9-5 Aero 2006 Manual Gearbox

[steventon95]

I have just got this nice shiny 9-5 Aero Estate which I intend to fettle and keep long term. The only minor irritation is that it doesn't like going into reverse, and I always need to give a quick twitch into first and then across to reverse. This works quite well, and the forward gears are all quite happy. To be fair it's something I can live with, there don't seem to be any FM55B05 gearboxes lying about, but it would be nice to think of some long-term solution. I could at a pinch renew the clutch (car has been used for towing) but it's a major upheaval. Anybody got any bright ideas on this?

[Audax]

In all reality I would leave it, reverse gear was a common problem and the only fix that I can recall was taking the gearbox apart and overhauling it and replacing gears. You'd be better off waiting on getting a replacement gearbox if you can and stashing it in a shed and when the clutch needs replacing look at building a new box then.

[steventon95]

That sound s pretty good wheeze. The car is perfectly driveable in the forwards direction, it's just the minor irritation of getting it into reverse. I have treated it to a clean out and refull of new oil. I wasn't at the garage while it being done, but it will have cleaned out any bits, and it seems a bit smoother in general although this may just be subjective. I can just keep my eyes open for a B05, the only ones around at the moment seem to have high mileages and are in foreign parts. There seems to be possibility that a B01 would work, but there are apparently some problems with the upper mounting.

[steventon95]

I'll put that to bed now. The other 9-5 is just coming up to MOT time and it's making ominous noises on left lock and I have deep CV suspicions ...

[steventon95]

A Happy New Year to all. Well that got the saloon sorted with new CV joints and another 12 months MOT. Going back to the mysteries of the 9-5 manual gearbox on the 2006 Aero estate, I finally got round to cleaning off the gearbox plate and realised that she actually has a FM55B12 gearbox. Again, they seem to be a bit like hen's teeth. I have also found by lengthy Google somebody in Germany has posted a table giving the gearbox ID's against the Saab engine ID's. Here I quote ...

— FM 55 kurze Schaltwelle — (short shift shaft)

FM55B01 B205/ B235 (1998-2000)
FM55B03 B235E UK (1999)
FM55B05 4 Zyl. Benziner (2002-2004), B235E UK (2000), B235R UK (2001-2002)
FM55B06 D223L UK (2002-2003)
FM55B08 B235L/R (2002-2004)

— FM 55 lange Schaltwelle — (long shift shaft)

FM55B09 B205E, B235E (2004-2005), B205E/ Biopower UK (2006), B235E/ Biopower UK (2007)
FM55B10 B235R (2007, auch weitere?), B205/ Biopower UK (2006-2007), B235E/ Biopower UK (2008-2010)
FM55B11 Diesel 4er (2004-2005), B2005E/ Biopower UK (2008)
FM55B12 B235R (2004-2007) => NLS-USE 55563074
FM55B13 1.9 TiD UK (2006-2007)
FM55B15 B235R UK (2006)

Now I have no idea as to the accuracy of all this, but is does look as though the B235's might be able to use FM55B09 or FM55B10 boxes as alternatives to a FM55B12. Again no guarantees with regard to the bell flange or the top mounting bracket but it does look within the realms of possibility. One of our elder statesmen may be able to advise on all this ...

Cheers
Jim

[mikejgeo]

Jim the B10 fitted no issues to my 9-5 Aero 2010 [badged as Vector but everything is Aero...]

The one I got was unused/unfitted and don't seem to exist anywhere now, I called Orio and chap was helpful but said no they had sold all there new old stock last year

[steventon95]

Splendid result!