just meaning the website link doesnt work .
Nate

http://www.volvorsport.co.uk

You only had to copy and paste it

That's interesting..£600...depending on exactly what you get, its not unreasonable. I hear what you're saying about it not being worth it! 300s actually sit quite low as standard, so I'm not fussed about cosmetic lowering....



I think that's a fairly nice 'even' arch gap..it's hardly slammed, but its not on stilts either.

I'm not too worried about my suspension, mainly because I can still run rings around the turbobricks guys with my stock suspension, and I like the smooth ride for everyday use. The only thing which has got me tempted by a different suspension setup are Griz's Bilstein Sport shocks, which barely compromise ride quality at all!

Of course there are turbo versions of all the engines fitted to 300s, and the 360 turbo engine swap is a particularly easy swap!

cheers

James

eh? i typed it in and it didnt come up, ohwell , sorry people for that lol.

Nate

It's the weekend...we'll let you off

cheers

James

do you mean by turbo 360 that it came from the factory with it or is it a engine from a 440, sorry im dim but im actually at college training to be a mechanic .

thanks

Nate

You don't sound dim at all dude - I wasn't being very clear!

There are turbo versions of all the 300 series engines - available in other cars. There was never a production turbo 300 available from the factory*

340 1.4 - Renault 5 Turbo
340 1.7 - Volvo 400 turbo / Renault 21 Turbo (2.0)
360 2.0 - Volvo 700/900 series

The last of these is my preferred option, simply because it is so easy to achieve. We have two 1.7 turbo projects in progress here - one by Huskyracer, and one by another guy who appeared for a little while, said Huskyracer's project was a bit tame, then left(?!). He had some interesting information about suspension (specifically having the leaf-springs re-tempered), so come back chap! Both the 1.4 and 1.7 swaps need engine alterations - with the 1.4 seemingly needing a custom exhaust manifold, while the 1.7 needs the inlet manifold modifying so the throttle body is on the other end of the plenum chamber.

* A very limited number of LHD 360s were dealer-fitted with the R-Sport turbo add-on kit originally designed for the 240, but the kit wouldn't fit a RHD car - presumably because the standard turbo downpipe fouled the steering column. There are pics of just such a car hiding somewhere in the depths of this board. 'Fuse' on this board has a futher variation, which looks to be a B21FT (2.1 turbo engine from a 240 - never offered here) turbo kit, but used with a carb.

As soon as I can justify the cost of the insurance (next year?), I'm fitting a B230ET (182bhp 2.3 8v turbo motor - from a 740 Turbo Intercooler) to my car.

cheers

James

if you were using a 740 would you be using the same prop shaft and gear box from the 300 and just use the 740 that way, ive just read on the board that the prop shafts are not strong for a bit more power, if so is it possible to reinforce the shaft or get a stronger one from somewhere or worse make one from scrap .

Edit: wasnt there a 440 turbo engine, that would be a better & lighter solution and the 300 prop shaft may survive if you cant get a stronger one (just realized you mentioned this engine )

thanks

Nate

First off there are two propshafts. The 340 has a puny aluminium prop that can barely take stock power - everyone who is heading for more than about 100-120 bhp swaps these for something stronger - usually made of steel! The 360 has a 'torque tube', which is a (in this case steel) prop running in a tube which is bolted to the bellhousing and gearbox (to prevent twisting). The torque tube is adequately strong, but they don't last forever as it is, and abuse with extra power will surely hasten their failure. Kev Strong is running around a claimed 330 bhp in his 360 with a standard drivetrain without problems, yet Janitor snapped halfshafts with a standard engine (and a very heavy right foot?) in his rally car.

The 400 engine isn't hugely lighter than the Volvo redblock (360, 740, etc), and a fair bit weaker, although you'll be breaking other (standard) things long before you reach the limits of the 400 turbo lump. I'd say don't bother with the Renault 5 turbo motor - it'd just give you the power of a stock 360 GLT! I'd say the engines of choice are...

340 - 1.9 TD from 400...tweaked (is 360 GLT fast as stock)
340 - 1.7 turbo from 400...stock, or tweaked if you like
360 - 2.0 16v...maybe turbo...redblock
360 - 2.3 8v turbo redblock

cheers

James

foggyjames wrote:340 - 1.9 TD from 400...tweaked (is 360 GLT fast as stock)

Is that REALLY true about a 400 TD beating a GLT.. if so thats shocking. Maybe mid range torque is good on the TD, but surely it couldn't take a GLT from a standing start? It has a quoted 12sec 0-60 time!

Well there was a head to head at the Pod between Chesh's brother's 460 TD and Chesh's mates 360 GLT which supposedly ended in the 460 winning - I'm sure the Cheshmeister will be more than willing to clear things up. Yes the 360 has it on paper (10.5s to 60), so I'm suspicious that all was not well with this 360.

The point is that there's not a lot in it! The other misleading figure is BHP for a diesel - they have a lower redline, and since BHP is a function of RPM you get a proportionally lower BHP figure. BHP = Torque (ft/lbs) x RPM/ 5252. If a 360 GLT made its peak power at 4500 rpm (like a 400 TD), it'd only have ~100 bhp - and a 400 TD has 96 bhp! Of course the extra 1500rpm counts for something, but it's all much closer than you'd imagine!

cheers

James

Gentlemen, I can honestly say that a 460 TD is impressive. My parents have one, and the acceleration does seem to be very good. In 5th it will pull so well, no need to change down for overtaking. I would indeed say it would match a 360 GLT. I can't be sure about standing starts, my parents don't drive their cars hard, but I don't think it would hang about and the torque seems to be their in bucket loads! 5th gear would give a cruising speed of 80 mph at 3000 rpm a 360 GLT is 70 mph at 3000 rpm, though as James said, the diesel has a lower redline. I would not buy a 460 1.9 TD though as a car, the rust problems of the 400's for a newer car than the 300's (N reg), the electrical problems (immobiliser being one!!), seats being so uncomfortable compared to the 300's IMO, and other small things, but the handling, engine and gearbox make an excellent car, with a great deal of potential in a different guise.
Pete