Fuel type for Saab 1985 900i (new owner)

Fantastic! We'll be more than happy to help with the inevitable questions.

The RON98 is an octane rating which is independant of leaded vs. unleaded fuel. Every Saab 900 (or Saab 99 for that matter) has valve seats which don't require leaded fuel, so you'll be fine with unleaded. Also, if your car has a catalytic converter, I believe that those are very damaged by leaded fuels so they should be avoided.

No problem. How's the car in general? Any strangeness?

Dave Hinz

That's not true, at least in Sweden. According to information that was handed out when unleaded gas (RON95) was introduced here, SAAB engines started to be adapted to unleaded unleaded gas during the model year 1984. That is, if you've got a SAAB from 1984 you must check the chassi number to know if your vehicle can use unleaded gas or not.

If you have a car with a catalytic converter, you MUST use unleaded fuel otherwise the converter will be destroyed. No exceptions!

/Bengt

Congratulations Bob!

It's a common question (even I asked it when I bought my first Saab - a 1983

900S - last year!)... If your car has a 16-V engine, run it on PULP (premium ULP) or normal ULP at a pinch and don't use leaded (called LRP since it's ULP with 'factory-mixed' additive).

If your car has an 8-V engine, it can run on either LRP or PULP. You should also be able to run an 8-V engine on normal ULP but you will need to add a valve-protection additive (here in Australia we have Valvemaster and Flashlube brands) to use ULP with an 8-V engine. The problem with normal ULP is that the octane rating is generally too low (in the low to mid 90's) without additive mixed in. I still add valve-protection addition to PULP every few tankfuls but there is probably no need to providing I stick to the one 'blend' (ie. sticking with Optimax or one of the others).

Here in Australia PULP seems to be generally a 97 or higher octane rating, and the expensive high-end premium fuels like Shell Optimax, Bp Ultimate, etc. are 98 or slightly higher. Unleaded fuel (including LRP) is 97 here in Australia.

I've transitioned my 1983 900S (it has an 8-V non-turbo engine) off LRP since it's being phased out completely in Australia at the moment and by the middle of next year will be almost gone (none of the refineries here are making LRP now - so they're just depleting the contents of their big storage tanks and then it will all be gone for good), and running it on PULP. I have bought a few 20 litre jerry cans and whenever fuel prices are down a little (since PULP is on average always 6 or more cents per litre higher than the normal ULP), I fill up the car and as many of the jerry cans as I've already emptied into the car

I try to stick to Optimax but being a top-end 'consumer' fuel it is always very expensive compared to normal ULP (by about 10 to 15 percent more in price).

Regards,

Craig.

RON (Research Octane Number) has not much to do with leaded/unleaded fuel. All SAABs with an alloy cylinder head, like yours, have hardened steel valve seats and can run on both leaded or unleaded fuel, be that petrol/gasoline or LPG. If your car has a sticker near the filler opening or a badge on the dashboard that says "unleaded only" then do so. You will not be able to put a leaded fuel pump nozzle down an unleaded car's filler opening as the diameters are not compatible. If your car has a catalyst in the exhaust it must run on unleaded fuel only.

-- MH '72 97 '77 96 '78 95 '79 96 '87 900T8 (unleaded)

Hi Dave,

Thanks for that! The car runs fine and seems to have no major problems (finger crossed).

I'll need to work on a few things:

- No boot/cargo cover

- A/C doesn't work, which is quite important as I live in Oz

- Window washers very weak and only one works.

Going to get a service manual and use my weekends productively :)

Cheers, Rob

Hi Bengt,

Sounds like I'll be using unleaded fuel. Which is good, as it's much cheaper :)

Cheers, Rob

you can make one out of a piece of board, or maybe find one in a junkyard.

You may have a problem finding the right (freon) coolant. Check what it says on the AC pump, if it says 'R12' you are in a bit of trouble see

Are you a member of

worn motor brushes, disconnected linkage

There's a 1979-1988 SAAB 900 manual by Haynes

-- MH '87 900T8

Where in Oz? Someone may have good w/shop recommendations locally. Agree for years with LRP or PULP - except that all turbos have hardened seats. Use FlashLube or similar if you're worried about valve seat wear. Washers

- remove the little black doovies underneath the jets that the hose attaches to (assuming you've got hoses, water and washer motor works!) carefully prise off the cover, check that the diaphragm isn't clogged or broken (& if so clean/replace) then reassemble. Washers can removed, degunked with a pin and then checked by blowing through. All usually gets 'em going. Cheers

1985 models officially will run on 95RON unleaded, I remember the advertising blurb. You may need your timing adjusted if you get any pinking.

I ran a 1975 saab 99 on unleaded with no problem, these engines have sufficently hard valve seats and valves.

Fantastic. Fun, aren't they?

Easiest and most likely is that the nozzles are crudded up. See how the flow is from the hose before the nozzle; they can be cleaned and re-aimed with a pin and care.

The Bentley manual is good, but you may find that the pictures have the steering wheel on the wrong side compared to your car. I got rid of my '88 900T a few years back (when I got a 9-5) but I'm looking forward to getting this '78 99 Turbo back on the road. Fun cars, and the newer ones just don't have the same spirit.

Dave Hinz

I've got an extra but it's in Wisconsin, USA.

Does "washers" mean "wipers" in .au? If so, disregard my nonsensical suggestion about how to improve the flow of liquids through nozzles.

That's a good one too. I have a spare of that one also, but again on very much the wrong continent.

Dave

No, sorry, I misread and jumped to "wipers" instead of "washers"

I'd poke a sewing needle into the washer holes, that usually clears it.

-- MH

I figured one of us was confused, and based on prior history assumed it was me.

...and re-aims them, yup.

Dave

Hi guys,

Thanks to all of you for your great tips. Will be (gently) poking the washers with a needle to see if that makes them go.

I'll probably get creative with a piece of wood for the cargo cover and fit a couple of speakers at the same time.

Haven't checked the type of A/C yet, hopefully it won't be the R12 type.

Got the Haynes manual, full of good clear 'how-to's and that's exactly what an unexperienced Saab owner like me needs.

Cheers, Rob

Dave H>

Hi Hippo,

I am in Sydney (Inner West), I only know of a Saab specialist in Double Bay. Are you in Oz as well? A quick poke with a needle did the job on the washers, happy spraying :)

Cheers, Rob

Myself and many others will recommend the Bentley manual(s)! They are excellent publications, and used in conjunction with other books (such at the Haynes manuals), you'll have a complete DIY reference source. The only other info source you'd probably need is a parts reference manual which gives you Saab part numbers for almost all the parts in the vehicles.

I'm in Sydney (and the creator of Craig's C900 Workshop at "

"), so if you're local, let me know since ourSaab's are around the same era! Regards,

Craig.

My 1983 900S (8V engine, non-turbo, auto trans) has a 'use leaded fuel only' sticker inside the fuel cap. Not that I'm doing that since leaded fuel is going to be unavailable from the end of this year in almost all locations around Australia (except perhaps the ACT where the ratio of LRP to ULP/PULP pumps at service stations about half/half).

I now run the car in premium ULP and add a small pill bottle (about 50 ml) full of 'Flashlube' every 4th or 5th tankful of fuel. I have, at a pinch when PULP has been too expensive (over A$1.20 per litre!), put in a tank of normal ULP and it was fine, but the engine did show minor signs of annoyance at the lower-grade fuel it was eating.

I think that 8V engines post-1985 (when the block was changed, amongst other things), and all 16V engines (introduced in 1985), will run fine on normal ULP or premium ULP blends. However normal ULP is lower than the recommended RON level so all the advice I've received to date it to stick to PULP varieties which have RON levels of 97 or higher.

Regards,

Craig.

Check out T&K auto electrical in Granville for the air. I've used them for about 25 years and they don't run away from Saabs. (JD Camiras yes, Saabs no!) Talk to Steve at SaabServe in Barney Street North Parramatta for C900 problems. I've been dealing with them on and off since they opened too. Cheers

Cheers, mate. I'll def give them a ring to have A/C checked out. Might get SaabServe to give the car a service and check next month after pay-day.

Ta, Rob