Date: Mon, 02 Jan 2006 04:26:10 GMT From: "WOOFER" <Woofernospamo.com> Subject: Re: Just a Saab ng newbie question
Re: The dim view of V6 engines. As SAAB driver since '68, I can say that from a personal perspective that a good deal of the SAAB allure is the presence of elegant engineering. Any time an engineering team can make 1 work better than 2, I get all warm and runny. Knowing full well that the boys at SAAB have NEVER designed an engine from the "ground up", I have always been amazed with the results of their magic with otherwise bland or inferior powerplants. Their secret, it seems to me, stems from identifying solid, basic, fundamental engine designs and making the best of it. A 3 cyl. 2 stroke is an inherently smooth, well balanced design. Likewise the 4 cyl. 4 stroke as long as the stroke stays under 3 ". And when they had to go over 3" stroke they did it so well that they lost nearly no durability. Astounding. It is a suspicious coincidence that SAAB's first foray into the dark world of inherently UNstable engines (read: V6) came as their GM associates started their quest for full ownership. To more than a few SAAB enthusiasts, it has a high "Yuck" factor. The basic math of a 6 cylinder engine works fine with an in-line 6 journal design. Works well with a flat 3 journal design too. But to make a V6 work you have to start messing with heavily compromised concepts like split journal cranks, wildly fluctuating thrust angles and multiple harmonic balancers. There's a reason why Ferrari, Maserati, Citroen, Peugeot, Renault, and Volvo have all backed away from this concept. A V8 race engine is a more dependable and economical powerplant than a V6. The concept sucks at a very basic level. With bottomless pockets and limitless brilliance (Toy, Hon) you can make a robot that jumps, a V6 that works (pretty much) and a pig that flies. But why bother when a blown OHC 4 does it all for 200k mi.??!! I'll buy a 6 cyl. SAAB the same day I buy a 6 wheeled SAAB. Woof. "Pidgeonpost" <Pidgeonpostnospambrain.com> wrote in message news:dp87n3$v01$1nospam8.svr.pol.co.uk... > > "Paul Halliday" <pjghnospamyonder.co.uk> wrote in message > news:BFDCB090.16CBD%pjghnospamyonder.co.uk... >> in article %SBtf.117577$ZG5.1617193nospamr.videotron.net, Junkyard >> Engineer >> at jevandenbrouckenospamail.com wrote on 31/12/2005 20:29: >> >>> Although it's our 3rd saab, it's my first (few) time around this ng.The >>> other day, while following a 9000 CD rusted to the bone with my new '06 >>> 9-3 >>> aero combi, the question strucked me ; is there a clivage between pre-GM >>> saab owners and post-GM in this ng ? Should I be careful when posting to >>> take that into account ? >> >> Nah, we just think GM SAABers a little dim :) >> >> Personally, I'm more than a little jealous of more vintage SAAB owners. >> My >> personal fancy is for a Sonett I (but whose is not, eh?) or more >> realistically, a late 96 V4. >> >> I think the problem people have with the GM/SAAB is that the NG900 was an >> appalling car all round. I'm sorry to NG900 owners, but it is. It's >> horrible. The Vauxhall Vectra (Opel Cavalier?) that shared the same >> platform >> was a far superior car and in fact not at all a bad car. I don't know why >> putting the same engine into a SAAB made it so bad, but it did. The car >> was >> awful. The 9000 continued to be a good (and better) car throughout the >> release of the NG900, anyway. >> >> The influence GM had on SAAB to release V6 cars, too, was equally bad. >> Come >> on, since the early 1970s, SAAB focussed on 4 cylinder turbo cars and >> made >> them great. Funnily enough, there was a 2.1 900i which "broke the mould" >> and >> is not seen too favourably amongst C900 owners. >> >> In perspective, the NG900 was around for a mere 5 years and as such those >> which have survived are probably okay cars. I don't think there is a >> "pure >> SAAB" vs "GM SAAB" schism, since the matter of determining "pure SAAB" >> would >> be highly contested by our V4 and two-stroking friends here :) I think we >> see SAAB as SAAB, with or without GM ... Give or take, one little blip. >> >> So, no! Post away and pay no heed whatsoever to what vintage of SAAB you >> own. I've always used my experience to help others, and in fact, I know a >> little more than I should admit about Vauxhall (Opel) cars and have been >> known to help the odd NG900 owner here and there :) But ... Shhh! My C900 >> cred would suffer if that got out ;) >> >> Happy New Year everyone, >> >> Paul >> >> 1989 900 Turbo S >> http://saab.go.dyndns.org/ >> > > > ....don't know where the latest V6 engine comes from but it will have to > be good to earn the same reputation as the Saab 2 and 2.3 litre engines. > Do V6's need more maintenance than straight 6's? Tell us more! > As to whether GM Saabs are considered to be 'proper' Saabs, maybe they > will be considered to be so if GM folds or they start making Saabs in > China. (Just a joke folks, just a joke...!). > > >
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