Your mechanic is blowing smoke.

First, the mechanical arrangement in the transmission and shifter mechanism requires that the transmission be shifted with an H pattern. You can't really shift with an X. If in doubt, tear open a transmission and look at the mechanism. The shifter cog must move out of one detent before it can move into the next and that requires the H motion. If you continue to apply forward pressure during the move to the right while shifting between 2 and 3 for example, all you're doing is pushing against the stops in the mechanism. The gears themselves don't "see" what you're doing as you're moving through the horizontal part of the H because they are all disengaged then.

The standard Saab 5-speed failure mode is for the pinion bearing to fail. The details of how you fiddle the gear shift will have no affect on the load felt by this bearing. In fact, when you're shifting this bearing sees minimal load. Popping the clutch, full boost acceleration, and related driving behavior will shorten transmission life. As others have noted, the other major factor is undoubtedly subtle variations in how the transmission is assembled (preload, parts tolerances, etc.). Changing the oil at reasonable intervals will undoubtedly extend the life.

At best, how you handle the gear shift can have some influence on the synchros (more wear if you pull through fast), and some impact on the wear pattern on the cams that operate the shift rods inside the transmission.

There can be no doubt that the pinion bearing is a relatively weak part of the Saab 5-speed. The evidence is the frequency with which the pinion bearings fail compared with transmissions from other makes/models and the fact that Saab provided a beefier bearing beginning with the '89 model. However, every mechanism has some part that is the weakest part and other cars have other failure modes. One way of looking at the situation is that we see relatively more transmission failures because the rest of the car is so amazingly strong and reliable.

posted by 216.150.20...

• SAAB Transmissions: In their defence..., MattVW, Tue, 29 Oct 2002 00:24:48
  • They still suck dude, ryan , Wed, 30 Oct 2002 15:35:39
  • I take a full sec. to engage 2nd, nice & easy., a pain but wth, Wed, 30 Oct 2002 02:41:03
  • Proper shifting? Hah. (Request for info), White Vampire, Tue, 29 Oct 2002 22:57:16
  • What I hear him saying,,,, KeithR, Tue, 29 Oct 2002 22:53:03
  • Re: SAAB Transmissions: In their defence..., Bill N, Tue, 29 Oct 2002 21:16:13 <-- Viewing This Message
    • Swedish Dynamics has a pinion upgrade kit., KB88900T, Sat, 2 Nov 2002 18:48:13
  • Re: SAAB Transmissions: In their defence..., Tony Derenthal, Tue, 29 Oct 2002 16:44:16
  • Re: SAAB Transmissions: In their defence..., Nathan Pflaum , Tue, 29 Oct 2002 15:42:19
  • Hey MattVW, did Bill happen to mention..., Greg Netzner, Tue, 29 Oct 2002 14:35:05
  • It's the nature of the beast..., Royce Fitzgerald, Tue, 29 Oct 2002 11:23:03
  • Ya, but my sister jams the gears in her BMW,, Terraplanem, Tue, 29 Oct 2002 10:49:40
    • Re: Ya, but my sister jams the gears in her BMW,, White Vampire, Tue, 29 Oct 2002 22:43:52
      • I believe HP numbers are in the owner's manual. Someone, Terraplanem, Wed, 30 Oct 2002 10:40:36
        • Re: I believe HP numbers are in the owner's manual. Som, White Vampire, Wed, 30 Oct 2002 17:13:23
  • Opinions are like, well you know. And that's his. But, Texron, Tue, 29 Oct 2002 10:38:02
  • Re: SAAB Transmissions: In their defence..., kooch, Tue, 29 Oct 2002 10:11:03
  • Hey MattVW, BuHuSPG, Tue, 29 Oct 2002 08:49:46
  • Re: SAAB Transmissions: In their defence..., Uwe K., Tue, 29 Oct 2002 05:32:51
    • Re: SAAB Transmissions: In their defence..., Tony Derenthal, Tue, 29 Oct 2002 16:37:22
    • Excellent argument, JohnB, Tue, 29 Oct 2002 08:36:24
      • That's interesting. I have a friend who works ..., RS , Tue, 29 Oct 2002 10:06:44
        • Swedes are under no pressure to produce anything, LOL, Anders, Tue, 29 Oct 2002 13:04:29
          • Thank God there are people who don't, RS , Tue, 29 Oct 2002 15:03:30
            • They have a much healthier emphasis on actually living., Terraplanem, Tue, 29 Oct 2002 16:11:01
              • A recent study show that Swede's are among the >>>>>>>, Anders, Tue, 29 Oct 2002 16:21:29
                • Y'all need some sunshine ... and smog :-) n/m, RS , Tue, 29 Oct 2002 16:35:24
                  • I should say -They need some sunshine ... and smog :-), RS , Tue, 29 Oct 2002 16:37:14
  • Re: SAAB Transmissions: In their defence..., Simon S, Tue, 29 Oct 2002 01:57:23
    • There is no defense, Jd from LA, Tue, 29 Oct 2002 02:37:00
      • Re: There is no defense, RS , Tue, 29 Oct 2002 08:25:31
      • Yeah, give up your 94 900TC manual immediately...., JohnB, Tue, 29 Oct 2002 04:37:17
  • hey, that's me!, tyler, Tue, 29 Oct 2002 00:39:55

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