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940 cylinder head - repair? 900

posted by someone claiming to be JohnC on Sun Nov 27 02:25 CST 2005 [RELATED]

Hello out there - I braved mid 30's weather yesterday to get the head off my '93 8-valve 940 (130K). I was hoping to get the head gasket replaced before it gets really cold - (my Volvos like to torture me by requiring repairs only when it gets nasty outside...never on a sunny day in May). To my horror I find 2 rather substantial potholes eroded into the head, which overlap the gasket sealing rings for 2 cylinders (1 & 4). Anybody out there ever repair something like this? I've got MIG welding equipment and can get some aluminum wire and Argon gas... but I don't know if it will "Stick" to this alloy. Any ideas?
The alternative is a rebuilt / junkyard head - assuming I can get one without having to buy the whole engine... Thanks.

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Why the Potholes? 900

posted by Steve on Mon Nov 28 01:23 CST 2005
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last visit: Fri Oct 24 07:16 CST 2014

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Got any ideas as to why your head would have these holes? Poor coolant maintenance? Long-term head gasket leak?
--
See the 700/900 FAQ under 'Select Link' button on the top right.

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Why the Potholes? 900

posted by someone claiming to be JohnC on Mon Nov 28 07:53 CST 2005 [RELATED]

Hello - thanks for the quick responses... I knew I had a bad head gasket about 3 weeks ago - symptom was no heat whatsoever from the vents... took 3+ quarts to fill up... temp gauge never moved from middle range... (talk about overbuilt engines!) I ordered a gasket set, waited for a free weekend, and kept filling up every few days with water...Then I got rough running (after a cold start) for a few seconds until the water blew itself out. I've seen these symptoms before ( I had exactly the same problem with a Fiat 128 10+ years ago) but never expected (or saw) corrosion like this.
Anyway, the options are down to a local welding job + resurfacing (hopefully without raising the compression ratio too much) for $90 per hour; A '91 240 head (EBay) for about $150 total, or a rebuilt '88 240 head for $220+ . Local junkyard wants $300 for a head - probably not gonna happen with him. Anybody know if the 240 head will work as a transplant? I have the distributor on the end of the cam and could easily transfer it to the new head... do they just put a cover plate over it if the dist is on the block? Does the cam still have the dist drive keyway if it's blocked off? Any other sensors / hose gizmos added or removed on a '91 240 head? I've got 2 sensors next to the heater hose tap on the intake side. Thanks to all...

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940 cylinder head - repair? 900

posted by volvito on Mon Nov 28 00:42 CST 2005
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last visit: Sun Mar 23 04:59 CST 2014

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I had the same problem. Used JB epoxy welding glue, sand it and OK so far for many thousand miles

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940 cylinder head - repair? 900

posted by ray b on Tue Nov 29 02:27 CST 2005
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last visit: Thu May 10 13:17 CST 2007

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any #530 head will work if it has the holes for the head mount dizzy
most due but some are blocked off by a plate
240 740 or 940 are same casting #530
only difference is the cam and ext valves on the turbo
head should be cheap 50-100

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940 cylinder head - repair? 900

posted by someone claiming to be JohnC on Tue Nov 29 04:47 CST 2005 [RELATED]

Thanks - I've gotten some great feedback on this - Local junkyards wanted $300 or more...I got a '91 240 head for about 145 (delivered) on EBay - probably could have done better but walking to the train station is getting old - and it's gonna get cold pretty soon. It seems like I may have to transplant the cam if the distributor drive slot isn't on the 240 cam - we'll see. Transplanting will give me an excuse to reseat the valves, replace valve stem seals, and get the shims adjusted. Thanks again...

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940 cylinder head - repair? 900

posted by c_j_mooney on Tue Nov 29 08:27 CST 2005
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last visit: Wed Sep 14 17:39 CST 2011

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Yikes - $300 from the junkyard?! I'd call that justification for moving elsewhere...
--
Chris, Dartmouth NS Canada 70 M-B 280SE, 83 245DL, 84 244 turbo, 90 780 turbo, 92 VW Golf, 90 740 Rex/Regina

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940 cylinder head - repair? 900

posted by joe s90 on Sun Nov 27 14:28 CST 2005
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Your cylinder head sounds as if your car didnt have proper anti-freeze changes in the past. Dont bother to have this head repaired pick up a junk yard head, this will be your best solution.

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940 cylinder head - repair? 900

posted by onemoreoldvolvo on Sun Nov 27 03:13 CST 2005
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last visit: Thu May 17 23:59 CST 2007

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The head may be able to be welded, but why. I had to a similiar job on my 940 and got a used head with 75k on it for $75.00 at the junk yard. To have your head welded and planed to spec would be a whole lot more than a used head. If you take the used head to a machine shop ofr about $40.00 they will clean it up for you.

Neal

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940 cylinder head - repair? 900

posted by Bram Smits on Sun Nov 27 02:44 CST 2005
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It's an aluminum head and can be successfully welded, but of course you will need resurfacing and possibly a little grinding to shape the combustion chambers if there's any weld intruded into that.

I don't know where you are based, but I'd guess it's probably easier and cheaper to just grab another head from somewhere. If there's a pick'n'pull close by, they can usually do you heads for maybe $50 or so.

Bram

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940 cylinder head - repair? 900

posted by Rule 308 on Sun Nov 27 20:26 CST 2005
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last visit: Tue May 8 09:20 CST 2012

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If you are looking at a simple head gasket then a used head that is flat and in good shape is probably your best bet. If you are intent upon a valve job then you might just as well go with the existing head as it will probably only add $50.00 or so to the cost of the valve job and if you weld it up yourself it may cost even less. If you do have it repaired though I would have the guy who does the machine work do the welding too. If you go the boneyard route for your head make sure that you take a straight edge and feeler guages to it to make sure that it is warped less than .020 or .5mm. Which ever way you end up going makes sure that you change your coolant routinely as the holes in your head are caused by electrolysis and changing your coolant routinely will help with this. Is your car a sitter as well, I usually find that is the case with cars that have this problem.

Mark

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