Volvo B4B engine
Encyclopedia
Volvo's first overhead valve
passenger car engine was the straight-4
B4B of 1944 and its descendants, the B14A and B16. These were cast iron engines, and used just three main bearings.
PV444
. It was departure for Volvo who had not produced an automobile with a four-cylinder engine in nearly 20 years. The B4B was equipped with a single down-draught carburetor
. Suppliers of ancillaries included Autolite (ignition distributors and generators), Zenith
and Carter (carburetor
s), and Bosch
(ignition distributors, generators and starter motors.)
version of the B4B Volvo
engine
. These two engines were nearly identical, except for the induction systems. The B14A carb system was supplied by the British SU carburetor concern and the carbs used were designated HS2. These diminutive carbs familiar to any English sports car fan improved the acceleration and overall performance of the B4B which in turn accomplished Volvo's corporate desire to make the PV444 cars powered by these engines more attractive to the American
audience whose attention Volvo hoped to gain.
While B14A engines are considered rare in the US setting, they were even rarer in Europe
. The production run lasted for one year. Some of the earliest P1900
roadsters were built with B14s but many of the short production of 67 of these open fiberglass cars received the replacement for the B14 — the B16.
in its final two years (1957 and 1958), the Volvo PV
544 in its 1958 introduction, as well as the companion estate and van versions known as Volvo P445, Volvo P210, and Volvo Duett
. A new Volvo automobile introduced in 1956, known in some markets as the Volvo Amazon
or Volvo 122 was the first production Volvo to sport this engine in any significant number although some of the later examples of the short-lived Volvo P1900
were also fitted with them. Other applications of this engine found use in marine, industrial and agricultural settings. The Volvo BM T425 tractor is one such example of a non-automotive use for the B16.
The appearance of the B16 was not unlike its predecessor, the B14. The block and cylinder heads bore no particular difference at a glance. The B16B sported twin SU HS4 carbs, notably larger than the B14A's HS2 carbs. Also, the remote oil filter attached next to the water pump on the ignition distributor side of the engine on the B14 had been relocated to a housing under the intake and exhaust manifold side on the B16. The exhaust manifold which dumped centrally on the B14 now was made to exit towards the rear of the B16 manifold.
In automotive applications, the B16 was featured from 1957 to 1961 model years although in marine and industrial applications it was used for a number of years after. It was replaced in 1962 model year cars by the 5 main-bearing B18
engine of 1.8 litres which had been first seen by the automotive public in the 1961 Volvo P1800
sports car. With the discontinuation of the B16 also came the end of 6 volt electrical systems in Volvo cars.
Overhead valve
An overhead valve engine, also informally called pushrod engine or I-head engine, is a type of piston engine that places the camshaft within the cylinder block , and uses pushrods or rods to actuate rocker arms above the cylinder...
passenger car engine was the straight-4
Straight-4
The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft....
B4B of 1944 and its descendants, the B14A and B16. These were cast iron engines, and used just three main bearings.
B4B
Introduced in 1944, the B4B displaced 1.4 L (1414 cc/86 in³) and powered the VolvoVolvo Cars
Volvo Car Corporation, or Volvo Personvagnar AB, is a Swedish automobile manufacturer founded in 1927, in Gothenburg, Sweden. It is owned by Zhejiang Geely Holding Group. Volvo was originally formed as a subsidiary company to the ball bearing maker SKF. When Volvo AB was introduced on the Swedish...
PV444
Volvo PV
The Volvo PV is a series of two door, four passenger car models — the PV444 and the PV544 — made by Volvo from 1943 to 1966.During World War II's early stages, Volvo decided that a new smaller car delivering good fuel economy would assure the company's future...
. It was departure for Volvo who had not produced an automobile with a four-cylinder engine in nearly 20 years. The B4B was equipped with a single down-draught carburetor
Carburetor
A carburetor , carburettor, or carburetter is a device that blends air and fuel for an internal combustion engine. It is sometimes shortened to carb in North America and the United Kingdom....
. Suppliers of ancillaries included Autolite (ignition distributors and generators), Zenith
Zenith Carburetters
Zenith Carburetters was a British company making carburettors. In 1955 they joined with their major pre-war rival Solex Carburettors and over time the Zenith brand name fell into disuse...
and Carter (carburetor
Carburetor
A carburetor , carburettor, or carburetter is a device that blends air and fuel for an internal combustion engine. It is sometimes shortened to carb in North America and the United Kingdom....
s), and Bosch
Robert Bosch GmbH
Robert Bosch GmbH is a multinational engineering and electronics company headquartered in Gerlingen, near Stuttgart, Germany. It is the world's largest supplier of automotive components...
(ignition distributors, generators and starter motors.)
B14A
The B14A was essentially a twin carbCarburetor
A carburetor , carburettor, or carburetter is a device that blends air and fuel for an internal combustion engine. It is sometimes shortened to carb in North America and the United Kingdom....
version of the B4B Volvo
Volvo Cars
Volvo Car Corporation, or Volvo Personvagnar AB, is a Swedish automobile manufacturer founded in 1927, in Gothenburg, Sweden. It is owned by Zhejiang Geely Holding Group. Volvo was originally formed as a subsidiary company to the ball bearing maker SKF. When Volvo AB was introduced on the Swedish...
engine
Engine
An engine or motor is a machine designed to convert energy into useful mechanical motion. Heat engines, including internal combustion engines and external combustion engines burn a fuel to create heat which is then used to create motion...
. These two engines were nearly identical, except for the induction systems. The B14A carb system was supplied by the British SU carburetor concern and the carbs used were designated HS2. These diminutive carbs familiar to any English sports car fan improved the acceleration and overall performance of the B4B which in turn accomplished Volvo's corporate desire to make the PV444 cars powered by these engines more attractive to the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
audience whose attention Volvo hoped to gain.
While B14A engines are considered rare in the US setting, they were even rarer in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. The production run lasted for one year. Some of the earliest P1900
Volvo P1900
The Volvo Sport is a Swedish fiberglass-bodied roadster of which sixty-eight units were built between 1956 and 1957 by Volvo Cars....
roadsters were built with B14s but many of the short production of 67 of these open fiberglass cars received the replacement for the B14 — the B16.
B16
The B16A and B16B (single carb and twin carbs respectively) were a 1.6 L (1583 cc/96 in³) development of the B14A which in turn was sired by the B4B. These engines were fitted to the PV444Volvo PV
The Volvo PV is a series of two door, four passenger car models — the PV444 and the PV544 — made by Volvo from 1943 to 1966.During World War II's early stages, Volvo decided that a new smaller car delivering good fuel economy would assure the company's future...
in its final two years (1957 and 1958), the Volvo PV
Volvo PV
The Volvo PV is a series of two door, four passenger car models — the PV444 and the PV544 — made by Volvo from 1943 to 1966.During World War II's early stages, Volvo decided that a new smaller car delivering good fuel economy would assure the company's future...
544 in its 1958 introduction, as well as the companion estate and van versions known as Volvo P445, Volvo P210, and Volvo Duett
Volvo Duett
The Duett is an automobile from Volvo that was in production from 1953 to 1969.The name Duett was intended to signify a car that could be used as a delivery vehicle during the week and as a comfortable sedan away from work....
. A new Volvo automobile introduced in 1956, known in some markets as the Volvo Amazon
Volvo Amazon
The Volvo Amazon was a mid-size car manufactured by Volvo Cars from 1956 to 1970, and introduced in the USA, as the 122S at the New York International Auto Show in April 1959....
or Volvo 122 was the first production Volvo to sport this engine in any significant number although some of the later examples of the short-lived Volvo P1900
Volvo P1900
The Volvo Sport is a Swedish fiberglass-bodied roadster of which sixty-eight units were built between 1956 and 1957 by Volvo Cars....
were also fitted with them. Other applications of this engine found use in marine, industrial and agricultural settings. The Volvo BM T425 tractor is one such example of a non-automotive use for the B16.
The appearance of the B16 was not unlike its predecessor, the B14. The block and cylinder heads bore no particular difference at a glance. The B16B sported twin SU HS4 carbs, notably larger than the B14A's HS2 carbs. Also, the remote oil filter attached next to the water pump on the ignition distributor side of the engine on the B14 had been relocated to a housing under the intake and exhaust manifold side on the B16. The exhaust manifold which dumped centrally on the B14 now was made to exit towards the rear of the B16 manifold.
In automotive applications, the B16 was featured from 1957 to 1961 model years although in marine and industrial applications it was used for a number of years after. It was replaced in 1962 model year cars by the 5 main-bearing B18
Volvo B18 engine
This B18 was a straight-4 automobile engine produced by Volvo Cars from 1961 through 1968. The five-bearing, cam-in-block engine, had OHV overhead valves operated by pushrods. The B18 is quite different in design from its predecessor, the three-bearing B16....
engine of 1.8 litres which had been first seen by the automotive public in the 1961 Volvo P1800
Volvo P1800
-History:The project was started in 1957 because Volvo wanted a sports car, despite the fact that their previous attempt, the P1900, had been a disaster, with only 68 cars sold. The man behind the project was an engineering consultant to Volvo, Helmer Petterson, who in the 1940s was responsible for...
sports car. With the discontinuation of the B16 also came the end of 6 volt electrical systems in Volvo cars.