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Hi All - I just bought a 99 9-5, with 71K...from a dealer in NJ. In spite of being an engineer and competent mechanic, I did not do enought research before I bought my first Saab. Through diligent reading here, I have step-by-step ascended into the depths of the hell that is oil sludge related. The car seemed to have (accorning to CarFax) dealer maintenance every 6 months. There is a 10 month/10 mile gap that totally screws me on the GM sludge warranty.
Here are some data points, any response will be greatly appreciated:
1. STORMS MOTORS SUCKS - The dealer in Southhampton, NY sucks, 3-days, can't make it smoke, tells me that I "may" need a timing chain. Shoot me.
2. NO OIL PRESSURE LIGHT - Oil pressure light doesn't work, check connection at the switch. Noticed in a pre-buy photo of the car that the carpet was pulled back from the driver's kickpanel - where the wiring is. I looked but could find no blue wire clipped - ANY IDEAS?
3. COVERUP TACTICS - My local dealer did "discover" that the sump was overfilled. He established level at normal and the timing chain really started raising hell - IS THIS A SHADETREE FIX FOR NOISE?
4. PRETTY CLEAN OIL PAN - Yesterday, I drained the sump and looked around inside the crankcase with a fiberscope. I saw no sludge, just normal staining on the aluminum pan. I could not get the scope under the screen as I had planned due to clearance...I was considering flushing the sump with ATF for a few cylcles to clean it - ANY THOUGHTS?
5. SLUDGE/CARBON - After fibersoping the sump, I pulled the cam covers and found sludge film, not a lot, but more than I expected at 71K. What I did find that surprised me was carbon fines, lots of fines. When I removed the intake breather pipe banjo fitting it was an oily-wet-gritty film? IS THIS TYPICAL, AND IS THIS THE "SEED" FOR THE SLUDGE BUILDUP?
6. TIMING CHAIN - The timimg chain is slack and noisey. The dealer that I spoke to in NJ said that when they usually to a T-chain replacement, the balance shaft chain usually gets replace too. TRUE?
7. OIL VAPOR SMELL/TAILPIPE SMOKE - The original problem. I can make the engine smoke out of the tailpipe with moderate-to-aggressive acceleration and closing the throttle. My first thought was turbo seals, and an easy $500 fix (this was before I did some research here). I also have read that the PCV system may be the origin of the smoke. The idiot dealer in Southampton diagnosed the problem "oil is getting in the intake". ANY THOUGHTS HERE? (also, I am smelling oil vapors in the car - see number 8)
8. FUEL SMELL - 30 minutes after I bought the car in NJ, I filled it up and began smelling gas fumes. Since then the "Check Fuel Filler Cap" light has come on a couple of times. IS THIS SOMETHING THAT THE DEALER CAN DIAGNOSE FASTER?
Thanks all for any help,
Tom J
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