Date: Thu, 13 Jan 2000
Hi there,
This future P1800 owner is looking for a "relative" easy engine configuration, with a preference for later model cars, assuming that a 1970-73 P1800 would be more reliable vs. a 1967-69. Because I am not a mechanic and will be using a local "volvo specialist," I obviously have some concerns about spare parts up in the Northwest. Automatic vs. manual with overdrive: Can you give me the lowdown on benefits about B18 vs. B20 engines and also fuel injection vs. twin carburetors? Final concern is about realistic longevity in original engines quoted with high mileage vs. rebuilt engines with much less miles. While I am willing to spend some real money on a great car, I don't want a high maintenance mechanic bill.
Greatest priorities are:
1. Reliability of engine (any "bad years" or odd rebuilds to look for).
2. Performance of Engine( reasonable pick up, smooth shifting)
3. Automatic, EA, EAS vs. manual in P1800s.
I realize these are some rather vague attempts for a non-mechanic to better understand this great car. I look forward to your response.
Regards, Peo Gudmundsson
Peo - Considering that any P1800 you buy will be about 30 years old, a few years will not make any difference in the reliability of the car. What will make a difference is how well the car has been maintained. If you do not plan to work on the car yourself, there is no advantage to fuel injection or carburetors. Both systems are functional and reliable when they are well-maintained. I would avoid the Stromberg carburetors that were used in 1969 and early 1970 cars, because there are so few of them. In my opinion, the best P1800s are 1964-1968 and 1970-1973 (fuel injected).
There are no bad years for engines. Volvo always made excellent engines. The B-20s are nominally more powerful than the B-18s, but B-18s can be rebuilt to B-20 specs. An original engine with low miles is a better bet than a rebuilt engine, because the Volvo factory is known to be an excellent builder of engines. However, an engine rebuilt by someone who knows what he is doing can be even better than an original. The problem is that many engine rebuilders don't know or don't care what they are doing. Unfortunately, there is no way to tell if an engine has been rebuilt right without taking it apart.
In my opinion, the average life of a P1800 engine is about 200,000 miles between rebuilds, depending on how it is used and how well it is maintained. Everyone agrees that the manual transmission is more dependable and longer-lived than the automatic. It is not hard to find service for the automatic, but an overhaul is expensive and often poorly done. -Glenn.