Forever Project: 1980 Volvo 242 T5

The long-stored eight-inch round H4 E-code headlights were installed. The conversion retained the relayed 12-gauge high- and low-beam harness.

The no-start was resolved by cleaning the bellhousing-to-block mating surfaces and chasing the mounting threads. Restoring the grounding path immediately cleared the crank-sensor interference, and the Megasquirt was reinstalled for fall driving.

The car was dyno tuned for flex fuel. Baseline output on 93 octane before tuning was 274 whp and 282 lb-ft; after tuning, it produced 366 whp and 381 lb-ft at roughly 21 psi on E85. The shop installed an external wastegate, fuel-pressure sender, fuel pump, and rewired the pump. After getting the car back, a worsening hot-restart problem later became a complete no-start with crank-sensor interference during cranking.

Rapid oil consumption caused a low-oil event less than 3,000 miles after the prior engine work. Leakdown measured 22 percent on all five cylinders into the crankcase, crankcase vacuum was below Volvo’s documented minimum and teardown found bore and piston-skirt scuffing plus worn rod bearings.

The car completed a 15-mile first drive after a water-pipe O-ring leak was corrected. Break-in was kept below 4,000 rpm and 60 percent throttle with varied engine speed and break-in oil.

The rebuilt engine reached roughly 300 miles and the car attended a local meetup and a scheduled photo shoot. The engine remained stable while plans moved toward professional dyno tuning.

The engine was removed after oil consumption returned. Cylinder 4 had a melted piston and every piston showed broken ring lands. The working explanation was long-term oil-induced detonation combined with the age of the 240,000-mile pistons.

The Recaro LS-B front seats and factory rear seat were recovered in charcoal-black leather. Both front seats received new lower-bolster foam, and revised seat brackets were fabricated and painted.

An electric scavenge pump, -10 AN hose and a second oil-accumulator design with a -6 AN vent were installed. The vented accumulator was the change that greatly reduced the turbo oil-consumption problem at the time.

Oil left throughout the intake tract prompted PCV revisions, cleanup and compression testing; cylinders 1 and 5 tested somewhat lower than the others. The same service period also addressed driveline vibration, replaced a cracked BMW giubo and installed softer Volvo diesel engine mounts to reduce high-rpm vibration.

The five-cylinder setup completed its first substantial road trip, roughly 1,200 miles to Kansas City and back. Fuel economy improved from 20.0 mpg outbound to 24.2 mpg on the return after cruise tuning while averaging about 80–82 mph.

The 242 attended the VCOA National Meet at Road America and set the quickest time in the Volvo-only autocross on the karting circuit. It also completed parade laps on the track.

After the whiteblock conversion came together, the car drove a short distance forward and back under its own power. Base timing, brake bleeding and power-steering noise still required attention.

A leaking IAC bung was traced to the thin-wall fitting in the cold-side intercooler pipe. A one-piece replacement pipe was fabricated, and the 16T turbo was disassembled and rebuilt with Mitsubishi wear parts before being machined and balanced for a 20T compressor wheel.

The car traveled to the Eurowerks show in Minneapolis at 12,202 miles since its first drive. It received the Sleeper award selected by local police and Broadway Auto Tech’s Favorite award.

The 242 made the trip to the VCOA Midsommar meet in Hannibal, Missouri. The newly installed Koni Race suspension worked well during the outing.

A partial radiator clog, failing brake booster, ground-squirrel wiring damage, cluster grounding trouble and a broken power-steering bracket were addressed. Door seals, the underhood light, steering wheel and dash isolation were also refreshed before the car returned to regular use.

The freshly completed car left Wisconsin for the iPd Garage Sale and RSI barbecue in Oregon, continuing to Seattle before returning on I-90. The long shakedown exposed a few minor issues, but the car completed the cross-country trip.

The car moved under its own power for the first time with the four-cylinder turbo setup. The initial drive was a short circle in the driveway while exhaust and final sorting were still outstanding.