Hey, has anyone tried swapping a B21 or B23 into a PB544. I've got the engine and my brother has the turbo parts for it. It would sure make the 544 get up and honk plus I could use regular gas but I wonder how difficult it is, if anyone has done it already. Would appreciate any input. Thanks

it's been done, but there is a lot to it in those narrow frame rails, particularly if you'd like to keep the stock rails.

the PV transmission tunnel is also very small and would need some work depending on what option you decide to go with.

If you're handy with a welder it's not such a huge deal, but there are lots of decisions to be made and thousands of details to ponder. It's not a bolt-in operation.

Here's what I would do...stand the engine up straight (use a B18/B20 pan and modify an oil pump), that takes care of the frame rail width issue as the engine that is in there and the B21/23 are the same dimension if you stand them up. Then (only because I'm a little nuts and have a TIG welder), I'd clock the transmission (M46) to keep stuff stock and compact. If you're going to stay K-Jet for fuel, then the rest is easy (stock exhaust and intake manifold will work) - and I say that because I'm generally ignorant of the details (you're going to need plumbing, wiring harness etc). Lots of info on the swap - see how Greg (Volvoshredder) did the conversion from B21A to B21FT on his car...sort of the same thing. Routing the exhaust will be fun, but not too bad.

Now on to the "hard" part as Matt alluded to - you'll need a trans tunnel. I'd get one off a 240 and cut and fit it in. It really isn't that bad. The PV is sort of like the 122 in that they over-engineered the shell and as long as you weld in the new tunnel you'll be fine. It's structural (the tunnel) - so what I'm saying is don't screw it in or use pop rivets. I've seen some very impressive results with the new panel bonding adhesives - but I'm also handy with a welder.

If your power goals are north of 150 hp, then this makes sense (especially if you'd like say 200 hp) - if you're leaving the engine stock, then find a B20 make a few phone calls or emails to Sweden for a fancy cam shaft and call me about a cylinder head and bottom end and you'll have 160 hp with a bolt in no welding solution.

Doing this also means (to my way of thinking) that you'll have to do something with the brakes regardless. There is a Go - Whoa relationship.

B21/23/230 standing straight up with an M41 behind it maybe? No transmission tunnel mods required, unless I'm missing something...

I really do not want to chop the car at all so I think I'll go with my original plan and stuff a fuel injected B20 into it and maybe add the turbo off a B21. My brother is sure he can manufacture the tubing for the conversion and my son is sure he can do the wiring including modding a "management board" for the engine. Maybe IPD has been updating their turbo adapters since there are still so many B18-B20s around yet. Will have to ask around a little to see if mods for B20s are still available. Besides I love that B18-B20 valve cover that IPD has, wrinkle black with the fins polished down to the "aluminium". (that's my Welsh brother-in-laws influence) It would be cool to have a hot B20 on the road.

By the way the old turbo-diesel is running better than ever but it sure does not like the hot weather. I'd like to put an intercooler on it but it would require turning the turbo 90 degrees and manufacturing a 90 degree adapter into the intake plenum which could be a lot of fun, NOT. I bet if I did a 0-60 run in the cool of the morning then the same if the heat of the afternoon, I wouldn't be surprised to find a 3-4 second difference; that's how bad it is. Any ideas out there?

I don't know the width of the rad in that car but I think I have a stock intercooler you can have if you want it (for the TD). Clocking the turbo doesn't suck too badly though it requires removal from the car. The adapter wouldn't be too hard to manufacture either, or you could plug it off and come in somewhere else.

I wouldn't expect just a change in air temp / density to make that big of a difference, though, unless there is some kind of funky temperature correction mechanism in the fuel rack that's gone wrong. Dale's non-intercooled Suburban doesn't seem to suffer like you described, though it's an electronic diesel. Yours is still purely mechanical, no?

Hey, Ugly duck. Yes the diesel is purely mechanical in fact I've read a review that says this is acutally a VW truck engine and this is the only car it was installed in but rumours abound everywhere. I was told by VW dealer that it's an Audi engine. My brother has a left over intercooler from a B23 turbo that he is sure we could stick it in but it would definately have to go up front of the rad, too big for under the hood. I should build a cold box for it and just keep filling it with ice but who wants to carry a fridge around with them. I wonder if you could reroute the air conditioning and put the condensor or whatever you call it into the air filter box. It's certainly big enough. LOL. It's really enjoying this winter, warm enough to run it but cold enough to get the extra pep. I gotta get a block heater since it enjoys winter so much.

Pylon and 122 Canuck, I found the site of a company in New York state that specializes in rodding the B18-B20 engine. They have a number of tune kits; the wildest being a bore and stroke kit to produce a 2500cc engine with turbo. Can't remember how much HP that developes but it's a lot. I thought I saved the site under my favorites but can't seem to find it again now. May have to go searching again. I wouldn't go as wild as 2500cc but they have 2200 and 2300 kits also, normally aspirated or turbo. Sounds like fun. Get to keep the old OHV engine but play with the big boys. My son is looking into it also to see how much trouble a fuel management system would be or if it is included. Just hope I don't have to start changing trannies and rear ends also but how much power the old spicer will take I don't know. I do know it's the same differential as in the original 260-289 Falcons but discs front and rear might be nice.

Do not, under any circumstances send money to John Parker at V-Performance. His failure to deliver is well documented. If you want to hop up a B20, Craig has built one and has the recipe. If you want to go hotter (150+ hp) talk to the boys at RSI in Portland. They've built B20 engines that have dyno'd over 200 hp...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKvEKklImBQ

Be prepared to open your wallet though...

I will repeat. No matter how tempting it is to send money to John Parker, do not do it. You will not see your money or your purchase for a very long time, if ever. Don't make us say "we told you so".

Hey Pylon, I think ur right about V-performance. I've read a few postings from the states about this guy and some people are still waiting for their parts and/or engines months and even years after ordering and paying for it. I think I'm either going to put in a B21 or modify a B20 (turboing it if I can) but will stay normally asperated if necessary. I had a chance way back in the 70's to buy a bolt on supercharger that bolted right to the intake studs on the head cause it ran the length of the engine. It had a 2" throttle body injector at the back of the supercharger. Had to have been a screw type charger but I didn't have $150 at the time. Wish now I had borrowed the money and gone for it. Was supposed to push a stock B18D engine from 90HP to around 120HP. I've never, ever seen or heard of one of those again. Wonder what happened to it? Imagine what it would do with a B20. Ah, memories and regrets.

My grandsons and I were out today working on the 544 and the heater motor on the 740. Man, that 544 is tight. Couldn't even get the rear drums off so son is gonna try and find a puller. Even pulling the cotter pin out of the axle nut was a job. That grease was like glue. My 14 year old is really hot on the 544 as is the 9 year old but the 9 year old was just as happy working on the 740TDI. This summer just might be a lot of fun if I can get my energy up and sustain it.

Hey fellas, I just found a really interesting site you all may be interested in. This guy isn't doing an engine swap, he's doing a car swap. Complete suspension from a 145 into a 544 but I think he's sticking with the B20. URL is http://retrorides.proboards.com/index.c ... read=46950 . I'm gonna watch this. 4 wheels discs would be fantastic.

That fella that's doing the suspension swap on the 544 is using 145 crossmember and suspension but 145 springs and 245 Dana rear end for extra strength cause he is building a B21-B23 for it. Hope he keeps site up to date. Might give me some ideas and also show me what not to do.