Date: Fri, 28 Jul 2000 20:58:19 +0200 From: Robert Brown <rjbnopsamnetNOSPAM.se> Subject: Re: 900 oil leak. tech heads please help.
Hi, comments below: saabsternopsameja.com wrote: > OK, sometimes after driving on the highway for a few hours at a time > there are drops of oil beneath my 85 900 in the vicinity of the oil > drain plug. I tightened the thing, but it still drips a bit. I'm not > even sure whether it's engine oil or transmission fluid. It does, > however, look oily underneath my tranny. Best way to check is to put a metal pan under where the fluid comes from, leave overnight, then get your fingers into it. ATF and motor oil feel different, so you should be able to tell. You can also wipe the transmission housing dry, drive a couple of miles or so, then lift the car again and see where it's all coming from. I myself have a slow leak which I think is coming from the rear crankshaft seal (the pulley for the belt that drives the generator, water pump etc is in that area). It drips down the back of the transmission to the gearbox oil drain plug (manual box) so I thought I first had a gearbox problem. This leaking crankshaft seal problem is common, especially on the older 900's. The loss of oil is small so I put up with it. > > > Although I'm new to auto mechanics and automoblie ownership althogther, > I'm eager to learn how to do every type of repair on my Saab, since the > cars do have a reputation as being a do-it-yourself-er's delight. To all > the tech heads in the group--what's the best procedure for figuring > where this oil's coming from, and what can I do to stop it? I seem to > lose about 1/2 a quart for every 5000 miles. That oil consumption's quite reasonable for a 1985 car. My car (900 8v) has run about 255 000 km (about 160 000 miles I think) and I consume one litre (ca. 1 quart) of oil every 15 000 km (10 000 miles). That takes me a year to do. Since I change the oil every 15 000 km, I just make sure I fill the new oil to the top limit on the dipstick and since the bottom limit on my oilstick is 1 litre less, that means I don't have to top up oil before I change the whole lot (if you get what I mean ;-) If I were you I wouldn't bother fixing it, unless you suddenly start dropping more oil. Regards, Robert Gothenburg (1983 900 GL, 1999 9-3 200)
