IMHO:
1. In any event, you'd be better off to drain the 10W30 out (you can do it easily) and replace it w/ something heavier. It's not that 10W30 motor oil is neccessarily bad (some trannies came stock w/ it), but that it's a)not that heavy and b)widely believed to be *BAD NEWS* if added to a tranny that had gear oil, rather than motor oil, in it thus far. Amsoil (10W20? Have to ask someone else) is regarded as heaviest/best if you live in a warm climate. If it gets cold by you, Redline MTL is also popular. Also, some metal filings (heck, even A LOT of metal filings), is not neccessarily abnormal - that's why the magnet is there.

2. Tranny noise in saabs is not normal. However, you can make the engine really whine if you downshift hard (chain drive; neat sound, fairly harmless). Anyway, the tranny-death-whine is a whirring sound and indeed sounds like a large, bad bearing with a grainy sound to it. It will get steadily worse and should be repaired before it becomes obviously noticeable (the louder it gets, the more likely other components other than the bearing are getting wear). It is more pronounced when under load, such as acceleration or the higher gears.

However, if you don't get any resolution from the seller (and I'm not saying you should/shouldn't), don't despair just yet. Not all tranny's blow up right away. My first saab ('82 900S 132k RIP) develped the whine abruptly, got steadily worse in just 200-300 miles, and had to be rebuilt right away. My current '85 900S 177k has the exact same whine, but intermittant and very quiet and only perceptible in 4th and 5th - it has gotten only marginally worse in 65k/7yrs - no one notices it unless I point it out. Mostly interstate miles. Now, that car may be the exception to the rule, but goes to show that it would be premature to get completely depressed about it just yet.

You will have to judge whether to fix it right away and perhaps save some $ vs. fixing it later, or let it go for a bit and see what happens. If you keep it, better budget $2000 for a rebuild, just in case. Good luck!

• 5spd Tranny Problems - '89 900s - Please Help! (longish), Roo, Fri, 16 Feb 2001 13:02:54
  • Re: 5spd Tranny Problems - '89 900s - Please Help! (longish), Todd A., Sat, 17 Feb 2001 09:08:48
  • Re: 5spd Tranny Problems - '89 900s - Please Help! (longish), GregS, Fri, 16 Feb 2001 22:53:31
  • 5spd Tranny Problems - my 2 cents (long), Dan W, Fri, 16 Feb 2001 13:27:17 <-- Viewing This Message
  • Keep it, and fix the trans if it is indeed bad., tlrm, Fri, 16 Feb 2001 13:22:32

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• Prev by Date: Keep it, and fix the trans if it is indeed bad., tlrm, Fri, 16 Feb 2001 13:22:32
• Next by Date: $200 - you can ignore it until it gets too messy to ignore >, ChipJ, Fri, 16 Feb 2001 13:29:56
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