Thread: Dave's Saab Story 2.0 - TRANNY SURPRISE!

So low and slow?

I've been waiting for changes since like last winter lol

Whelp, I put on a new trunk lid I got for cheap because my old one was rusting out....horribly. That badge isn't as clean as I would want it, but I did something stupid with it so it will stay until the car has the rest of the body rust taken care of and the back half of the car is repainted which will be right around this time next year.

I've been doing little things through the summer, just some cleaning and repairs. At the start of the summer I found the leaking A/C line and replaced it and recharged the A/C...which revealed another problem. I soon found out that the car decided that it liked to have all the condensation water dump inside of the car which is great fun! The A/C drain lines were clogged, so I cleaned them out and dried out the car. Everything was good up until about 3-4 weeks ago when my wife and I took a trip to NJ and my Coolant Bypass Valve ruptured and I developed a major vacuum leak. So I repaired those about 2 weeks ago and the car has never been better, that vacuum leak must have been there a while. I also put in my new Recirculation valve and did some replacing of the vacuum lines to silicone. I must have some serious sediment in the bottom of my gas tank because when I let the gas tank get real low, the car doesn't like WOT pulls....so that maybe on my list come next spring, which is to clean out the gas tank.

So...in 2 weeks a bunch of parts will be going in: (all parts are OEM unless I mention otherwise...because they have to be...I've learned the hard way, non-oem parts are rejected by this car)
-OEM Clutch (good to 350-400hp)
-Pressure plate, slave cylinder, and machined flywheel
-Rear main seal
-06+ TD04 Turbo (06+ had a modified inlet which then got a bigger inlet pipe, good for a nice 10hp bump alone)
-All new turbo lines for coolant and oil
-ETS Intercooler (nice little upgrade)
-3" Brew city boost downpipe
-3.5 Brew city boost FPR
-Silicone piping for the intercooling
-Coolant flush, thermostat replaced and new Mercedes purple coolant put in
-New Alternator
-New Starter
-New inner and outer tie rods
-Poly Subframe bushings
-Poly torque arm mounts for the trans
-All new rubber oem motor mounts
-New o2 sensors
-New oil pressure sensor
-All new pcv system
-SAS bigger sway bar upgrade with upgraded Moog Sway links

I think that is all of it and I'll be Stage 3 at that point (300hp/340ftlbs)....look at it this way....the only things I haven't done in the engine bay is small (Steering rack, Steering pump, Water pump, and probably some small thing I'm forgetting)

Now before the next big Saab meet in Carlisle the car should have the following done:
-Cleaned up engine bay and final dressings in place
-Fix the front bumper lower grille (don't ask)
-CTS Calipers for a Bigger Brake kit with Slotted rotors and Akebono pads
-Under chassis bracing (Tie bars and subframe connectors)
-Front strut tower brace
-Dash face will vinyl overlayed with 3M brushed steel
-Clarion NX404
-Sound deaden the entire interior (I need to tear the dash completely apart anyways and I need to replace the drivers seat bracket...why not)
-Replace passenger window because when the window roller broke it scratched the glass...deep and then have it retinted
-Replace rear door speakers for more highs
-Custom embroider the headrests with new aero logo
-door sills laid with new aero logo
-convert to dual exhaust
-new LCA's with OEM bushings and balljoints

I'll be gathering the parts over winter and hit it early in the spring. The later half of the summer, I will have the dog leg areas (common rust spot), cut out and rewelded with new and the back half of the car repainted; I plan to have the front half of the car repainted some other time down the line. While I am at it, I plan to roll the fenders and add some spacers just for a little more offset and I will be replacing the wheels 2 at a time with the same ones because they are in really bad shape, the previous owners never washed the wheels and they got pitted and the clear coat is peeling now. So by this time next year...it should all of this done.

Now....for the very distant future, the car is at 140,000 miles now. At 200,000 miles I will need to be concerned with the timing chain and head gasket. SOOOOO....at around that mileage I plan to do those pieces...but also I will be doing and upgrading the rod and main bearings because they also should be done...so then the only thing not touched will be the steering rack and steering pump LOL.

Okay so here are some pictures of random stuff.

Other things on the burner for when it happens...it happens.

I want the LED tail lights...I really do....but as all custom things are concerned, sometimes making it over complicated can be bad; what happens if one whole light goes out because of a short? I can't just drop in a new bulb, so with that thought, I've decided to save the money and just keep my bulbs. But I am investigating LED drop in bulbs for just the turn signals, but the bulbs I have are those Silverstars and double the wattage which are stupidly bright, I have yet to find LEDs as bright as those.

The other burner project is to retrofit these headlights with some Lexus projectors while keeping the adaptive functions working (moving with the car).

Those are the only projects I have on the pile that happen when they happen.

Just for those reading...if you ever own a 9-5, here are the list of parts you will need to always have on hand because Saab (and they all have to be OEM)
-Crank position sensor
-Coolant temperature sensor
-Throttle body
-Direct ignition cassette
-Fuel pump
-Coolant Bypass valve

Originally Posted by matt5112

So there's no end all be all fix for the TB like Xemodex?

And when you say OEM, do you mean you can buy the OEM branded part? Or must be Saab branded?

OEM branded part, like Walboro makes the stock fuel pump assembly, which is $200 from them or $400 for the Saab branded part. Most of us have found the original manufacturer for all the parts so we can circumvent the price gouging which can occur by buying the Saab branded part. Its not all bad, plenty of parts out; planning and proper maintenance schedules is key to having these cars, in other words if people say it only lasts around 100,000 miles then you should really just do it before it fails.

So this is happening...

Originally Posted by 9898GrandPrixIraqFLVet

OOOOOOOOOOhhhhhhhhh shiny go fast parts....... Beings that engine bay looks cramped any idea how long this is gonna take? Sure looks harder to work on than a w body.....

probably 16-25 hours, its not as cramped as a 3800 engine bay, trust me. That turbo is easier to take in and out then a S/C on the 3800.

Originally Posted by Drunkie

So this is happening...

Finally

Nice.

Sent from my HTC6525LVW using Tapatalk

So I love this thread title

you would.

I think I know who was invovled.

and stuff is in...

Car is a totally different beast, no more clunk in the steering, no deadzone, no more creaking under acceleration, instant boost, clutch feels great. I just need to adjust the shifter and get an inspection. Car at 50% throttle pulls faster than it ever did before...and I haven't even dropped in the stage 3 ecu.

I can't wait to get in the short throw shifter.

So...one of the common issues with the ASA AR1's is that they peel and pit on the polished lip. Side effect of knock-off BBS wheels I guess.

I really want Enkei RPF1's...if I could afford it....but I can't

So I found these

Enkei Lusso's



They will probably appear sometime next summer...along with my BBK, short throw shifter, aluminum pedals, embroidered headrests, dual exhaust setup, body work and repaint, and some other small things.

i wish i had time to install parts. you should have a baby.