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cold issues, and maybe rumbling?

Hi folks,

My beloved c900 (1992) has been running quite well despite the frigid eastern U.S. winter, but it does behave a bit oddly when starting after sitting for a day or two in < 20F (-5C) weather. I'm not sure if this stuff is normal, or if it is maybe a symptom of actual problems:

  1. starter noise

My car has had a bit of trouble with the starter dragging slightly (just for a second) after the engine catches, for a couple years, and it hasn't caused any problems. But in the cold lately the noise upon cranking has been of the awful grinding sort, followed by the "normal" dragging. No trouble actually starting though. Is it normal for a starter to sound terrible when it's cold?

  1. whining

After starting in extremely cold conditions, especially after sitting for more than 24 hours, there is a rather disturbing whining noise which varies with engine speed, and which goes away when the engine gets warm. I was thinking maybe some belt-driven accessory.. PS pump maybe?

  1. rumbling

(maybe not cold-related)

The other day when driving at highway speeds, I noticed a vibration (not really audible), which I would describe as feeling as if I were driving over hundreds of small, closely-spaced imperfections in the road. Except this was a smooth road. Observations:

o Occurs only (or mostly?) when foot is on the gas.

o Occurs in different gears.

o Does not go away when car is warm.

o Occurs more often when wheels are turned, maybe.

This is a very subtle thing-- most (less paranoid) people might not notice it, and I didn't even believe it myself until I got someone else in the car to confirm it for me.

Things I'm thinking: engine mounts (though I have no trouble shifting)? Related to afore-mentioned power steering observations? The tires/wheels look to be in good shape, and properly inflated.

I'd love to hear what you all have to say about this stuff. Including whether I'm too paranoid for my own good :)

Thanks,

John

ps-- out of curiosity-- has anyone ever put a LSD in a c900?

Reply to
John B
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Your starter solenoid which engages the starter gear is getting weak, and the cold temperatures exacerbate the problem by adding friction in the form of cold lubricant. You should not let it grind too much as it will wear down the gear on the engine that the starter fits into which is much much much harder to replace than your starter. Unfortunately the engineers at Saab made removing the starter from the 900 nearly friggin' impossible for the average shade-tree mechanic. Good luck.

Could be lots of things, wouldn't worry about it unless there are other symptoms. Try starting the car with the hood open and see if you can pinpoint where the sound is coming from. BTW, is the engine a Turbo

Have all four wheels balanced and tie-rods and ball joints checked for play if you have not done so. A common maintenance issue for higher-mileage

900's is replacement of the inner drivers. Symptoms are usually rumbling or shuddering when the car is under load while turning. So find a steep hill with a curve and test it out... The inner drivers are cup-shaped deals that your wheel driveshafts fit into on the engine side, it's not that huge an undertaking for a (competent Saab-savvy) mechanic to replace.
Reply to
Dave

Thanks for the reply. I guess I'll take a shot at replacing the starter solenoid when it gets warm out.

This car is not a turbo, btw.

And I'll keep the inner drivers in mind as a possible culprit. I take it you don't think it's an engine mount problem.

John

Reply to
John B

Ok, should I replace the whole starter, or can I just replace the solenoid?

Upon further observation, I think that it is indeed most noticable when turning (especially to the left). If it is the inner drive shafts, are they likely to fail suddenly, or can I live with this for another thousand miles?

Thanks,

John

Reply to
John B

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