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"Also can I expect to have this car for another 250,000 plus miles. Also how long do the turbo units last (miles)."
When people ask me for advice about buying a turbo versus a non-turbo Volvo, I tell them that a turbocharged car is fine, but expect to pay about twice as much in maintenance needs. I do most of the maintenance and repairs on a small fleet of Volvos that are owned by friends, family, and customers, and have plenty of reciepts to back this up. The extra heat from the turbocharger, the extra wear & tear from running harder and at higher pressures, and the extra torque generated by the engine will take their toll on the plastic & rubber parts in the engine bay, the head gasket and engine, and the drivetrain.
One observation that I'll make is that all my friends who own turbochargers had to have a head gasket changed before they reached 200,000 miles. All of my friends who have non-turbo Volvos have gone well past 200,000 miles before they needed a head gasket. As far as performing a head gasket operation, I can do that in an afternoon on a non-turbo car, however the same operation on a Turbo vehicle is a full weekend and twice the expense due to the extra gaskets, fittings, and parts required for the job. -not to mention that I get plenty of scraped knuckles because the space clearances are horrible around the turbocharger for someone with big hands like mine (and there are several bolts and unions that need to be removed before it can come off).
Can a Volvo B230FT (turbo) go to 400,000 miles? -Yes, there's no reason that it can't if you take care of it and maintain the factory service schedule. However, you should expect to pay twice as much for the maintenance needs along the way. You should also be committed to running synthetic oil all the time, as it will increase the longevity of the turbocharger by exponentail amounts. It's the cheapest thing that you can do that will have the highest payoff in the end.
Before you buy the car, be sure to check the turbocharger as it's a very expensive hairdryer that isn't cheap to replace. A tiny bit of side to side play is normal, just as long as the blades don't touch the housing. Fore-to-Aft axial play is a no-no. Check the turbo hoses for softness and bulges. Price these out at the dealership before you buy the car, as the sticker price of replacing a handfull of hoses can cost as much as a turbocharger replacement. If it has a Mitsubishi turbo on it, it's much easier to swap the turbo core as you don't have to remove the entire housing and the exhaust manifold.
Regarding the rest of the car, budget yourself enough money to change every fluid and filter on the car once you get it home. Especially the brake fluid, -as most cars have never had the system flushed and brake fluid must be replaced every 2 years, just like engine coolant (damage to the calipers, master cylinder, and rubber hoses will result if it's neglected). The transmission filter won't need to be changes (it's a simple strainer) but you will want to change the tranny fluid and clean out the sediment that's been accumulating in the engine pan and collecting on the under-sized magnet. Regarding the cooling system, if the radiator has been changed to one of those "Nissens Heavy Duty" piece of junks, you should expect it to fail within a few years. If you still have the original Blackstone OEM radiator in the car, start shopping for a newer one in the local salvage yards (the date codes are on the sides of the end-tanks on each side). $35 for a salvage yard radiator is a lot cheaper than $220-$320 for a new one and they're good for at least 12 to 15 years in a turbo car, depending on the ambient temps in your area. Be sure to check the universal joints while you're under the car to change the rear differential fluid. If the rear suspension seems to be sagging, you may need to replace the Nivomats (rear shocks). They're a self leveling type of heavy duty shock, and they aren't cheap (about $250 each). If you are looking at an '88 760 wagon, you will be able to convert the rear springs and shocks to a non-Nivomat system. If you are looking at an '88 760 sedan, it will have Independant Rear Suspension, and while a non-nivo conversion kit is available, it will be more expensive. (I personally like the Nivomats, and it's a great day when you find a set of gently used Nivos on a car in the salvage yard).
Don't forget to change the accessory mounting bushings when you change out the alternator. More info here.
Be sure to have a compression test done (either by yourself or a mechanic you trust) before buying the car. 145 psi is the pass/fail book value, with a maximum of 10% difference between cylinders. If I were shopping for a used B230FT, I wouldn't even consider it if it had less than 165 psi in each cylinder. Basic instructions for performing a compression test are in this post.
"I know the 760 with the 280 engine is crappy, I had one before, very smooth, but very prone to oil/valve issue problems."
The B27 and B28 engines (1975-1986) were the ones with oiling issues and timing chains that would typically snap around 100,000 to 110,000 miles. The B280 (1987-1990, 3rd generation PRV-6) is good for a minimum of 300,000 miles or more, assuming basic maintenance needs are met. If you would like the specific details of the upgrades and improvements done to the B280, I would be happy to provide them. FYI, on my own B280, the camshafts lobes are fine, the rockers are excellent, and the timing chain wear indicator shows about 1/2 a notch showing (maximum of 4 are permissable before chain replacement is advised). The new even firing crankshaft (offset lobes) for the 3rd generation engines gives it an incredibly smooth idle, which wasn't possible with the older B27 & B28 that had a non-even firing interval. The only significant engine problem I've had with mine is the decay of the Knock Sensors, which were a poor design from the start (not the fault of Volvo). I'm retrofitting a set of B230 knock sensors to my B280 so that I don't have to change them after another 150,000 miles.
God bless,
Fitz Fitzgerald.
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'87 Blue 240 Wagon, 279k miles.
'88 Black 780, PRV-6 (B280), 149k miles.
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