Digging into the Engine of my $600 1995 Saab 9000 Aero Long Term Project Car!

[@seansingh8862]

From experience: "I've run out of time tonight" are words that are familiar to every Saab 9000 DIY guy.

[@SaabDr]

This is no joke. Probably familiar to every car guy with a family or day job. Lol

[@kevinlong7515]

This is me exactly. Its because a seemingly 2 hour job turns into 5+ hour nightmare

[@SaabDr]

@@kevinlong7515 I'd never call it a nightmare -- unless it's what just happened with my ML55 (video coming up soon lol)

[@Texasbird026]

I think my run out of time tonight experiences on Saab have probably reached a lifetime limit. The Amsie's corner guy always talked about keeping the SAAB 9000 out of the cabbage patch. I might have to let the cabbage patch take mine

[@seansingh8862]

As much as I'd like to see an instructional video on a b234 head gasket replacement. I think that you should retorque the head bolts. Saab says that they can be retorqued/reused once, and I understand that a retorque solves 80 percent of head gasket issues in these engines anyway. One that is done drive it with fresh oil for a bit and then test for coolant in the oil and exhaust gases in the coolant.

[@SaabDr]

I know the last time I did a retorque (on my NG 900) I had found a couple of loose bolts. All of the bolts on this one are not only fully torqued, but possibly overtorqued. What I'm guessing is that it was leaking at one point, someone loosened them up, threw some RTV black in on the side it was leaking on and retorqued them. I don't disagree on the retorque, but while it's all apart I'm leaning toward doing the hg on it for good measure. At that point I can do the head studs from GS as well.

[@SaabDr]

@@Lamster66 yeah pretty sure I'll just be doing the HG anyways. The issue with the non aftermarket slave cylinder is that it's not available right now. I'll either end up with an aftermarket one or rebuilding the one in the car. And I'm 50/50 on whether the engine is being dropped at this point. It wasn't the original plan, but as you said it may make sense to do given what needs to be done. Lol

[@SaabDr]

@@Lamster66 yeah, my wife and I were talking about it the other night. I was just like "things that should be quick jobs aren't lately". And she was just like "that's because they never were quick, you're just looking at the time more often now". Lol She's got a good point

[@SaabDr]

@@Lamster66 I agree 100%. I don't rush projects anymore, I double check everything I do and the last thing I want to do is have to spend money on the same part twice because I broke something that could have easily been not broken. My wife and I have been married for over 10 years and we've been together over 12, so she knows me well and has seen me rush things and be frustrated with the results -- and she definitely don't want me rushing on a car that we're going to be taking on a road trip or that we need to rely on day to day, which is good. :-) I'm very lucky in that perspective.

[@SaabDr]

@@Lamster66 I've never done my own body work -- so the 9000 will be my guinea pig for that... And if I do a terrible job I have a great shop locally that's more than willing to help (and be reasonably priced).

[@busybee2033]

This is amazing to watch...its a God given gift to be able to work on a car of this nature with such ease and know how 👌

[@pbutter237]

I wish I could be there just to assist!

[@steveburtenshaw1048]

Hi here from Australia great videos I have several 9000's at different stages of repairs. I am really interested in next videos of this car. Cheers Steve

[@TheWiseTent]

Absolutely LOVE the video. Please make more, I could probably watch another 24 hours of this (or more). I own a '97 CDE, so this is super interesting to me. Gotta love the B234

[@SaabDr]

Thank you! I guarantee there will be 24+ hrs of this total throughout the whole project series. Lots of work to be done and I'm excited to get this 9k all sorted out and back on the roads!

[@TheWiseTent]

@@SaabDr I have the full 9000 Haynes if you ever need diagrams or info. Just DM me for my Instagram so we can correspond.

[@SaabDr]

I have a couple Haynes manuals for the 9k and one of the guys in the Saab community (Jim Hickstein) scanned the 1995 shop manuals specifically and has a link on his site: www.findingsaabparts.com

[@kevinlong7515]

Thanks for the video. I recently bought a 1995 saab 9000 aero. It has 195k miles and neglected. Alot of work to do, and every thing i try to do i end up running into more problems making it take much longer than expected!

[@SaabDr]

Yeah, I think that's just how it is with 20 something year old cars when you start fixing them up.

[@birboguapo]

I have same car, same year, 155k, similar issues. Really appreciate your video.

[@eshamuryeam9233]

Love your passion for these 4 cylinder fwd monsters! Pity the car division doesn't exist anymore, thanks to GM 😪.

[@rdpo2832]

9k are very well build cars and not so prone to black sludge. I'm wondering about the state of the carter pan. Thank you for the video😀

[@SaabDr]

I agree, however I definitely want to replace those o rings regardless. It'll be interesting to see what's in there :-)

[@jimklaas]

Joe, quick question, my neighbor asked if I wanted his 1993 SAAB 9000cse. He just ordered a new car and knew I enjoyed working on "stuff". We have zero rust and the car has been maintained to almost perfect condition ...BUT....there is always a but....when I talk to him, he said it is starting to blow a little smoke and for the last 3 months he has been adding about a cup of radiator fluid once a month during the summer. I'm "guessing" it needs a new head gasket. Car is over 200k miles on it. Which out here isn't that unusual, no rust we can drive cars for EVER. Honda CRV has 276k, my Toyota Van I sold with 312K, etc...my question to you is....how tough and roughly how expensive is it to replace the head gasket? ( I wouldn't normally bother you but I don't think you have a video of the head gasket and it sure looked like you were about to do that job.) . We are current putting a new clutch in my kids 69 MGB so we aren't afraid to get our hands a little dirty.

[@jstephan03]

Enjoyed watching. One thing to note that pushing on the chain between the cam sprockets really wont tell you much. Best to properly pull the tensioner and measure the extension.

[@SaabDr]

Yeah I know, it was just a "well at least it's not flapping in the wind" Moment. Plus with the leaky head gasket it'll more than likely get new timing components while I'm in there

[@paydroguapp]

These videos need to explode

[@martingonzalo2242]

Chain of distribution!!!. Great!!!.

[@gabrielgomez2483]

14 years old, and the middle of a head gasket on my 9-5. Definitely not a difficult job, I would definitely retorque first tho

[@SaabDr]

Seeing that they've been retorqued (and seem to be overtorqued) and the extra use of RTV on the head gasket to me mean to replace. Plus I plan on keeping the car long term so replacing it isn't a big deal in the grand scheme of things.

[@Johnathan_Waters]

I sold a 1996 Saab 900 (SE?) Talladega Model for about $600. Had a spun rod bearing due to too MUCH SILICONE being used on the valve cover gasket, which made it's way down into the pan, and clogged the oil pickup screen!! ALSO, some people seem to think that you can drain the oil and get the particles of silicone out the pan, but NO once it gets stuck to the screen, it somehow stays stuck to it! Engine oil pan needs to come off.

[@SaabDr]

Yeah, a lot of people tend to use the wrong sealant or not let it set up right, add oil and run the car. I've actually used RTV Black a few times and let it set up correctly (12+ hrs to dry before adding oil) and didn't have an issue. But a lot of folks use Anaerobic and that's whats recommended by Saab.

[@thekangaroo1880]

My dad owns one but from 1996 All the engine mounts are dead, turbo doesn't kick well The engine "retires", or the spark plugs ignite when the pistons are on the down position (only sometimes) And it takes way to much fuel, we did take it for a 6 hour drive, an the fuel seems to drain at the proper state Plus I live in Australia

[@Jonjs99]

So what are you saying? Your dad is idiot who not maintaining his car?

[@thekangaroo1880]

Jane May I wonder if you ever came to consider how expensive it is to own an old Saab let alone we aren’t rich. It cost AUD$40 for a Saab wheel cap for goodness sake!

[@Jonjs99]

@@thekangaroo1880 Sorry, you are from Australia. Im from Europe. We can buy this car as a donor for 400, its cheaper than buying parts

[@thekangaroo1880]

Jane May ok,dude

[@Jonjs99]

@@thekangaroo1880 But i bet you have some privilegies back at Australia compared to us.

[@karn8048]

From Bangkok I love it My 1994 saab 9000 cs 1994 and cd Light tubor . I'm do it myself but sometime c"not I'would like to wacht your Utube

[@TheSaabClinicUK]

Was TCS even working ?. They were such a nightmare. I would be converting it to a conventional throttle and put a later T5.5 ECU in it.

[@SaabDr]

TCS was not working.

[@TheSaabClinicUK]

@@SaabDr Well there is a Vac pipe missing from the TCS circuit. Do you have EPC ? you should be able to get the pipe layout from that. I have loads of Saab docs as well. Im an ex Saab Master Technician from 88 to 96. Hit me up if you need anything. Im on twitter / insta as well. Same name.

[@SJSOmar]

Oh how I wish I could find a yellow Saab like that in the background

[@SaabDr]

It took us years to find that one. My wife had one as her first Saab that she bought and didn't really like the color at first. Then she fell in love and had to find another one after we had traded that on her laser red 2010.

[@robertcasey1083]

TCS issues, looking for any info on this, where is the rest of the videos???

[@SaabDr]

Not made yet. Life and other things got in the way of car related things for me lately. Hoping to pick up on this once winter hits here in Wisconsin.

[@robertcasey1083]

Yes for sure, family, work and anything else life throws up,it's hard to have Saab time☹️,will keep eye out on update,take care 👍

[@H-H69]

I see a TCS, did you have problems with that?

[@SaabDr]

Yes, there are TCS issues with this car. It may be related to the front ABS sensor wiring being bad though or possibly some incorrectly routed vacuum hose

[@chaddthebadd]

had a few of these cars, i shall get one more, take a 91 or a 96 97 98 well maintained

[@SaabDr]

Personally I'd take any of them -- all of the issues can be fixed and they're great cars.

[@chaddthebadd]

@@SaabDr long as u can still get replacement parts for their transmissions that is..

[@thornmatthew8395]

Great video

[@SaabDr]

Thank you!

[@isitgoodtodo2834]

You going to do tutorials meanwhile the project goes on? like we say now the head gasket you gonna do a video how to replace it or just time lapse and shoot things when you see something wrong?

[@SaabDr]

I've actually been thinking through how to do this. I think for the project series itself I'll go through kinda how the discovery videos have been and do some explaining and then a timelapse. But then break those down into smaller diy videos for those that want it. Then people that want to see the project series can watch that and people looking for diy videos have those as well... Not sure fully baked idea, but that's kinda my thoughts right now.

[@1995RangeRover]

LeMans Blue Aero...nice!

[@SaabDr]

Thanks! That's one of the things (minus the price) that attracted me to this car.

[@1995RangeRover]

You're welcome and I'm sure it was!😁

[@andrewlaw]

You say 6 previous owners like it's a bad thing. My last 9000 in Eucalyptus Green had 13 previous owners and ran like a champ. I'd probably still have it today if some moron hadn't driven into it and wrecked the drivers side from front to back. ☹️ I went on to a 99 9-5 2.0lpt with a Stage 2 Maptun ECU, Eibach Pro suspension, Goodrich brake lines and Brembos all round. That car was awesome to drive but I had to move her on due to losing my job at the time. (Averaging 17mpg with UK fuel prices was killing me)

[@SaabDr]

I didn't mean it as necessarily a bad thing, however it just may not have had all the love a 1-3 owner car may have had. It's really par for the course for a 24 year old car though -- 6 owners, one every 4 years.

[@80.8fbettaaquatic8]

If radiator fluid is getting into the oil. The oil turns milk white

[@blazingbunny3339]

Imma call you Dr.Pebba

[@TheHell666yeah]

I'm thinking to buy one 9000 for project car :)

[@SaabDr]

It's always fun to dig into a project car for the first time. I can't wait to get this back on the roads.

[@kevinlong7515]

Lamster66 i dont believe prices have incresed atleast not where i live in U.S. mine was less than $1000. But YES they are hard to find!

[@Jonjs99]

My car is made 1992.OCTOBER, it showing up as 1992 and somethimes as 1993 im not sure which one is correct! I want to swap 4speed manual to automatic! Can I fit manual gearbox from later models? I know GM in these years did some changes like bolt patterns,Does someone can answer me this? Vin number is YS3CD68MXP1007689

[@josephstevens4032]

If it was produced at the end of year, it Is considered a 93 model year.

[@nopenada8071]

You got a 9000 Aero for how much??

[@SaabDr]

Six hundred US Dollars in 2016. So approximately $675 2021 US Dollars. Lol

[@SEDAN95]

Ma perché hai smontato il coperchio

[@projectbalrog2140]

Fuck I wish I still had my 9000 I blew the motor when turned the boost and i still feel bad about it 2 years later

[@SaabDr]

😟 That sucks! Maybe you can find another one if you miss it. I missed my first one and found this one. :-)

[@АлександрКурко-е1л]

Ничего не понятно, но очень интерестно !)

[@shootbat]

Think you forgot a 0 in the title!

[@SaabDr]

Fixed, thanks! I need to stop editing late at night and making titles and whatnot before having coffee in the morning. Lol

[@shootbat]

@@SaabDr Haha, no problem

[@aeomaster32]

I have never seen a car with as wonderful a cockpit dash and interior layout as the Saab 9000. (my 1997) kzbin.info/www/bejne/imTHZamVnKp8d9U The 9-5 was a downgrade. Glad to see you keeping this one going.

[@burdineestep4224]

Torque to yield bolts mean just that. Key word / yield. The bolt is torqued to it's yield strength.( capacity ) NEVER TO BE USED AGAIN. PERIOD. ORIG. designed for aircraft. Me = Porsche factory race team mech. Factory Trained Bmw, Mercedes Benz, Audi ,Saab tech. Certified automotive engineer. All do yourself a favor read about t.y.b.'s on M.I.T.'s tech pages, believe me you will never re- use them again.

[@SaabDr]

I'm assuming you're talking mainly about the head bolts here. I understand what torque to yield is and how it works. I mentioned re-torquing the bolts since it's a "trick" some have used to extend the life of their head gasket (when it's near the end). I'm not a fan of the trick, and the head gasket replacement is on the table. My dad's an engineer, so we've had good conversation about torque to yield. - For the record I've never removed and reused a head bolt.