What speeds can the 111HP B23F run up to on a regular basis in 3rd and 4th
gear with the M46? I'm interested in what you can typically maintain in
these two gears and for third gear what the repeated max under load/incline
is that you'd hit without fear of excessive tranny or engine wear before
shifting. Not RPMs since my car doesn't have a tach.

I'd really like to hear some realistic numbers for the above keeping in mind
maximum performance with minimum engine and tranny abuse. The reason for my
request is that I may just sell off our 89 245 and keep my 242 which I just
paid $80 to advertise nationwide at the Auto Trader web site. : ( If I do
this then the original nature of this sunny day drive 242 will be sacrificed
to serve as my winter daily driver. It will likely get mods such as new
sport seats, 4 point harness for driver, roll bar, stereo, sport suspension,
brake upgrades, tachometer, rally lights and possibly 15-16" wheels if I can
find something that will fit the car. This baby would need to routinely
scale a high speed (65mph plus) 4.5 mile continuous climb up a mountain pass
followed by a an almost mirror image descent down the other side of the
mountain. This is why I want to know what the non-overdrive gears can do
repeatedly without asking for trouble. The car will need to be dependable.

I know some of you will be thinking a 242 Turbo would be the way to go but
the point of this is to work with what I have. I'm buying and selling enough
as it is.

Thanks,

Ron
Eden, Utah

In my 86 244dl I take third upto 65 and I was just cruising in 4th at 68-70
without any undue strain or noise. This car has the 3.31 rear also and it does
really make the gearing in the car tall compared to my turbo with a 3.73. You
know changing the rear to a lower gearing might be a good solution for you
if you want the gearing for better climbing upgrade. The later automatics have
a 3.73 that I was thinking of using in the 86. I was going use the speedo from
the donor car so I keep everything like stock. I personally like the 3.73 gears
as my favorite performance economy compromise.

Dave 82 242ti,86 244dl.

A normally aspirated ("non-turbo" in your words) B23F with M46 has a 3.31:1 rear end, Volvo's tallest offering for the 200 series. 3rd gear on the M46 is a very tall gear anyway, and with this particular rear end ratio it works out to about 15mph/1000rpm. The B23F has a redline of 6000rpm. So, theoretically, 3rd gear has a 'top speed' of approx. 90mph. 4th gear would redline (again, theoretically) at 126mph.

Back in the real world, I usually hold 3rd until 45mph (3000rpm) and have had 4th up to 75mph with no problems, but tend to shift into overdrive at 60-65 to save fuel and my hearing. When I go up into the mountains for fishing/hiking/picture taking activities, there is one particularly steep grade that I encounter where the speed limit is 55. I rountinely traverse this grade in 3rd gear at 60+mph. It's noisy as hell, but the engine is well within its "safe" operating range (tach reads just a hair over 4000rpm at 60mph in 3rd).