1989 Saab 900 Build

[erik74]

Finally she runs again! That was only the longest clutch job in history. No pictures, but here's the point form of the issues we encountered:

-Input shaft was seized in place. Conventional removal techniques were replaced with ingenuity. Cost an extra 2 hours.
-While removing input shaft, dropped a bit inside the primary drive case. Fetching this required opening up the case, 8 hours extra work.
-As so did not have the proper tool to keep the pressure plate depressed, and the fact that the slave was dead, this process took extra time to make everything work.
-After removing the clutch assembly, we had to mount the new assembly. 4 hours were required to prepare the new assembly and figure out how to insert the clutch plate, pressure plate, and slave all at once.
-Getting the slave to fit into place required 2 hours of hammering on the pressure plate, slave, rotating the flywheel, and actually hitting the edge of the clutch plate itself.
-Due to lack of clearance, we couldn't get the pressure plate onto the dowel pins. Ground them shorter and used steel plates to shim everything so that the pressure plate could be rotated into place.

Those were the major problems, not to mention the time I backed a ratchet against part of the frame of the car and could barely access the switch on it. So many little things like this that just didn't work. That's the downside to not having your own place to work!

As the snow clears, expect some pictures! I've got some ideas in the works for getting her a little more to my taste.

[erik74]

Update: the car has successfully driven 300 miles on the new clutch. However, the check engine light comes on occasionally resulting in a loss of power, and the engine shakes under load above 75km/h.

Right now I'm trying to decide if swapping to a 12a rotary with the entire drivetrain (including strut towers, steering rack, etc) from a SE RX7 is worth it. Thoughts? Why the rotary? The SE has almost an identical wheelbase and track width.

[JRodigan]

Update: the car has successfully driven 300 miles on the new clutch. However, the check engine light comes on occasionally resulting in a loss of power, and the engine shakes under load above 75km/h.

Right now I'm trying to decide if swapping to a 12a rotary with the entire drivetrain (including strut towers, steering rack, etc) from a SE RX7 is worth it. Thoughts? Why the rotary? The SE has almost an identical wheelbase and track width.

I would support a rotary Saab. In fact, I'd love to see a rotary Saab, because my friend has been wanting to do it forever. But a 12a might not have enough power to move a 900... lol Great engines but they've only got around 100 (?) horsepower.

[erik74]

I would support a rotary Saab. In fact, I'd love to see a rotary Saab, because my friend has been wanting to do it forever. But a 12a might not have enough power to move a 900... lol Great engines but they've only got around 100 (?) horsepower.

Yes, they don't make a lot of power, but the 13b can be fitted to the same transmission. It would probably make sense to get all the electrical sorted with a carbed engine after doing all the necessary modifications, then throwing in a 13b....with a turbo.

[Bumblebi]

Go for the rotary, so freaking cool to see a rotary 900!!

[erik74]

Well, yesterday the signal stalk shorted and started smoking. So that's pulled out. Electrical issues everywhere!

Also, I was talking to an older gentleman I know today who told me he has an old 900 turbo that he doesn't know what to do with. Going to look at that on the weekend and see what to make of it, but I think that really opens things up for the rotary project idea. I can strip it and have a shell while having a functioning 900 Turbo. Expect to see a rotary 900 sometime down the road.

[JRodigan]

I'm really excited about the idea of rotary 900. Please do it.

[white out]

wait. . . I thought these were FWD.

All the sudden I understand why people LOVE these cars now. Please go on, you have my full attention.

[tba]

wait. . . I thought these were FWD.

All the sudden I understand why people LOVE these cars now. Please go on, you have my full attention.

They are FWD.

[erik74]

My buddy and I went to look at this 900 Turbo today. Definitely a parts car, I do not see it driving again. However, there are a lot of good parts on it and many of them just happen to be the bad parts on mine - especially that turbo.

And a picture from today. Because pictures.


Notice the lack of headliner and dash piece.

Pictures of the car to follow!

[erik74]

Sorry for the lack of updates, as I'm sure you guys really cared haha.

So, the Saab has been sitting since June. The CV's died after we successfully drove her 3500km to Nova Scotia and back. I was away all summer on training so I wasn't able to work on the car.

And with that, the parts Saab has been sitting, not on my property, and the owners are not too happy with the collection of deceased vehicles piling up. So I have until the end of September to take anything else I need...not much time. I'll end up breaking even on the value of the parts and scrap value for the price I paid.

And finally, the CV's are in the mail and I'll be able to do that soon. Thankfully I've had the trusty old GTI to drive around!

Hopefully good things to come over the winter!

[E.Three.0]

this could get very interesting...

[MattHatCat]

Notice the lack of headliner and dash piece.

I notice the no fuel light!
this is awesome !
definitely subbed, i like an old saab

[erik74]

I notice the no fuel light!
this is awesome !
definitely subbed, i like an old saab

Yes, in the spirit of Kramer from Seinfeld, I keep it low. We drove 65km on the light once, got to the gas station, and it was closed. The next one was another 15km. She made it!

In other news, finally got my new CV's to put in. Pulled the old one to find the inner driver completely destroyed. The part costs $280. Paying that much for something on a $500 car really hurts...But I guess that's what I'm going to have to do.

He's the inner CV tripod bearing...or what's left of it.

[erik74]

After a bit of a hiatus, Saab things should get going again...slowly. The GTI needed work and spending $300 on a new CV inner was ridiculous.

I ended up finding an inner for $150 shipped on ebay so I snatched that up. Last night my buddy and I fixed the turn signals, only to have a toggle switch explode.


So, question to you guys, where can I get a reliable DPDT on-off-on toggle switch? Hell, where can I get reliable switches in general? We're going to build a custom dash fascia for fun and run toggle switches.