How to adapt a 440 gearbox to 480 ?

Both manual and automatic transmission are discussed here, including the clutch!

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ceyal
480 Newbie
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Mar 16, 2021 12:07 pm

How to adapt a 440 gearbox to 480 ?

Post by ceyal » Tue Mar 16, 2021 12:22 pm

Hi
Newbie from France, with a 480 2 liter B20F since 2007.
GearBox M60-373E
M60 : gearbox type depending on the year (from M50 to M60)
373 : final ratio .. there also exists 356 and 407
E : Electronic output to the instrument cluster (there also exists a M type for cable output)

The question now :
M60-373E gearboxes are difficult to find which is not the case for M60-373M (Volvo 440)
How to transform a M60-373M into a M60-373E ?
Is-it easy to do ?
Thanks
Best

jifflemon
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 2464
Joined: Sat Dec 17, 2016 11:03 am

Re: How to adapt a 440 gearbox to 480 ?

Post by jifflemon » Tue Mar 16, 2021 2:20 pm

"in theory" you'd just swap your differential over, as the speed senor runs on that.

Image

However, swapping differentials is not a simple task, and bearings have to be set with the right amount of torque and backlash.

Could you not have your gearbox rebuilt? What's the problem with it?

ceyal
480 Newbie
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Mar 16, 2021 12:07 pm

Re: How to adapt a 440 gearbox to 480 ?

Post by ceyal » Tue Mar 16, 2021 4:15 pm

Many thanks for the answer and explanations

In fact, I was wondering which is the simplest solution for a dead box :
1/ install the electonic speed sensor into a gearbox with mechanical speed indicator (previous question)
2/ have the box rebuilt by someone with the rignt expertise (far beyond my own one)
3/ install a box easiest to find e.g. M5x-407E* from a 1.7 aspirated engine or M5x-373E from a turbo engine

In the latter and third case, I still wonder if the box/clutch mates the B20F engine bearing in mind
a/ the 2 liter B20F clutch is a 210 mm one ... (clutch still possible to find but outside main manufacturers Sachs, Valeo, ...)
b/ 1L7 clutch is a 200 mm one ... (clutch easy to find)
c/ the last 480 turbos have a 215mm one ... (clutch quasi impossible to find)

* of course changing the final ratio from 373 to 407 will have some impact on the final speed, typically from 37 or 38 km/h for 1000 rpm down to 34 or 35 km/h for 1000rpm but this is a second order of magnitude problem, the main question being : does it fit or not ?

Alan 480
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 1489
Joined: Sun Aug 28, 2011 9:03 am
Location: Aberdeen

Re: How to adapt a 440 gearbox to 480 ?

Post by Alan 480 » Tue Mar 16, 2021 5:41 pm

possibly an alternative is to fit the 440 box with mechanical speedo and an instrument cluster to match,

oK you lose the fancy electronics, that might or not work?

BUT
I fitted an after market speedometer/ odometer into the existing binaccle, speed pick up was from a magnet attached to the LHS drive shaft.

so I still had the fuel , water, out side tempertaures and a speedo in the gap, cost me about £30 and some extra wiring, no damage done to existing loom
Alan

480 ES 2litre 'Celebration' ? , C30 1.8ES, SS1

ceyal
480 Newbie
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Mar 16, 2021 12:07 pm

Re: How to adapt a 440 gearbox to 480 ?

Post by ceyal » Wed Mar 17, 2021 1:19 pm

Thanks
Very Interesting the idea of "an after market speedometer/ odometer into the existing binaccle, speed pick up was from a magnet attached to the LHS drive shaft."
Do you have a link where to buy that ?

However, somebody knows if a Volvo 480 1L7 atmo or turbo gear box mates the B20F engine bearing in mind
a/ the 2 liter B20F clutch is a 210 mm one ... (clutch still possible to find but outside main manufacturers Sachs, Valeo, ...)
b/ 1L7 clutch is a 200 mm one ... (clutch easy to find)
c/ the last 480 turbos have a 215mm one ... (clutch quasi impossible to find)

jifflemon
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 2464
Joined: Sat Dec 17, 2016 11:03 am

Re: How to adapt a 440 gearbox to 480 ?

Post by jifflemon » Wed Mar 17, 2021 1:27 pm

ceyal wrote:
Wed Mar 17, 2021 1:19 pm
c/ the last 480 turbos have a 215mm one ... (clutch quasi impossible to find)
Image

Impossible? No

Expensive - Yes

Alan 480
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 1489
Joined: Sun Aug 28, 2011 9:03 am
Location: Aberdeen

Re: How to adapt a 440 gearbox to 480 ?

Post by Alan 480 » Wed Mar 17, 2021 10:44 pm

ceyal wrote:
Wed Mar 17, 2021 1:19 pm
Thanks
Very Interesting the idea of "an after market speedometer/ odometer into the existing binaccle, speed pick up was from a magnet attached to the LHS drive shaft."
Do you have a link where to buy that ?
I'll have a look but was a good few years ago, or if not too fussed about th eodometer, then look for the GPS versions?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Car-Digital- ... r-Odometer

not sure what your regulations are for the odometer / speedo?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/85mm-Digital ... 1195.m1851
Alan

480 ES 2litre 'Celebration' ? , C30 1.8ES, SS1

ceyal
480 Newbie
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Mar 16, 2021 12:07 pm

Re: How to adapt a 440 gearbox to 480 ?

Post by ceyal » Sun Mar 28, 2021 10:21 am

Thanks
GPS odometer does not pass French MOT (2021 version)

Then main question remains
Somebody knows if a Volvo 480 1L7 atmo or turbo gear box mates the B20F engine bearing in mind
a/ the 2 liter B20F clutch is a 210 mm one ...
b/ 1L7 clutch is a 200 mm one ...
c/ the last 480 turbos have a 215mm one ...

jifflemon
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 2464
Joined: Sat Dec 17, 2016 11:03 am

Re: How to adapt a 440 gearbox to 480 ?

Post by jifflemon » Sun Mar 28, 2021 10:36 am

Will it physically fit? Absolutely.

ALL the engines use the same block, so any engine will fit any gearbox.

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