Date: Sun, 9 Jul 2000 02:52:31 +0400 From: "---**---" <**nopsamom> Subject: Re: How are your SAABs doing?
Eric Law <ericnospamnopsamlnpsoam.com> wrote in message news:hJ995.14258$Q8.54584nopsamoon.ne.mediaone.net... > Andy, > Well, I can quote a large number of opposing personal experienced. I have > done some really nasty things to Saab engines in the past (turbo running > 28PSI of boost, Nah thats nothing, I've got a Renault 5 GT Turbo which is running 48psi of boost in its 1.4ltr lump from a hybrid garett roller ball turbo, last time I rolling roaded it it measured a genuine 359bhp at the flywheel. >revving past 8000 RPM (at the same time!)), and run many of > them past 200,000 miles, with never a problem. In fact, some I've > disassembled still had the factory hone marks visible on the cylinder walls, > and crank/rod bearing clearances still within spec for a new engine. While > I think the synthetic oil I use should get some of the credit, the > bulletproof construction of the engines gets the rest. > > Personally, I would be somewhat skeptical of the "grinding burns" diagnosis. > While that seems like a plausible cause of the heat damage to the > crankshaft, lubrication failure can cause exactly the same type of damage. > The bearing(s) does not receive enough oil, this greatly increases friction, > which creates tremendous amounts of heat. Ultimately, the bearing can get > so hot that the two parts moving against one another begin to fuse together. > The end-result is a seized motor. > > Of course, this does not necessarily absolve Saab of responsibility. If > lubrication failure *was* the cause, you would need to determine why the > oiling system failed. Could be due to a manufacturing defect, a clogged > oil-cooler hose or oil filter, or a bunch of other things. > > I'm sure this does not provide much consolation, but I wouldn't be too quick > to place the blame on Saab, and even if it lies there, this is probably a > rare isolated incident. I've got some complaints with other aspects of > Saabs, but their engines (the ones they manufacture themselves) are > top-notch. > > Eric Law > > P.S. One place I *would* tend to fault Saab is in the customer-service area. > It seems in your case it would have been good business practice to at least > provide you with a rebuilt motor, with the possibility of getting a repeat > customer (which obviously now they won't). What's worse is that this is not > the first time I've heard this type of story regarding Saab. > > > "Andy" <aswojtasnopsamuserve.com> wrote in message > news:8k31rj$hi7$1nopsamraac-i-1.production.compuserve.com... > > I bought my SAAB 9000CS in Göteborg. It was new. Every 20.000 km I had it > > checked and always only by authorised SAAB garages in the Netherlands and > > in Germany. I drove almost all its mileage long-distance with speeds > between > > 100 - 160 km/h on smooth motorways in Germany and in Netherlands and I can > > say I have taken a good care of my car. Therefore, I was shocked when one > > day, driving on a motor way in Germany, suddenly at a speed of approx. 160 > > km/h within a few hundred meters a terrible metallic noise developed in > the > > engine. > > I stopped the car immediately, called the nearest SAAB service and had my > > car towed for an inspection. The crankshaft and its bearing failed. Just a > > day before I had my car serviced at a SAAB garage in Rotterdam. > > Once the defective engine of my car had been disassembled I had the > > crankshaft inspected to find the reason of this premature failure. And > > indeed...! Major grinding burns(*) were revealed on the journals. With > this > > type of a defect it is surprising that my car lasted three years and as > much > > as 160.000 km. The garage and the lab that inspected my crankshaft > explained > > it was Evident that this failure of the engine in my car was clearly a > > result of a Serious fault in manufacturing. With this ruling I contacted > the > > customer department of SAAB in Trolhatan. > > And then, here comes the major reason for my disappointment. Ms. Johnson, > > responsible for all customer contacts, bluntly pointed out to me that my > car > > was by then three years old and thus out of the warranty. She did not > think > > SAAB could account for a car as old as three years!!! One-year guarantee > was > > long enough and if after this it should appear that the car and the engine > > were put together by glue and paper clips it was all at the buyer's risk. > > So, I had the engine fixed. Had to pay a fortune, almost a price of a new > > engine. > > Now I am desperately looking for a buyer for my car. I want to get rid of > it > > and get something reliable. I'm contemplating a Volvo. Meanwhile I have > > learned that Volvo uses a state of the art inspection method to inspect > > all critical engine components for manufacturing defects such as grinding > > burns(*). > > > > So, how are your SAABs doing? Have you had any similar experiences? > > Please let me know. > > Andy S. Wojtas > > > > (*) A grinding burn is what happens to an engine part during surface > > finishing i.e. grinding if the part is allowed to overheat. Just like when > > you sharpen a knife and press it too hard against a grinding wheel. You'll > > see it turn red hot and right in that place the knife will lose its > > hardness, so vital for its endurance. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >
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