1979-1993 & 94 Conv [Subscribe to Daily Digest] |
Rachelle,
While these noises may be due to the car's age (I know, mine's a '84), they aren't really "normal." To my reasoning, you listed the problems neatly in triage order already, so I'll address them as you listed 'em:
CLUNKING NOISE up front needs to be looked at first. I have one possibility to add to the two (CV joint and ball joints) mentioned already: the shock absorber rubber bushings. They can shrink through aging and also get stiff and non-resilient, letting them allow the shock to wobble in its mounts and producing a clunk. It could be a CV joint, however, but a CV joint usually makes a crackling/clicking noise (in turns only, at first), not a clunking noise, and bumps shouldn't affect CV joint quite like you describe.
SQUEAKY BRAKES plagued my '84 900 right after a set a new brake pads all around. Reason: Long-life pads. Cure: My mechanic recommended Dan Block pads (rear) and PBR pads (front) for '79-'87 900 cars. I put 'em on, noise stopped. Apparently, some discount auto parts brake pads are "long-life," meaning they are of a very hard, long-wearing material that is filled with tiny metal fibers (lasts longer) and metallic pads contacting metal brake rotors (discs) give, you guessed it, a horrible screeching squeal. I'd recommend "softer" pads. They might have a few thousand miles less life, but you'll keep your sanity (and passengers will thank you).
"BRAKES SEEM TO STUTTER": This happened to me on both my current and my previous 900S. Your car is an '86, covered by the '79-'87 period where SAAB 900s were equipped (for some reason) with emergency/handbrake actuating the FRONT brakes, not the rear, as in most every other car in the world. (I don't know why, it's just a SAAB thing.) Anyway, the front pre-88 900 brake calipers have a moving piece which slides in a yoke (groove) side-to-side, parallel to the axles of the car. But braking force, over years of wear, pushes the sliding part forward as it is ALSO riding in the yoke, side to side (most stopping is done while moving forward, right?). Over 50,000-75,000 miles or so, this sliding wears the yoke wider and wider, until, when you apples the brakes while moving BACKWARD, the sliding piece pops to the other side of the groove, making the clunking noise.
>Now, Tom Townsend, sponsor of this site, and SAAB tech extraordinaire, told me to fanagle the U-shaped pin to take up this "slack" and wear in the caliper. It holds the caliper together tighter (hopefully for a while), but, after a while, the caliper will become so worn that popping--and needing a new caliper--is inevitable.
DOORS GETTING DIFFICULT TO OPEN: sounds like hinges/door hold-open mechanism needs a lube, like other folks said. Try some WD-40 or spray can of white lithium grease (be careful, it might stain your door fabric if you're not a good aim when spraying).
SUNROOF STUCK: Is this an electric sunroof or manual? Need more info.
I am no mechanic, this info is just gleaned from driving/owning/shadetree mechanicing on SAABs for the past 7 years.
Hope this helps! (Check out my fledgling website, if you get some spare time--link below).
Micah in NC
'84 900S, 215K mi. (daily driver)
'90 900, 65K mi. (Mom's)
'84 900S, 267K mi. (got hit, now parts car)
posted by 216.77.233...
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