Messages

1

Off-topic chat, Help, Advice, General motoring issues / Re: Winter Tyres - tyres with most tread onto front?

« on: 08 December 2011, 09:50:37 PM »

can i add to all this
you don't need a full set of four. it is recormended but from experiance, if you carn't afford them just get 2. on the front.
i have done it before and no many who also do this.
yes the back end will break away quicker under heavy load but as long as the rears have good deep tread it wont make a massive differance.

And sgould just as a comment surely the driven wheels require most grip.
i no when i ran my 9k in the french alps for 6 months once the fronts had gone to about 4/5mm i was unable to drive up hills i had been able to. so the rears got swapped to the fronts and all was back to normal, and did'nt have back end issues.

2

Off-topic chat, Help, Advice, General motoring issues / Re: It's time to start a winter tyres thread - weather will getting worse!

« on: 08 December 2011, 09:36:18 PM »

I was seeking out bad roads last winter just to try out the winter tyres. some of the back lanes around here were covered in about 10cm of snow and I was driving down them at what I'd have considered stupidly high speed in the past when I didn't have winter tyres. Your car will be absolutely transformed with some proper winter tyres on it.

As a saab driver i shouldn't be saying this but last winter when it snowed i was driving round my paddock with about 10cm fresh snow and a compact layer underneth like a rally god (well in my eyes anyway) but able todo things a ff car on snow shouldnt be able to do.
and just as referance my dad tried the same in his 9-5 on normal tyres and couldn't get up the little tiny incline onto the field.

i've run cold weather tyres since 07, and will never not use them again. even just for the wet and cold winters without snow

3

Off-topic chat, Help, Advice, General motoring issues / Re: Winter tyres- do you need to tell your insurers?

« on: 08 December 2011, 09:18:51 PM »

i would say its your choice if you want to tell them,
i personally did i'm with Axa and have been for 3 years and they where very happy when i informed them even though they said it wasn't nessary, only comment from them was the tyres have to be either manufacture recormended or rated to your car spec. ie 225-45-17 94v xl or whatever the 9-5 runs.

so what winter tyre are we all using

im on falken hs439 225-45-17 94v xl with rim flange protection, its my secon year on them and they are quiet great wear rate even in current temps tyres have been on since end of oct. and great performance in snow and ice.

4

Classic Saab 9-5 (MY 1998-2010) / Re: Tire pressures

« on: 08 December 2011, 07:42:40 PM »

Not sure they are fitted as standard But these 2 bits of info should explain

Rear Camber Shims  - available from your dealer (in 0.3mm) or GenuineSaab (in 0.3mm and 0.6mm)
These are used to reduce the amount of negative camber at the rear wheel. Some owners have tried to set the camber close to 0°. These are designed to correct vehicles involved in accidents or lowered below stock. There is no reason to ever need a shim on a stock car. Yes, shims will reduce the rear tire wear so you can use the car without endlessly changing tires, but shims will not eliminate the sag and bottoming out which contributes to poor handling as well as damper, spring, and subframe failure. According to at least one owner (sagging rear.) subframe failure or whatever else is failing continues with the use of shims and eventually will not be correctable without exceeding the maximum number of allowable shims (a number which was already increased by Saab at least once to deal with the suspension issues).

Which i think leads on to this statment from saab/gm US
The Saab 9-5 rear suspension design is such that ride height and camber are related as outlined in the WIS tables. The Saab 9-5 seems to suffer from a design defect whereby the vehicle does not maintain ride height under normal loads (loads up to its stated GWVR) and thereby does not maintain acceptable camber. This design defect is exhibited in varying symptoms including tire wear and failure, alignment problems, rear wheel well trim damage, premature damper and spring failures, bushing failures, etc. The exact suspension defect is not clear. The defect can also result in a deformed rear subframe/axle. The exact method of the deformation is not clear.

I take a slightly different view of the "adjustability" question.

I would suggest that the shims are fitted in the factory to make up for (in)tolerances in the body build.  There shouldn't be anything to go out of alignment unless the body is damaged.  So the shims should not need changing if the car was built straight!

What I would further suggest is that if anything on the wheel geometry is out of specification it will be because the rubber bushes have worn and need replacement.


Next question is: Does replacing a rubber bush count as an adjustment or a repair!

your right about bushes but i have had all but the rear subframe done and still have the camber issue. guess i should do the subframe ones.

and in answer to your question Who the **** no's. both maybe

5

Classic Saab 9-5 (MY 1998-2010) / Re: Tire pressures

« on: 08 December 2011, 06:10:07 PM »

Right, so you can't adjust it unless you adjust it using parts supplied by Saab and using their workshop manual... Given I have adjusted them for customers before using these parts and the method supplied by Saab it makes your original argument that there is "no adjustment" absurd. You need to look up the meaning of the word "categorically" as it means "without exception" and I think that being able to adjust something albeit with extra parts means it is isn't without exception. I note that you changed from "no adjustment" to "no adjustment without using shims" which is entirely my point and the correct answer.

Telling the original poster that his garage couldn't have had it adjusted is silly, how do you know what the garage did to his car, how do you know they didn't add or remove shims on the rear suspension?

Ok What you say is completely fair!

BUt how can you say its adjustable when you have to add a part to do this,
based on that then its not adjustable as standard which was my point.

i mean you could go down the route of saying the whole suspension is fully adjustable including ride hight rebound and all the rest, but you have to fit fully adjustable setup.
We could go on and on with this but

I'll accept i'm wrong saying they carn't have adjusted the rear camber
, i guess what i should of said is it is very unlikely they have done any adjustment on the rear camber as it would cost a dam site more to fit the shims than £50, and if he had them in place already surley the only way to adjust futher would be to add more shims. (please tell me if im wrong).

this site is called saab tech talk, now surely if you go round telling people that rear camber is adjustable with shims, then for the untechnically minded people who use the site, who don't understand they are an extra part that has to be fitted, may think that it will be done as standard when the alingment is done.

so my first statment though worded badly was still correct.
and surley are little conflab has given people information which maybe they wouldn't of got otherwise.

6

Classic Saab 9-5 (MY 1998-2010) / Re: Tire pressures

« on: 07 December 2011, 06:49:50 PM »

The bit where you stated you had *categorically* been told by both these companies that there was *no* *adjustment* on the rear camber, it's quite blatantly incorrect and why I have an issue with it. Please don't spread incorrect information about as it isn't helpful. Yes you do need shims, yes they are not easy to fit but in no way does this amount to no adjustment on the rear camber...

You've have just confirmed my point the is no adjusment, (without fitting the shims) so surely that means by definition the is no adjustment as standard.

And is it not better for everyone to understand this rather than being told that they have had it adjusted by some garage when in truth it total rubbish,

I do see your point but surley you can understand what i am saying

ITs like me saying i have a jacket and it would fit anyone, but ill have to take it to the tailors before it will,

My indie and the motor sport place stated the is no adjustment, unless you have shims fitted.so they are not wrong  and surley neither am I

7

Classic Saab 9-5 (MY 1998-2010) / Re: Tire pressures

« on: 07 December 2011, 06:22:14 PM »

your kind of right, as the shims are available from lots of sources, but unless you have them there with you and the garage has time to fit them, the is no adjustment on the rear camber, and for a garage to fit them its going to be 2 hours labour maybe less but not done for £50
so from that neither company was wrong,
If you can guide me otherwise please do.

And thats where the interest comes from, i have been told catagoricly that the is no adjustment on the rear camber, also had this confirmed by my indie, who reffered me to them, the service cost me £123 inc vat, and this was a proffesional motor sport company.

Sorry, but both these companies are wrong. The shims to adjust camber are supplied by Saab (part numbers are 4908174 and 4908166) and there is a procedure for doing this in the workshop manual.

8

Classic Saab 9-5 (MY 1998-2010) / Re: 9-5 INTERMITTENT OIL LIGHT

« on: 07 December 2011, 06:13:20 PM »

sounds like it could be the culprit, and as you have had a sludge issue, it worth it considering the cost, i would even go as far to say if its not that still replace it.
HOpe you get sorted
Im still dealing with minor issues after my aero engine rebuild she's done 2.5k since i finished but well worth the time and expense.

9

Classic Saab 9-5 (MY 1998-2010) / Re: Tire pressures

« on: 07 December 2011, 06:04:04 PM »

Interesting thought on rear camber after the 4 wheel alignment,

i have recently had mine done after the engine rebuild and rear suspension parts rebuild,
i had a full alignment on a brand new state of the art alignment machine,
very little wrong apart from tracking and rear camber,

And thats where the interest comes from, i have been told catagoricly that the is no adjustment on the rear camber, also had this confirmed by my indie, who reffered me to them, the service cost me £123 inc vat, and this was a proffesional motor sport company.
so without wanting to put a damper on your statment i think they may of been lying some what,
Unless they fitted shimms on the rear hub.
Maybe worth check to see if they did do it.

for uneven wear maybe think rear bushes shocks, and sub frame bushes

10

Classic Saab 9-5 (MY 1998-2010) / Re: 9-5 INTERMITTENT OIL LIGHT

« on: 07 December 2011, 05:54:28 PM »

sounds like oil pressure switch,
did your machanic turn the car over with the di disconected till the oil light went out before he started it??
What was the reason for the rebuild? did something fail??

oil pressure switch is only about £10 so well worth doing it.

11

Classic Saab 9-5 (MY 1998-2010) / Re: Flashing Cel + misfire, 5000rpm under hard load,

« on: 05 December 2011, 07:19:21 PM »

Ok so ive been doing lots of investigations into the flashing cel,
ran an odb2 diagonostics today and she comes up with fault code p1300
which is torque limitation signal low,

lots of things said on net about this, mainly DI, But i have had a test DI rail on over the weekend provided by my indie Andy@Saab centre.
and we still have the same issue,

now i did find the dump valve had been fitted the wrong way round, and this has been like this since i bought the car, this is now put right but no difference, but was wandering if that could of failed internally thus causing the fault.

the other poss is cps, but surely that would bring up its own fault code.

any ideas thoughts or possible fixes would be welcome, but if not i'll make sure i report all findings

12

Classic Saab 9-5 (MY 1998-2010) / Re: Powerflex sub-frame bushes. Anyone fitted them?

« on: 05 December 2011, 07:12:39 PM »

I did a powerflex bush upgrade on my 9-5 aero when i did the engine rebuild,
and the only hard part is getting the old ones out as they have a metal casing,
ended up cutting and tapping them out, a press would of been better if i had it,

but putting them in was a doddle, 2 pieces of solid metal and a threaded bar with a nut on each end and the just slipped in 20mins todo the lot,

in terms of ride i have no real issue have got poly arb's and subframe but standard wishbone one's and its a little stiffer but not in away that affects ride, just feels better at the front end, and as yours is an se i reckon you wont noticed the differance in ride as the suspenion set up is much soft than my aero with sports set up but you'll get much better sterring feel.

hope that helps

oh and subframe really isnt that bad but it helps if you have a engine liift as you can remove the whole thing for better access

13

Classic Saab 9-5 (MY 1998-2010) / Re: Flashing Cel + misfire, 5000rpm under hard load,

« on: 27 November 2011, 03:11:59 PM »

Ok so ive looked at the air mass meter today seemed ok but swapped it over with the one off my old mans car, still the same problem,

she feels like she'd being staved of oxygen underhard boost,
As i no the car has been messed with in the past, was wandering are the any adjustments that can be made to the boost pressure or anything that involes the induction side that is not covered by the ecu,
as the ecu is completly standard.

14

Classic Saab 9-5 (MY 1998-2010) / Re: Flashing Cel + misfire, 5000rpm under hard load,

« on: 26 November 2011, 04:57:08 PM »

Sounds like a plan will have a play with that tommorow, will also swap the unit from the old mans car and see if that makes a differance,
thanks for the ideas will keep you posted on progression,

but if anyone else has any idea please please say hello.

15

Classic Saab 9-5 (MY 1998-2010) / Re: Flashing Cel + misfire, 5000rpm under hard load,

« on: 26 November 2011, 04:02:27 PM »

Thanks for the replies,
Engine was remapped but ive put her back on a standard ecu as i wasn't sure where the map was done and always felt it was running to high boost pressure, this was congirmed when the turbo was rebuilt as the mentioned it most likeley failed due to a bad remap.
Fuel filter was changed when car went back on the road, and she's run on 97 or higher, not sure about the regulator, where is this located and what should i be looking for. and i think the injectors are fine, but any ideas on cleaning checking, would a fuel addative help??
She's not kicking into limp home so guess that rules out TB,
DI was replaced last year but, it did bring up fault codes before the engine rebuild saying left bank not charging.
DI is still under 2year garantee so could go direct to saab(any thoughts on this)

Air mass is a possibility as the car had a rather stupid aftermarket fillter fitting when i bought her which was open to the elements, so i guess it could of been damaged at that point, just to note i did get the flasshing cel before the rebuild under same conditions.(is the air mass meters same on B205 and B235R)

Just getting a bit frustrated now as the £4000 spent plus purchase price of the car it is starting to get very silly.

Thanks for you replies guys