c900 cold turbo rattle?

Sounds like tappets from here.

Doubtful.

The timing chain sounds like a rattly-shuffly noise. Tappety sounding noises are probably just...tappets... not fully pumped up until the oil pressure gets up to full pressure inside them. Wouldn't hurt to have a saab tech listen to it.

I can't think of any way for a timing chain noise to go away as the engine warms up. A turbo oil problem would be more a squeal than a tapping.

At least that's what it "sounds like" from here. If it's tappets, it's not a problem unless you really _want to_ spend money to quiet it.

Dave Hinz

if the turbo is bad one from a junkyard would only be like $150 and its not that hard to install

just get a turbo with little shaft play and good seels

That can be easier said than done, around here every turbo is gone in the U-pull yards. I think the employees have first dibs on parts, either that or some nutjobs wait around for the cars to come out on the lot and pull the high value parts. Either way I'm sure the $25 turbos mostly end up on ebay for significantly more.

Try checking a European Wrecker. The "Big Cars" like Saabs tend to get disposed of well before they're due simply due, to the brutal taxation on fuel. I saw a Loaded 97 Saab Turbo with 100K on it certified and advertised by a dealer here in the UK for under $1,200 US. Parts at the breakers /wreckers are also quite cheap but the shipping might cost a bit more. As for your own wrecker's yard, odds are they've all been pulled off and are sitting on a shelf collecting dust. Try asking at the counter.

The OP may be describing "pinging" too.