I have an opportunity to purchase a 97 850 for $400, my question is can I either pull the head and put it in my 93 or can I swap motors and put the 97 motor in my 93, I know in either case it is a bunch of work, but hey, I have this spare volvo just sittin here smilin at me everytime I go in my garage...LOL

But in all seriousness, this would probably be a good acquisition if I can make the motor work because the seats can go in my 94 which I want and need and the motor and other parts can go in my 93 which I want to finish and sell this winter...

Let me know what you think and what I am in for?

Thanks,

 

I would swap motor rather then getting involved in stripping two motors and rebuilding one and over that pay for all gaskets/seals etc. Its also more messier then swapping the motor intact. I am assuming that the $400 car you are mentioning is drivable in terms of motor and has no major problems.

Good luck!

 

Best,
Not quite sure your meaning is coming across! The 97 is not driveable, it was involved in a front end collision and absolutely cannot be driven, although the damage was to the radiator, hood & fenders the motor is intact 'so I am told', but the rest of the components would go good on my 93!

Now are you saying to just pull the motor and put it in my 93 as it is, mounting it to my tranny, or to put the whole motor and tranny in the car? I know pulling the head was a PITA, so I am not sure about the whole engine...although I am sure it can be done...

Any advice and opinions are welcome

 

You will have some problems it you try to put the tranny in. They are different and the sensors are way different for the tranny as well.

You might be able to do the motor without alot of problems.

 

Thanks Tech, kind of what I am leaning towards, will end up being a pretty cool project. Wife is startin to get annoyed with all the volvos around...So long as she has her Trusty Jeep she is happy, Man if I get this other one, that will be 3 volvos in the drive, but one would have to go to the scrapyard in the sky quick, prolly just as soon as I get the engine swap done...

 

The reason that I mentioned 'whole engine' (means the complete engine only - No tranny as Tech mentioned that the tranny will have many different sensors and harness and so on..) was to save the hastle of working many things like cam gears because I think that some or most 93 engines had narrower timing belt as compared to 94 and up. That means that you will have to replace the water pump idler and many other small things related to timing belt drive.

Having said that, My advice for the engine swap is based on the assumption that you have resources like engine lift or hoist or something to lift the engine out of the car. If not, I will start pulling the head out and workaround the hurdles as they come.

 

Ya Harry, I do have the stuff to do an engine swap in my garage, Lifts, compressor, grinders, tools, saws, hammers, cresent wrenches, vice grips, tie-wraps and duct tape...I just found a 93 up in Detroit for $300 that I could just pull a head off of, then I could buy the 97 wagon down in Colombus and do a front end swap and have 2 cars for the price of one...how hard is the front end to pull off one of these monsters?

 

I don't think the front end is all that bad.
If you are swapping the front end from the 93 to the 97 it will look different though.

 

Will it fit? I thought it would with no problem...? Hmmm maybe I am gettin in to deep!

 

I think it will fit but it is a different look overall.

Just to get the exact idea google search pictures from the 93 and 97 to see what I am talking about.