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Interesting couple of issues here - I think they are related. Any help or advice is much appreciated.
Car is 2001 Viggen, just under 80k miles.
Recently my AC started blowing warm (ambient) air when driving. It seemed to be an intermittent problem - my favorite!
Troubleshooting has led me to the following:
1. AC works fine at idle, or even at 2-3k RPM as long as car is in neutral.
2. AC pressures look fine according to mechanic, though he is not Saab specific person. Low side was around 30-40, high side never got high enough to cycle compressor off. This was all done in neutral, of course.
3. Driving the car I lose AC cooling after 30 - 120 seconds of the car being in gear. If I flick the car into neutral at speed the AC cools again after a few seconds, i.e, the compressor cycles back on. Makes for an interesting driving style.
4. My turbo is not providing full boost, and it was before I noticed the AC issue. However, I can't be certain they happened at the same time.
I only noticed the turbo issue after the mechanic checked the AC operation. He noted that a Saab he worked on once before had an AC issue related to the turbo! So, I started watching the boost gauge closely and sure enough, there is a definite lack of boost - needle will not get out of yellow, and used to go nicely into the red (halfway at least). I cn now also notice some butt dyno differences when accelerating on the freeway.
I have read on here that the engine management cycles the compressor off at full boost - could the computer be thinking I am at full boost when I'm really not? I can be at 2500 RPM in 5th gear and the AC will start blowing warm, clearly I am not at full boost then.
I have checked for loose vacuum hoses and haven't found any, the turbo makes no strange (or new) noises, and the car otherwise drives just fine - though down on power. I did clean my air filter - yes I have a taliafero intake. Have not cleaned the MAF, or changed the plugs yet, but am heading that direction next. Did take off the BPC valve to check it and it seemed fine and unclogged.
Also, my AC compressor clutch has been replaced - I did that myself last year and the AC worked fine after that so I don't think that is the issue. There are no noises coming from it like before. And the AC works at idle!
So, fellow saab owners - any other ideas, or am I totally barking up the wrong tree thinking the AC problem and low turbo boost are related issues?
posted by 70.182.70...
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