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ab0z posted:So you're saying when it's saying I'm making yellow PSI I might only be making green PSI? Are these gauges known to fail in a way that causes them never to read in the red zone? Does this system coordinate with the homeland security color system? They can be funky, you may tickle red, but it's not going to stay there. That's precisely why you need the PSI. 12.3psi is standard 'high'; I've seen 7 around medium - but honestly, you want to go over to saabnet.com chat at about 7PST and talk to mike9 or SaabTech. Given the age, and basic history they can give you much better ideas than these 'out of my rear end from spec' number. My old 9-5 doesn't even have a goddamn boost gauge, and I've been too lazy to tear into the instrument panel to put one in it. 
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Dec 18, 2009 22:34
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ssh posted:They can be funky, you may tickle red, but it's not going to stay there. Thank you, this is what I was looking for. It sounds like mine is making normal boost. When I finish with the 4 other cars i have to work on I'll borrow or buy a gauge and see what it's actually doing. Saabnet.com - seems a little expensive... I wish they had a cheap option that didn't include a tshirt and whatnot. I just need occasional tech info on the car, I'm not joining a family. Maybe they'll do a discount because GM can't keep Saab's doors open?
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Dec 18, 2009 22:51
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ab0z posted:Saabnet.com - seems a little expensive... I wish they had a cheap option that didn't include a tshirt and whatnot. I just need occasional tech info on the car, I'm not joining a family. Maybe they'll do a discount because GM can't keep Saab's doors open? You don't have to join. Chat and basic forums is free.
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Dec 18, 2009 22:54
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ssh posted:You don't have to join. Chat and basic forums is free. Ok I see that now, thanks. I just looked for a signup page and the first one I came to was asking for a bunch of money.
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Dec 18, 2009 22:56
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ab0z posted:Ok I see that now, thanks. I just looked for a signup page and the first one I came to was asking for a bunch of money. Only if you want picture hosting and other mostly-worthless poo poo are you required to pay for it. Most of us just pony up the $50 for 2 years out of 'Well, this has saved me a ton of money by doing it myself.' Enjoy your SAAB ownership. Edit: You were still 4 hours early. 
ssh fucked around with this message at 01:58 on Dec 19, 2009 |
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Dec 18, 2009 22:59
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Great purchase dude! That is a very fine looking 9000 you have there. As people have pointed out already it's getting way too hard to find classic Saabs in that sort of condition. I've always thought that the 9000 was under appreciated - they really are awesome cars. I've had my 5-speed Aero for around 7 months and I've enjoyed every single second I've spent with it. I still take the long way home. Here she is: And for whoever asked about the seats.. yes, Saab have always made the best, most comfortable seats in the industry.  Enjoy your 9000!
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Dec 19, 2009 07:03
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ssh posted:You were still 4 hours early. haha you stalker I did an oil change tonight, was surprised that there wasn't a bunch of crazy swedish oddities to deal with like a crazy filter design or a security torx drain plug. The dipstick/filler cap combo is interesting. there are no markings on it that I can see, I assume around midway up the reading area is the correct level? (I did fill it with 4.1 qts, just confirming how to read it).
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Dec 19, 2009 07:08
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Sabmo posted:I've had my 5-speed Aero for around 7 months and I've enjoyed every single second I've spent with it. I still take the long way home. Here she is:
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Dec 19, 2009 10:53
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The boost gauge isn't all that inaccurate - it's just not labeled with anything. Though on every stock Saab I've driven the gauge should go up to the top of the yellow and stop. Middle of yellow sounds like you're stuck at 'base boost' which is where the wastegate on the turbo will open if your BPC (boost pressure control) valve fails, which they often do. On my car with the tune the boost gauge shoots up to 3/4 or 4/5'ths into the red and settles back down above 4500RPM  I also just bought something that should arrive in the mail next week. I'm quite excited and will post pics when it shows up.
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Dec 19, 2009 20:14
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Sabmo posted:Great purchase dude! That is a very fine looking 9000 you have there. As people have pointed out already it's getting way too hard to find classic Saabs in that sort of condition. I've always thought that the 9000 was under appreciated - they really are awesome cars. I've had my 5-speed Aero for around 7 months and I've enjoyed every single second I've spent with it. I still take the long way home. Here she is:  Even though mine is N/A, it's still fun to throw around with the 5 speed and it doesn't have that pesky TCS. And where else can you buy a car designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro on the cheap? I was visiting the other SAAB thread and it was really encouraging to see the other folks talking about picking up 900/9000s. Maybe not the best press, but it's still some attention for an under-appreciated make. Sometimes, I wonder what would've happened if GM got Volvo and Ford got SAAB...even though they both got unloaded in the end. The other thing I sometimes think about is the differences between the 900 and the 9000. The 9000s are a great deal more refined than the 900s, IMO. The slightly Jetronic in the 900 seemed to steadily breathe while it ran and the servos in the heat/air system sighed as you adjusted it...you don't get that with the 9000's automatic climate control.  Still, they're both great cars and I'm glad I had a chance to drive both.Captain Crunk posted:The boost gauge isn't all that inaccurate - it's just not labeled with anything. Though on every stock Saab I've driven the gauge should go up to the top of the yellow and stop. Middle of yellow sounds like you're stuck at 'base boost' which is where the wastegate on the turbo will open if your BPC (boost pressure control) valve fails, which they often do. 
Francis Baconator fucked around with this message at 20:35 on Dec 19, 2009 |
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Dec 19, 2009 20:32
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Francis Baconator posted:That is some sweet SAAB porn, man. Those seats are truly badass. How many miles are on that baby? I don't think I've gotten to see some good pics of a 9000 Aero. Didn't the Aero make 225hp? Perhaps some under-hood shots are in order.
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Dec 19, 2009 21:06
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InitialDave posted:Yep, they're 225bhp, but the in-gear acceleration belies that fact. They shift. Also, I don't know about the US versions, but UK ones didn't have TCS or any kind of LSD. They handle pretty well though - There's a fair chance that trying to drive fast by just planting your right foot will see you understeer off the first roundabout you come to, but if you make sure the car does what it's drat well told, you can cover ground with phenomenal alacrity.  The 900 is great for beginners, but the 9000 will reward you if you have any skill.
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Dec 19, 2009 21:27
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ab0z posted:So you're saying when it's saying I'm making yellow PSI I might only be making green PSI? Are these gauges known to fail in a way that causes them never to read in the red zone? Does this system coordinate with the homeland security color system? It's not a *real* boost gauge. It does not directly measure boost or manifold pressure. Really, it is more of an air flow rate estimator - it runs off the T5, not any sort of hose or fitting on the intake. And "maximum" boost readings (i.e., where the needle goes and what it is supposedly indicating) can vary by temperature, humidity and fuel quality. This is applicable to manuals especially... But of course you have an automatic, so you get 6.5 psi. Your gauge is reading right.
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Dec 20, 2009 01:15
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Well, the T5 does use a MAP sensor to inject the correct amount of fuel - so it better know how much boost the engine is on! I've heard that theory over on saabcentral as well, and I think it holds more true for the T7 cars that use a MAF sensor instead - which doesn't go off of engine pressure but does go off how much air flows into the engine (thus mass air flow...) You could just get a boost gauge from craigslist and ghetto rig it for testing to see what's going on.
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Dec 20, 2009 02:55
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Saab owners...saw this newspost on slashdot: "The NY Times reports that auto enthusiasts across the country are dismayed by the news that General Motors is planning to shut down Saab, the Swedish carmaker it bought two decades ago, after a deal to sell it fell apart. Even with its modest and steadily declining sales, Saab, an acronym for Svenska Aeroplan Aktiebolaget, or Swedish Airplane Company, long stood out as a powerful brand in spite of itself. 'It wasn't designed to be a fashion statement,' says Ron Pinelli, president of Autodata, which tracks industry statistics. 'It was designed to provide transportation under miserable weather conditions.' Many Saab owners consider the brand's glory days to be the 1980s, when Americans began buying cars again after a recession and energy crisis. 'The cars were communicative,' says Pinelli. 'They didn't try to numb the experience like cars do today.' The cars had odd touches and appealed to those who appreciate the unconventional. Swedish engineers assumed drivers would be wearing gloves, so they designed big buttons for the dashboard. Though the cars were compact, with long hoods and short rear ends, there was plenty of headroom inside. Now Saab, a brand that once had one of the clearest identities in the industry, seems headed for extinction just as automakers are searching for more distinctive designs to help set them apart. 'It's a shame that Saab is a victim,' adds Pinelli."
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Dec 20, 2009 16:46
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Francis Baconator posted:That is some sweet SAAB porn, man. Those seats are truly badass. How many miles are on that baby? I don't think I've gotten to see some good pics of a 9000 Aero. Didn't the Aero make 225hp? Perhaps some under-hood shots are in order. Thanks, man! It's done around 135,000 miles and still runs as smooth and reliable as anything, admittedly after very regular servicing. Having said that, today I experienced my very first DIC failure! I truly feel part of the Saab family now. Under the hood? There'd be nothing to see unfortunately - it'd probably look almost identical to yours. I haven't had the chance to do anything to it yet but we will see what the future brings. Perhaps I will get sick of 'enough' power after at some point. Seriously though, if you ever get the chance to own a good 5-speed Aero, do it. They're amazing cars. Previous to purchasing my 9000 I had only driven a few Automatic Aeros, which are nice (definitely up there with the best automatics I've driven) but they're by no means fast. The 5-speeds though, they're a completely different car - boy howdy do they shift! The torque these things have is phenomenal, from memory something like 260 lb-ft from 1950rpm, but again even these figures don't really do it justice. There are a few sweet-spots I've picked up on.. like in second gear at around 25mph, bury the throttle and your mind actually warps. In-gear acceleration is so good and the torque wave so early you can basically forget about downshifting at all. As Dave has mentioned already, learn how to drive it without torque-steering yourself into the bushes and they really are incredibly rapid cars over long distances. With a nice sticky set of tires they're like a cat to carpet around corners too. In regards to your comments about gear-shifting, in my opinion manual 9000s aren't really fast-shifting cars to begin with anyway. I find they respond better to smoothness and technique more than anything else. Just out of curiosity how do you find the gearing in your car? I ask because this is one of the very few complaints I have about my own car. 2000 rpm at 60 mph is awesome for open-road cruising, but the gears are so long that they tend to get a bit annoying in traffic. I suspect the NA models were a bit more modestly geared? Funny you mention that 'sigh' the air con gives out in the 900 when you adjust it. That has always been one of my favourite quirks about those cars! One of the very fond memories I have of my dad's old 900 from when I was a kid.
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Dec 23, 2009 10:41
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ab0z posted:haha you stalker You didn't get a manual? Pity. There are marks on it, but yes, it holds about 4.1. Also, here's a {not really accurate} gauge for your boost.
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Dec 23, 2009 20:48
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Sabmo posted:Thanks, man! It's done around 135,000 miles and still runs as smooth and reliable as anything, admittedly after very regular servicing. Having said that, today I experienced my very first DIC failure! I truly feel part of the Saab family now. Under the hood? There'd be nothing to see unfortunately - it'd probably look almost identical to yours. I haven't had the chance to do anything to it yet but we will see what the future brings. Perhaps I will get sick of 'enough' power after at some point. As far as gearing goes, here's what I've found: 1st gear 0-15 mph (though probably closer to 10 or 12 is ideal) 2nd gear 15-25 mph 3rd gear 25-35 mph 4th gear 35-45 mph 5th gear 45-?? mph Of course, YMMV. I'm usually pushing about 2,150-2,250 RPM at 60 mph. So yeah, I pretty much agree 100% with you on the gearing. Of course, my 2.3 NA doesn't really do too much in the department of mind warping.  Also, good to know I'm not the only one who appreciated the little things in the 900. Kinda makes me wish I had a 900 and a 9000. Then I could enjoy something a little more visceral and "alive" or choose something more refined and comfortable.
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Dec 24, 2009 01:08
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Sabmo posted:There are a few sweet-spots I've picked up on.. like in second gear at around 25mph, bury the throttle and your mind actually warps. In-gear acceleration is so good and the torque wave so early you can basically forget about downshifting at all.
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Dec 24, 2009 13:09
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InitialDave posted:One of the claims to fame for the 9000 Aero was that 50-70 was faster than a Diablo. It's quite nice when you've got the cruise control on - even though it uses mild throttle openings, you can often outdrag people on motorways just by using the "speed +" button, rather than touching the pedal... Do you have an Aero yourself, Dave? There was a series of tit-for-tat magazine adverts from Volvo and Saab in the 90's. Volvo released theirs first, claiming that the 850 T5 accelerates from 50-70 faster than a Ferrari 512 TR (7.2 second vs. 8.2 seconds) in top gear. Saab a week later released an their own, making obvious reference to Volvo's ad basically saying, "that's great guys but we can do it in 5.6 seconds so suck it". So yeah, probably true, but these tests are in top gear. A good measure of engine flexibility for sure, but the Ferrari or Lambo would probably poo poo all over the Aero's windscreen in a lower gear. The Saab has turbo-induced low-down torque to thank. Still, not to take away from what is a pretty impressive feat in any event. Francis Baconator posted:The gearing in my 9000 is ok. It took a while to make a technique transition from my 900 with a broken in clutch to the 9000's more modern feel. Think tractor-like agrarian shifter feel versus precise, modern shift feel. Of course, it could be that the clutch in the 9000 seems to be in better shape. The one thing that pisses me off is the 1st to 2nd shift. First gear is enough to get you going and you might get to 15 mph if you goose it. By the time you've shifted from first to second, you've already lost most of that momentum. Well your milage there sounds pretty close to what I'd usually do. Completely know where you're coming from with the 1st to 2nd shift too. It's particularly annoying when you're shifting while going up an incline. Sometimes I feel like I have to thrash the engine a bit unnecessarily just to make it comfortably into 2nd. My dream garage (modestly speaking) has always been to have both a 9000 and a classic 900. Something like Tsu's 900 would do - that thing is all kinds of badass.
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Dec 25, 2009 01:58
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ssh posted:You didn't get a manual? Pity. There are marks on it, but yes, it holds about 4.1. Thanks to everyone for continued clarification of the boost gauge function. I did get an owner's manual, didn't get a chance to read through it until my 12 hour trip to visit the wife's family for the holiday. There is an amazing amount of useful information in that manual! I'm surprised by the technical information that they included, and the apparent willingness to acknowledge that the owners might want to service their own cars.
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Dec 25, 2009 04:04
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Sabmo posted:Do you have an Aero yourself, Dave? .
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Dec 25, 2009 12:49
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Oh, what did we get in the big box this time? Hmmm....  Oh, look at that logo:  Yup, that says TD04HL-15T:  But it came with this hose all busted up and bent... think it will still work like this? It's just the oil return hose. I could bend it to normal, but I don't think it'd be easy to source the part.  Looks like I may need to find a new one/cut and weld? Solder? a new pipe on. I could easily enough solder a new pipe to the broken one, but would solder hold up to the high heat from the turbo? With this turbo, correct tuning, and an upgraded intercooler I think 270HP is possible. I want 300, and may be able to eek it out of this turbo. This is going to be fun. EDIT TO SAY: $200 - ebay from LKQ and from a car with 72K miles on it. Not bad. Captain Crunk fucked around with this message at 23:22 on Dec 26, 2009 |
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Dec 26, 2009 23:11
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When my turbo eventually dies in my 9-3 (1999) If I put in one of those mitsu turbos, will I get a boost in hp or should I stick with the same old one?
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Dec 27, 2009 03:05
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Captain Crunk posted:Oh, what did we get in the big box this time? Go buy a proper oil connection, td04 CHRAs aren't particularly special and you could probably get an oil drain line for a WRX and make it work as they use TD04 CHRAs on the slightly older WRX engines. Also, have you dealt with engine management changes and its ability to add additional fuel and such? With MAP based systems a turbo or signifigant VE change isn't something the engine can compensate for properly as 15psi on a t25 is not the same as on a 15T compressor, its a lot more air that MAP won't see.
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Dec 27, 2009 08:55
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The fiancée has a 2004 9-3 Aero with a problem. If you get heavy into the throttle at low revs it starts, what feels like, misfiring. It stumbles quite a bit and the CEL flashes for a few seconds afterward. I picked up new plugs since that is the cheapest possible fix right now. If it ends up being coil pack related, what is the best way to find the bad pack? I know I can swap a new one in every position but that may be too time consuming as this problem is sporadic. Is this something that an OBDII scanner can diagnose? *ETA* New plugs did not solve the problem. bung fucked around with this message at 00:20 on Dec 28, 2009 |
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Dec 27, 2009 22:09
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bung posted:The fiancée has a 2004 9-3 Aero with a problem. How many miles has she been riding on your DIC?  If that's original, it may very well be time to replace it. As they're about $200, I'd take it to your nearest indy and get an assessment; I do NOT suggest loving with it yourself.
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Dec 28, 2009 01:55
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For the 2004 Aero I am 90% sure it's the DIC, try and find another one to swap/test with if you can. Could also be the CPS, but usually the car will run rough hot and not start until it cools down in that case. The Saab guys say the TD04 can be swapped on and will be close enough to the T25 that it won't cause an issue. I can't attest, but for maximum power and safety you will need to tune the ECU if you change the turbo. Yes, I'm familiar with tuning the ECU and will be downloading/flashing a pre-made tune for a TD04 on this engine. From there I will tweak it for maximum performance on a dyno. I'm using T5 suite with a BDM adapter and it works quite well! I want to get the CAN-USB and do real time in-car tuning. I will end up grabbing a return from a WRX or other TD04 - I don't want to mess this up and poo oil all over the road and burn up my engine. I'm in no big hurry, so I'm getting this right. My T25 burns oil right now, but it's not all that bad and makes James Bond-esque smoke screens on right turns.
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Dec 28, 2009 02:57
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Captain Crunk posted:For the 2004 Aero I am 90% sure it's the DIC, try and find another one to swap/test with if you can. Could also be the CPS, but usually the car will run rough hot and not start until it cools down in that case. It has individual coils for each plug. Would investing in a CAN OBDII reader be a bad idea for the Saab? I can use it for the Subaru but I still have 2 years of warranty for the WRX.
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Dec 28, 2009 04:01
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Well I guess I'm a Saab guy now. Drove my $50 900se from Michigan to the west side of Iowa and back, in heated leather comfort with about 26.5mpg average (25.5 indicated, did the math and it's 1mpg higher). My DIC didn't let me down, and when I randomly pitched sideways on the highway for no reason (other than the blizzard of the century) I just countersteered and powered out of it, no damage besides MY WIFE's nerves.
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Dec 28, 2009 05:36
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Does anyone know where I could get some information on how the wind shield squirter tubes are set up in a 9-3? When they repaired my car they left them all unplugged and driving around in this salty iced road poo poo is making my windshield white.
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Dec 28, 2009 20:25
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ab0z posted:Well I guess I'm a Saab guy now. Drove my $50 900se from Michigan to the west side of Iowa and back.. That's going to be the most expensive $50 you have ever spent. I'll offer $200 to take it off your hands now.. but you need to deliver it mid-winter. Karl Barks posted:Does anyone know where I could get some information on how the wind shield squirter tubes are set up in a 9-3? When they repaired my car they left them all unplugged and driving around in this salty iced road poo poo is making my windshield white. Those are a bitch. If you want the 'easiest'/'unofficial' way to do it, I suggest talking to mike9 on SAABNet. Guy's unorthodox, but gets it done with a third of the issues by doing it the 'proper' way. Spent like 1/2 an hour loving with mine to get the hoses back in.
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Dec 28, 2009 20:56
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ssh posted:That's going to be the most expensive $50 you have ever spent. I'll offer $200 to take it off your hands now.. but you need to deliver it mid-winter. Cost me $150 to register and tag it. Plus, it has 2 new tires on it now (thanks, well-off father in law) I'll take $500 if you come get it.
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Dec 28, 2009 21:55
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ab0z posted:Cost me $150 to register and tag it. Plus, it has 2 new tires on it now (thanks, well-off father in law) I can get a $500 local without the damage. If you find me a Sonnet, though, I'll pay the $500 to pick it up myself. Love your new money pit - you will do one of three things: 1) Learn to work on, and obsess about it like a maniac. 2) Pay someone else to deal with the expensive pile of crap oh god it sucks but driving it is so nice. 3) Sell it on to the next sucker after investing a few grand. Or, you can do them in that order. It's like a Choose your own Adventure: SAAB Edition. I already have almost 2k put in above the $2k I spent for my 2k fixer-upper. 4 tires, DIC, wireing, PCV upgrade, replacement turbo.. these beasts get expensive. That reminds me, I need to get a heater switch so my butt warms up this winter.
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Dec 28, 2009 22:30
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I haven't yet decided if I'm going to do option 1 or 3. (2 is unnecessary, since I have a garage full of tools and no life.) I don't feel that it's much of an enthusiast driving car in overall feel, but maybe the manual trans would be enough of a difference to change my mind. I DO however like it as a roadtrip car, and a daily driver in the winter. What is a good saab specific source for parts?
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Dec 29, 2009 00:02
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ab0z posted:What is a good saab specific source for parts? One of the cheapest for new parts (oem) is saabpartsusa.com; you can also dig through saabnet and find the non-oem parts or used on the cheap. Trust me, after doing some work, option 2 will seem less of a "You're kidding, right?" option. If you get that cleaned up and everything right, it's not going to be a big booster, but it'll hold it's own - and they're awesome on snowy mountain passes. A nice warm butt, and 80MPH uphill going sideways. Whatdya expect for $50?
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Dec 29, 2009 00:59
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ssh posted:Whatdya expect for $50? A festiva (oh wait I have that too)
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Dec 29, 2009 02:07
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I can't seem to find a service manual for the 04 9-3. I've asked in another thread here in AI and I was told that the Haynes manual is worthless. Has anyone used the Mitchell 1 DIY service subscription? Is it worth the price? bung fucked around with this message at 21:02 on Jan 3, 2010 |
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Dec 30, 2009 07:29
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I think I may have found the source of the misfire. The code scanner showed a P0302, misfire on #2. To determine if it was actually the coil, I moved it to all of the other cylinders to see if it still missed. It did but didn't ever generate a CEL. I'll have a new coil tomorrow and I hope it fixes this problem. Next is replacement of the rear rotors and pads which have almost no friction material left. After that will be new suspension.
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Jan 6, 2010 17:39
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ab0z posted:I haven't yet decided if I'm going to do option 1 or 3. (2 is unnecessary, since I have a garage full of tools and no life.) Eeuroparts.com is where I usually get parts from. usually saves me 10-15% from a Saab only parts place.
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Jan 6, 2010 18:45
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