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  1. #1
    Saab Fan
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    27 Jun 2013
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    Saab(s)
    2003 Saab 9-5 2.3t Linear

    rough idle and nearly stalling

    I have a 2003 Saab 9-5 Linear 2.3t. I recently replaced the turbo because the last one went to hell. Prior to replacing it, the car smoked like crazy and had a super rough surging type idle with the tachometer jumping up and down and it would nearly stall out. I thought it was from the bad turbo but after replacing it (upgrade to the TD04HL-15t) the turbo seems to work great and very little smoke at initial start up but the car still runs really rough and surges bad and nearly stalls out at just idle in park. Check engine Light is on and has been for a while now but I was told the code thrown (don't remember) was not an issue and was cleared by a guy at AutoZone. I am mechanically able to work on most things that aren't too difficult but I don't know much about turbos and not sure what this could be. I wish I could get it to a place to have it scanned again or even looked at by a Saab mechanic. I am new to any foreign cars. I would imagine it would not be good to drive the car in this condition and I would be lucky to get it there; it runs very rough and would most likely stall on when putting it into gear etc.

  2. #2
    Saab Enthusiast Kazamario's Avatar
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    07 Jun 2013
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    Wausau, WI
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    Saab(s)
    2006 Saab 9-5, 2004 Saab 9-5 Aero; 2002 9-3 HOT Hatch
    Try to get that code. It helps a bunch! I just had idle issues but it was from my timing, not my turbo. Since I am running the Garrett, I have no experience troubleshooting a Mitsu turbo. Does anyone have any other, useful input?

    Edit: Did anyone adjust your timing by chance? That wouldn't explain the surging however. Almost sounds electrical.

  3. #3
    Saab Fan
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    Saab(s)
    2003 Saab 9-5 2.3t Linear
    After reading the codes with a cheaper Actron Pocket Scan, I had the codes P0456 and P1300 which apparently are Evaporation Emission leak such as a gas cap and a misfire code. I cleared them since it was the first time it had been scanned since installing the turbo and then started it and for the first 5-10 sec it ran normal then it seemed to run rougher and rougher and miss more and more. Also, the longer it ran the more white smoke continued to come out of the exhaust; started with no smoke and after running for about 30-40 sec the smoke was coming out good and filling up the pole barn fast. I tried to hold the rpms steady at 2000 but that was impossible, as soon as it got there it would hold steady for a few secondes then violently bob between 1000 and 2000 rpm. WhenI put it into gear they dropped low right away then went back to the strong surging but never stalled.

    The turbo was clearly a problem, the compressor wheel was just flopping around so is all this smoke just from the oil from the bad turbo? There was also white smoke coming out from under the heat shield under the hood but my first thought there was oil that might have fallen on the manifold.

    This is exactly how it was acting prior to the new turbo and like I said the old turbo was clearly bad.

  4. #4
    Frank
    Administrator nordwulf's Avatar
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    30 Jul 2010
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    7,901
    Saab(s)
    previous: 2006 9-3, 2001-06 9-5, 2011 9-4X
    Here are more details about the error codes:
    http://saabworld.net/attachments/f14...nk-purging.pdf
    http://saabworld.net/attachments/f14...om-misfire.pdf

    After you cleared the codes, did they return at all?

    Good to see another Saab owner in Northern Michigan. Welcome!

  5. #5
    Saab Fan
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    Saab(s)
    2003 Saab 9-5 2.3t Linear
    Quote Originally Posted by Frank Wulfers View Post
    Here are more details about the error codes:
    http://saabworld.net/attachments/f14...nk-purging.pdf
    http://saabworld.net/attachments/f14...om-misfire.pdf

    After you cleared the codes, did they return at all?

    Good to see another Saab owner in Northern Michigan. Welcome!
    I cleared the codes right after I had read them the first time and they have not yet returned, although I have not driven it anywhere. I have just started it up and let it run for about a min, put it in drive, pulled it forward, then reverse backed it up a couple feet. The car does not seem drivable at all to me.

    I'm not exactly following these diagnostic PDF files. They're confusing and I'm not really sure what to do next.

    Frank Wulfers, thanks for the help. I'd like to be able to do the repair myself to save some bucks and get my car going because I dont have too much to spend on this project. If it came down to it and I had to take it somewhere in TC or nearby area, do you know of any Saab mechanics that could do this?
    Thanks

  6. #6
    Frank
    Administrator nordwulf's Avatar
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    previous: 2006 9-3, 2001-06 9-5, 2011 9-4X
    I don't know any Saab mechanics in TC unfortunately. Perhaps there is a European repair place somewhere. I know there is one in Petoskey but that's quite far.

  7. #7
    Saab Fan
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    Saab(s)
    2003 Saab 9-5 2.3t Linear
    How can I better understand those PDFs so that I can go through and diagnos every possible issue so I can at least have a drivable car to get to work? They just didnt seem to make much sense to me

    the only that gets me here is that it runs exaclty like it did before I got a new turbo but the turbo was completely gone and it is still in no way drivable. I could probably limp it to the end of the driveway but thats about it. Should I try to clear things up by driving it the best I can, or will that be too big of a risk of causing more damage? (possibly to the cat since I have that P1300 code)

  8. #8
    Saab Enthusiast Kazamario's Avatar
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    Saab(s)
    2006 Saab 9-5, 2004 Saab 9-5 Aero; 2002 9-3 HOT Hatch
    I have read somewhere that you have to get your ECU reprogrammed if you upgrade the turbo (Garrett to Mitsu). Makes sense - have you had this done? That might be half of your grief.
    As far as the smoking, are you missing ANY copper washers (bad terminology) on your lines into/out of the turbo?

  9. #9
    Saab Fan
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    Saab(s)
    2003 Saab 9-5 2.3t Linear
    Quote Originally Posted by Kazamario View Post
    I have read somewhere that you have to get your ECU reprogrammed if you upgrade the turbo (Garrett to Mitsu). Makes sense - have you had this done? That might be half of your grief.
    As far as the smoking, are you missing ANY copper washers (bad terminology) on your lines into/out of the turbo?
    I have read about the swap at many different sites and forums and from the sound of it, the Mitsu turbo works just fine with the less advanced tuning, but the tuning can get the better potential out of the faster turbo. AND since its doing the same thing it was doing prior to the swap when it had the Garrett turbo so I find it hard to beleive that its the tuning. I will eventually have it re-tuned but that will depend on what the problem is and how expensive it is to repair. It may not be worth it.

    As for the copper crush washers, to my knowledge if any of them were leaking they would just be leaking outside of the turbo and not leaking into it creating smoke. The washers are meant to retain the fluid in the lines.

  10. #10
    Saab Enthusiast Kazamario's Avatar
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    Wausau, WI
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    Saab(s)
    2006 Saab 9-5, 2004 Saab 9-5 Aero; 2002 9-3 HOT Hatch
    Glad you did your homework! Just trying to help. Happy 4th to you and yours _

 

 

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