GT Engine Overhaul
The ’78 GT I purchased a few years back will finally get an engine this spring. The one in the car was spectacularly blown at under 90k.
One can literally put their fist through the side.
I’ve actually never seen any B21-B230 style engine blown up before. The PO must have really worked hard at it. I mean the noise must have been incredible!
Here’s the back:
Balance shaft popped right out.
The #1 bearing journal is something to behold:
Do you think we'll have to grind it?
There were some parts sitting in the pan:
awesome
Anyway, after having a free good-running B23 whisped beyond my grasp I turned to a well-maintained ’81 B21 with 260k that my friend Jake had lying around. The original plan was to just clean the thing up and throw it in but after more inspection I got the idea in my head to rebuild it. What I probably should have none is grab a rusty 740 Turbo and swap that whole unit in. Hindsight is 20-20 blah blah blah.
Dirty but sound. The timing belt chamber will full of mouse turds.
Barely any ridge at all. Original crosshatch still evident:
Removing the head revealed a petrified arachnid.
The bores had no wear to speak of.
Sir Jake checking bore.
Flash-forward and it’s clean and painted and ball-honed:
Motor Farg from Olaf was very potent. If you want to borrow my hone let me know- I'll probably never use it again.
Installing the Deves rings was easy. Cleaning the ring lands took forever.
Probably better off buying new pistons- they are much cheaper than B18/20.
Because no one wants them. Because only fools rebuild the B21.
Just nifty.
It was fun. Really. Felt good to polish the crank. The motor turns very smoothly.
Before and after, left to right.
So the lower end is ready to go. I need to decide what to do with the head. Meanwhile I might throw this other motor in (from a ’79, runs well) to get the thing rolling while I make decisions and acquire parts and otherwise procrastinate:
Threw a lightly used clutch in while I was there.
OldDeadVolvos 