Can anyone tell me exactly what year that Volvo went back to the larger rear main bearing/cap in the 200 series engines? If I understand correctly, after the B21, they reduced the bearing/cap size in an attempt to reduce friction and increase gas mileage. Then, somewhere around '88 or '89 they went back to the larger bearing setup. Is there any way to tell which bearing a car has by serial # , engine #, year, etc?

The change was during the 1988 cars. There is a "K" on the timing belt cover on the later cars with the heavier crank. That can not always be reliable as the covers may be replacements. According to Bentley the way to id the later engines is by a "K" cast into the block below the engine identicication number as well as an "A" cast into the block below and to the left of the oil filter.

Randy

As I understand it the K emblem means that the bearings have been relocated back to their more desireable locations (most of them anyhow). However, the connecting rods (and perhaps the bearings, I'm a big foggy on this) didn't incr
ease in size til 89. The bigger c-rods are indeed a drop-in replacement for these later motors (and perhaps earlier ones) and indeed are the only ones available from Volvo.

- alex

'85 244 Turbo
'84 245 Turbo