[sanderj]

the story so far:

I have a 9000cs 1995 2l which had a knock from the bottom end for the second time! The first time I replaced the engine witha 2nd hand engine purchased from Salvo in Nottingham.

This time around I decided to have it repaired - the garage have finally told me that the crank is too damaged to regrind. has anyone got any suggestions as to what I should do next?

 

[saabz2000]

get another secondhand engine and have it rebuilt first...... or get someone to fit a secondhand engine with a guarantee ... tricky

 

[billj]

James, have you any ideas as to whether this is a co-incidence or there is a common cause for this failure on both engines? In your position, I'd be trying to make sure there isn't something wrong elsewhere that will kill yet another engine.

 

[sanderj]

the second engine expired shortly after the guarantee expired (how do these things know?)

The engin was replaced entirely - the only common factors were the ECU and my driving style. I think the latter may explain a lot

It looks like the only way to revive the car is to invest in an engine otherwise it is basically scrap.

Unless you guys know where I could find a bottom end.

 

[Eric van Spelde]

Having been there - albeit in the middle of a rebuild - I would have a rebuilder get you another crank (most of them won't ever see enough mileage/abuse to wear out) and have the whole rotating assembly balanced at the same time. New bearings and piston rings, and you should be good to go for a long time. You have everything lying apart already - so even if you get another secondhand engine you will likely pay for the workshop hours involved. Instead of introducing another unknown factor in the shape of another secondhand engine (warranty is nice, but if you get through the same ordeal just after the warranty expires, you're still not happy, right?) doing a proper job on the existing engine -which makes it effectively a brand new one - seems to be the preferable solution for satisfaction and peace of mind.

If the repairer diagnosed a major engine problem before tearing things apart, it would be another matter. Now you're paying for the teardown, might as well bite the bullet and pay for reassembly, too.

BTW my engine builder (Frank at Sweedspeed, The Netherlands) sourced a crankshaft and balanced/shot peened it to motorsport standards) and it cost me all of 300 euro's. A new set of Glyco main and big-end bearings (including thrust bearing) was 110 euro's. Doing thing the proper way on a Saab bottom end is not as expensive as people think (OK, so I had the rods shotpeened and weighted, a 'new' block bored to 92 mm, forged pistons and piston cooling oil squirters installed, which naturally added up to a somewhat more sizeable bill...).

 

[saabz2000]

Good advice Eric, sounds the best move.. if your looking for a crank or donor bottom end, try saabflight 01323 449908. a bit out of your way, but they might be able to help

 

[1989agoodvintage]

Remember also that the second hand engine was probably taken out of an accident damaged vehicle. It's possible the engine may have sustained internal damage during a heavy impact.

Saab engine failure isn't that common, it's the reason why so many of us have cars with > 150K on the clock and are still going strong. You can be unlucky of course, I know Bill J's Aero lunched it's original motor.

Just something to consider...