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My thoughts (guesses, really) >
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Posted by Micah in NC (more from Micah in NC) on Fri, 21 Feb 2003 10:54:53 Share Post by Email
In Reply to: low hunting idle -> stall (1989 900S), Bruce A, Fri, 21 Feb 2003 08:39:14
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Bruce,
I'm still getting my feet wet in the 16V SAAB world, but I have an '89 S as well (my project car for this spring/summer). My Mom has a '90 base 900, so I've learned a bit (and read much more) on idle hunting/stalling.

The neat thing about these '89s and newer 900s is there ability to diagnose themselves, to some extent. I learned how to get the car's fuel injection computer to display trouble/fault codes by flashing the "Check Engine" light on the instrument cluster. A good guide to this is at the Swedish Wrench website: http://www.swedishwrench.com/flashcode.htm
A good guide to what the codes mean is located at the Townsend Imports website, a TSN sponsor, which I'll link below. If that site is down (Tom frequently has server problems, he says), then a code guide is also on the TSN Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page at: http://www.saabnet.com/tsn/faq/lhoverview.html

If you need help, I can give you a few pointers.

That said, if your '89 is stalling AFTER warmup, then I'd suspect the blue-tipped coolant temperature sensor (CTS for short) or the O2 sensor. A simple CTS check is to simply unplug it and then start the car. The LH-Jetronic 2.4 (the fuel injection system's computer) assumes a preset temperature value when the input from this sensor is absent. If it doesn't stall durign the unplugged test, I'd spring for a new CTS. You can check the resistance of the CTS (in Ohms with a ohm/multimeter). The Robert Bentley 16V 900 manual has a chart of resistance (ohm) values at different coolant temps. If your CTS doesn't agree with these values, then I'd replace it. From the TSN FAQ page: "Cold Engine -5,800 ohms @ 32°F (0°C) to 2,600 ohms @ 68°F (20°C); Warm Engine - 320 ohms @ 176°F (80°C) to 180 ohms @ 212°F (100°C)."

The O2 (oxygen) sensor output voltage is easily checked with a digital multimeter, too. Just find the three wires (one black, two white) coming from the sensor and going up to plugs at the passenger side of the engine compartment--near the cabin air vent/reciculate flap box. Use your digital voltmeter on the black wire (the 2 white wires don't carry the sensor signal, they only supply juice to heat the sensor electrically). How? Well, you peel back the black rubber terminal protector sleeve and LEAVE THE TERMINAL CONNECTED, engine running. Then, you ground the negative lead of the voltmeter on the car frame, engine block, etc. Put the positive lead of the meter on the O2 sensor wire terminal. Volts should be from 0.1 to 1.0 volts DC, swinging up and down. If you get one constant value or no voltage at all, then I'd suspect an aging, sluggish O2 sensor. Replacements can be $40 if you solder in a generic 3-wire Ford Mustang 5.0liter sensor to $110 or more if you go to your SAAB dealer, though you're only paying more for the specific connectors.

Hope this helps!
Micah in NC
'84 900S, 229K mi.
'89 900S, 108K mi. (project car)

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