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SAAB 900 Symptoms and Remedies (Turbo Included)

 

SAAB 900 Tech Help:

Engine

Diff/Gearbox (Manual)

Turbo

Elecrical

Brakes

Fuel System

Lubricants

Manual 5speed Gearbox:

There are a few little things that need to be looked at and observed with the the SAAB 900 manual gearbox.

1st of all there are two types of the 5speed box, and this is most important if you are going to purchase a reconditioned box, or you may have a spare box lying around you wish to change or install ... box housing and syncros are all the same but selector shaft and inner CV HAVE CHANGED!

BEWARE!type , usually found on the 40000 series boxes and/or possibly early model n/a cars, and will not allow the tri-bearings on the end of the drive shafts to take as the CV housing themselves are a good 3mm too small

How to tell the difference:

If you have a later style of box (50000 series) the selector shaft will have tension when you try and turn the selector through the nuetral gates, allowing it to spring back by it's own accord to the neurtal position, where as the older 40000 series boxes will not have any tension what-so-ever, with this being done inside the gear lever and with manual 5speed boxes that need to be set up in reverse.

Reverse set up is found on 900 cars upto 85, but not always the case.

2nd of all there is one extra bearing found in the transfer case front cover and a longer transfer case sprocket for the bearing to run on.

SAAB 5speed Manual Gearbox Setup:

Note!selecting gears, can select upto 4th gear but no 5th, jumping out of 2nd and 4th gears.

This is quite common, especially when you have bought a used SAAB or after a complete gearbox rebuild where everything is all out of wack and the gearbox is all setup the why it should be.

For the later boxes that need to be setup in 3rd ... scrap that all together and go inside the car, take the rubber cover off the gear lever and centre the lever so it looks pretty straight up and down. The shaft/nylon ball should be just a little off centre to the rear of the car.

Make sure the gearbox main shaft is in nuetral. Tighten selector rod linkage and test. select all gears without turning the car on, with the added bonus of no forward gears grinding and popping out.

Forward gears may also grind, pop out or be very hard to select of the crown wheel and pinion have self destructed! common when people use engine oil in the gearbox as opposed to the proper DIFF/GEAR lubricant or when a rebuild has been done after bearinf failures and the damage has already been done.

ORHERE if you wish to know more/purchase PM LUBRICANTS.

 

Overheating Problems With Your SAAB

Run the car and check that the radiator is roughly the same temperature all over, if not, it is most likely that the thermostat is not working and is closed shut. This problem usually occurs more often when coolant is not used. If you find that this is the culprit (thermostat closed shut), either purchase another or cut the inner out of the thermostat leaving the rest untouched (this should not be a permanent remedy as the fuel mixture will remain rich for a longer period of time). The reason for leaving the outer untouched is that this will keep the body of the thermostat in place and cause no problems.

If the car has never had coolant in it, or even if it has, check that all the hoses are clear and not clogged.

If this procedure does not solve the problem, than the radiator itself may be the culprit and my need to be cleaned or replaced all together.

Check water pump pressure and make sure it is pumping water around the system, if it is, then check that the right volume is being carried. Also check the side of the block for water marks (these older style water pumps are found on 99 series saab's to early 900's - 1979 to around 1980?), a brown rusty colour indicates that the water pump seals have giving up the ghost and a new water pump seal kit is needed.

Check the ignition timing as the timing may be too far advanced or retarded, and PLEASE check the vacuum advance module on the side of the later model ignition distributors.

To check this, just get a short piece of hose and put on the small orifice, and suck on the hose. If you don't mind getting a bad taste in your mouth, you may suck on this orifice directly. If you feel resistant and hear a "pop" sound when you take that vacuum off, then the vacuum advance module is working.

Many books say (that are right of course), the timing should be as follows:

Non turbo models:

All the following ignition setting figures are for cars sold in Australia

1988, 900 series SAAB - 14° B.T.D.C (Before. Top. Dead. Centre) ... taken at idling engine speed 850 rpm, plus (+) or minus (-) 50 rpm.

1984, 900 series SAAB ... 5spd Manual Transmission - 18° B.T.D.C ... this is what the reading should be, at 2000 rpm- if the vehicle shows signs of a temperature rise that it did not have before, than re adjust accordingly and immediately, as if the ignition timing is incorrect valve damage will occur. If ignition timing is incorrect a rattling sound will be heard very clearly from the engine, easily mistaken as a chain rattling sound or sounds in the vicinity of the transmission noise, as when under load the ignition will be firing too early when the inlet valves are still open.

18° B.T.D.C is usually the norm for ignition timing for this SAAB model, this figure however is taken at operating temperature and when the car is revved at 2000 rpm.

1979, 900 series SAAB ... Automatic Transmission - 23° B.T.D.C (Before. Top. Dead. Centre) ... taken at 2000 rpm ... make sure to disconnect the vaccum adanvance line from the manifold that goes to the ignition distributor.

1979, 900 series SAAB ... Manual Transmission - 21° B.T.D.C (Before. Top. Dead. Centre) ... taken at 2000 rpm ... make sure to disconnect the vaccum adanvance line from the manifold that goes to the ignition distributor.

Some background information:

Incorrect igniton timing settings can produce very poor drivability - poor acceleration, poor starting and the rattling sound stated above, produced from the engine due to the incorrect timing setting.

Just beware of possible incorrect ignition timing specs.

8v and 16v Turbo models:

16° B.T.D.C (Before. Top. Dead. Centre) at 850-900rpm, or in other words taken at idle.

Warning: these figures are usually correct, but PLEASE check your cars timing with the SAAB booklet - it usually comes with the car.

Check the none return valve in the fuel pump (located in the top of the fuel pump connector - it will look just like a spring). This problem related to the non return valve will also cause major headaches with poor cold starting, and even much, much bigger problems with hot start situations.

Other problems will be the inability to also tune the car properly

Important - Check the side of the engine block for signs of water leaking near any of the welsh plugs, or signs of rusting Walsh plugs. If you are suspicion of these then immediately stop using the vehicle and replace as soon as possible. Major damage will result if this is not rectified.ave information regarding idle speed and ignition timing degrees and producers in doing so.

Used SAAB 900 Parts -

  • 8v Head x 2, complete non turbo, but no cam cover ... AUD $120.00 each
  • 8v Airflow sensor plate units ... AUD $40.00
  • 8v inlet manifolds ... AUD $90.00
  • 8v throttle bodies ... AUD $50.00

Products We Can Supply:

  • Power Steering Hose ...Bigger inlet hose, from fluid tank to inlet of power steering pump, for 16v cars ... AUD $55.00
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