Using a car B21 ?s

Handegard

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Jun 16, 2009
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My AQ120B has poor compression, 30-30-155-90. I'm going to rebuild it, but in the mean time, I really want the boat on the water.

I've been offered a B21 from a '81 240.

Now, I know I'd need to swap all the obvious external stuff.

But I read something about swapping the camshaft?

Any other "gotchas" I need to know about? I'm planning only to swap the long block, going to keep my oil pan and valve cover.

Oh, and the boat will only see fresh water.
 

cr2k

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Mar 19, 2009
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Re: Using a car B21 ?s

Not familiar with car models, however if you use the carb form the car ( oh problem, it's not a marine carb.) you should have no problems with the cam.

if you are going to use the marine carb, changing the cam may not be a good idea as far as "drive ability" issues.
 

Handegard

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Re: Using a car B21 ?s

I will be using the boats carb setup, only planning to use the block/head/internals from the car.

I read something about "reversion"? (sucking water in the exhaust valve) when using a car motor without swapping cams, but I believe I was reading about a GM V6, and don't know if it's something specific to that model (the guy that had done the swap was having no-such problems with his car cam)

So I just wanted to make sure.

I'm sure I can get it running with the car cam, but I'd me real annoyed if I dropped it in the water for the first time, and something cropped up...

I'll measure the cars cam lobes when I get it and comepare. Hopefully it's the same cam profile...
 

ken_23434

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Jul 28, 2008
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313
Re: Using a car B21 ?s

Reversion deals with the overlap the camshaft has that can cause the engine to suck exhaust (and hence water) back into a cylinder on it's intake stroke.

Having both the intake and exhaust valves open for a short portion of the engine cycle is not that uncommon for an automobile. This overlap is one of the things that causes the old Hot Rods to have such a distinct idle (lots of overlap).

However, the overlap in a marine environment could cause the engine to suck the water into the cylinder through the exhaust. On a car, it would just be sucking air and exhaust in (not a problem like water would be).
 

Handegard

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Re: Using a car B21 ?s

That about sums up what I had heard in bits and pieces...

I wonder if this would be a problem on a Volvo, they don't exactly have the same "meaty" cam profiles as a 350 or 302 ;)

I'm all set to go get the motor on Monday it looks like. My goal is to have the boat running by the 10th of July, I want it out for my birthday weekend!
 

cooter2506

Senior Chief Petty Officer
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Apr 8, 2007
Messages
733
Re: Using a car B21 ?s

Isnt the B21 a mazda engine? Sorry disregard this I realized after I posted you meant a 240 VOLVO car. My wifes uncle would have smacked the daylights out of me for saying mazda. He is a Volvo tech!!! LOL So good luck to ya. Happy boating!!!!!!!!!
 
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Handegard

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jun 16, 2009
Messages
102
Re: Using a car B21 ?s

He he, you're thinking Mazda B2200 probably, which had F2 motor.

I wish this took a Mazda F2. I've got a half dozen of those around. I just built myself a all-new F2T for my daily driver not long ago, and it's old F2 is still in good shape (I'm hunting for a MX6 with a bad motor to put it in)

Sadly, I know nothing of Volvo. I own mostly old Fords/Mazdas. I work mostly on Japanese cars for money, and I used to be a German car tech. I don't know nothing of these Swedish motors ;)
 
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