PRV-6 (long, no Q content)

[William Elliott <William.Elliott@mail.mei.com>]

Lee Levitt wrote:
> You may be thinking of the PRV-6, long ago discontinued. A number of years
> ago (15?), Volvo entered into joint development with Peugeot and Renault to
> design a 6 cylinder that made its way into some older 240 series vehicles,
> Peugeots and Renaults. I think this same motor was also used in the Bricklin.

  Arun wrote: <<  Don't know about the Bricklin,>>
Prototype had an unusual drivetrain, but the production model used a 
conventional Ford 351.  Cleveland, I think.  All but a handful are automatic.
Most seem to be "Safety Orange". Unique?   Yes  :-)

 <<but the Delorean DMC-12 has that engine
(story goes that Delorean never paid Renault for the engines!), as do
gasoline 760's and Eagle Premiers.  Supposed to be quite a nice engine,
but sensitive to maintenance (sound familiar? :-)>>

No German car ever had an engine as bad as this one!  Frankly, I can't think
of a worse engine used in modern times.  It was used in some decent 
cars (Peugeot 604, Volvo 262C and 264) but was always the weakest of weak
links.  (I remember a road test showing a Ford Fiesta would outperform a 
DMC-12 at less than 1/4 the price! This from the guy responsible for the GTO?
Perfect visual for "This is your brain; this is your brain on drugs")

Since the Volvo was the most common of the cars, it was the most maligned.
I had an acquaintance who put 2 kids thru college by installing 4-bangers out
of wrecked 244's and putting them in nice 264's with bad engines.  How many
cars do you know that the top model is valued significantly lower than the
entry-level model? 

Oil-starvation of the cams was the problem.  When (not if) the oil passages 
clogged, the cams would burn. Typically took out the engine.  If not, cam
replacement required pulling the engine.  I've been told that they were doing 
so many cam jobs that Volvo released a service package which entailed 
drilling holes in the firewall  and replacing the cams via the interior of the 
car to allow the engine to remain in place.  Included plugs for the holes.

Any time you think you have problems, be glad you don't have a PRV-6!

Bill Elliott
Lake Mills, WI
Claim to fame: once saw a running PRV-6 with over 80,000 miles!