Messages

1

Saab 9-3 Sport Saloon / Convertible / Combi (Wagon/Estate) / Turbo X / AWD (2003 on) / Re: 93 V6 fuel pressure release.

« on: Today at 05:47:20 PM »

Had a brief go at the 9-3 fuel pressure. Bit of an odd one.  I cleared the codes with the "Car Scanner" and got the option to "Clear found codes" and "Clear all codes".  That may have been a mistake as the car refused to start.  All the sign of a flat battery.  I attached the booster pack and it started straight away.  The green indicator on the battery is there and turning the car off and trying to start on the battery alone was fine.  It must have confused something.  Hopefully just a fright.

Another oddity is that the CarScanner picked up a code for the failed fuel level sensor which Tech2 didn't.  It's P0463.  WIS says "Fault in wiring or component", which I had already surmised.  The engine light and code returned after a day.

But the codes are cleared and the engine light has stayed off for now.

2

Off-topic chat, Help, Advice, General motoring issues / Re: Flat spotted tyres.

« on: 16 April 2024, 12:16:44 PM »

The tyres should recover if they are not abused when first driven.  Alternatively you could pump them up to a much higher pressure to reduce the size of the contact patch, as long as you reduce it before getting it back on the road.

It depends a bit on the age of the tyres.  There’s a date stamp on the side. Four digits. First two are the week. Followed by two for the year.  10 years is considered the life of the tyre in normal circumstances.

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Saab 9-3 Sport Saloon / Convertible / Combi (Wagon/Estate) / Turbo X / AWD (2003 on) / Re: Blower fan chirping driving me nuts!!!

« on: 15 April 2024, 08:58:35 PM »

Well done!  

And, yes, I could do with your luck if you have some to spare...

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Saab 9-3 Sport Saloon / Convertible / Combi (Wagon/Estate) / Turbo X / AWD (2003 on) / Re: Blower fan chirping driving me nuts!!!

« on: 15 April 2024, 02:42:21 PM »

If you have lubed the spindle, check for wear and sideways movement. If the fan is wobbling the outside may be touching the frame.

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Saab 9-3 Sport Saloon / Convertible / Combi (Wagon/Estate) / Turbo X / AWD (2003 on) / Re: Water in passenger footwell - first time ever!!!

« on: 15 April 2024, 02:40:14 PM »

I would still check the area under the windscreen wipers and make sure that the drain is clear.  It's the most likely cause.

if it's not that, then you could start looking at windscreen leaks & door seal leaks.  Your car doesn't have a sunroof, does it?

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Saab 9-3 Sport Saloon / Convertible / Combi (Wagon/Estate) / Turbo X / AWD (2003 on) / Re: 93 V6 fuel pressure release.

« on: 14 April 2024, 11:13:28 PM »

That's my assumption, but to add a bit of confusion, SWMBO was out at her concert last night and the gauge dropped to empty again.  So either the heat of the sun has expanded the fuel, or the level sensor has failed completely.  She has been using the car, and needs it tomorrow, so it may be a while before  I can investigate further.

In the meantime the 9-5 is playing up.  Erratic starting.  Starts and misses, then stalls, try again and it'd fine.  Hopefully not the CPS, that's barely a year old.  No codes.

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Saab 9-3 Sport Saloon / Convertible / Combi (Wagon/Estate) / Turbo X / AWD (2003 on) / Re: 93 V6 fuel pressure release.

« on: 12 April 2024, 04:40:22 PM »

I'll put the investigation on hold for a few days.  As the level sensor only fails to read when the tank is over ¾ full, I planned to check a reading at the connectors behind the left hand headlamp.  There's a 10 pin and a 24 pin shown beside the battery.

Two things have stopped me.  Firstly I can't see any connectors where the WIS shows them.  They may have been moved as that area has the control box for the swivelling headlamps.  Secondly, the fuel in the tank was high enough yesterday evening for the gauge to show zero.  Today the level seems to have dropped a teaspoonful in refilling the rail and the gauge is reading correctly, so there's no failed circuit to find. Frustrating...

I'll just have to wait for the next tankfill.  I know that i could go and do it now, but I resent driving a six mile round trip to Tesco for two gallons. 

But a bottle of Forte wouldn't hurt.   But after messing about with the sensor yesterday evening, I cleared the code and it hasn't returned.  I can record the fuel pressure with CarScanner and save the graph.  I will try that, but it will be a bit hit and miss as it's not the car I usually drive, so it won't be monitored all the time.

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Saab 9-3 Sport Saloon / Convertible / Combi (Wagon/Estate) / Turbo X / AWD (2003 on) / Re: 93 V6 fuel pressure release.

« on: 12 April 2024, 01:26:28 PM »

Now it's a bit warmer and my fingers are working a bit better, I will investigate the two fuel level sensors.

But the P0089 code for fuel pressure error is recurring and was happening well before the level sensor failed.

It's difficult to pin down.  The word on the forums (mainly American) is that the fuel pump is failing and that you need to drop the tank and replace the pump.  But I was dubious that it was the cause as the car ran well on full throttle without any hesitation. And has done so in the 5 years since it first occurred  At first I thought it was the sensor.  A new one seemed to fix the problem, but it returned after 6 months.  The sensor is closed off and is easily wiped clean, but actually shows no sign of any coating.

Then someone else suggested cleaning the fuel rail.  I tried that and the light went out - again for about six months.  The last time the engine light came on I cleared it without doing anything and it stayed off for several months.

I'm inclined to think that there's a short intermittent fault.  I have run a pressure test on a drive with both Tech2 and CarScanner and the pressure stays high.  It's not constant on the V6 as the pump is controlled by the ECU and varies the fuel pressure depending on demand.

Since the fuel rail cleaning seems to work, I'm thinking along the lines that there's a deposit of fine particles nearer the  far end, and maybe they break off and briefly prevent an injector closing, reducing the fuel pressure momentarily.  I would take out the rail and clean it properly, but it's quite an involved process on the V6.

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Saab 9-3 Sport Saloon / Convertible / Combi (Wagon/Estate) / Turbo X / AWD (2003 on) / 93 V6 fuel pressure release.

« on: 11 April 2024, 09:10:37 PM »

I've been playing with the fuel pressure sensor today as the P0089 code has returned.  It's the third time in the last few years.  I've found that running neat fuel cleaner through the fuel rail seems to work. 

However, access is via the fuel pressure sensor in the line.  There's a Schrader valve adjacent to the sensor.  I released the fuel pressure via the valve.  Pressed it several times and there is no pressure and no release of any more fuel.  But when I take the sensor out, fuel sprays everywhere.  I'm puzzled.

10

New Saab 9-5 (2010 on) / Re: Another Ng 9-5 joins the forum

« on: 06 April 2024, 01:19:31 PM »

That looks bad.  I'm glad you caught it in time.  The turbo on my 9-5 let go on the autobahn and the damage looks similar.  However the nut on the inlet end of the shaft came off, but fortunately wasn't ingested!  I found out later that if the turbo hits the wall and stop dead from over 100,000 rpm, the nut spins off under its own inertia...

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New Saab 9-5 (2010 on) / Re: 9-5 NG Rescue project

« on: 27 March 2024, 10:04:36 PM »

I found this, but it doesn't give any model split.  But it does show regional distribution.

https://www.autoinsider.co.uk/cars/saab/reports/regions

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New Saab 9-5 (2010 on) / Re: 9-5 NG Rescue project

« on: 27 March 2024, 06:43:24 PM »

Looks to be very rare

But "How Many Left"  are in the hands of the original dealers who described the car on the original registration document.

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New Saab 9-5 (2010 on) / Re: 9-5 NG Rescue project

« on: 27 March 2024, 05:26:53 PM »

Whisper...

There's a guy on the facebook page of the Saab Owners Club looking for a diesel NG 9-5 as his has just been written off........... 

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New Saab 9-5 (2010 on) / Re: 9-5 NG Rescue project

« on: 25 March 2024, 09:32:41 PM »

That's great!

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New Saab 9-5 (2010 on) / Re: 9-5 NG Rescue project

« on: 25 March 2024, 08:29:25 PM »

Good luck!