The most un-neccesary engine-change ever....

[CrazySwede]

Forgive my bad english but I must tell this story.
It took me several years to admit it to my self even....
About 10y ago my neighbour had an old Volvo 144 Automatic 1967 standing on his driveway and refused to do anything about it , but one day he came to me and said I could have it if I wanted.
it had been standing for about 5 years and one of the intakevalves had rusted stuck in open position.
I bought a used cylinderhead from the local junkyard,changed it (3,5h) and started to crank. Poff ,poff. poff.
It just didnt want to come alive.
I checked and doublechecked everything. Ignition, carb, plugs .Everything.
It was dead.
At the same time my friend had a souped up Volvo 142-1974 which was ready for the junkyard due to severe rust but the engine was fine.
Ok Deal. Out with the old engine and in with the new.
Since my friends car had a manual trans and my was automatic I had to change the flywheel also.
At this point I hadnt been under the car at all.
Volvo is known for the fact that most parts fit several yearmodels as long as the part is named the same.
My engine was a B20 (4cyl 2litre) and so was my friends engine BUT 1973 Volvo changed from 6 bolted crankshafts to 8 bolted.
I faced a problem with 2 options.
1. drill some holes in my flywheel .
2. Connect it with only 2 bolts and fixit another day.
I choosed #2

I just bolted in the engine and jumped in to start her up to go for a spin.

The 2 bolts lasted appr 5 seconds then the flywheel was loose and he car didnt move at all.
At this point I decided to take out the trans in order to drill and refit the flywheel
I jacked the car up and went in under.
To this story comes also the fact that I had no-one to help me and I didn´t have much tools either.
I am a very stubborn person that when the going gets tough I get even tougher.
I took out the flywheel alone under the car with the trans laying on my stomach, flipped the trans to the ground and went to a friend ( 3.30AM)to drill the hole. refitted it all, still alone ,Outside on my driveway.
Connects the last cables. At this point my wife had wokened and asked me if I wanted coffe.
Ok
I drink some coffe and then I start her up.
Runs like a dream .
I drive around the neigbourhood just to check brakes and so on then I go back home. I open the hood and look at the engine, then I look at the old engine.
Hmm, once again look at the new engine then the old one.
Something isnt right with the ignitonscables on the old one.
Volvo has a firing-order which is 1342 and the firing order wasnt right on the new engine. It was 1243.
Hmm Hmm
In my hurry to start up the old engine I had put the ign-cables in the wrong order.
I didnt check if the distrubator turned clockwise or not.
So if I had changed places on 2 ign-cables I wouldnt have had to swap engines and I could have spent the weekend with my family instead.
This took me over TEN years before I could admit to anyone.
I claimed that the piston-rings were bad on the old engine....
I was 24 then and had been a car-mechanic since I was 14years old and I had a rep that said if I cant fix it no-one can.
And volvo was my favoritecar to repair....
Luckily this was my own car, not a customers .
And Yes I still own the car.
Thanks for reading
Please feel free to comment
Best regards CrazySwede

[tac]

Excellent Story Crazy Swede.

Reminds me of all the PC tech support calls we used to get back in the 80's, where the first question was always "Is the big red switch on the side in the UP position?" Well try that first. So it's working now? Great, glas we could help.

It's always the most obvious thing - like plug order!

[CrazySwede]

Thanks.
This was a typical male thing. A quick job gone bad and to make it even more enjoying and relaxing top the scene off with screaming kids and a totally pissed off wife. :evil:
We divorced shortly after this incident but she can still make remarks about how much I suck as a mechanic....
We divorced for other reasons not due to this car....