Saab 9-5 Buyers Guide

[goldngoose]

Some great info here Nordwolf cheers, and the contributors too.

[Jeremyvdv]

I'm new to Saab and just wondering if my 2005 Arc 2.3T would have the td04 turbo or did the Arc only have the garret?

[nordwulf]

The 2005 Arc 2.3T has the TD04 turbo. The Linear with the 2.3t engine has the Garrett turbo.

Welcome!

[Steno]

The Arc 2.3T engine with TD04 turbo is labeled B235L. I have often heard that the L engine should be similar to the B235R engine from the Aero. Obviously there is a different engine management system with about 30 horsepower less. Can you say if there are other technical differences, e.g. such as pistons and valves or other significant components?

[nordwulf]

As far as I know, the B235R has different valves and pistons. A bit more info here: http://saabworld.net/showthread.php?t=29628

[GeoffR]

An interesting guide. May I add a few suggestions?

Front sub-frame bushes have a life of around 100,000 miles and on a car over 90,000 it is worth checking if they have been replaced. It is worth replacing the anti-roll bar bushes at the same time for reasons of access.

Rear trailing arm bushes can wear and this results in accelerated wear on the insides of the rear tyres, if doing the front sub-frame bushes consider doing the trailing arms at the same time.

Exhaust hangers last well but can stretch they are easily replaced if you have access to the underside and they aren't expensive again worth looking at the 100,000 mile mark.

The Turbocharger heat shield, on the exhaust manifold, can come loose and cause some distressing noises, simply press it back on at the rivets, nothing else is necessary.

The park brake seems to settle with the lever quite high, this is normal and doesn't indicate worn shoes. The park brake on this model uses a separate drum brake, part of the rear disc/rotor with separate shoes so the two are, apart from the shared rotor hardware completely independent.

The exhaust back box, on the Aero, corrodes but this is only the outer skin it doesn't affect the serviceability of the box but doesn't look very nice, only visible from underneath.

9-3 wheels fit and, with normal tyres do not give problems. Normal is up to 235/45 R17, wider than that I can't comment, these were standard after 2006 but can be fitted to earlier cars.

9-5 DI Cassettes are much longer living than the 9000 ones and shouldn't need routine replacement.

Tighten the spark plugs with a torque wrench and there shouldn't be any problems with getting them out again.

Tighten the wheel bolts with a torque wrench and you won't have any problems with the locking bolts, many people now fit ordinary bolts because of problems with the locking bolts.

Replacing the front side/position lights is a pain. Easier on the Dame Edna than the earlier cars where removing the headlight assemblies makes access practical. People with very small hands may be able to refit the lamps without removing the headlights.

The 9000 used to suffer with coking of the throttle valve, this isn't common on the 9-5 but the valve can be cleaned without removal by disconnecting the inlet pipe. My last one, at 108,000 miles, was pretty clean.

The forward floor load space floor on the wagon is held in place by two spring clips one each side. Lifting this section will allow access to the cross member behind the seats. Look carefully and you may see areas where the paint is chaffed. This indicated that the floor is moving and there will be annoying rattles if this is happening. It is possible to install captive nuts in the cross member and bolt the floor down with good results.

Wiper arms are interchangeable between earlier cars and post 2006 DE cars allowing the newer blades to be used with some benefits in terms of clearing rain.

Auto dimming exterior mirror glasses are almost impossible to find and they are known to delaminate, evidenced by the mirror going dark at the edges. Standard heated glasses fit and work in every other respect.

[swisssaabist]

Geoff you've doing a good job, thanks for that, more we're aware of details more it's easier to choose next car. and yes lamp bulbs change is made for doing this by kids,chinese,or dwarfs. but be assuring the other car brands are sometimes worst. on certain Renault you need to take out all the front assembly for doing that.
and for myself the load space on my wagon is for hidden meat when i will cross the border. In Switzerland the meat is out of price like so many other things, so we goes to close France.
the Customs officers have so less jobs they have all the time for checking the crossing cars and doing their" jobs"... so dumb. they counting even the meat in stuff like industrial Bolognese sauce,!!

[southsaab]

The Arc 2.3T engine with TD04 turbo is labeled B235L. I have often heard that the L engine should be similar to the B235R engine from the Aero. Obviously there is a different engine management system with about 30 horsepower less. Can you say if there are other technical differences, e.g. such as pistons and valves or other significant components?

The B235L engine was only made for the 2004-2005 model years. Even though there is a HP difference with the B235R, there appears to be NO difference in the internal parts according to the EPC; research on other sites seems to confirm that. Both the B235L and
B235R used the same turbo, the TD-04. The B235L ARC model was filled a model gap due to the decision to drop the V-6 ARC model for 2004. Intertestingly, there are 3 different HP versions of the B235R engines depending on MY. The 2006-2009 Aero version had 260HP, the highest of the versions. Supposedly the B235L engine was a de-tuned version of the B235R, but I have not been able to confirm that. Why Saab/GM would do that, well, I have no idea.

[GeoffR]

The B235L engine was only made for the 2004-2005 model years. Even though there is a HP difference with the B235R, there appears to be NO difference in the internal parts according to the EPC; research on other sites seems to confirm that. Both the B235L and
B235R used the same turbo, the TD-04. The B235L ARC model was filled a model gap due to the decision to drop the V-6 ARC model for 2004. Intertestingly, there are 3 different HP versions of the B235R engines depending on MY. The 2006-2009 Aero version had 260HP, the highest of the versions. Supposedly the B235L engine was a de-tuned version of the B235R, but I have not been able to confirm that. Why Saab/GM would do that, well, I have no idea.

The 2.3 T ARC was a 220 BHP engine that sat between the 2.3 LPT and the Aero. Worth remembering that in 2005 the model designations were changed, in Europe at least, to Linear, Vector, Vector Sport and Aero. There was no ARC. These designations were then applied to the DE models. I have a set of original brochures at home and I will check the engine options for 2006 and onwards.

[linas]

Which turbo does 2006 Saab 2.0t (B205E) Linear have?