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SAAB 9-5 ECU upgrade

Hi, I am interested in the idea of installing a performance ECU in my

9-5 2.3 SE auto. The product I have got my eye on is the BSR Stage 1 ECU upgrade;

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The benefits are almost too good to be true. For the sake of an ECU swap, i.e. no engine work at all, I'd get a power increase from 170 to

234 bhp and a huge (up to 40%) torque lift right through the rev range.

There has to be a draw back - otherwise Saab would have built the car with one of these ECUs, or similar, in the first place! So what would the catch be? Fuel consumption? Engine life? Emissions?

Any info or other thoughts?

Reply to
Wheels of Error
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"Wheels of Error" skrev i melding news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com...

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Your car has to be in near mint condition for this. It has to have the highest quality oil, no errors registered on tech2, and brakes and suspension have to be 100% in shape. Most people don't take good care of their cars, so if the car is somewhat worn, wear will increase even faster with the higher power output. If the car is in perfect condition, it will cope just fine. I'd also check with the seller, and double check with the manufacturer, that this fits your gearbox. Autos are weak, and if you increase power too much, they will break. Stage 1 is usually maximum for the

2,0 liter autos, with the higher potential for power in the 2,3, you have to be very careful not to add too much torque when tuning.

Kristian

Reply to
Kristian Steve Jensen

Saab does build a car with a similar ECU. They call it the "9-5 Aero".

If Saab did it the catch would be a higher insurance cost, would scare away ordinary customers, would need more expensive brakes and wheels. By using basically the same engine with different software Saab can position the 9-5 models in more market segments.

Higher if you use the extra power, obviously. Lower, or unchanged, if you drive as before the new ECU.

Shouldn't be a problem. How the engine is treated (oil and filter change etc) is more important for engine life.

Shouldn't be different during normal driving. When you use the extra power you will use more fuel, i.e. more CO2, but it should be about the same as emissions from the 9-5 Aero.

My 9-5 1999 with 170hp engine has been running with BSR ECU software (230hp/400Nm) since early 2000 without any problems. The change in engine power is very noticeable.

Reply to
Goran Larsson

Why not post your questions on

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Reply to
david fisher

"Kristian Steve Jensen" skrev i en meddelelse news: snipped-for-privacy@uni-berlin.de...

Rubbish!

Cheers!

Reply to
Henrik B.

Some good points there about looking after car etc.. Although the 9-5 autobox is pretty robust, I've been using stage2 on a 2.3 for nearly 3 years, started off with BSR software, but really didn;t like it, and there are some scare stories about it from the US. Using maptun now, much better power delivery imho.

Reply to
murphwiz

"murphwiz" skrev i en meddelelse news:lCPed.77$ snipped-for-privacy@newsfe1-gui.ntli.net...

I'm also going for the the Maptun ECU. They have a very good rep. in Sweden. Som my '93 9000 CSET will go from the standard 200 Bhp, to 280 Bhp. ;o)

Cheers!

Reply to
Henrik B.

"Henrik B." skrev i melding news:417bcb14$0$303$ snipped-for-privacy@dread12.news.tele.dk...

With standard exhaust, air filter and cat?

Kristian

Reply to
Kristian Steve Jensen

"Kristian Steve Jensen" skrev i en meddelelse news: snipped-for-privacy@uni-berlin.de...

3" frontpipe to cat, sportscat (not racekat) and standard airfilter. On top of that, a standard Aero-turbo (Mitsu TD04-HL15) and a larger Intercooler (50 mm.) and a 3" inletpipe.

Cheers!

Reply to
Henrik B.

"Henrik B." skrev i melding news:417bfb91$0$65568$ snipped-for-privacy@dread15.news.tele.dk...

That's a step or two up from just changing the ECU if you ask me.

Kristian

Reply to
Kristian Steve Jensen

"Kristian Steve Jensen" skrev i en meddelelse news: snipped-for-privacy@uni-berlin.de...

I didn't say that I was only going to change the ECU, but that I was gonna go for a Maptun modded ECU. Besides, if I was only to upgrade the ECU, I could get +50 Bhp.

Reply to
Henrik B.

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