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Head gasket- B18B 120-130 1967

posted by  wjnesbitt on  Fri Aug 14 15:03 CST 2020
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I'm having the engine from my 1967 123GT rebuilt for the first time (aprox. 140K miles) I'll be installing the IPD Street Performance cam kit. The machine shop thinks .020" overbore and very light machining of head are required. I'm installing pistons of the same height and face profile, and would like to end with a compression ration of around 9.5-1 (down from 10-1). I'm looking for recommendations for gasket thickness and source.







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    Head gasket- B18B 120-130 1967

    posted by  james_a_sousa on  Sat Aug 15 18:48 CST 2020
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    last visit: Thu Oct 23 18:51 CST 2014
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    In addition to the work you plan, I suggest an exhaust header and a system with a bit larger pipes.

    I found a nice Abarth exhaust system on ebay - it even has a nice black crackle paint finish and a chrome end on the tail pipe.

    I also found a 4 into 2 into 1 header.

    My '54 Chevy has headers and a very small muffler - interestingly it is loud at idle and when I jab the throttle, but it is quite quiet at steady speeds and on the highway!








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      Head gasket- B18B 120-130 1967

      posted by  wjnesbitt on  Sun Aug 16 07:18 CST 2020
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      I got this car as an all-original, low mileage example and drove it for 16 years, and really liked how it drove and ran. It's also a pretty rare model, so my intent is to keep it as close to stock as possible. The only concession I am making is a slightly sportier cam and double valve springs, which I think is about as wild as I can go with the SU carbs.








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    Head gasket- B18B 120-130 1967

    uid 37336's pic
    posted by  B20Paul. on  Fri Aug 14 17:52 CST 2020
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    last visit: Mon Oct 20 10:54 CST 2014
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    Why rebuild a B18B? Step up to a B20B

    Don't use either IPD cam, neither are worth the money.

    The best stock cam for a rebuild with stock springs is the K, DO NOT USE THE D cam.







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      Head gasket- B18B 120-130 1967

      posted by  wjnesbitt on  Fri Aug 14 19:05 CST 2020
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      I probably wouldn't have even done a rebuild at all if I didn't have to pull it to do some major rust repair. I was happy with the B18- just want to wake it up a bit, and not inclined to do more machining than necessary.

      I already have the cam kit from IPD- selected it based on conversations with a couple of old Volvo types that I respect.

      Just looking for options to help tweak the compression ratio- I don't want it to fall too low with that cam. One suggestion was to use a very thin gasket used in the Penta marine B18s.








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        Head gasket- B18B 120-130 1967

        posted by  derek uk on  Sat Aug 15 05:48 CST 2020
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        last visit: Fri Oct 24 12:33 CST 2014
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        C.R. on the B18 is set by the thickness of the head and not the gasket, which is the same for all. Using a "thin" gasket will raise the compression. The only way you can lower it is to use another head which is thicker unless you want to do some headwork and remove some metal around the valves etc. Unless you have the tools and expertise, that's best left to someone who knows these heads and knows what they are doing. I'm sure that another head can be found for not much money. Have inserts for lead free done while you're at it.








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          Head gasket- B18B 120-130 1967

          posted by  planetman on  Sat Aug 15 10:28 CST 2020
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          last visit: Fri Oct 24 09:29 CST 2014
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          FYI, Volvo sold 3 different thickness B18 head gaskets, .8mm, 1.6mm and 2.4mm, but only 2 B18 cylinder heads and both heads have the same thickness.

          The difference in the heads is the size of the combustion chamber.

          There are 4 ways to adjust the compression ratio.

          1. Head gasket thickness
          2. Increasing or decreasing the combustion chamber size
          3. Piston/crankshaft modifications
          4. Camshaft overlap

          And there is absolutely nothing wrong with a D cam and in fact Volvo recommended the D cam as an upgrade for the B18 in their "B18 Tuning Guide".

          We are so dedicated to the D cam that when the high quality D cams made by TRW in Europe were discontinued, we bought an original Volvo D cam and used it to make copies. And it's the only camshaft we almost always have in stock.

          BTW, IPD cams are made by Isky and IPDs torquer cam is an Isky VV61 and their street performance cam is an Isky VV71.

          --
          Eric
          Hi Performance Automotive Service (formerly OVO or Old Volvos Only)
          Torrance, CA 90502
          hiperformanceautoservice.com or oldvolvosonly.com








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            Head gasket- B18B 120-130 1967

            posted by  wjnesbitt on  Sun Aug 16 07:13 CST 2020
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            Thanks- this is exactly the info I was looking for. The suppliers I was finding online were only listing one gasket thickness. After reading your post I had another look and see that VP Parts lists 3 from 8mm- 1.6 mm.







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              Head gasket- B18B 120-130 1967

              posted by  JohnH on  Wed Aug 26 05:05 CST 2020
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              last visit: Mon Oct 6 00:29 CST 2014
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              Cometic make gaskets to suit B18 engines in various thicknesses. Here’s the link:

              https://www.cometic.com/applications/automotive/volvo/b18/b18d--109ci18l-i4

              I use one of their gaskets in my 2.5 litre B20 rally car. It’s copped a lot of hard work, including doing the Peking to Paris rally last year. Absolutely no problem with it.
              --
              JohnH, Sydney, Australia







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