Thanks for the bump. I mention "all the Volvo red block engines that have been rebuilt over the years" because there are very often posts here regarding somebody's recently rebuilt B230. I also vaguely remember a post many moons ago that somebody here had gotten their mitts on one from another member.

I do not know how much cylinder deformation occurs on the B230 when the head is bolted down but it is certainly not zero. Today's better imaging indicates that it is much more significant in all production engines than anybody previously realized. The use of a proper torque plate would mean much more cylinder uniformity when the engine is together.