Volvo 5 pot turbo powered E30... discuss!

Post Tue Oct 13, 2009 1:19 am

sooooo, having seen and heard one of these (850 T5) on the rollers the other day putting out 320bhp without breaking a sweat, i started thinking (took all of three seconds!)

would/could this be the answer to the eternal 4/6pot debate?
They're cheap, tunable, powerful, sound lovely and i belive have a host of RWD gearboxes to suit.

so, why are't we all using them?

Post Tue Oct 13, 2009 1:21 am

Im interested

Post Tue Oct 13, 2009 1:22 am

Thats a good question actually, a thread came up on pistonheads lately "best performance for under a grand" and the t5 was a strong competitor

Post Tue Oct 13, 2009 8:13 am

from what i've been told they don't seem to have the castings to allow you to bolt them up for rwd, and i'm not too sure of the availability of gearboxes to suit??

Post Tue Oct 13, 2009 8:23 am

Has this not been done already?
Something is definitely stirring in what passes for my memory.

Post Tue Oct 13, 2009 9:01 am

Im sure a guy on here was doing one..

Post Tue Oct 13, 2009 9:03 am

Found it....

Dont know how far he has got yet but..

http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... ight=volvo

Post Tue Oct 13, 2009 11:12 am

didn't know about the gearbox, we were looking at one in a "cough" sierra but after much deliberation it was a lot of work to get it to go north south due to a lack of engine mounting ........... would be worth finding out as a mate has an engine waiting to go in something..

Post Tue Oct 13, 2009 11:17 am

gareth wrote:i started thinking (took all of three seconds!)

Did it hurt?

Post Tue Oct 13, 2009 12:29 pm

there was a thread about this a few weeks back. eko is also considering doing one but hasnt started yet IIRC.

biggest issue is the gearbox. either use the volvo m90 box from a 960 turbo which is rarish and if you listen to some poeple made of chocolate. or, use an adaptor plate and keep the getrag 260. not sure of the clutch options on that but theis site has info and parts to do it albeit in swedish.

http://translate.google.com/translate?h ... google.com

i keep meaning to get a swedish zoner to email them and ask what clutch will go with it. there are bmw clutches mentioned elsewhere on the site.

someone else said the turbo needs turned and the sump is wrong too. wiring?......who knows

Post Tue Oct 13, 2009 7:41 pm

hmm, the engine mounts could be a deciding issue then. could just weld the sump to the crossmember

Jhonno wrote:
gareth wrote:i started thinking (took all of three seconds!)

Did it hurt?

yes!

Post Tue Oct 13, 2009 8:14 pm

m_jermyn wrote:Found it....

Dont know how far he has got yet but..

http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... ight=volvo

hehe, my thoughts of it upsetting the purists were right then

Post Tue Oct 13, 2009 8:20 pm

My memory served me well, i bought the Chrome bumpers from Aramil,s car.

Post Tue Oct 13, 2009 9:18 pm

Got to admit they do sound bloody good!

i would have a 850 or V70 spec R anyday

sure people have seen the vid before but here it is again

Post Tue Oct 13, 2009 10:42 pm

A mate of mine is doing something similar but in a kit car! t5 engine and getrag box. IIRC he cut the mating flanges off of the boxes and welded the t5 box flange onto the getrag box.

Post Tue Oct 13, 2009 10:49 pm

There was a T5 powered 4WD hotrod in PPC months back that used the Sierra gearbox with a custom bellhousing. Eko was talking about doing this swap a while back, he might have some ideas up his sleeves?

Post Wed Oct 14, 2009 11:28 pm

well ive got a T5 sitting on my driveway being broken if anyone wants it (see sig) its my dads car technically and he's after £300 for everything thats in the engine bay, except the turbo and the ecu, which are already sold.... but most of you would put it on Emerald or MS and run a bigger turbo, so thats no problem to any of you guys.

if you have a plasma cutter, you could literally turn up and cut the whole front of the car off in front of the windscreen and take it with you (easier to transport)

Post Thu Oct 15, 2009 2:55 am

gareth i think we mit have a new project

the 320bhp was just from an ecu remap to! (my old mans car)

they sound awesome yes!!!
not sure about the gearbox but im sure the wiring isn't to complexed.

so poeple have been doing it

a rwd volvo with t5 engine:

Post Thu Oct 15, 2009 3:30 am

i dont see the point, not when a FI m20 or m50 can built on a sensible budget and done right.

out the bos the volvo lump may be cheapish, but as some have said finding a suitble manual box may be an issue, not to mention all the fabrication needed and wiring headaches

Post Thu Oct 15, 2009 5:47 pm

i like how 'wrong' it is

if it can be mated to a BMW gearbox then it will probably all be relatively straightforward-ish

maybe i'm just sick...