1994-2002 [Subscribe to Daily Digest] |
1996 Saab 900SE 2.0L Turbo, Convertible, 5-speed
I have wanted one of these cars for more than 10 years, and I have finally found my project car of which I shall post pictures soon. She's now in the garage.
First off, car wouldn't start. Jumped it from other car, and it starts! Wife and kids think I'm a genius (let's not spoil the moment...shall we?).
Secondly, when car is cold, there is this loud screeching sound until RPMs get over idle at which point the sound disappears. I've pulled off the serpentine belt and have found a lot of play in the idler pulley (short belt mod is now in the plan) and tensioner pulley seems none too great either. I'll confirm this tomorrow when I get new belt on (what size for short belt mod...anybody know??).
Third, and this is the head-scratcher, once I got car started and figured out that screech went away at higher RPMs, I figured a short test-drive in my new car was in order. So, up the street I go. Turbo kicks in, and I am psyched!! I go about 1 mile, come home, and shut the car off. What a rush!!
20 minutes later, I want to feel the turbo spool up again, so back up the street we go. Part way up the hill, I punch the accelerator, and I can feel (and see on tach) that the engine is powering up, but there's almost no acceleration. Backing off hard acceleration but still applying pressure to the accelerator pedal, the car's acceleration continues but there is a limit I can feel in the accelerator pedal. Any past that, and the engine seems to get ramp up RPMs quickly with no corresponding car momentum. Having NEVER torn into a transmission or a clutch, I can only describe this as what mechanics have told me over the years...my clutch is slipping.
Hmmm. OK. So, the clutch is slipping a little. Clutch pedal feels pretty sloppy anyway. The PO had told me that the clutch cable was replaced about 6 weeks ago. Hmmm. On up the street, we go. As I am shifting gears, there's now a more notable resistance...almost as though the transmission doesn't want to go into another gear. OK, I'm thinking that this car needs immediate attention, and I may be making it worse, so I slow down to turn around and go home.
As I'm coming to a stop, it feels like the clutch pedal won't let me push it in all the way. Now I'm having to apply a LOT of force on clutch pedal, and as I'm almost to a stop, WWWHHHHAMMMMM!!!! It feels like the car has slammed into gear and stalls immediately. Even with clutch pedal pushed all the way in, as I try to crank the car again, it jerks and spasms. Obviously, it's still in gear.
Fast forward to tonight, car is safely in the garage, and I'm thinking the clutch cable has broken. Nope. All is good with the cable in that it is fully intact at the pedal and at the transmission.
There seems to be a lot of play/slack/squishiness in the clutch now. And, I CAN shift gears. Of course, the car is off as the battery is charging so I 'm guessing that the transmission is shifting gears.
Does what I have describe sound like a clutch "failure" or have I wrecked the transmission? Or is there another suggestion? Bearing in mind that this is my first Saab, and I have never gotten into a transmission nor clutch, if you offer a suggestion or agree about one of the first two suggestions, would you also offer some thoughts by which I can diagnose this or confirm your idea? I will report back and advise on what I find.
Addendum from work done this morning:
I took the serpentine belt off of the car and started it this morning. Ran it for about 20 seconds in Neutral, and no screeching sound. This confirms that the sound is NOT in the engine. So, that's good news. As I turned the car off, out of habit to put car in gear (reverse), as soon as I started to push on the clutch pedal, the screeching sound returned. I did NOT put it into gear, but tested the clutch pedal several more times. Just pushing in the clutch pedal in, enough to take out the play in the cable and start to move the arm on top of the transmission, the screech returned. OK...so it seems the sound is definitely a function of the clutch plates.
To confirm, I put the serpentine belt back on (that's fun...does help to remove air box and front passenger wheel well splash guards) and started the car. In NEUTRAL again without touching the clutch pedal, no squeel/screech sound. Again, touch the clutch pedal to take out the cable play, and the screech returns. Then, I pushed in the clutch pedal, firm foot on the brake and parking brake engaged, shifted the car into reverse and it was a hard, semi-grind, forceful entry into reverse.
I think I can confirm that the clutch is toast.
My question has now changed. How can I confirm that the gear box is undamaged, solid and working properly? With 100,000 miles on the transmission and knowing how beefy they are, I feel it's unlikely that it's damaged. Still, when I get the transmission out, I would like to be sure. Any thoughts on how I can check out the gearbox?
posted by 71.59.56...
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