Well - its a 1994 NG900

in article snipped-for-privacy@news.eastlink.ca, Dexter J at snipped-for-privacy@lamelamelame.org wrote on 04/01/2004 21:45:

Yay, Dexter's back on the block!

Not a bad price. Sounds like you'll have the "usual Saab fun" with it getting it up to spec :) Is the 2.3 the 225 BHP model?

Good luck with it pal,

Paul

1989 900 Turbo S

Thank you kindly.

It's a 2.3 non-turbo/non-leather/non-alloy edition I'm afraid - but - its a very solid temporary ride until I can land a nice 9000 and I might be able to get out for what I end up into it. Was very close to a couple 9000 Aero's stateside - but after exchange and customs fees they just didn't make much sense. I'm going to strip out the 89 9000 2.0 turbo for the power train, electrics, pumps and assorted rims/switchs and mothball all of it in case a decent motorless 9000 comes up.

This NG900 isn't wonderful, but its doesn't completely sux either. I like the dash set-up quite a bit and that black out button is very interesting. Mostly - it's a 5 speed and a hatch with a key on the floor and I missed all of them a lot on my 9000 CD.

As to the 2000rpm rattle - I wonder if it could be the water pump? It's in the right neighborhood on the block.

Anyway - time will tell about this NG900. I'll keep everyone posted as to developments and again - anyone else's NG900 experiences are welcomed. Links? I've found the townsend site to be informative so far.

Quite. Nice to see you back Dexter. Sorry, not too much NG900 experience (only ever done a couple of jobs on my aunt's v6), but good luck.

Well, if yours sat on the lot as long as mine did it may take a while for some of the little stuff to work itself out. My 92 900 conv. sat on a lot for nearly 5 years in Cleveland, Ohio. When I drove it home I had a severe case of second thoughts. The heater controls didn't work the abs light and the srs light was on and the engine seemed to be a bit off. After driving the car around for a while the heater controls started working. The abs light went out and stayed out. The srs light got unplugged. Changed the antifreeze to the yellow MB stuff with a new thermostat and after a while the engine seemed happier for some reason, no clue why. Good luck with the new ride and be patient while the car reworks itself in.

dave

Crap and a half - anyone want a cheap NG 900?.. :) ..

Yeah - that's what I'm kind of thinking/hoping. Lots of dry sockets, brake parts and connections here and there.

The rattle is worrying me, but I have been advised to try resetting the ECU and see what happens. I've done a little reading and I think, maybe, it might be a water pump. It's running a little hot (a little above half - which is hot for a NG900 apparently). I'll have my shop give that a close look tomorrow.

I must say that non-turbo 2.3 engine is actually quite strong - at least this one is - revs up quickly too.. No exciting turbo rush - but then - much better mileage.

The final tick in it's favor (after a pretty low asking price) actually came down to the fact I really won't care as much about this one as I would a really good example of a 9000T and thusly - I'm not going to worry as much about having some fun with it. The suspension feels tight enough for the model, wonder how it'll do in a on cone track.

-

J Dexter - webmaster -

tunes - no cookies no subscription no weather no adsno news no phone in - RealAudio 8+ Required - all the Time Radio Free Dexterdyne Top Tune o'be-do-da-day Mississippi John Hurt - Frankie

Sun, 04 Jan 2004 21:35:23 -0400, snipped-for-privacy@lamelamelame.org suggested: : : The rattle is worrying me, but I have been advised to try resetting the : ECU and see what happens. I've done a little reading and I think, maybe, : it might be a water pump. It's running a little hot (a little above half - : which is hot for a NG900 apparently). I'll have my shop give that a close : look tomorrow.

I have a 1995 n/a 2.3 NG900, and it generally runs a little above half on the temperature gauge, but I've never had any temp related problems. I had an A/C compressor fail on my old Honda that produced a pretty strong rattle.

: I must say that non-turbo 2.3 engine is actually quite strong - at least : this one is - revs up quickly too.. No exciting turbo rush - but then - : much better mileage.

Well, not really much better mileage in my experience, but I guess that depends on your driving style. ;) City mileage is pretty mediocre, but I was amazed when I got 33 mpg (US) on a long (1800 miles total) trip. 150 hp is plenty for me after driving a 1980s Honda for so many years.

Just remember -it is the first year of a model change. But, if it is only a temporary ride until you can get a 9000, it should be ok.

Welcome back. Glad you stayed with Aerospace engineering :) Give it the usual thorough service, clean the sensor connectors with some contact cleaner or very fine emery cloth. See about getting the Ecu reset as someone suggested, or try and find one of the "Gunsons" (uk brand but must be something similar in Can/US fault code readers. They clip onto the diag port, but just report the last fault found. If you can get the code, you might find someone who has a clue what it means, and start from there. Could be simply moisture in the oil/engine/exhaust if it has sat for a while that is flipping a sensor out.

Salutations:

Had the $2,500 221,000km NG900 into the Halifax AutoSport here in Canada today..

Cleared the ECU by pulling the battery cable and no more check engine light. Rattle was in fact broken superfluous catalytic mount. Thx alt.autos.saab - good call.

Timing chain appears OK - clutch cable has already been done - fluids look great. Needs a new passenger side headlight lens, a windshield washer pump, two bushings for the rear end of the front end control arm, ignition wires, distributor, plugs and an emergency/hill brake kit for the rear.

The only serious thing seems to be that the ABS rings have come free from the axles and we are looking at simply cleaning them up and soldering them back on (I have a really good mid 40's Popular Mechanics article on soldering cast iron/steels in the collection somewhere by chance)..

Finally - needs about $500 worth of paint on the lower doors and rear skirt..

Wonder if I can bolt my 9000T 2.0 head/turbo on and set up a mechanical wastegate? The piston holes are exactly the same size, anyone know if coolant channels and pins match up between the 2.3 block/head and the 2.0?

DO these use the same idler pulley/serp belt as the 2.0 ? If so, I'd change the upper pulley and the belt just for safety. Throw the old one in the trunk as a spare.

Well, I can point you at a manual boost valve that will work well on a

2.0. I can't comment on the real issue of the block/head.

There was already one in the trunk and a fresh one on the spindles. As near as I can gather this poor NG900 has been being handed around between a three or four dealers who each put a little something right (clutch cable - some suspension parts) until they finally gave up and traded it between themselves and until I finally found her and a willing seller. There was a fairly nice black 2.5 automatic there too if anyone interested. Fresh engine in her - but - automatic and a dent in the rear drivers side door.

Given the pressed ABS ring and the price of axles at the dealer - the real heavy money question appears to be will be can I get the rings back on what's left of the axle ends so the ABS system comes up again.

I have an 89 9000T head and turbo (well actually a whole bent car). But as near as I can make out it's identical to the 2.0 engine in the '94 NG900 turbo except for the balance shafts (which I'm not sure would have induced the good folks at SAAB to remake the head). If the heads are in fact the same - then it *might* be that I can bolt it on the 2.3 engine, tune the boost using an Abbot Racing valve and end up with a fairly powerful (say

190-200hp range) machine without going to shorter pistons and without detonating every time I pull out to pass. Maybe.. Maybe not.. Need to ask around I think..

I'm mostly trying to figure out what to do with a my 1989 9000T powertrain as, while the body is shot, the powertrain is running sweetly. I'd bolt the whole thing over save that it's an automatic and the five speed is simply wonderful after these many years with an auto-box. I'd almost forgotten how much fun they are.

Anyway - I think I have ended up with a pretty good deal at this point. I feel comfortable the visit to the parts counter at my friendly neighborhood Saturn Saab dealer here in Halifax will not be hugely depressing for the parts outlined. So - while its not the perfect 9000T - it may well be a really pretty good little 900.

Sort of a 'Charlie Brown' SAAB for those of you who caught the annual Xmas special.. :) ..

Cheers all.