Hi, does anyone know anything about the history of my latest buy, 1979 Volvo 343DL in silver registered 01.05.1979, tidy little car showing just 4800 miles DBY 466T

Hi and welcome to the forum!

I think the car was for sale by Auction at Brooklands Museum last summer, a few of us from the forum saw it there when at the annual 300 meet. I'm not sure if it actually sold. Before that I think it was on ebay maybe and again recently, was that where you bought it?
I don't know about any previous history though.

It looked like a nice original car from what I remember.

Hi, thanks for that, I did buy it on ebay just now, it wasn't alot of money and tidy little project for the summer, it runs sweetly and has 12 months MOT so just a bit of fun

Hello, welcome to the forum.

As Andy said, that car has been for sale many times in the past few months, with what looked like different dealers picking it up trying to make a quick profit. Seeing the last sale to you, I think they all made a loss

Anyway I'm really glad that it has finally gone to someone who will look after it, there are only a handful of 1979 343s in the UK so it's very rare. Have a look on this thread about early cars and add yours: viewtopic.php?f=90&t=14928

I'm looking forward to seeing your progress on the car

Thanks for the welcome and I am very pleased to say that I am not a dealer or after a profit on the car. I am just glad to get my hands on something quite rare. It needs a little tidying up but has already caused a significant amount of interest with the neighbours! Iam a Volvo fan, my daily car is a V70 2.4D and it's great to drive an oldie!

Yes, 340s are fun to drive, particularly variomatics like yours. I think the steering is surprisingly light, and the controls feel very precise. I like the simplicity inside of a bygone age too!

I would love to point you to my thread about the restoration of my 1979 car, but I'm afraid that since the forum went through a facelift in January, not all the threads have been pulled through to the new board yet

Where are you based?

And a welcome from me,

Link to Siôn's (S10NPH) thread on his 1977 car.

viewtopic.php?f=51&t=15243

Mac.

Well, Thanks very much, what an interesting thread! Gives me great pleasure to join such dedicated people!

Hi mate and welcome.
Great looking motor. Glad its got a good home.
I did have a thread on mine but iots gone
Must have got lost in the revamp.
Cheers Mark.

Probably a daft question guys but I need to re fuel, will unleaded fuel be fine in this engine or do I need an additive?

Not daft at all!
It's a question that has been asked many times before (and often the answer given is wrong).

The introduction of lead free fuel brought two main issues with it - the loss of valve seat lubrication from the "lead" and a general reduction of Octane rating to 95 (or even 93 in some areas).
There are therefore two questions to be asked - does my car need valve seat lubrication, and does it require fuel with an Octane rating greater than 95?

Unfortunately the B14 engine prior to the 1981 year model has "soft" valve seats, and was designed to run on 98 Octane fuel. (From 1981 hardened seats were used so unleaded was safe but to run on 95 Octane required retardation of the timing (generally by 3deg.) 81-83 adjust the distributor, 84-86 a terminal on the Renix ECU could be earthed to effect the timing change, 87 on the timing map in the ECU was changed).

Back to your car - ideally run it on 98 octane (BP Ultimate, Shell V-Power etc.) and use a valve seat lubricant additive. (Note some of these LR (lead replacement) additives claim to be octane boosters, some valve seat protectors and some both - you need the seat protector).

Now, without doubt many will say "rubbish I've run my 1978, 79, 80 on unleaded and never had a problem! - and no doubt many have - for a while. Generally your car will run fine on 95 octane unleaded, you won't hear the high speed pinking (the sort that you can't hear but erodes piston crowns,) and your valve seats will survive due to "lead memory effect" for some years (depending on how the car is driven) they will just wear faster.

Conclusion,
Will your car run on ordinary unleaded fuel - yes, absolutely.
Is it a good idea to do so - no, not the best idea in the world.
Play safe - use 98 octane and a valve seat lubricant.
If you must use 95 octane then retard the ignition timing by 3deg.

Mac has spoken.

mac wrote:
Now, without doubt many will say "rubbish I've run my 1978, 79, 80 on unleaded and never had a problem! - and no doubt many have - for a while. Generally your car will run fine on 95 octane unleaded, you won't hear the high speed pinking (the sort that you can't hear but erodes piston crowns,) and your valve seats will survive due to "lead memory effect" for some years (depending on how the car is driven) they will just wear faster.

To back this up, a friend of mine was running a mk1 Fiesta on 95, claiming that it would be fine. It was, for a while. Then all of a sudden it had really terrible compression. Once we'd had the head off and re-cut the valve seats (the valves were sitting 2mm in too... erk!) it was sort of ok but it's never been the same. It's now been sitting in a garage for a few years while the other projects get worked on.

Can't argue with what Mac says (he's bigger than me ), as I agree that end result of U/L use is the same, but I would argue about the time it takes for this end result to be reached.

8.7ppl average price difference between 95 RON and 98 RON unleaded. Then add about 4ppl for the additive. Make that 12ppl. So with a fuel consumption of about 10l/100km that's £1.20 a 100km and £120 over 10,000km.

Stick it all in a jar and they'll be more than enough to pay for a later head / valve seat work when the time comes.

It'll want a head gasket doing anyway long before the valve seats are shot!

Many thanks to you alll for the replies, I will do as suggested and put a drop of additive into super unleaded!

Anyone know where I can find a centre cap that matches for the wheel, It only has 3!

Centre cap - almost certainly got some in my cave - I'll look tomorrow.

Mac.