Project #...uh.. many... 
Last year I started looking in the usual places for a replacement body for my aging 2nd Gen 4runner crawler I built in 2010-11 (it takes good pictures but rust in frame/body needs attention) that has been treated more like a buggy and with 2 kiddos thought a straight fresh start would be helpful to get them on the trail some. I came across another 94 rolling chassis in SC 3.0 2wd auto but no engine/trans which was a perfect fit. Being from SC and 2wd it is really straight and has no rust (I'm from the land of salt so that's incredible). So it has been deemed too nice to slap all my crawly bits under for now and getting it moving would be cool.
Yes my standards of "nice" are pretty low but I'm a cheap date.
So to get it moving lets find something easy.. or cool to power it. Looked at 3VZs or upgrade to 5VZ since they are easy and bolt in, Mercedes OM617 for MPG/Torque but decent fab and work to power ratio is kinda meh, TDI is about the same as the OM but cool, LS 4.8/5.3 for obvious reasons and down the rabbit hole of newer Toyota's 3RZ, 2GR, 1MZ etc. which are nifty but not what found me. I have eclectic taste in vehicles and have project ADD which I'm coping with. So perusing GRM I stumble on a 95 Volvo 5cyl Turbo White Block motor/trans takeout pretty cheap, after initially giggling to myself about how cool that would be in my Willys but totally impractical.. I dismissed it. Then looked again, thought some more and figured WTH may as well pick up a cheap turbo motor for funsies. Continued with the Willys thing, drew up a rough adapter for Volvo to T18 but found the Volvo 960 bellhousing you need to swap the white block to RWD is an Asin Warner 30-40 pattern which goes by other names, A340, AW4, etc. Need different oil pan since it came out of a FWD 850 and is a full deep pan front to back leaving no axle/steering clearance.
Sellers pic of engine.. imagine it in a barn now(Thanks @EvanB):
Hmm.. A340, thats what came out of the 4runner, "Oh heYYY that would bolt up" and welcome to my brain. It also works out that the Volvo 850/S70 flywheel you need to do a manual transmission RWD is like $450 and I'm cheap so automagic might be a cool alternative.
The plan:
Got 95 Volvo B5234T 5cyl turbo motor (225ish HP estimated)
Got Volvo 960 Bellhousing
Got (stock): Shortened Volvo 960 rear sump Oil pan (comes from a 6cyl car and needs to be cut down) Oil filter still mounts front pass in RWD configuration, may need to angle or remote mount filter.
Need: Toyota A340F from 3.0 T100 (has correct speed sensor for A340E electronics in 4runner and is pass drop chain drive Tcase)
Low lift SAS or toss takeout IFS diff/axles since 4runners use the 4wd front end stuff, no mounting tabs but there's clearance. Have had extra 85 housing/knuckles/high pinion diff and 3rd gen elocker rear axle sitting around forever. Could go stock solid axle springs or I think I have some stock XJ coils that could be radius arm or 3linked somewhat easily. Leafs are cheap and easy just like I like it though.
Aiming at fun driver/commuter that can run some trails, Potts Mtn, DBBB etc.. already have a crawler so it can go more of a truggy route. Transmission control will be the tricky part, the 3VZ ECU controls the transmission based on inputs from temp, rpm, throttle, speed and turns power into disappointment er.. shifts and forward motion. I'll have to cut down the Volvo harness to stand alone and figure out how to throw the signals at the 3VZ ECU in something other than gang signs and disappointed looks. If the transmission thing is a bust there are 2JZ AW30-40 to R154 adapters readily available so I conceivably could use that to get to a R150 like my green runner.
"That's a lot of cylinders in a row" one might say in reference to engine bay space, which yes that is true. Also the distributor mounts parallel to the cams on the rear of the head like a sparky pony tail making firewall clearance even worse. That was kinda where the Willys idea fuzzed out, don't want to cut the tub. But people stuff 7M's into 2nd gens and that's a whole 'nother cylinder... if you squint, it'll fit. The 960's I think used Coil on Plug and it can be adapted to the 5cyl engines... IDK I don't speak Volvo. Logic/Reason < Swedish Meat Runner
Thought I would get a build thread started to jot ideas, follies and generally talk to myself but don't expect tons of movement quickly.
Should be a nice upgrade from the 3.slow. Worst case, it's one less head gasket to blow 
thatsnowinnebago said:
Should be a nice upgrade from the 3.slow. Worst case, it's one less head gasket to blow
Ooo ouch right in the feel goods. My green runner has 230k miles of 3.slow vroom noises. Its a turd but has been the most reliable vehicle I've ever owned. The last 30k have been on 35s and getting 17mpg, also 6k rpm jaunts standing still with ac cranked freezing you out.
Jeep guys (even newish ones) hate it because above 90 degrees out they're heatsoaked and overheating with ac on.
I'm a fan of the 3VZ buuut looking forward to the power.
Make sure you replace the PCV system with quality parts. It's almost certainly clogged up. This will be one very unique sounding Toyota!
In reply to orthoxstice :
I'll have to look into that, I think there's a screened vent that goes all the way to the oil pan to clean too that came up in my Volvo training (perusing forums to see if they blow up often). The engine I have is going to need valve seals most likely which looks like quite the operation.
Youtube 5cyl Volvo videos definitely helped with swaying my opinon to try the project.
Is the name a reference to this?
Seriously, now I'm wondering if this is going to be the very first example of this particular engine swap. Very cool project.
Nice project.
You can eliminate the Toyota ECU/TCU with the Aisin auto trans easily, if you don't mind manual/paddle shifting. The four speeds are controlled by switching two solenoids on and off in different combinations, so shifting can be controlled with switches, a combo of switches and relays, or something like an Arduino if you're really going down the rabbit hole.
Here's an example of an off the shelf shift controller for the Aisin auto:
http://www.radesignsproducts.com/rail-controller.html
I like this!
I used an adapter from deeworks in canuckistan to mate my volvo t5 to a mustang t5. But I had to have a manual, can't stand autos.
https://www.deeworks.ca/product/t5-bellhousing-to-t5-transmission-adapter/
These 5cyls sounds really, really good with some free flowing yet subdued exhaust. I'm sure you'll confuse some people. Which is awesome. Plus boost noises are alaways good.
newrider3 said:
Nice project.
You can eliminate the Toyota ECU/TCU with the Aisin auto trans easily, if you don't mind manual/paddle shifting. The four speeds are controlled by switching two solenoids on and off in different combinations, so shifting can be controlled with switches, a combo of switches and relays, or something like an Arduino if you're really going down the rabbit hole.
The MicroSquirt can also be configured to run a A340E in full auto. And there are probably other transmission control packages out there as well.
In reply to MadScientistMatt :
That makes a "sequential" shifter seem not that hard to pull off with a couple position switches... I was planning to just throw the Toyota sending units in ports so the Toyota ECU thought it was looking at a 3VZ, with the Volvo sending units telling its ECU whats actually going on for engine tuning. The biggest issue I forsee is the TPS signal since both need it, Ill have to check the values but a hack could throw one in parallel too for shift parameters if all else fails.
Ideally I could keep its auto shifting in "D" but have looked some at standalone controllers. Or ignorance is bliss an I'm way underthinking it at which point a Manual will look more attractive.
1 item off the list. Found a 960 oil pan close decently priced, but unfortunately no pickup tube or any ancillary items included. Still bought for "incase-rance", or a jig to bolt to while welding.
So due to the scarcity broke down and bought one off ebay as well. 2nd pan looks to have dip stick, filter adapter and oil pickup so having a backup certainly isn't a bad thing.
Hoping I don't need to find a 99+ intake like the 240 guys do for brake booster clearance but time will tell.
Great motor choice! Is it a T5 or lpt?
mtnbiker4evr13 said:
thatsnowinnebago said:
Should be a nice upgrade from the 3.slow. Worst case, it's one less head gasket to blow
Ooo ouch right in the feel goods. My green runner has 230k miles of 3.slow vroom noises. Its a turd but has been the most reliable vehicle I've ever owned. The last 30k have been on 35s and getting 17mpg, also 6k rpm jaunts standing still with ac cranked freezing you out.
Jeep guys (even newish ones) hate it because above 90 degrees out they're heatsoaked and overheating with ac on.
I'm a fan of the 3VZ buuut looking forward to the power.
Haha sounds about right with the jeeps.
In reply to Rocambolesque :
It was a "Turbo" model so if im understanding Volvo-nese that should be a higher pressure setup like a T5 but being a 94/95 they didn't use the "T5" name yet... or I'm horribly wrong. The LPT's were the GLH/GLT models?
EvanB
MegaDork
5/19/21 8:34 a.m.
Yea, it is the high pressure turbo model, they didn't start using the T5 until later (except the 850 T5R).
I can't wait to see where this project goes.
MadScientistMatt said:
Is the name a reference to this?
More like:
Or it may have been from it being a 4runner... that is also gold colored. The world may never know
