If you place your order by phone, please provide the customer service representative with promotion code "MW" to apply any sale pricing that may be available through this promotion. This Promotion may include products that are not discounted below our normal competitive pricing structure.
Promotion effective from November 18, 2009 through January 8, 2010
For more photos of Bob's build click here.
This journey started out three years prior to the purchase of my ’98 V70 T5. That year, the California Highway Patrol purchased a few T5 sedans as interceptors. I use this term as they were indeed not cruisers. I thought, ‘Wow, Volvo isn’t making grandpa’s car anymore.’ At the time I was driving a 740 GLE Turbo Diesel. In 2001 it had well over 300K miles on it, and though mechanically still very sound, the interior was falling in around me and I was ready for a change. I’ve always found wagons to be the most practical choice for me though previously not very sporty.
Driving by the local dealer one day, I spotted in the used inventory, a sexy black wagon with dark tinted windows from the rear seat back. All it took was the one test drive. I purchased this lease return with 40K miles on it and thus started my ‘affair’ with this car. At this point I guess it should be stated that I drive a lot, on average 33K a year. Much of this is comprised of my 50 mile commute down the California coast line, which was the impetus to the start of a wonderful relationship with IPD.
One of the first things that struck me about this car was that the suspension wasn’t up to the performance of the engine. This just had to change, so in doing my research I came across this place in Portland Oregon that caters to Volvo with enough market savvy to listen to consumer desires. There it was, one stop shopping, with well engineered solutions. Installation of their heavy duty sways, end links and a set of Bilstein HD shocks were the first modifications to take place. With the miles I drive, I quickly came to realize that I not only found a reliable source for parts, but I had an amazing knowledge base at my finger tips. The more I drove this car, the more I liked it.
I’m not the kind of person who has to have a new car every three years. I like keeping what I have on the road for as long as practical. Now, my application of the term ‘practical’ may differ from most, and in the case of this car, maybe a bit extreme. As the car was approaching 280K I figured that eventually something was going to give in the motor or transmission and I better prepare something. For my needs, vehicle down time is not an option, so I bought a used motor and transmission that had 40K on the pair as the build candidates so I could keep the car on the road while I built it’s replacement.
Seeing the potential in this motor, I knew I just couldn’t allow myself not to tinker. In my youth, I ran an automotive machine shop, so I had lots of prior experience with porting and gasket matching, but back then, all of the components were steel. I knew my techniques were going to need to change a bit working on aluminum, so I decided I would perfect my techniques by polishing the exterior of the motor, where any blemish would only be cosmetic and not functional. Once I was comfortable I went after the ports. I wasn’t after any great modifications in air flow, only to clean up what standard casting processes leave behind, plus gasket matching and relieving the areas behind the valves.
The goal was performance and reliability and the IPD Stage III Kit sounded to be made to order. So I planned my build accordingly. I respect factory engineering, especially from the Swedes, who basically built a bullet proof bottom end. Doing my research I understood that those who’ve upped the boost have experienced bent rods on occasion. The stock rod is a solid H design, which should be structurally sound, and they are forged rods. That told me a few things, and I could see visual stress risers, (forging lines), that would need to be removed in order to improve their strength. Also with any forging there is going to be trapped residual stresses. One of the old school ways of relieving some of these stresses is shot peening, which I had done. Having first hand experience with the benefits of cryogenic treatment of metal, I was confident that subjecting the rods to this process would be more than enough compensation for an approximate 70 to 80 HP gain expected from the modifications. The cost to benefit ratio for this process is phenomenal. I had more concern about the increased heat I could expect to be generated so I put my money on pistons. My machinist who did the balancing and the valve grind, recommended Ross Racing as the supplier, because they can accommodate special plating, and he’s had wonderful experience with them in the past. It’s a forged aluminum piston that I had the tops ceramic coated for heat control and the skirts hard anodize impregnated with Teflon for wear. Knowing the benefits, I went ahead and cryo treated the entire motor as well as the internals of the transmission.
Over the years I’d gotten to know a few of the IPD staff via the phone and was always impressed with their customer service. One thing I needed to consider once the engine was complete, was the orchestration of the transplant. Remember, my goal is no down time. I got to know Jeremy, IPD’s service manager, for the RalliTEK portion of the house very well.
Where I live, though there are no rules controlling my building an engine in my garage, there are however rules about disassembled vehicles in the driveway, so a home transplant was out of the question. Being used to doing my own work, I’m very picky about who I’ll let touch my car, and frankly there was no one locally that could deal with my logistical needs. As I previously mentioned 280K miles was my decision point. Not needing to tempt fate, while everything was still working, my plan was to take a week off of work, using the first weekend to tow the replacement engine and tranny the approximate 1,500 miles up to Portland, have RalliTEK do the swap, while also installing the Stage III kit, and Intercooler, then driving back home the following weekend.
This was a great decision, not only was my objective accomplished on schedule, I was allowed to participate in the process which went flawlessly. A side benefit of ‘living’ at IPD for the week, I got to see first hand a first class operation at work. By trade, I’m a quality engineer and Six Sigma Black Belt, so I know a well run operation when I see one. Their daily planning and execution of processing the daily orders going out of there was a thing of beauty to watch, if you’re into that sort of things. It was just a great affirmation as to the choices I made about this whole process. The car is an absolute joy to drive. I don’t have any dyno numbers, but this thing exceeded my performance expectations, as did IPD.
ipd
Promotion effective from November 18, 2009 through January 8, 2010
