Hi, all:

I have just found out the information hold in VIN of the car I am looking at. So, some questions you maybe interested in.

Item, number,meaning:

1---YV1: Volvo

2---A: Airbag

3---88: B23F

4---5: 5 door (wagon)

5---8: check

6---L: 1990 year

7---1: made in Sweden (Torslanda)

8---86xxxx: 245DL

Questions:

1. Is this kind of engine B23F endurable? What does it mean "Fuel Injection Low Compression Version" ?

2. Why it is called 245DL?

3. Is the factory in Torslanda good? :-)

Thanks!

The B23xx engines are low compression. the B20xx engines (1.95 liter) engines are high compression. Most European countries have road tax based on engine size this is to encourage people to buy small cars, thus reducing polution etc. The smaller the engine the cheaper.

The B20xx engines have only a little less power output, due the high compression they give more HP/litre. What has suffered badly though is the torque at low revs, the B20xx powered cars are sluggish and require a more conservative drive style, top speed and fuel consumption is about the same.

As noted the older engines are stronger, but less efficient. I would expect the B23 engine to have the longest life, then the B21, then the B230 then the B200. Regardless of design, maintenance is what keeps engines going.... keep it up.

Torslanda is the European factory in Sweden near Gothenburg (Volvo headquarters). The 2 years of 240 production for the Great Britain market had 2 models (give or take specials): 240 SE (B230F) and 240 Torslanda (B230F, fancy trim etc.) I guess it doesn't matter where they build them, the same production techniques and systems where used.

Reg,

1. The B23F is one of the strongest, longest lasting 4 cylinder engines that Volvo made (has been said that it was "over built", but your '90 245 doesn't have that engine. It has the B230F engine (see the VIN# decoding section again, and look up the "88" section of the VIN# that tells the engine. It should say "B23F('83-'84), B230F('85-on)"). The B230F is also a great engine that will easily last 200-300K miles with regular maintenance.

2. 245 means it's a 200 series car with 4 cylinders and 5 doors. "240" can apply to any car in the 200 series that has a 4 cylinder engine. There was also a 260 that had a 6 cylinder engine.

3. I know nothing about the Torslanda factory. My car was built there, but I don't know what else to say other than I've got 143,000 miles on my car.

Interesting info . . . where would one go to get the complete picture to decipher the VIN?

Thanks.

These all apply to the 240/260 series, and the VIN applies to all Volvo cars '81-'96:

http://www.volvoworld.com/VIN/vin81-96.htm (decoding the VIN#)

http://www.volvoworld.com/VIN/CIL81.htm (decoding the service label)

http://www.volvoworld.com/VIN/vic81.htm (vehicle identification code)

http://www.volvoworld.com/200/Production.htm (240/260 production)

Thanks for the links . . . isn't the internet great!