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Hi,
I'm still deliberating whether to resurrect my 1997 900SE V6 or cut and run. It lost the timing belt at 89K (although Saab dealer replaced at 63K!) and bent 14 intake valves and 4 exhaust valves. I don't know if the valve guides are toast but probably not (death occured at idle!). I have no recourse with Saab unfortunately. My indie says $2500 to repair, I could pick up a long block for $1300. but it would need a timing belt (idler, water pump, etc.), and I could pick up a set of rebuilt heads for about $700. I wanted to do the heads myself (i.e. take off, send to shop for rebuild, put back on with new head bolts, etc.), but my indie says if I'm going to do that, I might as well do the rest myself too and he would even lend me the timing belt tool.
So I'm getting over that "sick up and fed" feeling and wondering if I should tackle this job myself, being a decent shade tree mechanic with a garage full of tools, parts washer, beer, etc.!
My questions dear board posters are these, has anyone done the heads and belt themselves? Is this a monumental job akin to swapping an automatic transmission on a 1978 F250 four by four in the desert at night on top of a fire ant mound with just a leatherman and a pair of vise grips?? Is it a nightmare? Is it just lots of work? How about getting the engine out? Can that be done from above after taking off the hood, or do I really need to get it out from underneath? I've seen the other postings about things that should be replaced during this service and would do that as well.
Just had finished up a year of turning this into a sweet ride and I'm not ready (yet?!)to cry Uncle! My likely course will be to buy a 4 cylinder 1997 or 1998 NG900 and swap all the goodies I put on the V6 onto that, but it seems a waste to just use the V6 for parts. I'll see what you guys have to say first though.
Thanks,
Chris
posted by 216.195.200...
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