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1994-2002 [Subscribe to Daily Digest] |
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I recently got my Saab inspected (passing emissions test) and then started noticing that, on occasions, excessive white smoke at tailpipe would appear, then disappear a bit later -- I looked closer and noticed the coolant bottle fluid is getting dark. Uh-oh, this seems to bring my head gasket into question! Archive posts I read all recommended a head bolt retorque was the first-aid measure. I found vac hoses were pinched and brittle and decided to replace them, too.
On a cold engine, using a torque wrench and E-16 socket (Lisle), I removed and inspected each bolt: #10 was decidedly looser than others and threads were gooped in oily muck. I then followed the 3-stage TSB tightening procedure (30/44 +90 deg. stage 3) using existing bolts. The Lisle socket failed and cracked open on final tightening of #7 (all fragments retrieved with magnet), so I got a new one (K-D/Napa) ...after stage 3, finished up by checking that each bolt did not move when 85 ft/lbs of tightening torque was applied. By hand, it felt like some bolts were solidly tight, but others felt a little like they could have been stretched if they were torqued further. I'll be flushing coolant and oil next, waiting a couple weeks, and check coolant and oil for results.
Can white smoke be attributable to vacuum line deterioration alone, or was it definitely coolant going out the tailpipe? Did I get the re-torque part right?...correct torques?...anything missed?
Many posts indicated that my 1994 engine preceded the loose head bolt issues of later years, BUT my loose #10 says otherwise -- perhaps ALL NGs were affected.... If I caught this in time and my symptoms are remedied, should I just be happy with the results, OR is there reason to think about replacing the old head bolts with new ones since they will be subjected to more heating/cooling cycles as the engine ages?
Vovo222
1994 900S 3dr 2.3L NA auto (112k mi.)
posted by 172.148.214...
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