1991 244 Build Thread by Smokeyfan1000

17 minute(s) of a 720 minute read

I did some touch up painting of nicks/scratches on driveshaft & painted it's boltheads today. Also touched up some ugly scratches on subframe rails under the hood, at bottom of inner fenders.

And I removed the hideous clamp originally for ,the now absent, preheat pipe. Also painted the preheat pipe clamp's retaining bolt, and reinstalled the bolt to fill the hole there.

Amazing how removal of one ugly clamp makes it appear so much cleaner looking. See pics at bottom of post.

I went to replace the new, but cracked in 4 weeks MTC breather/flametrap hose(made in India), with the original 20 year old hose(hard, but no cracks), and the new MTC flametrap's small vacuum nipple broke right off. Cheap **** IMO.

So I ordered new OEM Volvo breather hose, flametrap , and BB hose from FCPG. Should be here by Saturday.By God that should fix it.....

I also ordered a new OEM Volvo clutch cable from Maxwell Volvo, to replace the cheapo aftermarket one I installed when I replaced trans after C & PP install. It turned out that I happened to have a cheapo CC as a 'in trunk spare", so I used it until I could get the OEM one.

Also ordered 8 new caliper bleed valve rubber covers to protect the bleed valves. These should arrive next week on Tuesday.
And....I finally decided,for better or worse,what mufflers to use in my custom 2.5" SS mandrel bent exhaust system. I had already bought the cat, and the tailpipe tip.

Summit Racing says they'll be here, also, by Saturday of this week.

For all these mufflers & exhaust parts, Good Grief... there went a little over $265.00....and no pipes have even been fabbed/mandrel bent yet....Happy Happy, Joy, Joy.

I'm going to have RJS Piping in Raleigh NC, cut off the new Starla/OEM type header pipe's 2" collector , then,lengthen the secondary pipes to maybe 30-36" and then weld on a 2.5" collector onto the header pipe's seconday pipes.

Here's the part numbers & descrips, of the MagnaFlow exhaust parts, for other's reference.

MagnaFlow cat (same shape/size as OEM only 2.5" in/out, so fitment & ground clearance will not be an issue)
p/n 53006
Inlet Quantity One
Inlet Diameter (in) 2.500 in.
Converter Inlet Attachment Slip fit
Outlet Quantity One
Outlet Diameter (in) 2.500 in.
Converter Outlet Attachment Slip fit
AIR Tube No
California Legal No
Converter Case Material Stainless steel
Converter Substrate Material Ceramic honeycomb
Heat Shield Yes
Converter Overall Length (in) 13.000 in.
Converter Overall Thickness (in) 4.000 in.
Converter Overall Width (in) 5.125 in.
Converter Style 3-way
GVW (lbs) 4,250 lbs.
Quantity Sold individually.
Notes Round body converter.

p/n 12646 MagnaFlow muffler (will be mounted in rear muffler locale)

Case Shape Round
Inlet Diameter (in) 2.500 in.
Inlet Quantity One
Inlet Location Center
Outlet Diameter (in) 2.500 in.
Outlet Quantity One
Outlet Location Center
Internal Construction Perforated stainless tube with packing
Muffler Material Stainless steel
Muffler Finish Natural
Case Length (in) 18.000 in.
Case Outside Diameter (in) 6.000 in.
Overall Length (in) 24.000 in.
Outlet Style Standard, without tip

p/n 12866 MagnaFlow muffler (will be mounted in resonator locale)
Round
Inlet Diameter (in) 2.500 in.
Inlet Quantity One
Inlet Location Center
Outlet Diameter (in) 2.500 in.
Outlet Quantity One
Outlet Location Center
Internal Construction Perforated stainless tube with packing
Muffler Material Stainless steel
Muffler Finish Natural
Case Length (in) 14.000 in.
Case Outside Diameter (in) 5.000 in.
Overall Length (in) 20.000 in.

SS tip

Inlet Inside Diameter (in) 2.500 in.
Tip Shape Round
Tip Outlet Size 3.000 in.
Tip Quantity Single
Tip Installation Weld-on
Tip Material Stainless steel
Tip Finish Polished
Overall Length (in) 12.000 in.
Tip Cut Slant
Tip Edge Style Rolled edge
Resonator No

Pics of subframe clean up...





8/24/11

I removed the front mudflaps to get all the grit,rocks, and dirt out. Washed hell out of them. Then,I decided to spruce up the appearance of the plastic front inner fenders. They looked like hell.

I washed them with 93 octance Amoco gasoline on a rag. Then with Brakleen on a rag. Dried them off. Then applied some "Forever Black" black dye on 'em.

Some of the dirt staining just wouldn't come off, and I did not remove all the road tar either. But the places that show the most, came out pretty good, so I'll call it "good enough" for now. At least, it looks a helluva lot better than it did. I have more "Forever Black" left if I decide to remove the road tar..

And guess what came on the Big Brown Truck today.. only took 2 days to arrive.. man that's fast!









And guess what came on the Big Brown Truck today



I think my neighbors may learn to hate me.........can you say "straight through muffler"?..



8/25/11

Today I got to thinkin'. (rare I know) Hmmm, the "bolt on" straight pipe exhaust idea didn't work out as hoped. Needs bends in it to fit right. Too close to driveshaft at diff.

That leaves me with exhaust gases blowing all over my newly undercoated floorpan, on the way to local muffler shop to get the straight pipe fitted, next week.

Wow, the old OEM gutted Volvo cat still has a flange left on the other end of it....hmmm. After a visit to the local muffler shop in borrowed car.,I came up with this. I figure I can have fun with it on another 240, later on, too. At least it'll help keep from blowing exhaust straight onto the undercoating. Should throw a little fire out at night, I do believe.







After that I eyeballed the front caster/camber/toe in. Adjusted the tie rod ends, and tightened them in the spindle arm. Will tighten the lock nuts in a little while.

Still need to adjust the Kaplhenke Adjustable Tie Rod End Links. After that, I will adjust the IPD Adj Panhard Rod ,& , if needed, the IPD Adj Upper Torque Rods.

Also,FCPG /UPS says my OEM Volvo Flame trap housing, & both the short breather box hose & the flme trap to intake hose/breather hose will be here tomorrow. That is only thing holding me up from cranking it again. Had a bad vacuum leak, due to smallest nipple on flame trap hsg broke off.

The air box bracket that holds AB to rad support did notmatch the radiator ones, that I painted black. So I painted it black to match today, & it's still drying. That's why it's absent in pic below.

I'll go for a ride around the neighborhood for a "shakedown run" tomorrow...if things go as planned.

I did get the IPD Strut to Strut Brace & the YoshiFab Firewall to Strut Braces on today.

The air box bracket that holds ABox to rad. support did not match the radiator ones, that I painted black so time ago. So I painted it black to match today, & it's still drying. That's why it's absent in pic below...sorry, but rice is white...LOL.



8/30/11

I have the temporary exhaust in place now. Pipe from header pipe to a ,what I think is, a Cherry Bomb glasspack., then to under & past rear axle, and turns down just behind axle. Doesn't sound too bad, but is loud with resonance inside the car.

Car/engine seems to have a little it more HP, but maybe it's just the added sound that makes it see that way, dunno.

This makes me wonder what the cat, 2.5" system & two MagnaFlows are going to sound like & if they'll have resonance inside the car. I hope not...... I'm wanting a little sound on the outside, but no resonance on the inside.

Then I had Maxwell Volvo align the front end. I always get good service from them on alignments. I also bought an OEM Volvo clutch cable, and it had come in also. Those are Great Guys there at Maxwell Volvo/Subaru.

I have a new license tag on it now, and been driving it a little for "shakedown runs". Seems I have no engine/coolant/transmission leaks, and so far, no major problems elsewhere.

I think I need to adjust the Kaplhenke Racing adjustable front sway bar end links some more though. And I need to adjust the rear panhard rod another 3/16th to driver's side for perfect alighnment.

I've worked too many days to the tune of 15-20 hours at a time. I got some rest last night. Might tackel the CC, end links, and panhard rod tomorrow & take it easy today. I'm not exactly a spring chicken anymore.....LOL

9/2/11

Well, Ron at RJ's Custom Piping,(3813 Capital Blvd, Suite 104, Raleigh NC, 27604) is one helluva good SS mandrel bend exhaust system welder,& fitter.

He began work at 10AM when I arrived. Worked straight through, no breaks, no lunch, no dinner, until 6:45 PM. He saved me a drive back the next day to complete the system by doing this.

He is the only exhaust system installer to ever put an exhaust system on volvo 240 for me, that did not hit anything under the car, clunk,or leak, and that fits snugly to the floorpan with great ground clearance, first time out, with no needed adjustments!!

Not even 1 leak or clearance problem ! Other shops I've tried, I've been back as many as 4 or 5 times to fix problems, and had to let another shop ,fix the 1st's one time.

Ron did the 2.5" header pipe collector mod for me, and TIG (oh yeah!) welded the entire system. I was impressed by the way he made the half moons ,that the 1st muffler(OEM resonator location) hangs from the o rings in. He's the 1st installer to ever do this for me. All the others, just let the rod hang from the O Ring & that way kills the o ring fast too. And impressed by the 2nd muffler's hangars as well.

FWIW, I find the rumor that 2 MagnaFlow mufflers are still too loud UNTRUE, IME & IMHO. it's just a slight tad louder than an OEM turbo muffler, but not a PoPo calling stereo system by any means.

I hear just a little exhaust note inside the car, but no resonance at all, & a little more exhaust note outside the car. I can hear my stereo just fine, at level 13. The exhaust note outside, is not too little, not too much..it's just right IMO. I'm quite happy with the sound of the system as well as it's better performance. It's sounds sporty without sounding like a busted muffler.

Ron is quite an accomplished welder, & fitter. I'd say the best I've ever seen or met. I highly recommend RJ's Custom Piping.I'm 110% satisfied & then some...oh, and any antifreeze/coolant you see is because I'm changing the 88C*T Stat. I don't like it.

I'll let the pics say the rest...........

New, Starla stock header pipe...



Cut the header pipe past the bracket flange, made them longer, & they now merge into a 2.5" collector. Looking up the end of collector showed me a much more open secondary pipe where they merge together. As it came from Starla ,they were quite small. Better flow there for sure. This is in aluminized steel here.





Actual collector is where the SS begins.



Collector dumps into a 2.5" MagnaFlow (9"body, 13" overall long x 5" round cat.



Cat back to the first 14" long x 5" round MagnaFlow SS muffler



First muffler.. Notice the half moon hangar in 2nd & 3rd pics...and the first "sleeve" disconnect..







Went with under axle pipe



Around the gas tank & into the 18" long x 6" round MagnaFlow second muffler. Used SS sleeves to join the pipes together here, for easy removal if needed.





How he made the second muffler's hangars, mounted with new rubber hangars.



From rear of car...





Exiting the 2nd muffler..



Some more complete views...









SS MagnaFlow 2.5" exhaust tip...







Some rear view with car sitting level on ground...









Well, I double, triple, & quadruple checked the 2 piece DS alignment arrows. They look to be in line correctly. Although it's hard to tell with a 1991 with only the 2 u joints on rear DS, as I'm more used to the 3 u joints DShafts. I pulled a string on 'em. looks to be AOK. I'd rather check 'em on a lift though. Maybe next week I will. I think they're right though....

However the adjustment I had, on the IPD Adj Upper Torque rods was 4 turns too long to be stock length. So I adjusted them to stock length.

The noise/vibration I had is now gone....and now it's much smoother. I am however wondering and still learning, just how much rear axle/diff vibrations/noise ,the IPD Aj Upper Torque Rods are now transmitting through the car's chassis. Mine have the (harder durometer than blue poly) yellow poly in them.

I've not ridden in a 240 with the IPD Adj Upper Torque Rods w/yellow poly in them, before that I remember.. so I don't have a point of comparison.
I do hear gear whine/backlash sounds that weren't present before the susp build. But nothing that I'd consider "not normal" for such stiff durometer bushings. Actually I think it's less NVH than I was really expecting. So I think that is all/what I'm hearing/feeling now.

I do get a bit more engine vibes with the 240 OEM Diesel MMs than before also. But again nothing obnoxious.

And my dual Cold Air Intake mod makes a little more "GM QuadraJet 4 bbl sound" too. Tee hee, it makes me grin ,combined with the new RJ's Custom Piping made, 2.5" collector mod & mandrel bent 2.5" SS/MagnaFlow exhaust system sounds.

Car runs much better/faster in 0-100 mph acceleration & 60+ roll ons on the test track.. Scats pretty good for an otherwise stock 91 b230 n/a too, IMHO.

Hhmmm, Now I just need a good bumpstick to compliment these current mods.... That'll be the icing on the cake, so to speak.

Car also handles like it's on rails now. I'm totally satisfied with ride quality, how it tracks flat & surefooted. it's now a "no lean machine" in the curves & corners.

I'm also quite satisfied with the amount the IPD Sport Springs lowered the car. I don't think I want it any lower. It suits my tastes & preferences as is. I shouldn't have a lot of problems with ground clearance either.

Now, if I can figure out how & where, I want to mount my Sun 2 5/8" tach, and mount my rear 6 x9 speakers in a custom made platform on top of the rear package shelf, with the 6 x 9 speaker boxes mounted underneath the speakers, on trunk side of package shelf, and refurb the OEM Volvo rear window louvers & install it, I'll be even more happy.

The engine is running a little warmer than I'd like with a OEM 87C* T Stat. My Blackstone radiator, may be slowly becoming a dead player. I'm currently checking into that.