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9000 tensioner problem?

We have just replaced the chains in my friends 1996 9000 Aero Automatic. He is now suffering from a vibration at low revs which smooths out to be unnoticable up the rev range. The chains were all adjusted to TDC and the marks on the balance shafts and cams all lined up, and were still lined up having rotated the engine a few times by hand before we put the timing cover back on. We put a new water-pump on and top engine mounts, replaced the two pulleys and belt, and reconditioned the starter and alternator. I am wondering now about the belt tensioner and would like to know how this goes bad and the effects of it doing so please? Does anyone else have any ideas to work on?

Reply to
Richard Sutherland-Smith
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Richard,

My experience is that these engines *normally* tend to vibrate quite a bit at idle, especially with automatic transmissions when in drive.

If everything smooths out at higher rpm (just above idle) it sounds like the balance shafts are probably OK. Are you sure that the vibes are abnormally high?

Have you had an experienced SAAB mechanic look at it?

What sort of upper engine mount bushings did you install? I know from experience that the urethane "performance" bushings increase the vibration at idle severely.

BTW, I've never heard of a belt tensioner causing engine vibrations.

-Fred W

Reply to
Fred W

I can certainly confirm that my 9000 Aero engine sometimes vibrates a bit at idle. There is variability of this vibration, which I believe is related to additional variable load that the Climate control system (AC) presents. At speed, this additional load is negligible, but may be substantial enough to be noticeable at idle.

-Dima

Reply to
Dima

My only experience with belt tensioner failure on a 9000 was growing noise followed by a bang and overheating. Don't remember vibration.

Tom L.

Reply to
Hyperdog

My experience of the serpentine belt going was a bang followed by immediate loss of power steering......

Hi Richard, my 9000 2.3 FPT had a really nasty vibration from the engine bay at idle for about a week, which disappeared with application of power.

Took it straight to my local SAAB Specialist, and they couldn't find a problem. Checked engine mounts, exhaust mounts and bolts, belt pulleys etc etc.

It went away after a week, never explained it, and nothing has gone pop since it went away.

Not a great help I know, but I would suggest you let her "bed in" or a few hundred miles first.

Al

Reply to
Al

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