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  1. #1
    Saab Enthusiast
    Join Date
    30 Jan 2017
    Location
    Trumbull, CT
    Posts
    117
    Saab(s)
    2007 9-5 2.3t

    Oil Leak/battery discharge/serpentine belt jumped

    Well my fellow Saabists I am in need of your thorough knowledge of the vehicle we love. I have an 07 9-5 2.3t which has a little over 153K miles on it. I have always had a small oil leak, but never too bad between changes. I checked the oil Monday and it was at the bottom of the dipstick. So i added a small amount to about 3/4 of the acceptable range. I also removed the radio to retrieve a CD that got stuck when the CD player crapped out. Didn't use it until Wednesday to drive about 15 miles to work. Drove in with no apparent problems. At the end of the day, i went to go home and the battery was dead. I opened the door and no lights came on and the engine didn't even turn. So I hooked up a battery charger from work and charged the battery enough to use the start feature on the charger figuring it would charge a little on the way home and I could put a charger on it overnight and investigate. I thought maybe I had done something in removing the radio that caused a drain.<br><br>I got about half way home when it felt like I was losing power steering and then I heard a thud and immediately my battery light came on and definitely no power steering; the serpentine belt jump off the pulleys. I limped down the road to a parking lot and got a ride home. At this time I thought maybe one of the pulley wheels froze, maybe the alternator. This morning I went back to have the car towed home and the flatbed operator noticed something was leaking under the car. He dipped his finger in the fluid and it was motor oil. When the car was on the flat bed, I found a pool of about half a cup of oil along the inside of the passenger side tire. I've never seen that much oil leak out before. Now I realized I have a bigger problem than I thought. Once home, I popped the hood and ran my hand along the inside of the belt and sure enough it was coated with oil. I haven't fully checked yet, but I do not believe the belt broke. It was replaced about 20k miles ago. I am guessing that the oil leak sprayed the belt and it slipped off the pulleys.<br><br>I am not looking forward to taking things apart in 30 degree weather, but I would like to know what areas you might think I should look at for a leak. Is there a seal in this area? Is there a common leak in this area? Is it possible that the leak was causing the belt to slip and the alternator was not fully charging the battery or should I be concerned with another electrical issue on the discharging of the battery? Your thoughts are greatly appreciated.&nbsp;

  2. #2
    Saab Addict
    Join Date
    10 Apr 2017
    Location
    Denham, England
    Posts
    541
    Saab(s)
    2011 2.0 9-5 Aero
    I don't like to say this but I think you are going to need a local expert, it is really nearly impossible to do a diagnosis at a distance.

  3. #3
    Saab Enthusiast
    Join Date
    30 Jan 2017
    Location
    Trumbull, CT
    Posts
    117
    Saab(s)
    2007 9-5 2.3t
    Geoff I understand your point, but that's probably not going to happen. Too expensive to do that. I guess I'll start with recharging the battery and seeing it there is a current draw on it. After searching the forum and net a little I found a few areas to look such as the the oil pressure sending unit, the timing cover, and various seals. I'll also have to check the pulleys for the belt and the alternator and A/C. I was just hoping that someone might have a bit more insight.

  4. #4
    Saab Addict
    Join Date
    10 Apr 2017
    Location
    Denham, England
    Posts
    541
    Saab(s)
    2011 2.0 9-5 Aero
    Quote Originally Posted by MikeB63 View Post
    Geoff I understand your point, but that's probably not going to happen. Too expensive to do that. I guess I'll start with recharging the battery and seeing it there is a current draw on it. After searching the forum and net a little I found a few areas to look such as the the oil pressure sending unit, the timing cover, and various seals. I'll also have to check the pulleys for the belt and the alternator and A/C. I was just hoping that someone might have a bit more insight.
    The oil pressure switch is on the back of the engine above the exhaust, nowhere near the polyvee belt. The timing cover is a distinct possibility.

  5. #5
    Saab Enthusiast
    Join Date
    30 Jan 2017
    Location
    Trumbull, CT
    Posts
    117
    Saab(s)
    2007 9-5 2.3t
    Well I took things apart today. Looks like the oil leak is in the lower section as the top of the engine is fairly clean.
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    There seems to be some spray around the tensioner, but it's not soaked. The alternator is coated with grime and oil. The main crankshaft wheel and water pump wheel were dripping with oil and the belt was coated.
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    My guess is that the leak is at the crankshaft seal and the wheel is throwing all oil over the bottom of the engine. Maybe it just got worse and the battery was a coincidence.

  6. #6
    Saab Addict
    Join Date
    10 Apr 2017
    Location
    Denham, England
    Posts
    541
    Saab(s)
    2011 2.0 9-5 Aero
    If it is the crankshaft oil seal it is comprehensively blown. I was actually thinking that was what it was from the photographs.

 

 

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