Can We Restore Lost Power To Our £500 Volvo?

This week Alex and Jack take 'Brick' our £500 Turbo Volvo wagon with 265,000 miles to a dyno, to see if we can restore lost power it its old engine. We'll use some cheap fixes and a secret weapon to see if we can increase the power.
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[@mikefethers6075]

Charlie needs to be a regular feature. Great guy!

[@blooperbooper]

He never changes! Funny guy

[@jordanhagan1996]

Really? He seems sooo pissed off.

[@Jammy_J1]

Gives me car-Trek wizard vibes

[@MrBenzin]

I like the guy

[@AdrianNelson1507]

His genuine desire to see all the pistons at once gives me hope 🤭

[@MrCharlieboden]

The bloke who runs this dyno is brilliant. Hilarious in every episode, Love his dry sense of humour.

[@godzillas6301]

the exhaust stop here , the extractor starts here ............ love it

[@Glitch120]

Great to see Alex still around, and a great energy with both in this video!

[@MaddocHarrison]

Yeah I thought he left Car Throttle

[@andymb601]

Why would he not be around? Have I been out of the loop with something?

[@sd8213]

They deep fake alex now into videos

[@yamez7587]

100% true!

[@AutoalexCars]

Can't get rid of me 😘

[@jjonesi]

Stock turbo should do around 1.0 bars. Just the fuel cut comes first before max boost around 0.8 bar on stock Map

[@MaNNeRz91]

Those are rookie numbers

[@daniesalex7073]

Is the fuel map easily modifiable

[@Rhadiqul]

Agreed!

[@Rhadiqul]

Used to run 15psi, 850 turbo, 3inch dp to a muffler, ezk chipped and made 220hp and 260tq

[@vallentunabo6782]

The stock turbo is useless over 0.9bar

[@bigfra79]

Nice to see another old 940 getting some, er, love. Please don't destroy it, I need spare bits for my 940 restoration! 😆

[@upsidedown4155]

Yours is proberly in better nick 😂

[@SuperFIFTHGEAR]

Great to see another 900 getting some love, I have a 1994 960 that I'm slowly sorting out.

[@TheGafferBigAl]

@@SuperFIFTHGEAR Same age as me Pal! Keep up the great work, I love it indeedy.😎wow 2 likes, nice one society, thanks a lot.👍🏿😎

[@bigfra79]

@@SuperFIFTHGEAR mine is a 94 too. Nothing fancy, but a lot of miles, and an awesome history

[@SuperFIFTHGEAR]

@@bigfra79 Mine's at 145k miles. One owner (well two, but the same person) - was a company car for a couple of years and then bought by the owner. He kept it until January 2021 until somebody cut the catalytic converter off it. Full Volvo service history and I even have the quote from the Volvo dealership for a new cat (around £1500!) at which point he decided to scrap the car. Scrap man came, collected and a friend of mine found about it, bought it off the scrap chap and put a new (aftermarket) cat on it, O2 sensor and cobbled the exhaust together. I then purchased it last summer and have been slowly sorting it since. It'll need a full respray but mechanically it's slowly getting there. It's not been abused, but I think it's just had years of just getting an annual service and taken to Waitrose - I say that with confidence as it came with a Waitrose membership card! 😂😂 Good luck with your restoration, if you have any great secret places of where to get parts please let me know! I've already purchased a lot from Skandix and been on the phone to Brookhouse Volvo at Ipswich a few times who always seem to help.

[@jamesinc87]

Lads you can go to about 0.85-0.9 bar of boost with any turbo redblock on stock internals without any major impacts to longevity or reliability, it will impact how much you spend on fuel though. The ECU is quite good at adapting to the increased boost.

[@Low760]

You can go a bit more than that on stock b230f's with an aftermarket ecu. The Swedes manage 500whp with stock bottom ends. Heads aren't usually stock though.

[@Low760]

The stock ECU is useless outside of the stock 13c turbo though. Last swap I did with a gt3076r it hated life unless you rolled into it. That was bigger injectors and intercooler also. LH 2.4 is just antique.

[@timweaver9773]

These guys would have seen 180-ish hp if they bought a full 2.5" exhaust and then did the manual boost controller. Redblocks are so understressed it's crazy. The factory exhaust is also really restrictive.

[@ra5putin]

Yeah, that was kinda annoying, with all that "pistons blowing up" bullshit. These engines are known for the fact they tolerate quite a beating before anything really breaks, and even then it's usually due to "user error" like giving it too much boost on stock injectors and melting the pistons. Redblocks are legendary, and I won't stand for that disrespect! :D

[@cogitoergotsum]

@@ra5putin yeah on a big rod LH2.4 motor the head gasket will go long before any handware, barring some catastrophically lean running.

[@volvopentaman]

That engine is a B230FK, 135hp/230Nm from the factory. Only and I mean ONLY difference to the "B230FT is the wastegate at 0,3bar vs 0,5bar. Block, pistons, rods, cam, ECU program, injectors, exhaust, evarything else is 100% same. So just by adding boost you will gain 25-30hp IF the engine is otherwise somewhat up to spec. Then there is a Turbo+ version that takes 190hp out of the same B230FT/FK engine with an electronic boost controller. Again no other swapped parts than added electronic boost control instead of mechanical. This ups the boost to around 0,8bar if I recall correctly to achieve the 190hp. That is the maximum safe limit with stock parts. Most likely your restriction is the exhaust and specifically the cat if your power went that much down by fixing the precat exhaust leak. With ECU programming you can gain 235hp out of the same stock engine, BUT the intercooler is really close to blowing at 1bar of boost. There is also the limit for the injectors and turbo. The engine block itself is good for around 4-500hp with upgraded turbo, cam, intercooler and injectors and of course ECU and ignition module programming. I have a few of these making 350-525hp.

[@jamesbreakwell1893]

I love what you are all doing individually but it's great to see the band back together 👍🏾

[@Luke-ey4df]

Great video, loving Charlie’s vibe and optimism 😂 cracking me up, kind of a James May vibe blunt yet he knows people will be laughing

[@RFCJoe]

He's holding back his sarcasm I know him😂

[@TooFlyNico]

I absolutely love the 700/900 series. Especially the turbo estates! These cars are so cheap to work on, live forever, and best of all RWD. Got my manual 745 with a 15g for only 1.5k a few years ago and have been obsessed since ❤

[@hansweitbrecht1957]

had additional a 3" exhaust system whole way through, bigger injectors 3" airmassmeter, new software for Ecu and ignigion box, Oil-air cooler 25 row, V-camshaft, 530 head portet and polished groupA, -- 220 hp or more, --

[@soundseeker63]

Next stop - eBay turbo and a sports cat! Should make Alex's wildly optimistic "240bhp" possible. Charlie's deadpan sarcasm/pessimism next to the lad's boundless enthusiasm was hilarious! 😄

[@LouieAblett]

The 240 was a volvo reference

[@soundseeker63]

@@LouieAblett in that case I'll have a 960. With that output please.

[@Skarfar90]

Funny thing is that the B230FK engine (which is the unit used in this 940) is often turbo-swapped to a higher pressure unit from the earlier 740 Turbo. These engines are well built, and the stock internals can usually handle pressures up to 1.5 bar, and could produce over 200 HP without too much work needed. For Brick, the first step would be to replace the catalythic converter (those 100-cell racing ones are pretty good). This will ensure better exhaust flow. Then you can consider a turbo swap.

[@rubenmarino1999]

This 940 has a B230FT engine. 165hp at 0,6bar instead of 135 at 0,3 bar.

[@Elkott]

Good to see the short bloke back

[@anusername8350]

Yeah Charlie is great

[@althejazzman]

Charlie's not that short, but he is shorter than Jack!

[@allancaldwell7626]

Charlie should be in every video from now on! His cynicism genuinely made me giggle!

[@bjornlillpers498]

I guess this is a LPT version. The HPT (high pressure turbo) got 165hp from the factory at 0.55 bar with an identical engine (the boost level is the only difference whatsoever). With the Turbo+ package you got around 190 at 0.8 bar. 0.8 bar + a good tune for both ECU:s should give around 200. You might have to upgrade the stock downpipe a bit, it's restrictive. I hope you give this thing some well deserved love :)

[@flandrble]

130whp is about 160-170bhp.

[@coldhillgarage]

They did not do whp

[@flandrble]

@@coldhillgarage they're on rollers, not an engine dyno so you get wheel hp not engine hp which includes drivetrain loss, which isn't part of manufacturer specifications.

[@CVLova]

i had a lpt with a ecomax chip and some washers. it did 1.2 bar. ripped pretty good :D oh and 3inch straight pipe :D miss the car :(

[@secularnevrosis]

@@flandrble 30% loss? Do you know if it's an automatic on this one? The drivetrain on most volvo, rwd, manual is quite efficient.

[@arthurspringthorpe]

As said below, a big TD04 and some good ECU chips, bigger MAF, bigger injectors, along with an 3inch exhaust system should see you to around 300+. Stock bottom end on the later redblocks is also good for 400 from what I've heard/seen too!

[@jfv65]

good mods but for any power beyond about 225hp the engine will need bigger injectors. The ECU can handle 440cc/min@3bar. i tried that.

[@arthurspringthorpe]

@@jfv65 can’t believe I forgot to mention that in my comment! Will edit it haha. I’m doing the same mods myself and you ideally need a bigger MAF and injectors.

[@user-wi8dc5wy5u]

У меня L-block 1996. 😂

[@YouTube]

the dedication that went into this 🙌🙌🏻🙌🏼🙌🏽🙌🏾🙌🏿

[@jerevanski]

Never seen a comment from yt before wtf

[@ukimenustah7932]

@@jerevanski they actually comment on a lot of channels now

[@DanieleCapellini]

Bot comment lmao

[@dieselscartalk4146]

​@Nieto the checkmark means they are verified. Also, click on the logo next to their name and you will see they have 35 million subscribers

[@luddiz_]

kuk

[@destructionnl8165]

It's good to see Alex is in a CT video again. Also good to see that Jack's taken on the presenter role like that.

[@Jahmed5635]

So good to see Alex back wow, can’t lie I miss this infamous trio

[@shay7572]

loved this video, hope to see more of the car soon and hopefully ethan in the next video too, we need the trio back!

[@RacingSlow]

As much as Jack has been smashing the most recent videos is nice to see that Alex is still around :)

[@michaelstaunton1632]

Another enjoyable & interesting episode keep up the great work on the channel 🎥👍👍

[@Rsport100]

I think you should open the cat and close wg completely. On 99 octane you might even be able to flip the cps connector to for earlier timing an more nm. These takes some beating fine.

[@jamesonslow]

Great video, guys. Like a previous commenter said, good to see Jack and Alex together, and interesting to see this dyno comparison.

[@cjtr83]

Good to see Alex back and the guys getting on well. Hope this works out best for all 👍🏻

[@gustavberius4000]

The original turbo (Mitsubishi 13c) is good for around 1 bar off boost and just buy a adjustable wastegate actuator to make it a "serious installation". Though i recommend not to go above 0.8-0.9 bar without a chiptuning for both fuel and spark. PS: Sorry for bad english but i come from Sweden and me and my friends use to tune these cars.

[@Felicien1.1]

This one is probably a lpt because without boost controller it made .3 bar. So 130hp is not bad after that many miles. Considering standard lpt making 135hp and hpt 165hp at .6 bar

[@aarons4205]

Love these types of videos making small mods and seeing what happens! Keep tinkering!

[@h.4340]

Great video. This is getting me back into Car Throttle again!

[@isaacwilson9825]

I love it! Part 2 coming soon hopefully??

[@andi]

Been binge watching the entire channel and my faves have been the adventures you guys go on :D I hope you can do something with this Volvo like it

[@James-semaJ]

Nice to see you back on the rolling road. Feels a while since you guys were there. Fun video.

[@motokid1492]

4:23 Under the tranny you can se that bar that goes from both Frame rails. In Sweden we call that "Ambulance Bar" because it was fitted on Ambulances and police cars to DRASTICLY Stiffen up the front end. Also i can guarantee you that you are probably lossing about 5hp in that dog shit old 90s AW70 gearbox. Swap a Manual m90 in and youll be on track.

[@arthurspringthorpe]

Comes standard in the UK on later models!

[@obeseperson]

@Hades crush my nuts by car

[@AtleBjerkestrand]

The gearbox is not dogshit and it is not AW70. It is AW71 lockup. I run my 940 Classic with 1 bar boost and towing trailer and caravan. The gearbox have never let me down. M90 is good but the 3 gear is not great.

[@daniesalex7073]

Spark plugs , clean the intake , port the heads 🙃

[@einar8019]

will need a new ecu chip and wastegate

[@jacobfleming565]

That thing is so low on power. Something's wrong with it for sure

[@daniesalex7073]

@@jacobfleming565 true , the engine might be worn out ,

[@daniesalex7073]

@@einar8019 by new do you mean a tunable one or an oem replacement ecu

[@einar8019]

@@daniesalex7073 its a chip with a new tune that replaces the original tune

[@things1601]

Would have been nice to see how much it improved the on road driving experience after!

[@edahmed7]

Charlie needs to be made part of the crew… he is pure joy to watch, so unique n so entertaining in his own way👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽

[@liltamai]

Finally good to hear someone who's not going on about putting high octane in absolutely everything. I'll run my LS on regular while watching some 17 year old with a 1997 micra using 99. Best car throttle vid in years though lads, informative but yet still straight to the point. Was hoping to see it with a hood exit on 10psi but there's always next time

[@mystiskadde1]

Get Adjustable wastegate, Fuel/ignition chip and Performance air filter. Makes big different

[@adamqurabi65]

CarThrottle video on a wednesday?? Who cares, Love the channel guys!❤

[@christopherbeale7801]

Great editing at the beginning after leaving The rolling road you somehow went from farnborough tech to invincible road not the other way around how it should have been 😂

[@speziyee5071]

Please bring this Volvo back to it’s former glory

[@mathewearnshaw4279]

We need more content with the brick!! MORE BOOSSTTT

[@Mark-os8en]

Excited for part 3. Any idea when it will be???

[@quicknickdriver8510]

Great video, Charlie’s like an English tuning fork. Looking forward to the next episode. He loves pistons!

[@toastyeeter]

You know the video is good when it starts with a guy smacking a muffler with a hammer

[@MrDePlam]

I loved Charlie's energy in this video.

[@VR6_SKC]

Hes always like this, very nice guy

[@theo9068]

Stock turbo can for sure make 1 bar. Tune kit here in sweden from BSR is with 0.8 bar wastgate that should make 205 hp at the crank instead of 135 hp stock

[@philipbroman9008]

You should be able to get 1 bar no problem from the stock turbo. I ran a 940 without a wastegate and it peaked at around 1.5 bars. The engine can take about 1 bar without damage. The turbo+ models had 190hp on 0.9 bars from factory if i recall right. 1 bar should give about 180-200hp.

[@synkked]

Love videos like this tbh, please keep these up!

[@dmdays2390]

Jack next road trip move Auto Alex driver seat to its max settings then cut the handle off or remove the wiring if it's a electronic seat buddy 😄👌

[@TheGafferBigAl]

3 mins in and I’m here and Jack! Does Alex still have that Tina Turner cassette from the Mercedes-Benz mega spec video? If so please dm and post me it for my physical music collection, it would be much appreciated by me Alex, and I love Your work Lads, keep up the great work.🔥😎and 36 likes! Wow! I didn’t think people like me out there I thought I was hated by Society, anywho thanks Lads.👍🏿✊🏿🙏🏿🙌🏿

[@ryansherwood3223]

love this. I live where this was all filmed. it's cool to see you guys round here.

[@hardtailharry6812]

I rememeber taking my r53 cooper s down there a few years ago to a group dyno session was a good day out, and Charlie and his team were great hosts!

[@lucasrustt]

next: chinese turbo and more boost. I've seen some people doing huge power on chinese turbos tho

[@Fred_the_1996]

Naah já vi um yaris com um turbo todo chinado a rebentar com as juntas todas haha aqueles sao traiçoeiros a valvula as vezes prende

[@DrRedstone172]

@@Fred_the_1996 num diesel antigo de certeza que não rebenta com juntas nenhumas

[@zerozero_73]

You can push 200+ with stock turbo no problem

[@wolfvontyr2266]

Loving the vibes guys, and Brick, always wanted one of these. Moreso than the gorgeous E40 at 5:35 (purely for the fact that I think the BMW should go to a more deserving driver!) Also, Charlie's humour hasn't changed, love it!

[@C303ofSweden]

This really made me laugh. I'm aware that everyone does have the experience about redblocks. But thinking that 0.5bar of boost was enough to throw rods was the best part 😅 I've been working on redblocks for twenty years. And I do know some easy fix to get it going. With stock turbo it can do up to 185whp if the wastegate isn't cracked in the exhaust housing and it's very common. Leaking intercooler as well. A fresh intercooler can withstand up to 1 bar. Then it blows the seals. So tweak the ecu and aim for 1bar check the condition on turbo and intercooler then you are there. Depending on what kind of rods you got inte block (there are two different types) It can take up to 250whp on the wheels with a proper tune. Love these episodes! Keep em coming

[@gleng6812]

Great content, loved it guys!

[@Roverturbo]

It I’ll be the waste gate leaking boost, due to age it will be flappy and loose. Getting blown open basically.

[@CsPri3st]

1 bar boost is no problem on stock turbo that guy is full off shit. stock engine with bigger turbo and upgraded injektion is god for 300hp.. many have run with over 400hp on stock bottom

[@Nikpet3D]

yep!!!! all of my volvos i had like 1.1 to 1.5 in Bar xD

[@CROMAT30]

and those turbos are probably rebuilt or at least lived a better life....this is a shit beater...its fine as long as it makes any power

[@AtleBjerkestrand]

And it can run with alot of ping without damage.

[@SayreFoxx]

Charlies deadpanness in the whole of this is just the best, that man needs to go to hollywood!

[@robedmed7857]

Round the corner from where I work, love seeing local roads on these videos.

[@goulash75]

I like Mr Optimistic. He was fun. Can we have Mr Optimistic on more often?

[@makatanau2878]

Uvis Čevers?

[@arturseversons3444]

es ar pabrīnījos ;D

[@TheMegaNanometer]

es arī aizdomājos

[@zexoGG]

Kas vins tads? Slavens vai?

[@makatanau2878]

@@zexoGG Čeveram dēls

[@arturseversons3444]

@@zexoGG tagad jā 😃

[@dimitrisa8042]

that was a very intresting video! had a great time watching this!

[@BobsBikingAdventures]

Best rolling road in and indeed not in (because it is very much in Hampshire) Surrey. Charlie is always a good laugh. His Xmas opening time announcements are a highlight of the festive period. 😅

[@EJayNine]

Rust is lighter than carbonfibre

[@balke7935]

I take it this is yet another ‘series’ that we’ll never see the end of

[@goreilly29]

Great seeing you guys back together again

[@Jezze90]

The chemistry between everyone in these videos is at the same level with good old Top gear. Would be so nice to have friends like that!

[@AsinineComment]

I've never seen this channel, but somehow I've been presented with this vid of one of my favourite cars in *the world*..! 🤩

[@brendonlindsay8288]

I had one of these - the simplest gain is to space the actuator off the mounting with washers. keep adding until you hit fuel cut and then take one off. Made a significant difference, especially to low down torque.

[@allanmorris6324]

Love the way you just cut the bumper to make the exhaust fit 👌😂

[@paulglasby8864]

Haha brilliant video! Loving Charlie's sense of humour had me laughing.. a lot.

[@miketejero]

time to restore it to OE + spec. Great video, you guys!

[@amunarjoh]

What an optimistic attitude to bigger turbos! Go big, and WALK home! Looking forward to some fresh pistons blooming in the fading automn sun...

[@thepandorica1]

Love this series, more of Brick! Also Charlie is great.

[@gin3648]

Love the volvos, good find, if you have seen what they do to these things in sweden you should be able to turn it up.

[@mikealvarenga3721]

I like how Alex was standing straight under the car but Jack had to hunch over...like damn boy!

[@Recessio]

Charlie is fantastic, would love to see him in more videos!

[@benissafe]

I saw Jack driving this on the M40 today. He looked so happy. 😊

[@williamjust5427]

Charlie’s humour; dry and spot-on! 🤣🤣

[@Matthew.L]

Glad to see Alex back!

[@chestnut01111]

I have one and I've added a stronger spring to the waste gate. Boost pressure checked at 0.6 bar and it feels like 150+ bhp compared to 135 standard with 0.35 bar boost. Your findings back up my guess. Mine's in better nick too. Enjoy!!

[@weatheredmess7300]

Loving the Volvo content :D

[@Timjacks01]

Great to see Alex back!

[@neelzhome8431]

6:56 I like where he Toto Wolff his headset/ earmuffs over the car!

[@MjMeyer700]

yo this dyno guy is awesome. needs to be a regular on the channel. dude is hilarious

[@kristianolsenlarsen]

I was so fricking sad when Alex officially left CarThrottle But in reality he has had great success on he's own and he wasn't lying when he said he would keep popping up as a freelancer👏

[@AutoalexCars]

Car Throttle is in my blood ❤️

[@Ltbookum]

These are sooo easy to make power with, you guys can sure make it look hard. My '97 2.3 LPT had a 2.5" Simons catback, a manual boost controller and the HPT cold air intake opened up in the airbox ( every box has a cold air intake in the fender you just have to open it up), running 0.7 bar. So basically just over HPT stock and it would put out 165-170 without even trying. Go get some t5 injectors and a bit more fuel and it can go up to 200 on the stock turbo. Get a early t16 t5 (because of the flange) and you can easily go past that toward 230. For stockish power mine was pretty quick, dead reliable, comfortable and fun to drive. Plus good steering angle and (on the last models) stock LSD. These are still so slept on in most parts of the world..

[@FNUKSTER1366]

Best channel ever ,Alex jack and ethan 👊👍

[@TheRetroBiker]

Great vid, dude with the glasses is funny 😂

[@omh9309]

Love seeing you guys at my hometown Farnborough on here 😂😂

[@howardlake6178]

Fascinating. My 1984 Alfasud Ti, with massive twin carbs, is two different animals on 95 or V Power. You can really feel the difference. I suspect with fuel injection and a turbo, the benefits are a bit sanitised. Yes, more Charlie, as someone else said. He’s like the Jack Dee of dyno runs 😂

[@999benhonda]

15 years ago, I bought a 92 red turbo wagon. Ran and drove great. 130hp isn't bad considering they only made 160 new. The torque was 180 or 190 new. Great fun to slide around in the snow.

[@toregullikhanem3077]

B230FT has Bosch LH2,4. You need a customized tuning chip. The turbo is a Mitsubishi 13g. Change to a 15g, 16t, 18t or 19t and a WG of 1 or 1.2bar. Furthermore, you must change the cam from standard T to V, VX or A from another Volvo. Then you must have a wider exhaust, 2.5" or 3". For example, JT. Then the car will get 100 hp or more from the starting point you had. None of this will cost much as you will find used parts. 531 cylinder head can also advantageously be used. Good luck, looking forward to the next episode. Tore from Norway

[@ItsJustRogers]

I'm loving these Jack Videos :)

[@joshbrookes2480]

Kept us waiting for this one. Been rattling from withdrawals 😂

[@jonathanryan2915]

11:03 "Ram air tube". I've done this with almost every car and truck I've owned in the last 20 years and it always makes a noticeable difference even with completely stock cars

[@johanjosefsson7772]

The pistonrods can manage up to 1,5 bar of boost in those engines. Just add bigger injections and tunechip. Then you can make a 3" airflowmeter on 465cc injections to make a good mix 👍

[@TheRayzon]

Charlie is an awesome dude. Love his humor

[@DanielBall]

I love these kind of videos. Very interesting!