1985-1998 [Subscribe to Daily Digest] |
[Main 9000 Bulletin Board | BBFAQ |
Prev by Date | Next by Date | Post Followup ]
Member Login / Signup - Members see fewer ads. - Latest Member Gallery Photos
Re: Silly me Posted by sam96CS [Email] (#852) [Profile/Gallery] (more from sam96CS) on Tue, 15 Apr 2014 22:49:22 In Reply to: Silly me, tz, Tue, 15 Apr 2014 15:53:55 Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup |
We're all at different spots on the same learning curve. That's what makes this board a gold mine.
RayF is right that the cheapest and best way can vary. The more you know, the more time you have to invest and the more willing your are to turn a wrench the less you will have to pay.
Saab made many versions of the ECU that are the same physical box but with different software. I recommend the ECU from a '96 CSE because I know it is 100% compatible with a '96 CS and it is readily available. Your emissions system is OBD2 which was introduced in 1996, so you can't go with an ECU made before 1996. The questions RayF raised are can you go with an ECU for a '97 or '98, and can you go with an ECU made for the TD04 turbo that is standard on manual versions of the Aero and on the manual '98 CSE.
Consider the options:
1. Do nothing which is perfectly safe but less fun to drive.
2. Install a '96 CSE ECU which is more fun and still very safe.
3. Install a '96 CSE ECU and snip the orange wire which is more fun, safe for the turbo and less safe for the transmission.
4. Install a '96 manual Aero ECU and snip the orange wire which is more fun and less safe for both the turbo and the transmission. The '96 manual Aero ECU is still 100% compatible with everything in a '96 CS except for the turbo.
Saab made ECU software changes between '96 and '97. I don't know what changed, and I don't assume that changes are improvements. Suppose for example that Saab wanted to raise their fleet fuel economy numbers. They could do that by making the engine run a little leaner. That increases fuel economy, but could decrease engine life. Saab didn't make ECU software changes between '97 and '98. Perhaps the risk of going with a '97 or '98 ECU is negligible, but there is no known benefit. Why take a chance?
The '96 ECU that comes with the manual Aero is part number 4300422. It will assume you have a TD04 turbo, but you actually have a T25. It will make your T25 work harder. You'll get more power and have more fun, but your turbo and transmission will be stressed more.
For the sake of covering the bases, the 4780250 ECU comes with the '97 CSE and the '98 CSE automatic which have the t25 turbo. The 4780268 ECU comes with the '97 manual Aero and the '98 manual CSE which have the TD04 turbo.
Choose the ECU that seems good to you and enjoy.
->Posting last edited on Tue, 15 Apr 2014 22:51:53.
No Site Registration is Required to Post - Site Membership is optional (Member Features List), but helps to keep the site online
for all Saabers. If the site helps you, please consider helping the site by becoming a member.