Hello,

Sorry this is long, but there is some good information here, beyond my questions.

Are there any frustrated Electrical Engineers amongst you? Here, Down Under, the Bosch GB753 Condenser costs $25.75 and the Bosch GB 772 Contact Points costs $63.90 - believe it or not. F'ing thieves!!!

I have a 1981 Volvo 244DL, with B21A Engine, Zenith-Stromberg 175CD 2SE Carburetor, and Borg Warner 55 Automatic Transmission.

It is harder and harder to get certain parts for this car that is in immaculate condition, with only 146,000km on the Odometer.

I am curious if there are equivalent, but cheaper alternatives.

I am curious if anyone knows the correct Capacitance and Specifications for the Condenser (Capacitor). I am sure there is a Radio Shack/Tandy equivalent for 50 cents a dozen.

Also, I have been completely through my engine chasing a persistent pinging problem, thanks, in part, to this Forum Archives . . . but, there IS a lot of misinformation and misunderstanding.

I replaced:
Air Box Thermostat and Preheat Pipe
Coolant Thermostat 87 deg C
Bosch W7DC Spark Plugs (but have been advised by Bosch to go Hotter, huh?)
Sparkplugs' Wires
Vacuum Lines
EGR Valve and Pipe
PulsAir Valves
Distributor Cap, Rotor, Points, Condenser, Vacuum Delay Valve, PulsAir Shutoff Valve
Oil Filler Cap Seal
Oil Dipstick O Ring
Cleaned Distributor gunk inside after taking it carefully and methodically apart
Cleaned the Carburetor
Clean Oil Trap
Gapped the Plugs at .028" (.711mm)
Set Timing precisely 10 deg BTDC
Set Dwell 62 deg
Set CO to 2.0% and HC 184ppm
Attempted to Decarbonize Combustion Chamber by sipping small amounts of Water into Vacuum Inlet, just behind Throttle.
Recently filled up with BP 98 Octane Unleaded Premium: Does not ping as much

Regardless, after everything, including dumping Toluene into the Petrol Tank, I discovered the Cam Shaft was offset by two teeth. It has improved considerably, and seems to only ping a little at high rpm 95 kilometers/hour, up a steep hill, accelerating to pass. I have been told that my Distributor's total Advance is 50 degrees. I have also been pointed in the direction of modifying the Advance Curve, by fiddling the Centrifugal Fly Weight Springs or removing the Vacuum Advance or increasing the Vacuum Advance Delay. I am 100% sure Volvo engineers did not design the car that way.

I have been told by folks specializing in Zenith-Stromberg Carburetors that changing from Dexron ATF in the Dashpot to 20W30 Oil, or whatever oil you use in your engine, and even putting gear oil in it will affect the damping action of the Carburetor, and possibly improve an early lean condition, which may cause pinging. It has also been suggested to modify to Distributor Advance Curve, by adjusting the spring tension on the Distributor Centrifugal Fly Weights. For those Brick Board members whom replaced the original distributor with an electronic type . . . The Advance Curve IS different for each Bosch Distributor. Bosch Distributor 0 231 170 284 is for the B21A engine and has a specific advance curve.

Today, I replaced a burnt out Blower Motor. The 1981 Volvo 244DL takes a three point shock mounted motor, made by Electrolux-Sweden. The clam-shell type from a later model car is not interchangable, unless you gut the new motor and install all its bits and pieces and bearings into the old mounting, which is what I did. I started by removing the right side squirrel cage, unclipping and removing the 3 mounting screws, then the fan, then the glovebox, then the left side, in the same manner. I cleaned all the dirt and dust from under the dash and ducting. I checked all Vacuum Actuators and Fittings. I use a Z shaped small screw driver to remove the machine screw and Grounding Wire from under the Heater, the rest is easy. The rubber fittings that hold the ducting up, use oil or rubber grease to get them back into the holes. I removed the front dashboard frame in front of the gear shift, the seats, and the front carpet. Someone in the archives suggested just cutting the wires and splicing. If you do it my way, you can do the job professionally. Be prepared to spend from Sunrise to Sunset, on your back, under the dashboard.

Any information would be appreciated, regarding the Condenser's Capicitance and Specifications and anything I have not thought of regarding the Pinging issue would be appreciated. E-mail is okay at RLC747CAPT(remove parentheses and everything in between)@YAHOO.COM Also, make everything lower case.

Thanks,
RLC