Wow, Malbrad are great

Got a week off work, decided to sort out the lack of vacuum canister, thanks to the old one leaking like a pig (disconnected and capped off).

So, on the off chance, and having heard about their multiple units of stripped C900's, I decided to fire up the GPS, and make the great trek across the M62, over the pennines, to Huddersfield.

Not a bad drive at 11AM, few wagons rolling, but not too much traffic, and the 4th lane upto the summit (highest Motorway in the UK)helped avoid the trucks, and the BMWs that were obviously having trouble in the thin atmosphere.

Got there, explained what I wanted, he had a look at 1 shelf, pulled one out, and said "£5 for cash, don't want to pay VAT do you". Nice guy. problem is new one appears to quack slightly, like the old one did, but, it hasn't dropped me to base boost, and the vent control makes that nice click woosh, like it used to, before I started messing with the valve on the old one. Well, I'm not messing now. It works, and only cost me £5 to get back where I started, so I'm leaving well alone.

While I was there, I asked about what the cost of a rear wheel bearing would be (when the front was done they reconned that the rear was a little dry, bu not noisy yet). Local garage who did the front reconned about £240.

Malbrads price to replace the hub £30 second hand hub/£80 New hub, and one hours labour. Even with the extra petrol price for the rough 100 mile round trip, I'm looking at a saving, and having the job done by experts.

He had a quick look at the gear shift rubber for me, reckons thats OK, so it must be selector fork that is going, as the older 16v ('84/85) were solid mounts, so it is unlikely to be a failed mount like the later hydraulic ones. Didn't try to sell me getting them to book me in for a recon box either.

Then he spotted the chain tensioner (original style single bolt) and suggested I change it ASAP to a newer type, to avoid needing to do the chain. And again he wasn't trying to sell me up, as he didn't have any in stock, but suggested I still replace it ASAP.

And he showed me how to get the seat into the fully low position, instead all I could work out which was fully up, or rear of base dropped at an angle. Now it is lower, it so confy to drive. Feels like a completley different car.

Best bit of all was, I got his last rear decor panel that he had in stock (used one) for £40.

Nice, will try to sort some before and after pics when I fit it.

My recomendation. If you need to find some spares, or even book some work in, try Mabrad.

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There email is down ATM, as they have had to re-install the Office PC (I offered to help, and had a bash, but he didn't have his Win95 CD handy for the Winsock files), so phone or snailmail would be est to contact them.

But very reasonable, easy to talk to, and knows what he is doing.

Reply to
MeatballTurbo
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One simple and cheap way to repair a vacuum cannister is to just put a checkvalve in the line to it. Just get a spare one like on the PCV hose and install.

KeithG

MeatballTurbo wrote:

Reply to
KeithG

in article snipped-for-privacy@news.cis.dfn.de, MeatballTurbo at snipped-for-privacy@bouncing-czechs.com wrote on 08/09/2003 23:43:

That's weird. I've lived in West Yorkshire for the last ten years and I've only known about two classic/old Saab specialists - JG Motors (of Colne Bridge, Huddersfield) and Aeromotive (of Birstall, Batley).

I stumbled across Malbrad on Sunday on our way back from Meadowhall.

For some reason I cannot explain, I dived off the M1 at Barnsley and made the rest of the journey via Emley Moor mast (which I last saw up close and personal some twenty years ago) and onto Huddersfield, then home. The place was closed up, but I was going to check it out this week.

Glad to got the cannister sorted though. Both 900 turbos I've owned (and the three cannisters) have made slight quaking noises when firing up from an overnight rest. Once they are up to pressure (or rather down to pressure), they keep quiet if all is well. If you're not losing any vac (do you have a permanent gauge?) then the replacement is good.

Cheers,

Paul

Reply to
Paul Halliday

In article , snipped-for-privacy@earthlink.net spouted forth into alt.autos.saab...

The scrappies round our way are pretty short of 900's, and have very few early 9ks.

The Nearest Saab frachisee is Manchester or liverpool so 14/16 miles depending which direction I go. The nearest Indy is SaabKar in Liverpool who maintained and serviced the car for the previous owner, and I don't think I will be using them other than for parts, because the dump valve had been disabled, and the shift into 3rd was abysmal. they told him it mean't chnaging the whole shift rod (into the trans). I fitted at new detent spring at the shifter, and bingo, not fantastic as he had been playing hunt 3rd with it for so long, and the detent block was a little worn, but much better than it was.

So close to me I have Saabtec in Deryshire, Wheelton Garage who appear to have stopping althogether now, and stuck with classic bikes, one more in Manchester who I can't think of the name of, and then over to Hudderfield for Malbrad.

I'm happy with the cannister as it is now. It works. I can't hear the slight quack/moo which is better than it was before, so I can live with it.

Reply to
MeatballTurbo

In article , snipped-for-privacy@blueyonder.co.uk spouted forth into alt.autos.saab...

Just have the boost guage. Wish I had know a slight quack was normal, wouldn't have messed with the old one.

When I was having the "Problem" before, between here, Saabscene and Saabcentral was, push the cap on tighter, that will stop the can leaking, twist it as you push it goes down better, and very carefully open it and stretch the spring before you assemble it, but don't crack the lip seal.

I think I cracked the lip seal, or didn't get the parts seated properly when I re-assembled it, one or the other. Because it leaked like a pig after that.

Still, my vent controls are back, and now I get decent cold air where I want it.

Really just need to sort out cruise control now.

Reply to
MeatballTurbo

I've noticed that I get a slight quack when changing gear, and when braking at slow speeds.

The sound is definatley coming from the bottle cap/valve which is why I tried to repair/replace it.

Reply to
MeatballTurbo

in article snipped-for-privacy@news.cis.dfn.de, MeatballTurbo at snipped-for-privacy@bouncing-czechs.com wrote on 19/09/2003 12:19:

Now the weather's changed, mine is quacking again. I think it's normal. I've now got a permanently fixed vac/boost gauge and my vac is the same as it was before the recent quacking. I'm not worried - I don't think you should be. Mine only quacks at cold start though ... You must have the enhanced version in your car :)

Still, if we'd both known this a few months ago no doubt we'd've both left the damn things alone :)

Paul

1989 900 Turbo S
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Reply to
Paul Halliday

Yep. And now I'm considering what else to get sorted.

Been doing a bit of a Look arround.

In the manchester/Derbyshire/Liverpool area, I have Saabtec in Glossop, Allsab in Oldham, and Saabkar in Liverpool.

Saabkar used to maintain the car for the former owner, and I've seen some of the screwups they left (capped off dump valve connector etc) so I guess I won't be using them except for parts.

Allsaab are just a little closer than Saabtec, but Saabtec has a big name in the owners club, as the owner.

Malbrad look really cool, but it is a transpennine run to get to them.

Was thinking I'm looking at Suspension bushes front and rear (almost definatley) ball joints (probably) Shock top bushes (the ones in the enginebay), Mines look all squished and knackered. Possibly shocks. What ever work is needed to get the gearbox not popping out of first and second (and occasionally 3rd now), it has solid mounts, but the stick waggles arround a lot when flooring it and backing off.

Probably going to be pricey, but as long as the inner arch corrosion (already had welding on one side done) isn't a problem, I reckon I have a few years driving left in it, especially as it has only done 125k.

I need a new style tensioner fitted, but hopefully not a new chain. Belts look OK.

Reply to
MeatballTurbo

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