Date: Fri, 27 Dec 2002 00:17:32 +0000 From: Grunff <grunffnopsam.com> Subject: Re: 89 9000T blown head gasket
dj73 wrote: > I have been reading through the posts and it seems like blown head > gaskets on Saab's are fairly common. No more common than other cars at similar mileage. That's the key - Saabs tend to survive a lot longer than other cars, and so things like head gasket failures happen. With other cars, they will quite frequently die of other causes before the head gasket needs replacing. > I purchased my Saab in July with > 130k on it and have put about 5k on it myself. Monday she started to > struggle and surge at low rev's, which cleared up when I gave her some > gas, but I got nervous so took her straight home. Next morning when I > brought the mechanic over to see her I switched on the ignition to be > greeted by a larger grinding noise. My mechanic nervousely laughed > and said "Thats not good". Right. So he spent a couple hours under > the car and pronounced his verdict of a blown head gasket. He said he > pulled the spark plugs and there was water in one of them. As he > cranked the motor, the water was expelled, but he says it is leaking > in from the blown gasket. The grinding noise doesn't make sense. It's pretty easy to conclusively diagnose a failed head gasket by running a compression test. > I have no idea what else may be wrong (ie: > warped head et al.), she didnt overheat at all (even when this > incident started) and has never given me any other trouble aside from > a weird propensity to stall if I brake too hard... but I have gotten > used to that. The only reason you'd have a warped head is if it overheated quite a lot at some point. As for your stalling, that's quite common, and easily fixed, but nothing to do with head gaskets. > OK, thats the scenario. My questions are: > > 1. Does this sound right? I have no idea, I am not mechanically > minded at all. Possibly, possibly not. Either you need to learn how to do some tests, or get a second opinion from someone you trust. > 2. He guestimated a cost of $1500 to fix, and $3000 to replace the > motor. Does that sound right? Waaaay too high. The head gasket set (head gasket and a load of other gaskets) is well under $100. Book time for a head gasket on a 9000T is 8 hours - I can do it in 6. > 3. As a final option, does anyone know of a wrecking or dismantling > yard that buys old Saab's and if so does anyone have any idea of what > she would be worth? Sorry, I'm in the UK, so can't help on that one. > I realize thats sounds drastic, but I only paid $1500 for the car, and > have just spent $400 on new Goodrich TA's and front alignment so I am > a bit hesitant to throw another $1500 at her. I could take the $1500, > sell the car and add that money to it, and trade up to a newer model > with less immediate problems and fewer miles. otherwise I am $3400 in > the hole with a car that may have even more severe damage just > waiting. Don't give up on her yet. Get someone you trust to take a look; you may not even need a head gasket. -- Grunff
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