The Volvo B36 is a petrol V8 automobile engine designed and built by Volvo. It first appeared in a concept car in 1952, and was later used in Volvo's truck line from 1956 to 1966.
| Volvo B36 | |
|---|---|
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Volvo |
| Also called |
|
| Production | 1956 - 1966 |
| Layout | |
| Configuration | V8 |
| Displacement | 3,559 cc (217.2 cu in) |
| Cylinder bore | 84.14 mm (3.31 in) |
| Piston stroke | 80 mm (3.15 in) |
| Cylinder block material | Cast iron |
| Cylinder head material | Cast iron |
| Valvetrain | OHV |
| Compression ratio | 7.6:1 |
| RPM range | |
| Idle speed | 400-500 rpm |
| Combustion | |
| Fuel system | Single 2-bbl Carter carburettor |
| Fuel type | Petrol |
| Oil system | Wet sump |
| Cooling system | Water-cooled |
| Output | |
| Power output | 120 hp (89.5 kW) at 4000 rpm |
| Torque output | 192 lb⋅ft (260 N⋅m) at 2200 rpm |
| Dimensions | |
| Dry weight | 235 kg (518.1 lb) |
History
editIn 1952 Volvo unveiled a concept car called the Volvo Philip. This American-style sedan was powered by a newly designed prototype V8 engine called the B8B.[1] The Philip did not go into production, but its V8 engine, redesigned and renamed the B36, did a few years later, when it appeared in the Volvo Snabbe and Trygge trucks.
The V8 was produced by Volvo in their facilities in Gothenburg and Skövde.[2] The engine's full name was B36AV.[3][4]
In March 1958, shortly after the end of production of the large PV830 model, Volvo started work on internal Project 358.[5] The project's goal was to develop a replacement for that earlier, inline-six powered car using the V8 engine from the Philip showcar.[6] This project failed to reach production.
Volvo revisited the idea of a V8-powered passenger car again later with the Volvo Amazon. For the first exercise, called "Project Victor", five copies of a revised B36 called the C8B were built.[7] These engines had a displacement of just 2.5 litres, but to fit them into the Amazon engine bay the sheet metal had to be modified. When the project was cancelled the engines were essentially abandoned in the factory at Skövde. Another project, called Amazon Brede (Wide Amazon), installed a C8B in an Amazon made by welding together two separate cars, widening the whole structure by 120 mm (4.7 in).[8] The Amazon Brede project remained a one-off.[1][9]
Versions of the B36 were used in products from Volvo's Penta marine propulsion division. The MB36A was available from 1956 to 1965 and produced 127 hp (94.7 kW), and the MB36B version was sold from 1964 to 1965 and produced 180 hp (134.2 kW).[10][11] The B36 was also used in the Penta AQ180.[12]
Technical features
editThe B36 is a 4-stroke V8 with a 90° angle between the cylinder banks. The engine block and cylinder heads are made of cast iron. The cylinder firing order is: 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2.
Cylinder bore diameter is 84.14 mm (3.31 in) and the piston stroke is 80 mm (3.1 in), for a total displacement of 3,559 cc (217.2 cu in). The original compression ratio is 7.6:1. Power and torque output are 120 hp (89.5 kW) at 4000 rpm and 191.8 lb⋅ft (260 N⋅m) at 2200 rpm respectively. The engine weighs 235 kg (518.1 lb). The intake manifold and a two barrel Carter carburetor are centrally located between the cylinder banks.
Because the B36 had exactly the same bore and stroke dimensions as the later B18 and the two engines also have some valve-train parts in common, some suggest that the B18 is one-half of the B36 V8.[1][13] Significant differences between the B36 and the B18 include different crank lengths and piston heights. Also, while the V8 engine has crossflow cylinder heads, the four cylinder has a reverse-flow cylinder head. Due to these differences others assert that the engines are for the most part separate designs.[14][15]
References
edit- ^ a b c Dredge, Richard (23 May 2016). Volvo Amazon: The Complete Story. The Crowood Press UK. ISBN 978-1785001048.
- ^ "THE 1950s". www.volvotrucks.com.
- ^ "THE 1960s". www.volvotrucks.com.
- ^ Aamodt, Hans-Petter (May 2008). "Volvo B36AV - Volvos mystiske V8" [Volvo's mysterious V8]. leopardmotor.blogspot.com (in Norwegian).
- ^ "A Volvo Moment: Project 358 with a shape that lived on". www.volvocars.com. 7 October 2016.
- ^ "Volvo's biggest car news from 1968 turns 40 - the Volvo 164". www.media.volvocars.com. 2 July 2008.
- ^ "Amazon Brede" [Wide Amazon]. nostalgimacken1.rssing.com (in Swedish). 1 August 2017.
- ^ "Amazon Brede" [ide Amazon]. nostalgimacken.blogspot.com (in Swedish). 8 January 2017.
- ^ "Amazon V8". Volvo Klassiker. 5 July 2018.
- ^ "Volvo Penta MB36A". www.yachtdatabase.com.
- ^ "Volvo Penta MB36B". www.yachtdatabase.com.
- ^ "Volvo Penta AQ180". www.yachtdatabase.com.
- ^ Toljagic, Mark (19 November 2018). "Irv Gordon Outlived by his Volvo". www.wheels.ca.
- ^ Aamodt, Hans-Petter. "Volvo B 36 V8". www.leopardmotor.com (in Norwegian).
- ^ Severson, Aaron (2 September 2011). "Sainted Swede: The Volvo P1800 and 1800ES". ateupwithmotor.com.
External links
edit- B36 Repair Manual (PDF).