in article snipped-for-privacy@news.sacoriver.net, Chris Campbell at snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com wrote on 24/08/2005 07:46:
So, My only question is this: Did I do irreversible damage having driven
> 25 miles down 2-3 quarts of oil? (It was Mobil 1 if that makes a difference)
Doubtful, although it can't be "good" for the car. The oil loss is most likely through the dipstick tube, when the sump became pressurised. Check the one-way valve on the vac line that comes off the crank case.
Short of that, get it fixed ... Should be about 3.50 UKP for a new dipstick tube and only a few pence for a new one-way valve from an aquarium suppliers.
Paul
Vart tog vägen vägen? SAAB : Nothing on earth comes close
GOOD idea. The same friend that killed my car is looking at a NG900 after he was so impressed with driving (and ruining) my Saab!
Ummmm... no clue
No $$$... A new pan is like $300-400... used one is probably cheap. but AFAIK, you need to cut up your exhaust to get it out, and that'd be going beyond my mechanical skills (putting one back together, that it... welding and such). And the epoxy came reccomended by a Saab mechanic who had done it to his own car and drove it 5+ years without any problems... So far, so good... no leaks. And I do plan on replacing the pan... I just needed a cheap, quick fix.
(cracked oil pan... thats where my leak was, nothing wrong with my dipstick)
3.50UKP?! thats simply outragous! (what's that like $10+USD?)
Also I've noticed that I don't have an 'idiot' light on my dash indicating anything about oil. Either the bulb has burnt out, or its displayed on the EDU, which doesn't show anything due to a burntout backlight that I've been meaning to fix.
Tomorrow I drive the car for its first real endurance trial after the incident. Wish me well, and I'll report back with the findings (turbo whine, lifter noise and what have you). Also... the MBC is no more (for now)... I almost threw it away, but I figured I'll save up for a new BPC (and possibly a rebuilt turbo, from the sounds of it), and set it up in an SMBC arangement (meaning you still have the BPC/APC controlling the boost, but the MBC keeps the wastegate shut until it reaches a certian level... or something, anyways its supposed to give you much faster spool-up while retaining all knock protection and stock pressure control).
-Chris
1994 Saab 9000CSE Turbo
2001 Saab 9-3SE (parent's)
1994 Saab 900SE V6 (*RIP*)
1987 Saab 9000S (*RIP*)
It's been my experience that when a turbo has been run low on oil the seals will glaze over causing a small leak thru the carbon seating surface. It is not always a given that the bearings are toasted, but it's a fair bet. The turbo in late model Saabs are water cooled at the bearing. If you have been fairly regular about oil changes with Mobil synthetic there is hope. Given the same position I would turn the MBC all the way down, like you already have. If you baby the turbo and keep the revs on the turbine down the seals may re-break in. With luck the only permanent damage is having wiped out about 20k of miles off the engine. It sounds like you never ran completely out of oil, instead just took the pressure way low. If you had actually gone dry, there would have been far more indications. Having said that I have never played Evel Kinevel with a turbo Saab and punched a hole in the oil pan. My experience with boogered turbo's is mostly with rather large diesel engines and my younger brother's C900 (RIP, waste gate stuck shut, swallowed valve at full throttle).
I've run the car for about 250 miles since the no oil incident. So far, so good... Slight turbo whine when it spool up under moderate throttle (haven't dared WOT yet). And I get the slightest ticking from the engine during the first 5-10 seconds of startup (very slight, and I think it was there before the incident... probably the valves just waiting for oil to be circulated up there).
I have been using sythetic since I've owned her, about 2-3 changes... before that who knows... but it had a Promto sticker so I'm guessing it used to run on the worst dino oil money can buy.
I removed the MBC immediately... I am now running the bad BPC which is limiting boost to about 5-6PSI (base boost). Shaving 20k off an engine that'll probably do 250k or better isn't too bad by my standards. I may wait a good 3-5,000 miles and see how she's holding up. At that point I'll probably try and find a new BPC for her. Everyone on here has said that the MBC is not a good idea (I don't see too much harm running an MBC at stock boost levels while using 93 octane and sythetic oil... but since I'm unsure of the turbo... I'll probably keep it off for good).
It sounds like you never ran completely
Thanks for your help Dave (and everyone else... Gnunff too!)
MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here.
All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.