WTB Volvo 940 Differential

940Person

Hi Oz Volvo!

I am wanting to buy a diff for my Volvo 940 that has the G80 locker and 3.73 gears. I think they have "1041" written on the sticker.

Does anyone have something like this they would be willing to sell? I'm Melbourne based so Vic location is preferred.

ramrod

If you have no luck, buy a truetrac, more expensive but much better

Spac

Very rare part in Australia.
They were intended for ice and snow, so they were not factory fitted to any of the normal Australian spec cars AFAIK.

Any that are here, have been imported as parts or in grey/personal imports. I guess it’s possible that someone optioned one in their new 7/9 back in the day but this would have been incredibly rare.

940Person

Thanks for the suggestion Ramrod. This may well end up being the solution.

I've only ever seen the 4.1:1 ratio breed of 1041 in Australia. Appreciate the context that this might be an unusual item locally Spac. I really liked the feel of this locker in slippery conditions and will hold out hope I can find one.

Anthony

I doubt you will find a G80 lsdiff in Australia, let alone for sale.
Good luck though.

ramrod

The only models here that had G80 auto locking diffs are the 1991-1993 940SE and 940 turbo (high boost only) sedans and wagons

They also came with leather heated sets

And maybe some 740 turbos

940Person

Thanks Ramrod and Anthony.

I've had two N/A 940 wagons with 4.1 lockers. One was a B230F car and the other was a B234F car.

Unfortunately my 1992 940SE sedan didn't come with a locker. Ive got a lead on a 940SE wagon, hopefully it has a 3.73 locker.

The heated seats in my 940SE are great!

Major Ledfoot

I have a 1993 940 SE (i.e. turbo) wagon, but when I bought it, the handbrake cable was disconnected / missing.
It may have had its rear axle pillaged. The PO was building up a 240 and I bought the wagon unregistered, which makes me suspicious. Since the wagon has never given me any rear axle woes, I've not looked into it in detail. Plus I've not driven it in a manner / conditions where having LSD would be any advantage or even noticeable.

940Person

Major Ledfoot

That's interesting, and gives me a glimmer of hope there might have been turbo cars with G80 in Aus.

I sometimes launch a small boat with the 940 and drive on gravel regularly. It's nice having a little extra traction available incase there is seaweed on the boat ramp.

ramrod

It seems strange to me that a non turbo car would have a locking centre, and your turbo does not, the opposite seems to be what should have come in the cars from the factory.

Unfortunately in the 30 year time period that these cars have been used, it’s quite possible that a previous owner swapped parts from another model.

Have you removed each cover from each car and visibly confirmed the presence of the G80 and the gear ratios?

940Person

ramrod

The cars with G80 both had "1041" stickers on the axles. I never removed the diff covers, however when I jacked up the rear wheels and spun one side the opposing wheel would initially turn in the opposite direction. When I spun the wheel really fast there would be a "clunk" then both wheels would turn together.

My 940SE says 1031 on the sticker and nothing interesting happens if I jack up the car and spin a wheel quickly.

360beast

Here in the UK it seemed quite often 1995MY cars had a G80 (they also have the gold EZK but they're unfortunately equipped with EGR junk) and Wentworth's always have a G80, other cars probably have them in as they were specced like that by the original customer at the dealership. I don't know what it would be like for Australian cats though, but it might be worth seeing if that's the same as over here.

I've got a G80 axle in my garage to go in my 940 and it is true they have a very different style of sticker that says 1041 not 1031. I've just had a hernia operation so I won't be able to go for a few weeks but if there's a Wentworth still in a local scrapyard I was planning to pull it out to sell it on. I could strip the diff out of it (are the half shafts different too?) And post it to Australia. I bet postage would be mega money though.

It's a 94 Wentworth on 228k miles, it had an M90 gearbox so I pulled that out of it and stripped a few goodies including the gauge cluster which luckily had a working speedometer! There's also a 1993 940 B230FK but that's sadly an autotragic otherwise I'd have pulled the solid flywheel out of it.