SAAB 99 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 1967-1980

Thanks to Bruce Rowe for contributing to this FAQ!

I recently did a conversion R12 to R134a on a Classis 900 Saab. I replaced the receiver dryer unit to no avail. From this web site I checked the expansion valve. The hose from the receiver-dryer to the expansion valve was plugged with particles from the old receiver dryer. I cleared this hose with compressed air, and had success. The hose connection to the expansion valve on my car had a small cone shaped screen filter that blocked the expansion valve from the contaminant.

The low side port is on the largest line and the high side port is on the smallest line. Typically the high side line is the smaller of the two lines and has the highest pressure running through it.

The amount of freon needed in a Saab AC system is from 2.5lbs to 3.0lbs of freon to properly fill the system. When filling you can watch the site glass on the receiver drier or expansion valve to figure out when you have put in enough freon. Once the site glass goes from milky to clear then the system is full.

Several things can cause your AC fuse to blow when turning on the Air conditioning. The most likely cause of a Blown AC fuse is a frozen or burned up AC Compressor clutch. When this occurs the heat from the burned up compressor clutch often causes the compressor bearing to seize up and burn the AC belt off. Compressor replacement is the only repair!

AC lines problems occur on any car with AC. It is primarily a weak spot in every AC system. Typically what occurs is that the lines begin to leak where the aluminum part of the lines run into the rubber line. If you grab the junction with your hand you can sometimes twist the two parts. This is a good indication that there the line crimp has let loose and the line needs to be replaced.

NOTE: If the line is leaking at the crimp you will often see a gummy substance where the leak exist.

The Alarm remote communicates with a control module located under the drivers front seat. The range is typically around 25 feet depending on the type of transmitter that you have. The left button is used to arm or disarm the car. The right button is used to lock or unlock the trunk.

The battery life is about 3 years under normal use. Use the distance at which the remote functions to determine the battery strength. On the newer cars the SID unit will read "REPLACE KEY BATTERY" when the battery warning is activated by the remote. To replace the batteries simply push off the back housing by pressing downwards. On the newer remotes you may have to insert a small pin on the side of the remote housing to release the cover or remove screws on the back side of the remote. Remove the batteries and replace them. Most newer remotes are powered by a 3V lithium battey. You can buy them at radio shack. After the batteries have been changed you must press the remote 5 times in a row to re-activate the remote.

NOTE: If the remote is being replaced by a new one you will have to marry it to alarm unit by going to your local dealer and having them program it to the alarm module allready in the car.

Outer CV joint failures & inner driver failures are quite common on the Saab 9000 cars and there are companies out there that sell rebuilt complete axles assemblies that end up being a little cheaper than buying the outer joint & inner driver components separately. Saabs are specifically designed to have axles that weigh a certain amount & they should be certain lengths for balance reasons and most rebuilt axles are done without taking this into consideration. We have seen issues with these rebuilt axles flying out of the inner driver causing transmissions to get torn up as well as other severe damage.

Generally, A roaring noise during belt rotation (without the A/C on) will often be caused by an idler pulley bearing going bad. There are occasions where Alternator bearings will also create a roaring noise during belt rotation. In-order to diagnose either of these problems simply remove the belt and rotate each of the pulleys by hand. The pulley failure will make itself apparent by noting that the noise begins when rotating the faulty pulley. These pulley failures are very common on the 900, 93 & 95 cars. Keep a close eye on those pulleys because they will cause major engine damage if the car is driven after the belt comes off. The engine will begin to overheat instantly.

BELT REMOVAL SHOULD BE BY AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY! PHYSICAL INJURY CAN OCCUR!

Brake Booster failures can often be identified by noting that you hear a slight air leakage inside the vehicle that seems to change tone when applying the brakes. When the brake booster fails you will often note that the brake pedal feels hard and more force is Needed to stop the vehicle. Brake booster replacement is the repair!

Almost all cars have steel brake lines until they reach the moving portions of the wheels. Once the metal line reaches the wheel something has to flex which is generally rubber type line that connects to the caliper. What generally occurs is that the inside diameter of the Rubber brake line swells after many years of being subjected to different brake fluids etc... You then press the brake pedal and the fluid is forced from the master to the wheels but because the line is swollen internally the fluid can only move one direction causing the brakes to stick. Replacing the rubber flexible lines will generally cure these type brake problems.

Brake Master cylinder failures can often be diagnosed by noting that when sitting at a stop sign or stop light with your foot on the brake pedal that the pedal seems to continue to move toward the floor very slowly. The rubber seals in the master cylinder tend to wear around the edges causing leaking past the seals. Replacement of the master cylinder or using a rebuild kit to rebuild the cylinder is the repair!

A Vibration when applying the brakes on the 9000 series can often be attributed to warped Rotors. Warped rotors can have several attributing Factors. For example, Over tightened lug nuts can cause rotors to be in a bind therefore leading to warpage during one of the next heating and cooling cycles. However, this is not say that this is the leading factor. Rotors tend to warp in general simply because of the number of times they heat up and cool during a year. When you stop suddenly or brake hard the rotors heat up and then cool back down.

Saab does not recommend turning rotors because the majority of time after turning them they are below Saabs recommended minimum thickness. The recommended minimum thickness is generally stamped on the rotors! This is not to say that Saab rotor cannot be turned. They can be turned one time but will generally warp within one year because of how thin they become!

One of two reasons. Reason 1 - The pads that were used are an inferior grade pad. Usually, an inferior grade pad will make its presence known by noting a very high pitch squeal when applying the brakes. Reason 2 - The brake pads that were used are hard use pads which contain a type of material which will cause this noise to occur. It does not mean that there is a serious problem. It simply means that it is the type of materials contained within the brake pad. Only cure - replace the pads! Hard use pads will generally not cause damage to the rotors but the noise can be somewhat consistent!

NOTE: We have also noticed that brake scrubbing sound could come from a worn wheel bearings. Although the sound is different it does sound close enough that one could confuse the two.

It is not uncommon to have a mushy brake pedal after doing a brake job. What typically occurs is that the air gets trapped in the lines during the piston push-back process. In most cases this mushy feel will go away with time but in extreme cases you may have to bleed the brake calipers at each wheel to get the air out.

NOTE: Most brake jobs require a break-in period after doing a brake job which will allow the need pads to seat to the new (or old) rotors. This can take from one week to two weeks.

Pulling left or right can be caused by numerous issues which include: Sticking brake calipers, faulty brakes hoses (that are swollen from within) and faulty brake master cylinders. In most cases it is caused by a sticking brake caliper. Depending on the application some calipers can be rebuilt and in other cases the faulty caliper must be replaced. If your vehicle is equipped with ABS brakes you may find that the valve body in the ABS system is malfunctioning or a proportioning valve is bad.
NOTE: ABS brakes are under VERY HIGH PRESSURE and should only be worked on by those who are properly trained!

Thanks to Richard K for contributing to this FAQ!

Recently, I broke off the bolt to the thermostat housing unit and triedvarious things getting it out including bolt extractors(two types) to no avail. So I asked an old mechanic (73 years old) what should I do to get it out and he said "Get yourself a small propane torch and heat that bolt forabout 5 minutes until it's good and hot, until it turns red-hot. Then get a good pair of vase-grip pliers and clamp it on that bolt and turn it back and forth (clockwise and counter-clockwise) and I guareenty you that that bolt will come out". I did exactly what he suggested and after about 10-15 minutes I had it out. You can also drill it out and use an easy-out to get it out as well.

If your Saab stalls and then will not restart, then you should take a look at the timing chain to be sure it is not broken. When the timing chain breaks then engine will usually spin over by the starter but will not "start". When the chain is broken the engine will turn over faster (and sounds different) because the valves were likely bent during the break. The only cure to this situation is to remove the head and proceed with the dis-assembly of the engine ro repair the broken chain. In most cases the chain breaks due to a guide being broken or a problem with the teeth on the gears not being capable of holding the chain any longer

Continuous injection Saab 900 and Saab 99 cars have fuel lines that run from the fuel distributor to the injectors at each runner on the intake manifold. The way to test the Duty cycle or the CO mixture (oxygen content in the fuel) is to use an analog meter (one with a needle) to view the reading. The needle should toggle back and forth in about the middle of the gauge when the CO setting is correct. The actual CO setting can be adjusted by using a long Allen wrench and inserting it into the small hole between the black rubber bellows and the end of the fuel distributor. If the CO setting has never been adjusted you may have to pop out the small dowel in the hole before being able to access the CO setting screw. By turning the small Allen clockwise or counter clockwise you are effectively changing the upper and lower chamber pressure in the fuel distributor causing more or less fuel to go to the injectors during idle.
READ THIS: It is very common on the CIS cars that have sat around for a while to not start due to a sticking plunger in the fuel distributor. In many cases the car will not crank at all until you remove the fuel distributor and pull the stuck piston out of the bottom, rub it down with WD40 or Vaseline and put it back in the fuel distributor hole and make sure the plunger moves up and down freely. This issue is usually caused by the fuel evaporating leaving a gunk type substance on the plunger hole and on the plunger which will not allow the plunger to move up and down correctly. The plunger has grooves in several locations along its length which are repositioned according to movement of the air plate which is pulled and release by the suction of the valve and piston movement. The more demand and suction applied to the air plate the more the piston is dropped down out of the hole of the fuel distributor which in turn allows more fuel to be distributed to the fuel injectors.
VERY IMPORTANT: The fuel lines that run from the fuel distributor ARE DISCONTINUED BY SAAB and can no longer be purchased period. Some people go to local hydraulic line companies to get them repaired but the success rate is low. Be careful with the lines because they become brittle

Many cars that are equipped with CIS fuel system will not start after they have been sitting for a while. The most likely cause of this problem is a stuck fuel distributor piston. You can remove the piston from the bottom of the fuel distributor, clean it in gasoline and reinstall it. In most cases this will correct the problem and restore the system to working condition but in some cases the Fuel distributor must be replaced.

The easiest way to bleed the clutch is to use a pressure bleeder. You apply pressure to the reservoir with air and loosen the nut on the line to the master first. Second, make sure solid fluid with no air comes out of the line. Third, tighten the line back down at the master cylinder while the fluid is still coming out. Follow the same procedure to bleed the slave as well.

The Saab clutch is hydraulically operated and self-adjusting. The unit compresses a helper spring, master cylinder, connection pipe and slave cylinder. The master cylinder is fitted in the bulkhead and connected to the clutch pedal by a piston rod. The slave cylinder is an integrated unit fitted in the clutch body that compresses the cylinder housing, divided piston and release bearing. The slave cylinder cannot be taken apart (93 only). The pressure from the master cylinder passes to the seal, which then presses the piston and release bearing against the pressure plate. A spring fitted between the cylinder housing and the release bearing ensures that the release bearing is always in contact with the pressure plate, reducing the play in the clutch pedal. To prevent dirt from entering parts of the piston and seals, there is a rubber below fitted between the cylinder and the release bearing. A hydraulic line with snap-on couplings at both ends connects the master cylinder and slave cylinder damping pipe (to prevent pedal vibration).

Noise coming from the clutch area can most often be attributed to a faulty throwout bearing. When the bearing wears it is common for it to make noise especially during start conditions. Once the bearing itself warms up the noise will typically go away. In most cases this noise could last for years but should be addressed at some point by replacing the throwout bearing.

NOTE: One other area of squealing during cold start is a faulty starter drive. The bendix in the starter is the part of the starter that triggers into the flywheel itself during starter to flywheel engagement.

In-Order to remove the clutch in a 900 or 99 car, the pressure plate spline must be compressed fully to achieve the correct clearance that will allow for pressure plate, slave & disc removal. The Factory Saab tool is a circular metal spring that is about 1/4 inch in height & is designed is to be installed in the edge of where the spline on the pressure plate and the pressure plate housing meet (when the pressure plate is compressed) With the slave working you can have someone press the clutch in and while the clutch is in you can install the circular metal spring around the rim of the pressure plate. For removal and replacement with a new clutch kit including slave this works fine but we really recommend using the Saab tool during the install so you don't overextend the new slave and have to replace it again. Once you over extend the slave you can score the end and it will have to be replaced again. Some people get by with this but slaves are not designed to be extended far enough to pull OUT the ring. They extend just to the outer edges of its capability which teters on the edge of blowout if attempting to remove the ring during the install.

Click here for a photo example and complete clutch removal instructions!

Once the person lets their foot off the clutch, the spline of the pressure plate will stay in when the tool has been installed. There are numerous schools of thought regarding alternative things to use when the tool is not available. A thick 5 gallon bucket handle, Sparkplug wire, a hood latch cable, 4 AWG electrical wire, basically anything with a 1/4 inch diameter that can be made into a circle can be used but you want to be careful that you use something that will compress the spline enough to get full clearance. If not, the clutch assembly will not come out as smoothly. When the hydraulic slave fails, you simply have no way of compressing the spline. There are numerous ways to compress the spline of a clutch pressure plate when the slave fails but none are easy. There is a long handled tool that Saab specifically designed to pry on the back of the throw out bearing to accommodate such an occurrence (but the average consumer does not have this). One way that I thought was very creative was: manually pushing each spline in with a screwdriver and installing pennies between that spline and the pressure plate housing until you work your way around the entire pressure plate. Another way is to remove 5 (and loosen the others but not all the way) of the pressure plate bolts and pry the right side of the pressure plate back against the slave and install the wire on the compressed side. Then, reinstall the compressed side 5 bolts and remove the opposite bolts and the repeat the procedure above until the spring is completely installed.

The typical Saab cooling system holds about 1 gallon of antifreeze mixed with distilled water 50/50. This is a general rule and may be slightly different depending on the year vehicle you are servicing.

There are several common cruise control failures on Saabs. The pedal switch failures are the most common problem. What generally occurs is that the pedal switches become mis-adjusted or the ears get broken off the switches causing a no contact condition. Another common problem is that the cruise vacuum hose leading from the vacuum pump under the false bulkhead begins to crack where the vacuum fitting is located at the firewall.. The third most common failure is an intermittent functioning cruise control module. This can often be identified by noting that the cruise will work intermittently (900 & 9000 only).

Inner CV boots break (in most cases) due to dry rot or lack of grease. Outer boots generally fail to due to dry rot or in some cases excessively worn Outer CV joints cause excessive movement in the joint area placing strain on the boot causing it to break in the bend.

Saab uses an inverted TORX socket & E16 is the size.

Electrical door component failures. What we mean here is that more than one electrical component on a door fails at the same time. For Example; window won't go up and down, door mirrors won't move, door won't unlock, central lock won't work, etc..... When this happens you will likely find that the connector where all the wiring runs to the door is either broken or just pinched. Some cars have a connector and some cars just have wires that run through a rubber grommet. Checking the wiring and repairing it should cure the problem.

5 speed Saab transmissions are rather fragile around where the drain plugs are made. Saab recommends tightening the drain plugs to 21 foot pounds of torque which is the equivalent to hand tight! OVER TIGHTENING WILL CAUSE THE TRANSMISSION CASING TO CRACK! Because the transmission and oil pan are contained within the same unit a transmission overhaul would be Needed to replace the oil pan!

NOTE: In the event that this occurs you can have a mobile aluminum welder come in and fix this problem by welding the crack in the casing. The repair should cost somewhere in the $150.00 range.

In-Order to test for electrical drains on the battery you need to place a Test light between the negative battery terminal and the Actual battery cable with the two disconnected and then pull one fuse at a time until the light goes out. What ever fuse or combination of fuses that causes the light to go out will tell you where the drain is coming from. This will tell you where the problem is and you can address whatever component or relay that is causing the issue.

Cleaning the engine compartment is fine as long as several necessary precautions are taken. Be careful not to pressure was directly at the distributor or directly into the wiring harness. Don't use carb cleaner or items such as this around the harness as harsh abrasives will peal back the wire coating in the future. Try not to spray directly into the harness where water will collect and stay for long periods. If you feel that you have gotten the wiring connectors wet simply remove them and squirt a small amount of dielectric grease into them and reconnect.

Engine oil consumption is an indication that something is wrong either with an engine oil leak, internal engine ring problem or Turbo issue. The most common problem is excessive bushing clearances in the Turbo causing oil to leak into the intake manifold. Replacement of the turbo is only cure. Engine ring problem means replacement or rebuilding of the engine. External engine oil leaks would require locating the leaks and repairing them.

Oil leakage from the Valve Cover Gasket is a common problem. What generally happens is that the gasket heats up and cools down so many times that the gasket eventually hardens up to a point where it no longer seals. Replacement of the gasket is the only repair. Becareful when replacing the valve cover gasket so that you do not crack the valve cover by tightening down the bolts too tight.

There are many issues that could cause the engine oil light to come on. The first thing to do is to check the oil level. If it is full then you likely have a problem with the oil level sending unit. What generally occurs is that the unit goes bad causing the light to come on even when the oil pressure is fine!
NOTE: There are occasions where the oil pickup in the bottom of the oil pan will become clogged causing poor oil pressure. This generally will not cause the check oil level light to come on but it will cause major engine damage. To check this simply check the oil pressure with a gauge to see if this is a problem.

Thanks to Paul Arnold for contributing to this FAQ!

Another cause of the oil light coming on after starting from cold is the pressure relief valve sticking open. This is normally accompanied by noisy tappets. This has happened to me twice on B202 engines. Easily remedied by removing plunger and cleaning thoroughly. Very fine abrasive does help.

Most of time, Overheating can be attributed to a faulty thermostat. Thermostat failures can be identified by noting that no heat exist or that the hose leading from the thermostat does not feel as though water is flowing through it. This is an indication that the thermostat is not opening! Replacement is the repair!

NOTE: Another Major problem with the 94-98 900 cars is that the fan resistor on the cooling fan itself will fail which will not allow the fan to come on. Most of the time when the resistor fails the fan will begin to come on later and later until the car is overheating before the fan comes on. Replacement of the complete fan assembly is the only solution because the resistor is not offered seperately. TIP: DO NOT replace the fan with a used one. Every fan in junk yards also have the same problem. There are guys that remove the fan resistor and attempt to replace just the resistor by going to radioshack and matching up the resistor but until now we have not found a suitable solution to this problem other than replacing the complete fan assembly.

Saab engine smoke from the tailpipe can be coming from a number of issues. First, crank the car up and pull the hose to the valve cover and see if any blowby or smoke comes from the valve cover after warm. If it does smoke a tiny bit then it is likely normal. If it smokes alot you either have an issue with the rings (which is allowing oil to be pulled from the crankcase because of excessive wear) or an issue exist with a pinched/clogged hose in the crankcase ventilation hose that is not allowing the engine to breath correctly causing the smoke. You could also have a problem with the Turbo Charger. Typical Turbo failures can be identified by noting puffs of smoke comeing from the exhaust when coming to a stop.

NOTE: If the engine is only smoking during cold start and you have a sweet smell coming from the tailpipe check the headgasket to see if it is leaking down overnight. You can often check this by pulling the spark plugs and looking at the piston tops. If they are silver then they are likely getting steamed cleaned because coolant is leaking into the combustion chamber during the cooldown process.

If you crank your car up after it has been sitting for several days or overnight and it smokes out the tailpipe for a few seconds upon initial start up then the problem is more than likely leaking valve guides/Valve stem seals. What generally occurs is that the guides/seals wear due to the stress of the valve moving up and down so many times. This basically causes excess clearance between the valve guide and the valve stem. Minor seepage occurs during the rest period allowing oil to leak into the combustion chambers leading to morning smoke!

Another problem that will cause your car to smoke or steam after sitting overnight could be a faulty head gasket. A faulty head gasket will allow the cooling system pressure to bleed coolant into the combustion chamber overnight causing the vehicle to blow white smoke and create a sweet smell from the exhaust until the exhaust has become hot enough to burn all of the antifreeze away. The gasket usually blows between Cylinders # 2 and # 3.

Ticking noise that occurs when first cranking the car can be caused by several issues. The most common issue is a problem with a hydraulic lifter not getting the proper oil supply to the lifter or a faulty lifter itself. The oil pickup tube that sits in the oil pan gets clogged up due to improper oil changes which causes the lifter area to be starved for engine oil. When this occurs the lifters will tap, tap, tap when first cranked and once the diminished pressure pumps the lifter up then the lifter noise goes away. On 86-88 models the lifters are actually supplied oil via oil tube that connects each cam bearing journal together. On 89 and up heads are internally oiled and the oil tube kits no longer are needed. Trying to find ONE faulty lifter can be like looking for a needle in a haystack because the noise resonates throughout the engine making it very difficult to locate. When one faulty lifter is suspected replacement of one bank of lifters is the most economical process.

Thanks to Troy Lamoreaux for contributing to this FAQ!

Our Customer Says:

A friend gave me his 900 S. After 14 years it needed some work and his wife just didn't want him to spend any more money on it. I recently replaced the head gasket and it runs good now. However I believe that it is time replace the timing chain. The tensioner is measering at 20mm and the guides are worn. I wish I would have done the timing chain at the same time as the head gasket but I needed to find out if it would run. The guide below is an example of the wear on the guide.

Thesaabsite Reply:

Guide wear as seen in the picture above typically comes from chain slap. We have seen issues where guides get worn from the engine overheating causing the guide material to soften up increase the speed at which a guide wears but in the case shown above it is doubtful that heat caused this. On the 900 1979-1994 Saab 900 guide wear comes from the timing chain tensioner wearing out which leads to the chain slapping the guide causing grooves like are shown this picture. Replace of the tensioner and guide is the cure.

Engine vibrations while in drive or reverse can often be attributed to failing engine mounts. What usually occurs is that the rubber portion of the engine mounts deteriorate causing the vibration from engine rotation to travel through the vehicle. In some cases you can move the shifter from drive to reverse to load and unload certain engine mounts to help guide you to the faulty mount.

Exhaust Diagnosis

The most common Exhaust failures are mufflers. You can often easily diagnose issues with the exhaust system by placing a rag or towel over the tailpipe hole (Just for a few seconds). BE CAREFUL AS THE EXHAUST MAY BE HOT!!!!! When you cover the tailpipe hole up for a few seconds pressure builds in the exhaust system and a whistling noise will begin to occur wherever your exhaust leak is.

Exhaust Purpose

The exhaust system is designed to carry away the engine's exhaust gases with a low flow resistance, low noise level and a long operating life. The exhaust system is composed of two parts: a front part with a catalytic converter, and a rear part with two mufflers. Both mufflers are a combination of resonance and noise absorption material. The system is delivered seamless via one unit. For spare parts there are three different sections: a front section with flexible pipe, a center section with a front muffler, and a rear muffler. The exhaust system is held up by six rubber mounts from front to back. The exhaust system is protected against corrosion because of all the parts except the outer plate of the front muffler are made of 12-18% chrome steel. The outer plate of the front muffler is aluminized. This combination gives very good corrosion stability. Heat shields are fitted above the exhaust system's most heat intensive zones to protect exposed parts where the heat radiation can otherwise cause problems.

A harsh smell coming from the exhaust can usually be attributed to the use of fuel that contains methanol (Although in most places it is not supposed to be sold). When using this fuel, a sulfur smell can be emitted from the exhaust which can range from a mild odor to a rotten egg smell. To avoid this smell try changing the place where you purchase fuel! Catalytic Converter failures can also cause this same smell!

Some Saabs have Studs in the exhaust manifolds and in the Turbochargers. These Studs tend to rust and break off when attempting to remove them. If they break off the easiest thing to do is remove the studs and simply put bolts in their place. If you are going to replace them be sure to use lock nuts on the bolts to prevent them from backing out. If the studs break off flush with the head or turbo you will have to use a easy-out tool to drill them out and remove them. If the stud breaks leaving the stud sticking out you can use a stud removal tool to simply back them out.

A loose feeling or rattle when going over bumps can often be attributed to faulty lower ball joints! In-order to test the ball joints you must UNLOAD the wheel by jacking up the car. Then place a large pry bar or screwdriver between the steering knuckle and the ball joint and pry up and release. There should be no movement in the joint itself! By doing this you take the pressure off of the ball joints which will allow you to test them for excessive play or movement!

NOTE: Check the the shock sleeve nut is not loose i had this problem on my ng900. Contributed from Joe Walton. Thanks Joe

There are several ways to tell if your vehicles front-end is out of alignment. One, is that the steering wheel may appear to be of center (an indication of something bent or tie rod ends off center). Second, your car may pull to the left or right when on flat ground (an indication that the alignment is off). Third, Front tire wear is an indication that problems exist in the front-End. This could mean that the caster or camber is off and in need of adjustment.

Do not smoke when working in the fuel area. Most Saab fuel filters in Saabs are located in in front of the rear wheel, above the rear axle or in the engine compartment attached to the battery housing. You will need two fuel filter sealing rings on both sides of the fuel filter. Remove the cover over the filter (if applicable), replace the 4 fuel filter sealing rings and the job is complete.

A word about Anaerobic sealant. If you touch it on the outside then it will always be tacky because by definition the word Aenorobic means "pertaining to or caused by the absence of oxygen" this means that it will never cure until oxygen is removed. Saab began to move away from common engine gaskets in approximately 1993. They began to replace timing cover and oil pan gaskets with anaerobic sealant. These types of sealants work well on machined surfaces.

NOTE: When using these types of sealants you don't want to slide components together you want to apply sealant to both items and then apply them together. As mentioned before the outside edges of the two pieces will likely never harden.

Almost every vehicle has headlight adjusters on top and bottom of the back of each light assembly. Most dealerships and independent repair shops use headlight aimers to adjust the headlights. It can be done without aimers by adjusting the beam of light to be directly in front of the assembly and about 24 inches off the ground. You can measure this by aiming the lights at a garage wall and making the adjustments. You will find that one of the adjusters will adjust the light beam vertical and the other adjuster will adjust the light beam horizontally.
NOTE: Some headlights have levels located in the lights assemblies. These levels should be adjusted at 0 unless otherwise specified by the owners manual.

This Information Is For Replacing Halogen Bulbs Only! Not Xenon

The reason that headliners sag on the Saab (as with many cars) is because the foam between the headliner material and the glued portion of the material erodes with time causing the white portion of the headliner to sag. The only repair is to replace the headliner material by removing the headliner, pulling the old material off, cleaning the fiberglass headliner and gluing new material on. Your local upholstery shop can re-do your headliner for approximately $150.00.

Below is what one of our fellow Saab owners in the Netherlands have been kind enough to share with thesaabsite users:
When I went trough your FAQS I found this question about Vibrations front end and maybe I have a Solution.

I had the same problem for a long time and I also discovered that the inner drives were worn out, the car shakes between 75 and 90 Km/h (50-60M/h). The bigger problem was" where to get spare parts" so I started to phone all the Saab Experts I knew one of them told me to switch them (the left to the right and v ). The car is driving smoothly again (no vibrations when acceleration) the only thing.......when you slow down on your engine you feel a little shaking in the front end. I hope this will help some Saab drivers it's worth trying. The drives come out very easy, just use a big screwdriver or a tire-lifter and they pop out. Best regards Ago Grave (the Netherlands)

NOTE: Keep in mind that swapping the drivers are an option but I have also seen where guys are having the cups rewelded and ground down to where they should be as well.

Ignition switches generally begin to bind up because of drinks that are spilled down into the ignition lock assembly. What happens is that the fluid that is spilled begins to act like a bonding agent in the lock cylinder and causes the cylinder (lock & keys) to fail. Sometimes pouring about 3 or 4 ounces of very hot water will free up the lock for a short period. Occasionally, the spring that allows the reverse lockout mechanism to work fails which also causes you not to be able to turn the key or get the key out of the ignition. It is highly recommended to replace the lock assembly w/keys, the gear set and the electrical portion of the ignition switch when these problems occur. The job of replacing the complete assembly can be time consuming and replacing all of the components within the shift box will assure a correct fix! However, There are occasions that replacing just the lock assembly w/keys will cure the problem without having to remove the complete shift box. You can access the key lock assembly plug by removing the drivers seat.
NOTE: Replacement of the Lock assembly w/keys will cause you to have different keys for the door locks unless you have a lock smith re key the locks!

A whining noise from the transmission during acceleration and deceleration can often be attributed to faulty pinion bearings in the transmission. Generally, what happens is that the bearings begin to get pits in them due to excessive wear or dirty transmission oil. Catching the pinion bearings prior to complete failure will result in less cost during a transmission repair!

Be very careful when replacing bulbs in the turn signals and taillights. We have seen issues when people install multi filament bulbs in single filament bulb sockets and visa-versa. One of the issues that we have seen is that the vehicle will run on when turning the ignition off or will not start at all. Keep in mind that different symptoms could occur with different cars. This may or may not apply to your particular Saab.

Thanks to Andrey Y for contributing to this FAQ!

I can verify this problem in my 2003 9-3 linear with different bulbs in the rear tail lights the entire car lighting system from the exterior would flash like a police cruiser and my car would not start. Once the bulbs were replaced with the correct bulbs the car started fine.

Generally, A roaring noise during belt rotation (without the A/C on) will often be caused by an idler pulley bearing going bad. There are occasions where Alternator bearings will also create a roaring noise during belt rotation. In-order to diagnose either of these problems simply remove the belt and rotate each of the pulleys by hand. The pulley failure will make itself apparent by noting that the noise begins when rotating the faulty pulley.
BELT REMOVAL SHOULD BE BY AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY! PHYSICAL INJURY CAN OCCUR!

In the early Saabs the sensors were located in the exhaust manifolds and could be removed from under the hood. As the engines evolved the sensors were repositioned to the header pipe and then later moved to just before or after the catalytic converters. In every case you can count on the sensors being located in the exhaust because that is where the oxygen content in the fumes can be measured from.

Odd interior smells can come from several places. Here are a few:
- Leaking evaporators or Heater cores can cause coolant leaks to soil the carpets causing musty smells:
- Leaves in the false bulkhead under hood cause AC/Heater drains to clog causing odd interior odors.
- Clogged sunroof drians can cause water to backup and leak through the interior.

NOTE: Clogged drains can be cleaned out by accessing them through the false bulkhead (in some cases where the cabin filter is). The sunroof drains are most often located in the same place under the false bulkhead but can also be located just below the windshield glass under the hood. AC drains are typically in the right from fender well. You can clean most drains by CAREFULLY pushing a bent coat hanger up the drian to begin clearing the debris.

One of the most overlooked oil leaks is cracked valve covers. If one is not very careful when using an impact wrench on valve cover bolts they can actually crack the cover itself right around where the bolt goes into the valve cover. When this happens it can cause a very bad oil leak that is difficult to trace because the leak would only happen when the engine is running. You can usually spot the crack by looking very closely at the hole in the valve cover. If a crack exist there will usually be a little of colored line leading the bolt head. Replacement of the valve cover is the only cure.

It appears that Onstar is going to a Digital system (instead of analog) on Jan 1st 2008. Here is why, FCC rules require that cell towers support both digital and analog signals until the end of 2007. But starting in 2008, the cell towers will no longer have to support analog so OnStar is hanging up on the 500,000 of its 4 million OnStar customers who have older analog units. Consumers with a 2003-2005 vehicles will need to update their OnStar system using an adapter that will cost approximately $200. (At this point we are not aware of an adapter for Saab but once there is one we will carry it and list it here.) Unfortunately there is no adapter available for cars prior to 2001 which means that you cannot use onstar any longer.

Generally, A CONSISTENT popping noise that can be heard when turning hard left or hard right can be identified as an outer Constant Velocity Joint failure. Be sure that when trying to diagnose this that the noise is consistent or a continuous pop! This means that the shell or housing that supports the Balls in the CV joint has broken or has excessive wear!

The most common cause of power steering noise is a fluid leak. Leaking fluid causes the pump to whine due to lack of lubrication in the pump. In most cases the whine can be fixed by locating the leak and repairing it but in cases where the pump is ran dry for extended periods the pump may have to be replaced. The lines are the the most common leak area. They usually leak where the rubber line turns into the metal line. If you can turn the two parts of the lines seperately that is where the leak will be in most cases.

In most cases the radiator drain plug is located at the bottom of the radiator on the passenger side. You will usually have to remove the plastic skid plate below the radiator to access this plug. Another way to drain the radiator and in some cases and easier way to flush the system is to pull the lower radiator hose.

When the seats tear at the seams nothing can be done other than removing the seat covers and having them resown or replacing them used. Finding used seats or seat covers that are not worn out can be tough. We have access to them new but the cost of new seat covers is high to say the least. They usually range from 500.00 to 800.00 just for the top or bottom

The most common thing to cause the lower seat to stop on the way back is coins in the seat track. When this happens it can cause good bit of trouble depending on the position of the seat which many cause one to have to remove the seat track to get the coin out.

Note: We have also seen power seat control modules cause the stop and go of power seats. Check the connections to the motor to see this is your issue.

Recommended service intervals really depend on what year and model that you have. The earlier 99, 900 & 9000 used the 30,000 or 60,000 intervals and in the mid to late 1990's the intervals changed to 35,000 & 65,000 intervals. In the 2000 and on era the 10,000 miles service intervals seem to be the standard. We typically recommend just changing the oil at no greater than 5,000 miles and doing major maintenance at about 30.000 mile intervals. We have developed service kits that help you get all the part without having to look them up individually.

The shifter lever popping out of gear generally means that a Syncro ring in the transmission is worn and in need of replacement. Second and third gear Syncro are the rings that begin to wear on the classic 900!

Shocks-Struts - Trying to determine if you Shocks-struts need to be replaced can be difficult. Most of the time when the shocks get worn out you can tell by pushing down on each corner of the car. If the car bounces more than once when it returns to the rest position then it likely means that the dampering effect of the shock is worn out. This would mean that you would need to replace the shocks. Replacing them in pairs in not required but is prefered in-order to keep the dampening the same on both sides.

Springs - Most spring failures can be identified by noting that ride height has changed. If you notice that the height of the front or rear or even one corner is not correct then the likely problem is a broken/worn spring. Replacing them in pairs in not required but is prefered in-order to keep the ride height the same on both sides.

The most common problem with smoke coming from the engine compartment is a leaking valve cover gasket. The rubber gasket hardens which causes it to leak on the exhaust manifold (depending on the Saab you have). The only cure for this is to rpelace the gasket.

NOTE: When replacing the gasket you should only use sealant at the front base of the valve cover gasket.

Whether or not a spark plug is pre-gapped is determined by the manufacturer of the spark plug. In most cases the plugs come preset but I would always check them to be sure they are correct. It would be silly to have to pull each one out because you did not take a few seconds to check them for accuracy. Remember that an "ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure"

The throttle when shut should have a very small gap which allows a little air through when idling. What generally occurs is that the throttle gets coked to a point where there is no longer a gap. When this happens it can cause the car to stall when coming to a stop or when letting off the throttle quickly. Cleaning the throttle body with carburetor cleaner and a tooth brush can cure stalling if the throttle body is dirty but vacuum leaks are the most common cause of stalling.

Thanks to scott chrismon for contributing to this FAQ!

I have noticed that if you turn the throttle body manually from under the hood without aid of the cable, the low idle gets altered and can cause your car to idle too low causing it to stall upon take off. A quick disconnect of the battery will appearantly allow this to reset and idle correctly. Hope this helps someone. 2002 9-5 Arc 3.0 V6 wagon. I found out that my throttle body was in limp home mode which locks the cable to the butterfly instead of the drive by wire settings . This overrides the normal settings, causing the car to idle too low and stall on take off. The Throttle Body Replacement article by the Platonoff's explains this and was very helpful in me resetting the throttle body. One thing to note is that the CEL codes must be reset in order for throttle body to operate correctly . A quick and easy way to do this is to pull the number 17 fuse from the fuse panel, wait a few minutes then replace it and start the car. Otherwise the computer will pop the little wire on the throttle body back to limp mode and you are back where you started. Thanks for the great how too articles. I was able to change my thermostat and waterpump myself last weekend, saving me 1,300 bucks!

A whining or high pitched whirring noise that occurs at initial start up can often be attributed to a faulty starter assembly.

Remove the sun visor by removing the two screws and pulling the visor down and toward you. On some cars you may have to remove it by pressing the locking tab with a screwdriver and pulling the mount toward you.

In the event of a sunroof motor failure you can shut the sunroof manually. There is an allen key in the overhead console where the sunroof motor is located which can be inserted into the sunroof motor and turned manually to close the roof itself.

NOTE: On 1979-1994 Classic Saab the sunroof can be closed from the trunk.

When cleaning out the throttle body you need to be sure that you reconnect the hoses leading to it correctly. If you do not get them installed fully back onto the throttle body or you pull the other ends of the hose off the turbo that will lead to stalling when letting off the throttle on deceleration. This is a very common problem with cleaning throttle body out with a toothbrush.

Throttle body Error Code 126002001

Throttle Body Error 126002001 means that the traction control system is in limp home mode. With this code you must clear the code then reset the limp mode. This must be done and then the car must be driven to see if the code comes back. If it does check the big connocter on the firewall unplug it and clean the pin connocters and plug it back in. That should cure the problem unless you have a permanent fault code caused by a component failure in the system.

Tightening torques are important in certain situations but not quite as much as most people think. In general most engine gasket torque for bolts is around 12-18 psi (not headgaskets). The truth is most bolt positions do lend to one being able to torque the bolts to the correct specifications in the first place. A general rule of thumb is that if you tighten the bolts with regulator hand wrachet and you have tightened the bolts to a point that you cannot turn the wrachet anymore then you are pretty close. The most common issue with any typical backyard technician is overtightening the bolts not undertightening. Remember to use gasket sealant only in places that seem logical to have it like corners of pans, covers etc..... We have seen issues with people overtightening valve cover & oil pan bolts and breaking the covers themselves.

Are Timing Chain Failures Common?

Timing chain failures on Saabs are quite common. What generally occurs is that the chain stretches due to the millions of revolutions. As the chain wears the gears take a beating as well. Once the chain cannot stretch any further it actually breaks causing the valves to hit the pistons resulting in costly engine repairs. Generally speaking, worn chains can be identified by listening for chain slap at idle. Replacement of the chain can be done without engine removal if caught early enough. Another school of thought regarding these failures is that the engines overheat causing the guide material to soften which causes one of the chains to slap causing excessive clearance issues with the chain causing it to break.

Timing Chain Damage when they break:

If the Timing Chain breaks there is usually damage to the valves. We have seen a few incidents where the valves are not being bent but only if the chain brakes at idle. There are two chains on most Saabs, One chain controls the timing area and one controls the balance shaft components. Typically when there is an issue with chain noise or chain failure the engine will need to be pulled apart for inspection which would include head removal. Make absolutely sure that you inspect the balance shaft area once the head is removed. Both the timing chain area and the balance components are susceptible broken components when the chain brakes. In-order to do the repair you would need a head set and what ever components are broken as well.

99 transmissions do not use Syncro rings for the reverse gear. What generally happens is that the gear teeth on the reverse gear and the reverse gear idler do not line up when attempting to place the car in reverse from the neutral position. Several options are available. One is to go to first gear and then go to reverse (this lines up the reverse gear and reverse gear idler). The second option is to begin to go to reverse and let the clutch out (very slightly) at the same time. This will move the reverse gear slightly and will allow the gears to mesh as well.

Severely worn Reverse gears and Reverse gear idlers can be identified by noting that the transmission shifter jumps out when backing or that the transmission makes a loud clicking noise when backing. Either of these symptoms are an indication that one of the gears has a broken tooth and is in need of replacement.

If your car begins to just STOP when trying to backup, chances are the pinion bearing has dropped or is beginning to drop in the transmission. When the pinion begins to drop it causes binding against the Ring gear in the differential thus resulting in the car stopping abruptly. You can prevent this from occurring by listening to the transmission. Pinion bearings that are in need of replacement can often be identified by listening for a whine on acceleration or deceleration in the upper gears.

We don't typically suggest buying used transmissions because of the amount of wear associated with its moving parts. Transmissions typically last around 100-175,000 miles but anything after that is a "gift". This is not uncommon with any car as all transmissions have the consistently moving parts which wear out quicker than stationary parts. We do have a used parts division that can supply used transmissions but the warranty is no more than 90 days in most cases.

It is possible but not feasible to add a turbo to a non-turbo car. You would have to add the Turbocharger, add the APC system which would require wiring modifications or complete wiring replacement. In any case it would be huge undertaking and would require extensive modifications. Without these modifications to prevent detonation a Non-Turbo engine would surely suffer internal engine damage due to the increase in combustion chamber temperatures that accompany turbo charging.

Reading the Saab boost guage is pretty simple. When in white zone that means that the engine is creating a vacuum only (usually between 10-15 inches of vacuum. When in the orange zone the boost pressure is approximately from 1-10 PSI of boost pressure. When in the red zone the boost pressure is typically above 10 PSI.

Turbo Gauge Not Workging

Most non-working turbo gauges can be attributed to vacuum hoses failures. When the hoses crack then the vacuum created from the intake manifold will no longer pull down the needle on the boost gauge. Cracked hoses must be replaced to cure the non-working gauge.

Reading the Turbo Gauge

On Most Saabs the turbo gauge reads from left to right. The White is the vacuum in inches meaning that there is vacuum only in the intake manifold while in the white zone. The yellow means that you are in boost (pressure in the intake). In most cases the red color is noting that the boost pressure is exceeding approximately 10 PSI of boost pressure. As the red part widens the pressure is increasing.

Allowing the Turbocharger to slow down after driving hard and shutting the vehicle off quickly is something that Turbo owners began to realize was very important when turbochargers came into production back in the late 1970's. As a matter of fact, Saab posted this on the back of the upper visor on production vehicles for years. The fact is, this was done because Turbochargers spin at maximum spin rate of approximated 40,000 revolutions per minute and when you drive hard and then stop the engine abruptly the oil supply to the turbocharger is taken away causing something called "Coking". This process occurs because the Center section of the turbo continues to spin without oil causing the oil to actually burn and coat the bearings/bushings with an coating that would cause the turbo to fail prematurely. In approximately 1988 Saab introduced the Water cooled center sections (actually the bearing section is lubricated by Oil and the section around the oil section is cooled by antifreeze). This, coupled with downsizing the turbochargers considerably has dramatically reduced the number of Turbo failures. Slowing down moderately and coasting to your home for about one/half mile or so would still be a good idea but not mandatory.

Rebuild kits are available for most turbochargers but rebuilding them yourself with these kits can present more problems that most are aware of. In-order to rebuild a turbocharger correctly you must balance the turbo shaft and impellors to keep the turbo from failing prematurely. We have all the neccessary tools to do this correctly and most individuals do not. We do not offer these kits because we feel they cannot be built correctly without these tools.

Turn signal issues are fairly common on most vehicles. The problem can come from something as simple as the bulbs being burned out (usually noticed by the turn signal flashing fast) or by the turn signal just not feeling right inside the car. If the turn signal switch does not feel normal then it is likely broken and must be replaced. Another issue that does occur is the failure of the flasher relay or blinker thinker. In most cases the relay failure will cause the turn signal to come on solid without blinking.

Turn signal switch issues are fairly common on all cars. They typically exhibit issues with lights not functioning correctly or turn signals inoperative. Replacement of the switches can be accomplished by removing the bottom cover and then removing the side switch screws. A tip here is that almost all turn signal swithes have wires in the back that are held with tie wraps to the steering column. You may have to remove those before being able to pull the wires far enough out to replace the turn signal switch.

Purchasing a used Saab can be a coin toss. Reality is that Saabs are very good cars as long as they are taken care of correctly. More often than not people who purchase high end cars just can't afford them regardless of who makes them. Above all things the number one thing to look for is whether or not the individual changed the oil at 5000 miles MAX. We know that some of the recommended service intervals are 10,000 miles but we have seen so many engine issues because of this that we flag any oil changes longer than 5000 miles. Everyone says that oil can last 15,000 miles etc... That may be true but not every car is designed with the type of oil change interval in mind. Most cars have exhaust components right below the engine oil pan which basically cooks the oil in the pan. This heat alone can be catastrophic to the life of engine oil or transmission fluid. You can pull the dipstick out and look at it closely. If it is very dark color (brown) at the base of the dipstick then that is a good indication that the heat has gotten to the dipstick enough that it has baked the oil in the lower part of the engine as well.
You can count on having some issues with Saab ie.... DI Cassettes, Belt pulley issues, Fan speed resistors, SID unit failures etc.. but in the grand scheme of things they are excellent automobiles if maintained correctly.

Not all Saabs use small vacuum hoses all over the engine but on the cars that do the hose diameter is usually 5/32. It is silicone hose that can be purchased at any autoparts store. The reason we do not sell it on the site is because the hose is usually sold in 100 ft rolls. Most customers would not want to buy that much hose. Keep in mind that there are different grade hose and the fuel grade hose is what is recommended.

Vibration on hard acceleration can often be attributed to excessive wear to the inner drivers. They tend to wear on the edges that are in direct contact with the inner carrier bearing.

Front end vibrations often occur because of lack of tire rotation as well. One can identify cupped or poorly rotated tires by rubbing your hand down the outside edge of the tire and noting whether or not the outer edge of the tire is smooth.

Washer pump failures are typically caused by debri that gets into the washer tank and gets pulled into the pump when turning on the washer squirters. We have seen tons of issues with both the washer pumps failing and the valves that protect the pump as well. You can test the pump by removing the hose from the pump and pulling the handle to activate the washer squirters. If water squirts then the pump is good, if not you can test it further by removing the pump and applying voltage directly to the pump to be sure it works.

A special thanks to Matt Hoffman for the contribution of this material!. Kudos to Matt! I did find that using a several step process of the Meguiars' Fine Cut Cleaner #2, followed by Show Car Glaze #7, and two coats of High Gloss Wax #26 I was able to make a lot of really good progress on my '91. There is no clear coat on it that I can find, except on the left front fender which I think was replaced before I got the car. All the products mentioned are in the tan bottles and I used a Craftsman 6" orbital buffer for all applications. I tried a 10" but it was useless except on the roof and parts of the hood. There are just too many curves on the classic 900 to use such a large pad. The cleaner #2 did a really nice job of gently removing the oxidation without going too far. There were still water marks visible after using the cleaner #2 but the #7 glaze appears to have helped blend them in. It's possible that a reapplication of the #2 could eventually remove the water spots, or a rubbing compound, but I'm not ready to give that a shot.
Over the past two years I had used the Meguiars ColorX cleaner wax, and on the third use it did make a difference, but the underlying faded paint seemed to nullify the wax after about 5 weeks.

Front wheel bearing issues can often be determined by loading the wheel that is suspect for the bearing to be bad. By turning the wheel left or right this will place the weight of the vehicle on or off of the suspect side. If the noise increases with load then you must replace that wheel bearing.

Window switch pack failures are fairly common on Saabs as with any car. They are used constantly to raise and lower windows which gradually begins to wear out the electrical contacts meaning that the switch packs fail. Replacement of the window switch packs (or individual switches) are simple. You basically pry up on the back of the window switch pack, unplug the old pack and plug in a new one.

When your wiper arm (windshield, trunk wiper or headlight wiper) won't move the most common issue is a loose nut under the wiper cap at the base of the wiper arm. When the nut gets loose the arm cannot move the because their is no compression to hold the arm tight to the shaft of the motor. In most cases you can tighten the nut and it will start working again. There are situations where the arm has been reemed out to a point where the wiper arm will need to be replaced to correct the problem.