Is it worth buying a reasonable tube bender?
If you have other use for it or others maybe?
R-Sport B21AT turbo build
I have a tube bender, but it can't do these kinds of tight radii, the smallest it can do is maybe a 50mm radius, these are about 30mm radius. Benders that can do those kinds of bends in steel pipe aren't cheap and honestly I have no need for one, if this was any other build I would just use aluminium hardlines and be happy with larger bend radii, but this build is all kinds of crazy attempts at reproducing the factory finish.
Okay mockup pipes are finished. Now to figure out how to make/have someone make the actual ones. Anyone have experience with this sort of thing?
Okay so I went down to Pirtek today and they can do 12mm steel pipe with a 38mm radius. The bends you see in these photos are about 30mm. They wanted about $80 for the two pipes so I left it with them to make a copy. The guy who does it will be in tomorrow, I asked him to give me a call beforehand and I'll see if he wants me to bring the block down so he has a fixture to work with.
It is amazing what those guys can do , ive seen (them (instrument fitters and the like) bend up a bit of wire of which goes which way , looks like an iso drawing , a few measurements and they come back with the spool and fit it off! .... you gave him an example to follow he will be fine.
Pirtek hooked me up. The last step is to braze the fittings on, another forum member has offered to help me with this.
Nizze. So shiny!
The clean sump pan bolts and a few others look like they've been zinc dipped.
That looks dead sexy !
- Edited
Major LedfootNizze. So shiny!
The clean sump pan bolts and a few others look like they've been zinc dipped.
Those are all new bolts, I'm missing a lot of fasteners for this block as it didn't come with that many to begin with and others I've stolen for other projects over the years.
That reminds me, I don't have head bolts! (Edit: actually I'm pretty sure I have a box of used head bolts somewhere...)
a month later
This build teaches much about patience. I haven't had much time in the garage lately, and what time I have had has been taken up by other Volvos.
I have sourced a 405 head in reasonable condition, and with Black Friday upon us I pulled the trigger on some more parts, the most important of which is the B21 head gasket/seal kit. Next steps will be to clean up the head and get it mated to the block. I'll probably take the time to port match seeing as this build is moving somewhat glacially ?
This is a very cool build @jamesinc! What ignition system are you planning on running?
joshhhhhhugoThis is a very cool build @jamesinc! What ignition system are you planning on running?
I'm going to re-use the 123/TUNE ignition that I have in the B21E currently in the destination vehicle. It can boost reference the advance up to 1 bar which will be more than enough for this application. I'll program in the factory B21A curve with -1 degree per 1 psi of boost and go to a dyno to dial it in further.
jamesinchttps://ozvolvo.org/discussion/comment/184473#Comment_184473
I'm going to re-use the 123/TUNE ignition that I have in the B21E currently in the destination vehicle. It can boost reference the advance up to 1 bar which will be more than enough for this application. I'll program in the factory B21A curve with -1 degree per 1 psi of boost and go to a dyno to dial it in further.
Nice, definitely sounds like the way to go from what I've read. Looking forward to see how this build progresses! Cheers.
21 days later
- Edited
Tore the head down today, it needs to go to the shop to be welded and surfaced.
While I had it apart I decided to tidy the head up a bit, I gasket-matched the ports and rounded out the bottom knee of the port on the exhaust side. I went over everything with sanding drums to clean it up and smooth out the casting surface generally.
I think I'll have to get new valve stems for it. The valves themselves are dirty but in good condition, they all measured between .313" and .314", which is in-spec.
a month later
Hi James -new guy here, Mate you have these welsh plugs in backwards The concave face faces outwards
Nice build so far by the way top job ?️
No he doesn't
This is a B21
Not B230
Yes of coarse my bad disc type not the cup type
@whitedragon64 yeah as ramrod says these are the dome-type, so they started convex and they've been caved in a bit with a socket and a mallet to seat them.
PS welcome to the forums!