'new' car smoking

[39buss]

99 2.3 SE auto. 85000mls. 4 main dealer stamps up to 30000mls  then over £4500 spent since 2001 by the present owners with Saab indie and local garage. Beige electric memory heated seats,dipping reverse mirror,Saab boot spoiler,alloys but only cd/radio. Still not a bad spec.
I drove the car last week and it went really well so agreed to pick it up this week when their new car arrived but they rang to say the car had started to smoke. We came to an agreement and it was trailered the 40mls home. The engine runs nice and quiet but tends to hunt a little on tickover. The smoke is whitish/grey in colour. I think its in good enough nick to fix and I'm looking towards the turbo being at fault. In the pages of history there's no indication the sumps been off but Saab turbo and semi/syth oil has been used. Not sure of the crank vent system either.Look forward to your comments and if there's anything else let me know. I've put fotos on fotobucket so hope I can get them on here.
The small pipe has the number Saab 9172487. The split pipe is the one that goes into the rocker cover and the smoke is on tickover.

[Leon TurboX]

Breathing system looks most unhealthy!
First thing I'd do, get sump of and fit new pcv system and see how it goes.

[sgould]

Yes, those vent pipes look to have broken up.  The bits will be blocking the strainer in the sump.  Once it's fully blocked the engine will be ruined.  The final symptom is often a whine from the engine after a cold start as the oil pump tries to suck the thick oil through the last clear holes in the strainer - but you don't always get the whine before it goes bang!!

The latest vent kit should have white writing on the pipes around the oil filler.  But get the full kit.  The one that includes all the vent pipes, not just the ones that have been modified.  It's likely that they will all be in the same condition.

Turbo smoke is usually described as "blue smoke on start-up".  Whites moke is often a head gasket, but then you may also get oil in the header tank.

[39buss]

Thx for your most welcome views. The first job I would have had done was the sump drop. Do you think the breathing system will make the car smoke as shown in foto. Have I got my pessimist head on and thinking its the most awkward and expensive job, the turbo. Neo bros £85 for breather kit. Elkparts have ceased trading according to website this morning. Never heard anything about that. Any tutorials on changing the breathers. I've been on Saab forum for 3 yrs and even the keen, younger Saabists find the job difficult and awkward. If these two jobs cure it I'd be more than pleased.

[TomPaine]

Elkparts have ceased trading according to website this morning. Never heard anything about that.

http://www.saabtechtalk.com/forum/index.php/topic,269.msg1930.html

[nine-fiver]

Breather renovation kit is not a difficult job. Have a go.

[39buss]

Thanks for the confidence booster. Do you think renewing the vents will cure the smoke or is it trial and error going the cheapest and easiest route first. Any pics of the pipe layout to give me an idea and can it all be done from under the bonnet. There was NO mayonaisse on the oil filler cap but the dipstick oil looked a bit dirty. I'm beginning think the vents and sump have never been done. Is the Neo bros kit ok and does it contain all I'll need.

[Audax]

You need to drop the sump clean it out and replace the breather kit, it's the first step on any diagnostics for a smoking 9-5. If you know something is wrong that could be causing problems similar to those which you have then you must fix it before you can diagnose any further. If you try and find other problems now then they may be exacerbated by the problems you can see or they may not exist and could be caused (or getting worse) by the problem in front of you.

[39buss]

Can the Neo Bro kit be recommended as I'll order it and the 'O' rings for the oil strainer. Son of Saab will be started as soon as my present project(hobby) is finished but I will let you know its progress. I've had my 'R' Reg over 3yrs, 13 Western Saab stamps and 109000mls when I bought it and the oil strainer was nearly choked with coagulated oil. I knew nowt about Saab's when I bought it and thanks to all the info from here saved the engine and probably the car from the knackers yard.

[39buss]

Unfortunately "Son of Saab" is going to be uneconomical to repair. We've had the sump off and there's oil running out of the turbo and mayonaisse gunge in the exhaust pipes. Labour charges for sump + oil/filter + breather kit + turbo + other sundries and maybe the Cat ruined with oil so the decision's been made.I will take off most of the bits which could come in handy or if someone wants bits(easily posted by RM) let me know. Full excellent beige memory leather trim. I'll make a list and put it in the for sale section when I've taken off what I can.