hey guys, new guy here:

i have some questions i hope you guys can help me im confused..

so ive been looking at volvo 850's with 5 speed manual trans.

i found a 1997 volvo 850 with 165000 miles. i noticed on the trunk that there used to be a badge next to the volvo "glt" looks like it fell off or was stolen.
my questions are do all glt 1997 volvos have the low pressure turbo?
does this car have good potential? like for example could i mod the ecu to boost more with the stock internals without problem, and how much HP could i get from this? could i put a blow off valve on this car?

heres the link in case you want to see it.
http://montreal.kijiji.ca/c-cars-veh...AdIdZ169484844

edit: the knows NOTHING about the car, tomorrow im going to ask him for the VIN #.

thanks

 

All 97 GLT's are LPTs. Pre 97 GLTs did not have turbos. It has potential, you can tune it and add more boost, but from what I have read the 2.4s do not handle high boost levels as well as the 2.3s, max you can get out of the LPTs is only about 11-13. You can put a BOV on it. HP wise, I would say with a tune, about 230.

 

I have 97 GLT and it is an EXELLENT base for mods..... I would rather buy the GLT than any other trim. The turbo is taken down to 8-9 psi. If you get a tuned ECU, you can go as high as 15 psi on the stock turbo. Mine is a speedtune 13psi tune. When I changed mine out, it's as if my 850 woke up! You can also take the boost up manualy, but personally like the ecu tune since you get better results. Once you do that, there are tons of other things to add, like a BOV as gilbert 33 suggested. Also when doing that, get a boost gauge to monitor the boost. Also make sure before you do anything to the car, get it to Stage 0 to be safe.

 

And if you get a tune, do an exhaust first. Otherwise if you get a tune and decide afterward to put in an exhaust, by rights, you should get the tune remapped.

Are the 13Gs efficient at 15 PSI? 15Gs are maxed out at 15 PSI.

 

The internal difference between the 2.4L LPT and the 2.3L HPT is that the 2.3 has slightly thicker cylinder walls, and its pistons are dished more to lower compression. Turbo engines need reduced compression to compensate for the boost so that they don't preignite the fuel. This is the reason an engine that is supposed to be turbocharged that the turbo doesn't work on is such a dog. The 2.4 can handle increased boost pretty safely... just not as much as the 2.3 can- not so much because of the cylinder walls, the difference is seriously minuscule, but because of the compression ratios. However, the 2.4 LPT is good for over 230 HP without stressing the engine too much.

And no, the 13G isn't really meant to push 15 PSI... it'll do it, but not happily. 12-13 PSI is as high as it can really handle.

 

1. A BOV on a Volvo is worthless. Your not going to be boosting high enough to see the benefit of a BOV. Further more your probably automatic right? If so it is really pointless as it will only go off when you let off the gas. It will not go off between automatic shifts. Also for the split second it vents to the atmosphere you'll more then likely run rich. If all you want is the sound then I suggest a short ram intake from IPD USA or EuroSportTuning (EST)

2. You can mod your ECU. That is with an ECU tune. IPD USA, RICA have the best tuning software on the market for Volvo. SpeedTuning USA, Upsolute and Inmotion are three low tier tuners that aren't as researched and developed as the other two. You can boost 10-15 PSI and be fine. 15 PSI being the absolute most you could run before your turbo is out of its efficiency range.

 

He said that the car he is looking at is manual. I feel the same as you, a BOV is completely pointless on these cars, all they do is go "woosh", and your turbo already has a mechanism on it that does the exact same thing. I don't think I would run 15 PSI on a 13G. Personally the max I would go is 13, 15 PSI is on the brink of inefficiency on the 15G.

 

Even on a manual Volvo a BOV is pointless as your not going to be making big power numbers without a lot of money and work. And a BOV is only worth it if your making good powerful numbers.

 

you guys are great...!

yes, i will only buy a manual.

how would i go about "chipping" this car.. i heard that its not something that you can just change. you have to send it out to be programed.. how much do you think this will cost..

also how many miles does it normally take this cars to start having major problems.. im worried about the milage of this car.. as a matter of fact, thats my only worry.

 

The mileage on the car is not that bad. These cars are known to go 300k plus miles. You never know when problems occur, it all depends how well it was maintained. What I have seen with mine it was right at 200k I had to replace wear items.

Yes you have to send out your ECU to get it chipped. What I would do if I were you is buy a used ecu as they go for about 50 bucks and send that one in so you will have a spare just in case you want to sell it or something.

 

well, im getting the vin tomorow morning if carfax checks out and it really is a glt, id consider it sold. im really excited to get it home and clean it up to see what i have to work with..

how do you install a boost guage.. connect it to the ecu somewhere im guessing?

 

No. It taps into the existing vac line underneath the dash for the factory boost guage, or at least that's the easiest way to do it.

 

does the 1997 glt have a boost guage in the cluster somewhere? i didnt see one.

 

Oh yeah, the 97's don't have boost gauges, I thought they did. That just means your going to have to route it through the firewall and tap into a vac line or into the vac tree.

 

no way to use an electric on this car or is manual just easier?

hell, while im at it... what speaker sizes does volvo use?

 

Dash 3", Doors 5 1/4", rear deck 6x9"s. The rear deck speakers will be hard to replace with 6x9's aftermarket... 5x7's with minimal modification fit nicely.

 

Yes you'll have to send your ECU out, so if you don't get an extra ECU your car will be dead until you get the ECU back from the tuner.

IPD USA, RICA are again the two best on the market. $600-$700 for the tune. Yes expensive but well worth it compared to the other three tuners on the markert. Who are not as developed and researched as IPD and RICA.

If you want less quality and want to spend less then Inmotion, SpeedTuning USA and Upsolute are your three choices. Cost anywhere from around $200-$425. I have a ST USA tune while it works it does run rich and Oliver who runs the place isn't very nice and his customer service is horrible. I don't recommend going to him or ST USA.

-----

Also the best mods for these cars are STAGE ZERO. Do this before you do anything to your car... Followed by intake be it a panel filter or short ram intake or homemade CAI, then 3" mandrel bent downpipe to a 2.5" to 3" mandrel bent catback system and then lastly an ECU upgrade. As the ECU upgrade will take into account all the other mods you have and get the most HP and TQ possible from everything.

 

I would recommend what he said, although I feel that the SRI is optional, it's not going to make or break you. And for exhaust, if you want to go cheaper, get an OBX, 3" dp and 2.5" catback. I think that unless your doing excessive mods a 3" tb isn't going to be necessary. IPD's new exhaust isn't even 3" tb, it's 3" dp that tapers off to 2.5" because the exhaust have cooled and compressed enough that 3" isn't necessary anymore.

 

ok so..

i got the vin: YV1LS554XV3372090
therefore 55= B5254FS = not turbo
which would also mean not GLT.
am i right?? please say no.

 

" 1997

* 850 ($26,710 MSRP): 2.4 L I5, 168 hp (125 kW) @ 6300 rpm and 162 ft·lbf (220 N·m) @ 4500 rpm
* 850 GLT ($31,835 MSRP): 2.4 L I5, 190 hp (142 kW) @ 5100 rpm and 199 ft·lbf (270 N·m) at 1600 rpm
* 850 T-5 ($34,500 MSRP): 2.3 L I5, 222 hp (166 kW) @ 5200 rpm and 221 ft·lbf (300 N·m) @ 2100 rpm
* 850 R ($38,685 MSRP): 2.3 L I5, 240 hp (179 kW) @ 5600 rpm and 221 ft·lbf (300 N·m) @ 2100 rpm

For 1997, the 850's final year, all GLT models were increased to 190 hp (142 kW) by pairing a low-pressure turbocharger with the 2.4 L engine. The 850 Turbo model was thence called the 850 T-5, as it always had been in the UK. The 1997 model year was short, as the substantially similar (virtually identical except for superficial styling changes) Volvo S70 sedan and Volvo V70 wagon were introduced during the first half of 1997 shortly before Ford Motor Co. took over Volvo in 1998."

* http://www.answers.com/topic/volvo-850

Either the person selling it has made a mistake in labeling the vehicle... And just hasn't noticed it. Or they don't know anything about the vehicle period... And are just ignorant. Or they are trying to scam an unknowing customer...

I didn't read it, but are you able to go view this car in person? If so if you look in the engine bay you'll be able to tell if it is turboed or not.

*Do you see the BLACK charge pipe going over the engine bay to the back of the engine? It is being held there in the middle with a Grey clamp. You can also see the throttle cable going over it. This is a turbo model 850 and that is what they all look like. So if it has that it's turboed.