1979-1993 & 94 Conv [Subscribe to Daily Digest] |
First, by a Bentley Publishers SAAB repair manual, either via amazon.com (See Link Below), eBay or a saabnet sponsors. best $40-50 you'll spend on this car. Haynes manual is inferior.
1. Gears 1-4 are fine but you have to search around for 5th. I had the same thing happen on my 88 900, and it was something to do with the linkage. Is this a do it myself repair and what parts would I need?
Prolly the pin at the bottom end of the shifter that keeps you from going into reverse. it wears down some bit that it knocks against & makes it tough to grab fifth. remove shifter, remove cotter pin that holds the pin at the bottom in, unscrew the bottom pin several revolutions, refit & test to be sure it works well. in the meantime, when shifting, don't think of getting fifth as going up out of fourth, right, then up into fifth. instead, think of fourth as 6 o'clock and fifth as 1 o'clock - to get there, go in one smooth, diagonal motion. you may fine this technique satisfactory enough to skip the repair, which is greasy but not difficult.
2. The stearing wheel/column is really loose, you can move it a couple of inches back and forth. The car steers fine on the road but seems loose and kind of notchy at slow parking lot speeds.
3. The back wheels really clunk over bumps. I had it up on the hoist today and saw what I assumed to be shocks instead of struts. Could it be as simple as replacing them? What other problems happen with the rear axles?
could be shocks; could be bushings in suspension; could be exhaust mis-aligned and is knocking a bit. inspect bushings for cracking or big clean rubbing marks and see if exhaust is connecting with car anywhere...
4. The front end is real loose and clunky at low speeds but find at speed. I recall replacing the suspension bushings on my 88 and assume it could also be something along the lines of tie rods or ball joints. Is that something I could do? What does it cost?
see above - you can do this yourself. to have a mechanic do it is $$$. replace shock bushings (& shocks, if bad), lower a-arm bushings, and uppers on the passenger side only (driver side problematic). bushings are not technically difficult but require some creativity & swearing to deal with. OEM is Boge; get from a saabnet sponsor. before you order, inspect the lower a-arms for cracking (search "a-arm" here for more detailed info); replace if you find cracks. aftermarket scan-tech is least expensive and appears to be as well-made as original. next alternative costs 2x as much.
5. There seem to be a few little electrical oddities. I vaguely (I've been driving a 9000 for the last seven years)remember having the dealer replace some sort of grounding strap in the truck or somewhere that stopped simular problems with my '88. What is it, where is it, and how do you do it?
please explain "electrical oddities."
6. The top motor isn't working. What should I check before assuming it's the motor? What are the alternatives (I know they're expensive) if it is the motor?
sorry, never been in a convt.
If anyone can shead any light on any or all of these "issues" I'd sure appreciate it.
while you're at it and if you aren't already planning on it, do a complete brake/clutch flush, as well as coolant. change transmission fluid, too (12mm hex - get a socket hex). lots of chat about what the best goo is for the tranny; doesn't matter much if you're replacing old with new. also flush power steering. buy a gallon of the stuff & just run it through until it comes out clean. search here for instructions; there may be a faq; not sure.
replace all underhood vacuum line (3.5mm ID and 6mm (1/2") at the APC solenoid. also adjust base boost (see saab c900 faq on this site; u need a pressure gauge). rubber is fine & lasts plenty long. some prefer silicone, which looks cool but is more expensive.
by the way, if you enjoy sporty handling, find a SAAB-friendly alignment shop and ask for a custom alignment: 0.6-0.7 degrees NEGATIVE camber, and ZERO toe, or as close to it as possible. quicker handling, and you eliminate front outer tire wear endemic of the model due to spec'd positive camber. make sure they know classic 900s - this requires shimming the a-arms & is a pain.
posted by 216.160.9...
Saab 900 16 Valve Service Manual: 1985-1993/Including All Turbo Spg, and All Convertible
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