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Having owned both and worked on them, I can tell you they are the same base engine. The reputation of this engine in its 9000 guise is based on timing belt break-down, somthing that didn't change when it was adapted for the 9-5. The timing belt guides & pulleys were updated during the years, but if you have your 9000 maintained properly, you should have the latest '9-5' version in there right now.
That being said, the 9k V6 drives noting like the 9-5 v6. Saab took a time-out on this engine, bringing it to the market in MY 1999, a year late. In the mean time they engineered the assymetric turbo, and implemented trionic 7 with direct ignition. Now whether that is a good thing purely from a RELIABILITY perspective remains to be seen. Let's see:
-timing assy: 9-5 is better, but 9k can be upgraded --> even
-Ignition: 9-5 has DI (2 of'em!), 9k a conventional rotor/ cable setup --> point for the 9k as the DI will break.
- Turbo: the 9k hasn't got one, so it can't break, which it eventually will on the 9-5 --- > point for the 9k
- Throttle: this is not directly engine related, but the 9-5 is drive by wire with integrated TCS (you know the stuff the 9k guys hate), the 9k has a mechanical throttle, and TCS is separate and not critical for normal functioning. By the way throttle body failure is less catastropic than on the older 2.3T 9k's with TCS.
There's a few things that were upgraded on the 9-5, like better valve covers and gaskets. Those on the 9k were prone to leaking.
From this reliability perspective you should take the 9k drivetrain anytime over the 9-5 one.
That being said, I would never ever go back. The 9k drives *Nothing* like the 9-5, due to the turbo. This gives the 9-5 loads of low-end torque, whereas the 9k is really aenemic in the low and midrange and only wakes up over 3500 rpm. The max BHP did not change, still 200.
I drove my 9k v6 griffin to over 200k miles without any engine related problems. The 9-5 is going strong, too, at 130k miles.
posted by 86.87.155...
, Mon, 23 Aug 2010 08:49:06
, Mon, 23 Aug 2010 09:49:38
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