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, Tue, 29 Mar 2005 09:40:18
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Just did those 3 things to my '88 9k Turbo... It is a good idea to do them all at once. Here is how it went down:
Stuff you need (long):
- Thermostat and Thermoswitch (I used 82 degree variety from eeuroparts)
- Drain pan for coolant
- 1-2 gallons Saab approved coolant
- 12mm shallow socket wrench or box wrench
- L-shaped hex wrench set
- Screwdriver
- Larger Adjustable Crescent Wrench& Pliers
- 6 pack of coors light or brand of choice
- Rag & armor all
- Hoseclamps for Hoodshocks(unless you like slamming the hood on your neck)
1. Place coolant plan below plug for radiator. I like using one with a lid since I have to ride across town to dispose of the antifreeze, and also my neighbor's cat "Muffins" is under the impression that drain pans are water dishes. We don't want a tragedy.
2. Unscrew the lid off your coolant reservoir tank. Unplug the bottom of the radiator. Mine was a simple hand turn plug, you may have a nut variety. "Flush" a can of coors so your 9000 doesn't feel ashamed by flushing by itself. Potty training...
3. After your ride has dumped its coolant, you may want to backflush. I skipped this because I didn't know how to, and Muffins looked nervous when I was debating it. If you want to skip that step, clear your way to the thermostat housing as Gene suggested. To find the housing, follow your fat, upper radiator hose to the bock. Where it plugs in is the thermostat housing. I removed the air intake hose and unplugged the pcv valve hose, and shifted that a little upwards.
4. Unscrew the part on top of the thermostat housing with the appropriate hex wrench. Keep track of that ground wire gene was talking about, you'll need to remember to reattach all this. I didn't, and the car didn't start until I did.
5. Untighten the upper radiator hose form the radiator. Then get on the t-stat housing with that 12mm wrench and take the 2 bolts off that hold it on. Take the hose and housing off, and you have a Saab alps horn (or a sweet beer-bong for your second coors). You should inspect all this for leaks, and possible tears. It will have a little coolant in it, so pour that in muffin's pan. If everything looks good, clean it off with your rag, and armor-all the hose. Anyone without an armor-alled upper-radiator hose should hang their head in shame.
6. Pull the junk thermostat out, and wipe everything down in it's mount.
7. Beer break, your about halfway there.
8. Seat the new thermostat and gasket. Make sure the air-escape valve (dinky lookin brass plug) is positioned upwards with one of the holes on the plate in front of the spring directly in line with the valve.
9. Bolt on the thermostat housing, the thing on top of it (with the ground wire), reattach the radiator hose. Re-assemble everything you took apart to get to the housing.
* If you have chosen to skip the thermofan switch installation, skip ahead to last step.
10. Locate the thermofan switch (lower passenger side of radiator), and unplug the wires from it. Hopefully you have the battery unplugged, because if you touch them to a ground, I heard things could get pretty interesting. Unscrew the switch with your adjustable wrench or pliers. Make sure you remove the gasket as well.
11. Wink at muffins, because you really know what you are doing now. Screw in your new thermostat switch with gasket, and reattach wires.
12. Screw the drain-plug back in to your radiator. Mix up a nice broth of 50%/50% water and coolant. I only needed about 1 gallon of each since I didn't backflush. Slowly add it into your reservoir as you watch for any leaks due to loose hoses or gaskets you forgot. Screw on your radiator reservoir cap, re-attach battery, and start 'er up. Keep an eye on the coolant level, as you may need to top it off a little more as it circulates.
Get your last few beers, waste coolant, muffins, and drive off in the sunset to the closest waste transfer station. Just make sure that muffins drives since he/she is more sober than you are at this point.
posted by 216.210.22...
, Tue, 29 Mar 2005 09:40:18
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