Hejsan (Swedish for Howdy), new SAAB'ist from PDX, with my 1st 30 day story.

[IkeA]

Here is my short ownership story:

30 years ago when moving from Sweden, I promised myself not to buy a European car in North America.
Finally done didit! A month ago I bought a used 2000 SAAB 9-5 2.3T Automatic (120k Miles) with some problems but price was right!
Negotiated enough room on buy price to allow for serious fixing! BTW never go and buy a vehicle without a OBD2 reader!!!
Because of the OBD2 reader I managed to get seller to drop the already low price with an additional 25%.

Browsing all SAAB knowledge on the web indicated that DIY SAAB'ists have fixed almost every issue with these cars and can provide help where a shop manual is lacking. Despite this knowledge I bought the WIS CD on ebay to get detailed instructions on shop procedures.

Driving it home I noticed it was using 1Qt (~1L) of oil for every 50 miles! Oil all over the back of engine.
Checked compression: #1@170PSI, 2,3,4@~190PSI.. Not enough variation to suspect bad rings...

OBD2 shows code for random misfire. DIC must be failing? Pulled plugs. Fouled and oily. New plugs last two days and same code! Found a known good DIC on CraigsList. No difference! (Now I have a spare DIC)

Checked all PCV vacuum tubes and chk valves. Two open chk valves!
Replaced valves with nice big aluminum chk valves and silicone tubes from www.frozenboost.com. No change!

Replaced oil pressure switch behind starter. Not leaking! (Now I have a spare oil pressure switch).

Stalls on idle. Clean throttle body. No difference. Found a good TB on Craigslist. No difference. (Now I have a spare TB).

Checked for sludge by removing valve cover and fitting new seals. New head bolts. No sludge! Oil pan below looks like it has had a sludge cleanup (fresh RTV). Head looks like it has been cleaned and milled!

Decided to degrease and pressure wash engine. With no oil on engine, started engine and ran it hot, ~5min. Crawled under and oil is running on back of engine. Oil dripping from above manifold! Oil in throttle body (1/2 cup!), snorkel, bypass valve, in hose from intercooler! No visible oil on intake side of turbo? Turbo seals must be blown! Ordered an ebay turbo and installed it. New turbo sounds nice!

OIL EVERYWHERE AGAIN! (BTW now I have a spare turbo).
Disassembled PCV hoses on back of engine and discovered both hoses to PCV container miss routed, kinked, pinched and running uphill!!!
New hoses in place and no more oil on or through engine!

New code! When driven in "D" the transmission forgets to down shift! All driving is in 3rd or 4th gear! Now I have to fix the Neutral Safety Switch!!!
Rear, LH and Front Engine/Transmission mounts have separated from the rubber due to all the oil!
Dash is suddenly blowing hot on one side and cold on the other! Something broken under dash???
On potholes/bumps, the rear end lurches violently to the left. RH rear shock absorber is leaking!

This never ends!

If I get stumped I'll post on the 9-5 section for help or fixes.

Observation:
With the oil leaking to the turbo like the BP well in the Gulf of Mexico and occasional "nuclear" blasts of blue smoke, all Mercs, Beemers and other high end imports left lots of room behind this stinky Viking!
With the oil burning problem fixed, I suddenly noticed that fancy cars were following me closer...

[Gepe]

WOW - (and welcome!)
What a list of jobs you have managed to get through - more than I EVER had to deal with my MGB-GT. When that thing needed repair you went to the village blacksmith.
Hope the end of the tunnel is in sight I am sure it will all have been worthwhile.
TTFN

[IkeA]

Thanks for the WOW and welcome!

Update:
Last weekend (Friday PM)I decided to clean the "Belly" of my SAAB to get rid of the oil drips going to dot my driveway.
Sprayed the warm Engine/Transmission top and bottom with degreaser, as well as the subframe from front to back to just in front of the back seat. After a few minutes I used my pressure washer to spray (Front to Back, B2F, L2R & R2L) all the oil and gunk off the car. Looks AMAZING!

Since the car feels like a little dinghy in a choppy sea when using cruise control and grinds and moans when backing up, I decided to change the front transmission mount, the rear engine mount and the LH engine mount. With a clean engine and undercarriage it was a joy to work under the car! No more funky CC driving since the solid rear engine mount now prevents the engine from trying a somersault in the engine bay every time the throttle is backing off.

I also noticed that the Neutral Safety Switch has been subject to the standard cleaning since the rivets have been replaced with bolts and nuts. I guess a trip to the wreckers is in order to find a untouched replacement that I can clean myself.

When driving with the new engine mounts I noticed the rear seat passengers acting like "Bobble Head" figures at every speed bump. Used, complete rear struts ordered on Ebay, to be refitted with new shocks and installed this weekend! Front struts must be of same vintage and need replacement soon.

The heater/cooler thing has to be investigated since the LH side sometimes blows perfect cold and sometimes makes the driver feel like in a proper Sauna...

The shifter curtain/jalousie needs to be fixed as well as the broken wood grain plastic that the previous owner broke, looking for the two hidden screws in the small box.
Straight forward garage mechanics this far. Made easy by all the trailblazers having worked out the path ahead of me on these forums and tutorials.
I'll post questions or comments in the 9-5 group if I get stumped or have any input.

Just like the Swedes say: "Reparationerna är lagom svåra om man äger en skiftnyckel!"
Translated: "These repairs are just difficult enough if you own a crescent wrench!"

IkeA

[pkbeatty]

... LOL... Wait, is it ok if we find humor in this, or are we going to get a wrench thrown at us from underneath your 9-5?
��

Good luck with the hunt, I'll be posting questions soon enough as I want a 2.3T Sport. Thanks in advance.��

[IkeA]

OK here is a follow-up on my SAAB story.

Thanks for reading this SAAD SAAB story.
Yes it's OK to laugh at a SAAB'ist as long as you are in the same boat!
We all have to MacGyver our cars since GM pulled the plug on the ICU machines.
Duct tape and Chicken Wire will be our preferred tool sets.

Local Pick-N-Pull had a half off sale on all pulled parts this Labor Day weekend (Aug 29 - Sept 1)!
Was time for SAAB parts stock up! They had three 9-5 99-02's to pillage.

I went to town on them and pulled the Neutral Safety Switch off every one.
Problem was that none of them looked like the one in my SAAB. I decided to keep the best looking one and left the other two under the hoods of nearby Volvo's
I also scavenged the rubber covered hard plastic vacuum tubing parts from the cleanest looking wreck.
I now have:
3 used Bosch Turbo Bypass Valves
3 used Boost Control Valves
2 Secondary Air Valves
2 Vacuum Valves
2 Clean looking Throttle Bodies
2 Clean looking MAF Sensors with in&out hoses
1 Turbo Inlet Tube
1 Set of Head Light Wipers (LH+RH)
1 Spare Shifter Curtain (Installed one)
Total cost ~US$120

I don't think the recovered Neutral Safety Switch will work in my SAAB! Gotta check a couple other wreckers and if no luck, get a new one from eEuroparts.
In the mean time I have informed my wife that she has to drive the SAAB like a standard transmission car.
IE: Use the automatic shifter stick like a Hurst speed shifter. Incredibly, she feels sporty driving it this way!
I installed new (Chinese) 55W HID bulb systems on Low (5k Kelvin) and Hi (6k Kelvin) beam. What an improvement! She can see clearly now....

As of now the car runs clean and reliably.
The rear shock absorbers are still on the 2DO list. Might do the fronts as well.
Might need some studded winter tires on rims. (Calls for CraigsList surfing or a trip to wreckers for wheels).
Looked into Audi wheels (Wobble bolts would work) except the center locator diameters don't match and cost of having them machined to fit negates the benefit.
Might as well pay the premium for SAAB rims.
An annoying "Clunk" from the front end when turning hard Left needs investigation, could be a bushing or possibly a sticking CV joint.
The occasional growling sound from the engine bay when reversing needs to be looked into.
I have to wait for the fall rains to get motivated!

All input and comments are appreciated.

[Gepe]

Did you take a trailer for all these parts?
At least you have the chance to buy s/h some of us have to buy NEW (not to date though!)
Hope the rains don't last that long - but at least it's not SNOW.
Happy fixing and cleaning.
TTFN

[IkeA]

Thanks for the well-wishes. I do need them.

The most pressing problem was the malfunctioning NSS that caused me to teach my wife to learn to use the Torque BT app that I installed on her phone!
She had to reset the fault code several times a day before I finally got the NSS that I had ordered. Rain days caused more faults than dry days?
In the mean time I took apart the salvage yard NSS and cleaned it In- and Out-side, used De-Oxit/CRC on the contact surfaces and stretched the mini springs a bit.
Applied new Di-Electric Grease liberally and re-assembled. Looks decent!
As I got the new NSS, I thought I'd try if the salvage yard unit would let me start the car. Lo-and-behold! It worked like a charm.
Next one I do I'll cram full of Di-Electric grease, so water and grease will always be the minority!
The new NSS works fine. Less that 1 hr to complete the job, including the test of the rebuilt unit .
As I started the car I heard the car running as if one cylinder is not firing. Viewed CEL codes and find "Missfire on Cyl 4"!!!
Asked wife when that sound happened, "A day ago..."

Check compression, #1-3 @190 to 200PSI, #4 @25 PSI @#$%!!!! Rings? Head gasket? Valves? Hole in Piston?
Hole in Piston? => No! (Poured oil in cylinder, and cranked. Oil stays in cylinder=No hole. Turned engine and read compression gage, no difference in compression=Rings are OK).
Head Gasket? => No! (Coolant level and color looks fine and no smell of coolant in cylinder and no smell of oil in coolant).
Burned Valve or seat? => Probably, since using my compressor and a sparkplug adapter I tried to put 140 PSI in #4 cylinder and did not build any pressure, blows right out! Both at BDC (Valves Closed) and TDC (Valves Closed)!

Head Job next week! @#$%&!!!
Have to find a shop that does the valve seats and honing, probably replacing all valves and possibly seats, or find a head at wreckers...

Still need to do the shocks!
Before I know it I'll have the Cadillac that Johnny Cash sang about "one Piece at a time", his last #1 on Billboard's Hot Country Singles! Except I'll have a Saabaduck!
A "'49–'70 Cadillac" Built for Johnny Cash : Lara Neel : Motorbooks


More to come.....

[Gepe]

Hope you can get the same colours!
Moe progress than at the SAAB factory.
TTFN

[nordwulf]

That's quite a project you're working on. Hopefully, there is some time left to be able to actually drive the car and enjoy it. Entertaining story, hopefully it will have a good ending.