Hey guys I have an option to grab a 760 gle and was wondering what is the major differences between the two motors besides v6 and 4 cylinder. Do you get the longevity out of the v6 motor you get out of the 4cylinders. Is it worth grabbing with the v6 motor or best to just leave alone? :blush:

:cat: Good morning xl740. Everybody who knows me will probably shudder seeing my replying to your message.

Elsewhere in this forum is an article about the V6 engine. I was told at a car show that Volvo did use an Audi V8 and cut off the last two cylinders. Why they did that when they helped produce a V6 engine with Peugeot and Renault in the 1970's is not all that clear to me.

As for the V6 configuration-I was told when I was a new car salesperson for Toyota in the 1980's that a V6 engine is a high revving configuration for speed-usually used in a racing car situation.

To answer your question though is a different story. You will need to consider what type of use you are going to put it to and how much are you prepared to pay for the fuel.

When you stand on the accelerator with both feet, do you want to feed four cylinders or six cylinders? :)

Cheers :P

From what I've heard it's best to leave alone and walk away from the B280 V6 motor. They are prone to problems and some mechanics don't like working on them. The 4 cyl motors will give you long life and if you are looking for performance try a turbo car.

Ultimately it's your call.

i agree with wgnguy stay way from the 6 cylinder they are crap motor's. my dad had a 760 turbo and the thing caught fire on him when the car was still in good conditon

~Travis

Thanks for the heads up. I actually prefer the 4 cylinder motor. And cant wait to fix the fuel pump on my 760 turbo wagon :beer:

Good call Bud:
Now can you pay me the money so I can install the part :bwekk:

Well, I'd like to adjust some of the very extreme shouts here. The V6-motor has indeed been prone to a lot of problems until 1988. From then on, Volvo solved the engine problems. If you can find a B280F from 1990, then you're safe.
I've got such a motor and it has run 110000 miles without major problems. 3000 miles ago, the motor needed a new thermostat and a new air mass meter, but that's it. It runs silent, perfect, no stalls.

So, you shouldn't worry about the quality of the engine, but more about the fuel consumption, because that's a lot higher than the 4-cylinder motors. On the other hand, the V6 is quite powerful and makes such a thrilling sound! :P You gain some, you lose some.

Really?.....Too bad 760 turbos have 4cyl turbo b230FT not V6 engines. If your dad's ride caught on fire it wasn't because it was a V6. Ignorance is everywhere here. Pre-87 V6's are bad mmmmmm kay? 87-90 V6's (especially 89-90) are some of the best engines ever made. True they use a lot more fuel and when they do require maintenance, it is a little more. Fact is though, they need much less maintenance than the B230s. My 89 760 GLE has 190,000 miles on it (just over 300,000 kms here in Canada) and runs UNBELIEVABLY smooth and reliable. European luxury, 150 unassuming horses that are surprisingly powerful, and an auto tranny that shifts as smooth as any of today's modern rides. Unless your turbo is tuned up, look out! I beat 740/760 turbos all the time with my ride. Also, they can be found for great bargains as a result of peoples ignorance. People assume that all V6 Volvos are bad but they are dead wrong. Those B230 engines struggle to propel 700 series cars because of the vehicles weight. Not so with the B280! Low end torque is amazing and with such smooth shifiting to boot, the driving experience is amazing compared to the 4cyl. I often look down at the speedometer and am amazed that I am already going 50 mph. Soooooo smooth. The 4 bangers (even the turbos) buzz and struggle and work twice as hard to do the same job. If you can afford the gas...get the B280! You won't be dissapointed.

I agree w Skullsgates. Going through other Volvofora, I found specialist Volvo-mechanics complaining about how much ignorance and misconception there is on the B280-engine. They produce the exact same story as Skullsgates does: before 89 the V6 B280-engine wasn't very reliable...from 89 on Volvo fixed the problems and the engine became one of the best they produced. In my experience, I agree with Skullsgates.