Date: Sat, 8 Jul 2000 21:37:39 +0200 From: "Andy" <aswojtasnopsamuserve.com> Subject: Re: How are your SAABs doing?
Eric, thank you for your reply. It is a consolation. At least I know now that their indifference was not a one-of case just towards me. I realize this is the company policy. I don't deny they make good cars. In fact that same engine after I had it fixed did 320 000 km and is still running smooth. This is 200 000 since the job and this also speaks for the mechanic that did it. By the way he used to be a Saab dealer and had a Saab authorized workshop. But then Saab built a big saloon of their own and cancelled the contract with him. He didn't give up and still fixes saabs. He knows every trick and every little bolt in the engine. Oh yes, he had my crankshaft nitrided. You're right though saying that Saab had lost a repeat customer. If it was not for this bad experience I would not look any further. I'd go blindly to buy a new one. Now that this one has 320 000 km I guess I should start looking for one. Andy Wojtas P.S. I'm quite confident about that grinding burn. I have also tested it myself. I am a metallurgist and I work for a company specializing in materials testing. I see grinding burns daily and my job is to help automotive and aerospace manu- facturers set up their process parameters to avoid grinding abuse. Now, this co- incidence may sound too good to be true but I guess anybody else would have humbly accepted it as bad luck. 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, 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.
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