Date: Wed, 05 Sep 2001 04:09:32 GMT From: Ken Washington <kenwashinopsamhlink.net> Subject: Re: Manual Gearbox Failures
Changing the gear oil is not the problem. I had an 83 900T 5 spd. I used Castrol GTX 10W30 for most of the 13+ years and over 251,000 miles I owned the car. I drained the oil in the trans every 20,000 to 25,000 miles and replaced it with 10W30. The car went to the salvage yard because it was hit in the rear by a truck. The 5 spd was shifting like silk. I also used Militec-1 the last 55,000 miles on the car. The problem comes when people try to change the type of oil they use. I have had two 900s, including an 87 900S. I just use 10W30 or 10W40 Castrol. I use the same in my current 87 9000S. Several 9000 owners have reported problems after switching to a gear oil that contains sulfur, or switching to Redline MTL. Some 9000 owners on the www.saabnet.com bulletin board have reported total failures of the five. It may have to do with the different synchros in the 9000 5 spd. If I remember correctly, the sulfur caused the copper in the synchros to leach out, weaken and fail. If you use one type of gear oil and change it every 25,000 to 30,000 miles, you should have no problems. Automatics should have the fluid flushed and the filter changed every 24,000 to 30,000 miles. Most wait until it is too late, and then changing is not advised, especially if the fluid has a burned smell or dark look to it. Ken Washington 87 9000S 87 900S 83 900T Saabster wrote: > > A Saab master technician of 25 years told me that changing the gear > oil is often the "death knell" for a manual gearbox, and that he's > "learned that the hard way." He maintains that the gear oil need never > be changed. > > Saabster > 85 900 5spd 120k miles > > "Patrick McKelvey" <pat.mckelveynopsamdnet.att.net> wrote in message news:<zKEk7.9560$KV3.731518nopsamsc04-news.ops.worldnet.att.net>... > > Why change the gearoil when I can replace the whole gearbox! :-) Just > > kidding. > > I've been driving Saabs since 1986 and I have learned a lot over the years. > > I put about 24K/year on my cars, but never owned a *new* Saab. > > > > With my 83 Saab I waited too long (about 50K miles). > > The 87 automatic was carefully maintained and replace annually (by > > JiffyLube), > > but it would shift slowly after 240K miles anyway. No problems (with > > gearbox) after replacing it. > > > > The 88 900 that I am driving now had gearbox failure within 6 months of > > purchase. > > It came with good maintenance records, but no indication that the gearoil > > was ever changed by prior owner. > > I am sure that the 1st gearbox I put in the 88 had big (unknown) mileage. > > It lasted about a year. > > > > The gearbox in there now is low mileage out of 92 900 (according to > > junkyard) and is still working good. > > I now replace the gearoil annually, but I still believe that the gearbox is > > the weakest part of the 900s manufactured during the 1980's. > > > > Patrick > > > > "VIKINGMAN" <saabnopsamlixnet._nospam_dk> wrote in message > > news:O6Ek7.208$sk1.38023nopsam010.worldonline.dk... > > > "Patrick McKelvey" <pat.mckelveynopsamdnet.att.net> skrev i en meddelelse > > > news:93Ek7.9531$KV3.727482nopsamsc04-news.ops.worldnet.att.net... > > > > I have had 3 900s and all have had gearbox problems. I got rid of my 83 > > > > Turbo when it started to pop out of 2nd and took up reverse with > > difficulty. > > > > I had to replace the tranny in my 87 900S (automatic) after 240K miles. > > I > > > > now have an 88 900. I have replaced the gear box in this one twice, but > > the > > > > 1st replacement was a salvage yard unit with lots a miles. > > > > > > > > I don't mind pulling the engine and replacing the gearbox myself, but I > > > > probably would be better off if I would learn to repair the gearbox > > instead > > > > of just replacing it each time there is a problem. > > > > > > How do you drive your cars?? Ever changed the gearoil?? > > > > > > Cheers! > > > > > >
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