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I just wonder if anybody experiences sth. like this. I live in Thailand, and nowadays people here are crazy driving with very high speed on highway (+100mph). No exception to Saabers!!! This is because we have no speed limit and many of our multi-lanes (toll) freeway have just finished for the past 5 years.
The problem is, there's a lot of Saabs having the engine bearing failures, especially the B234 engine. And from all of my knowledge, those cars seems to have driven hard with very hi-speed condition. Mine did too! My first car the '94CSE had twice bearing failure during 150K Km duration, both failed at speed above 80MPH. Another 9000 of mine, the '95CDE, just has first failed bearing last month when i did 120MPH (sigh...) at 202K Km... Lucky enough, our labor cost here's very cheap. To say about $300 per each engine overhauling...
While I have the engine rebuilt with Saab dealer here, I've talked with the mechanics and found that there's atleast 5 saabs/month coming to dealer with this kind of problem routinely!!! That yields a lot of proportion for a small country that only has 2,000 Saabs overall !!!
Hello Colin, I do not drive like you do nor have experience with current- or older-generation Saabs, mine is a 1969 model 95. Still, I have suggestions/opinions.
You are clearly pushing your cars to their limits or beyond what they are designed for and must treat them appropriately.
A first approach might be to contact SAAB engineering and tell them honestly how you are driving, and ask if they would expect your type of failure with your driving. Personally I think they will say, yeah, stupid.
However in the sense of wishing you the best of luck with your future rebuilds before you kill various people, I wonder what oil are you using, and have not seen that in your posts.
Has your engine always been maintained with oil meeting SAAB factory specs?
Can you quote these specifications?
Can your dealer or mechanic quote these specifications?
Personally I think your engines should last very well with good maintenance, which among other things means immaculate attention to factory specifications or better for engine lubricants. This is not a simple matter and I am not the expert in this arena.
Don't get me wrong, Saab is a good car! I know it's been very reliable car for folks in many country. But condition changes, the results changes. I believe only in German Autobahn people can be driving fast like this.... I don't know too if folks there in German experience the problem. But, from what we've experienced here, there SHOULD BE something WRONG with it! I don't know if there's something wrong with the design. All I know is, here in Thailand it's darn Hot and Wet (not a good sign for turbo car, eh?). Average ambient temp all-year is about 95F and could easily reach 105F in anyday afternoon. I do have the car regularily service at dealer (atleast twice a year). 5K duration 100% synthetic oil. (Saab's stilll recommending 0W-40 oil here) Any thought? Sharing is very welcome!
posted by 208.53.8...
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