OK, OK... but don't you dare complaining about loss of productivity today because you need to read all this!
Car: 1985 Saab 900T8
Modification: intercooler retrofit
For: 10 more horses, OE fitment, essential upgrade before more power mods are made, should make for a better engine life, relatively cheap from junkyard
Against: improvement only marginally felt on road, a tiny bit more lag down low, then pulls slightly harder towards higher rpm
Modification: Simons sports exhaust
For: cheaper than OE replacement, looks like more or less like original Saab twin-pipe (Carlsson) sports exhaust they stopped making yonks ago, nice sound, definitely better off-boost pick up, needed before turning the boost up (exhaust back pressure = high EGT), well made
Against: rusts at welds so it needs some fettling with Fertan and VHT paint every once in a while to keep it looking nice and prevent perforation in the long run - still it's hanging under there since 1995 so I can't complain really
Modification: performance air filter element
For: you'll never need another, realistically...
Against:... but it doesn't have any tangible benefits, either (although my friend Paul noticed marginally bether throttle pickup on his T8 back then, and it should be good for another 2 or so hp...)
Modification: Tar.Ox grooved front discs
For: keeps the pads from glazing and gives a path for disposing of the gassing that induces brake fad when hot, proved virtually indestructible on my car
Against: ... but you'll need better pads to makefull use of it (and I bet the discs will wear out faster, then) and you're still working with an ultimately inadequate brake set up (nasty Girling calipers, solid discs) so maybe the money is better spent towards more serious braking mods
Modification: 5th injector with electronic controller by Ford tuner Wouter Bollen (quite obviously an ERL Mapfueler replica/cast-off)
For: the only sensible way to aid the K-Jetronic system in providing fuel higher boost/power outputs before K-star; has its place in conjunction with earlier EFI systems, too. You don't mess with the basic fuel system, so normal cold/warm starting, driveability and fuel consumption/emission on anything but full load conditions are unaffected
Against: involving to install mechanically (you'll have to weld an injector socket to the intercooler-throttle body pipe, and there were no off-the-shelf solutions for attaching a fuel hose to a single EFi injector back then); you just assume it is working (with hindsight, I would havshelled out the extra money for the ERL MF2 because it has diagnostic functions built-in); ideally needs to be set up on the rolling road
Modification: Merwede lowering springs
For: suddendly you know what the car's up to from the seat of the pants...
Against... but you'll also know what side the coin you just drove over was up
Modification: Koni shocks
For: transforms the car's handling and composure, adjustable (but not on the car), lifetime warranty
Against: not cheap, but if you need new shockers anyways...
Modification: watercooled T16 turbo (Garrett T3, trim 45) on T8 (OE is trim 40, non-watercooled)
For: cheap (secondhand), more power from the midrange upwards, no discernable increase in turbo lag
Against: having to retrofit the proper coolant lines, particularly replacing the lower rad hose (but at this age, some of the originals might be iffy anyways)
Modification: 2.1 litre engine conversion with pistons from Gasparatos, Hamburg
For: Fantastic, silken smooth power delivery with the old 8vT, transforms driveability
Against: but the pistons and rings (cast Mahle, modified Ford Scorpio V6 units) ultimately are incompatible with turbocharged applications in terms of strength; it was lots of (unforeseen) extra work to make them fit the Saab con rods, too - both of which indicate that Gasparatos basically doesn't really know what he's doing
Modification: balancing and lightening OE flywheel
For: definitely better throttle response, makes the experience more 'thoroughbred', idling and take-off from rest were not discernably affected, cheap mod if you have the clutch out anyways
Against: if your engine is not running right, you'll know immediately, and suffer for it
Modification: balanced engine rotating assembly
For: another big step into making a 'real' sports engine out of the venerable Saab 2 litre, smoother running, more eager to rev, less stressed mechanicals, theoretically the power otherwise wasted on vibration would be found back at the crank output
Against: you'll have to take the engine out and apart...
Modification:
Ported and intake manifold port matched 8 valve cylinder head
For: If the head's off anyways, it doesn't cost you more than 10 - 12 hours worth of your winter's nights and a few Dremel bits; it definitely helped response from 4K rpm upwards...
Against... but I could have been deluded feeling that - b*tt dyno's are not always very accurate, particularly when you spent a lot of time at a mod; the material you grind off literally gets anywhere, so clean the head as well as you can with compressed air and a vacuum cleaner, and I would recommenchanging the oil after a short while to be on the safe side
Modification: Trent Saab fancooler kit
For: Improvement building on OE intercooler, so I did not make a prior modification/purchase redundant; clean, professional install without modification of body parts (rad support, spoiler); keeps things cooler without the lag associated with big-a** IC units
Against: automatic on/off circuitry diesn't work with pre-'86 ignition so I go a mere on/off switch, bit 'spensive for what's basically a fan strapped to the front of your IC
Modification: Big Fat Intercooler Pipes (BFICP); OE for '89- 900T16 models
For: another intake restriction gone, clean, light
Against: sourcing them (they had to come from Two Stroke To Turbo, eventually)
Modification: Trent Saab dump valve
For: Pssht!
Less turbo lag
Against; hard to findright balance between response on lifting throttle and stalling the engine on depressing clutch; the first one (Bailey) could not stand the heated compressed, un-intercooled air (the spot on the intercooler-throttle elbow had already been taken by the 5th injector) so they fitted a unit originally destined for their rally Impreza WRX (old shape)on which it is also mounted before the IC -that one does the job up 'til now
Modification:
16 Valve conversion with LH fuel injection:
For: Losing a lot of potential for bad running with all the mechanical K-Jet issues (warm up regulator, mechanical fuel distributor with sprung-loaded system pressure regulator); 16 valver more smooth and refined; ultimately better power potential; no more adjusting valve clearances; no more cracked 8v heads and exhaust manifolds; LH is basically plug and play with no set up adjustments to be made
Against: sorting out where the LH wiring harness interfaces with what's in the car already (not that hard, though), risk of frying an ECU when you do get it wrong initially, 16 valve head weighs 20 kg's (including cams) which is significantly more than 8v (but a part of that is compensated for by losing the cat iron K-Jet fuel distributor); potential for hydraulic lifters getting bad
Brake upgrade to 88-on system, with late 9000 calipers and discs up front, Trent Saab Stage II discs/pads (DS3000 in my case)
For: Whoa, so that's how
real brakes feel!
Against: the bill (can you say 22.5 hours of shop labour?)
16" Aero wheels with 195/50/16 P6000's
For: Car feels tighter, improved steering precision - oh and they look very
Against: ultimate grip of Pirelli's not that hot, for a compound as soft and fast-wearing I'd expect better performance
Modification:
Rear T16S torsion bar retrofitted (none on front); SAS polyurethane shock bushings
For: Understeer? What understeer? Back end still very stable under normal driving
Against: Nothing so far
Modification:
Extra side bolstering on front seats, clad in biscuit leather
For: Definitely better lateral support without foregoing the creature comforts of the OE Saab 'contour pattern' seat (important with suspension as rock hard as mine, er, Saabine's); combination of high-quality leather and soft velour surfaces looks stunning IMO; quite cost-effective improvement
Against: Still no way to fit a four point harness for the track
There's lots more of which I can't really give a verdict because there's no benchmark to put them against (many mods like the Trent Saab RRFPR for instance, came with the 16 valve conversion and weren't applicable to the former 8v set up), I'm still in the experimental phase with even after years (home made water injection system) or it's still too early to tell (the new engine with turbo and all associated stuff).
And no, I'm not gonna get into things like the walnut dash, spray painted plastic interior parts, white instrument dials, the audio system, et cetera, et cetera here!!
