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Long. Really long. Posted by Ari [Email]  (#2847) [Profile/Gallery]
(more from Ari) on Mon, 23 Apr 2001 13:13:25
In Reply to: Turbos: How Long Do They Last?, The Heckler, Mon, 23 Apr 2001 10:19:50 Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup |
Back in the late 70's, and especially in the early 80's, many manufacturers would stick a turbo on anything with an exhaust. The result was some pretty bad fright-pigs (anybody remember the turbo Mustang II?, or the GNX hand grenade?). Engines and turbos would barely make it to the replacement interval of the timing belt, or in bad cases, the air filter.
This is the memory most folks have of turbocharged cars - everybody knows somebody that had a turbo rocket that turned into some fireworks- it went fast, then blew up spectacularly.
Turbos overheated, blew out engines, and coked up oil. Folks spend $$$ on 'turbo oilers', and devices that shut the engine down two minutes after you left the car.
Saab had some early problems when they first came out with the turbo cars - in 1979. Even then, the problem wasn't the turbo, but the heads. Saab has been turbocharging cars for twenty years now, and do a damn fine job. When it comes to Saab engines, I don't worry, and I NEVER worry about the turbo.
I had a '86 900T, and the original turbo was still going strong at 162K. My two '88 9000Ts have 140K and 150K, and those turbos are original. I rarely hear of a turbo failure that isn't directly related to not changing the oil. I don't mean not changing the oil every 3K miles - I mean buying the car, and not changing the oil, ever.
My '86 900T had an air-cooled turbo - since the late '80's all Saab turbos have a water jacket, that greatly eliminates the heat soak that cokes oil. Oils are MUCH better than even 10 years ago, as are high temperature materials.
Anybody that tells you turbos die early still has their head stuck in the Reagan administration.
Saab builds their cars to last well over 100K miles. Well over, like seeing 200K is reasonable. To do that, you need to do the basics- change the oil when they say to, and do the other maintenance any car deserves.
As to a HOT versus a base setup, again, I wouldn't even consider longevity there. Again, Saab has had, oh, two decades of experience, and they have a great track record of building long-lived turbo engines.
, Mon, 23 Apr 2001 13:13:25 <-- Viewing This Message
, Mon, 23 Apr 2001 15:42:20
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