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(please forgive any grammar errors I just want to get this out and get some feedback..thanks)
I Have reached a limit with my patience and my Saabs. Please help past this if you can
I have always wanted one (Saabs) of these cars since I was a teenager back in the 80's, ever since I saw my first saab with roll cage inside and thought that is a cool looking and it is real safe! I had to wait until I was in my early twenties before I could get a hold of one and then it started. At first it was great because it was a California car driven by an old lady, but ever since I received my first "saab shock" on the cost of repairs I started to wonder if this was a wise decision ( the purchase). From that point I really thought I just needed to learn how to do some of the work myself. So I learned how to some of the basic mechanic stuff and the information gained form my 10 years of experience have been rewarding and have prevented me from being completely taken by some unconsciencous mechanics. As I have stated before in my website http://www.geocities.com/jacgavin2000/ I have owned five Saabs and three still run. At first it was all love and admiration for these cars but in the last few months the tides have turned. I have been plague with the fact that I have spent well over $3500 on "modifications or adjustments to my car to accommodate these mods. The cost of the mods matched the original cost of the car." I have in the last 3 years of ownership gone through about every major work you can do on these cars including transmissions, clutches, head gaskets, brakes, shocks, ball joints, fuel pumps, etc and now, since I lost my original turbo and had it replaced things have turned worse.
The replacement turbo and the performance problems associated with it may have well proven to maybe be the final nail on the coffin. I had been waiting for a good opportunity to replace my old original turbo for a long time with a new one that has a slightly larger compressor and associated exhaust vane trim to increase my spool up and overall hp. Specifically the compressor wheel and housing is from a Nissan 240?, the turbine exhaust is slightly larger to fit tighter within the t3 garret housing and the vains are trimmed. This should allow faster spool up with increased mid and top end performance and the waste gate is designed to open at 5psi and fully open at 19psi. This has proved to be a fleeting dream. Ever since I had the new turbo put on it has been nothing but problems, and now not only have I not seen any real improvements in performance but I have also lost my "turbo hit". To make things worse the new turbo is making noises. It is barley an month old and either the mechanic put it in wrong and caused damage, or the declining health of my cars supplement components have cased damage, or the unit itself is bad.
Basic Components( check website first I guess but if not then http://www.geocities.com/jacgavin2000
SPG9 stage 1 box
SPG9 RRFPR (original 3bar FPR)
vacuum advance unit 20 degrees initial 6 degrees at high boost
New turbo described above
Nology wires and new coil
SPG9 voltage regulator unit)
Larger IC air pipes to turbo
2.5 inches exhaust with high flow cat and flowmaster muffler
IC fan
K&N
24 lbs. injectors
Basic specs
vacuum 15 and 20 after initial letting foot off of accelerator returning to 15
timing at 20 with special retard unit to 6 degrees at high boost.
Redid (removed, replaced and tightened looking for holes) all turbo piping and checked vacuum lines to all turbo parts-result good.
New cap and rotor and plugs(BGK7...)
Fuel pressure slightly rich
changed oil 15-50w Mobil 1 synthetic
Some more symptoms (may or may not be related)
When I first had the turbo put on my battery was bad so in the time I parked the car at my mechanics and let it sit and he put the new turbo on it went dead. Then Upon my mechanic trying to jump it the engine check like came on and stayed on. If did not have time to test drive it and just thought it was fine since he started it and it ran. Upon my test drive without the fault code lock in it was in serious "limp" mode. The bypass valve just kept banging allot until I got it back to him. He cleared fault code (check engine light) and the car did not run in limp mode. However It never ran right, compared to my Garrett after the new turbo and this situation. Could this limp mode situation have damaged my bypass valve or the turbo itself?
use to get max boost with old garret to the peg before turbo change out now only boosts to 1/3 red
Cruise control use to work fine now when cruise is set and basic boost controls acceleration the pedal is taken to floor by cruise control without any acceleration. I even step on pedal and nothing changes. With my old unit it would at least start to accelerate even with only 5 psi basic boost taking over apc box
Vent control system cycles and does not blow air and then does after I come off of acceleration. did not use to do this.
no turbo surge at all just steady increase and once I get to 1/4 red it stops boosting and surges with knock I guess
I guess I am asking for some areas to check to ensure that the engine is not sick and it really is the new turbo being bad or installed wrong, or in the wrong application. I am also asking for the reassuring pat on the back and reminder that these cars are worth it. I hate coming into work and having to hitch a ride because my car is always in the shop. I want to sing praises, ;like I use to do often about this car but now when I look at my various pictures on my "I love SAAB" wall in my cubicle I sometimes wonder if it is time to throw in the towel and just wait three years and by the new saab out at that time or sell what or even ending my relationship with saab.
Give me hope
the wondering soul
Jack
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