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Re: Update Posted by Saana88 [Email]  (#207)  [Profile/Gallery]
(more from Saana88) on Tue, 3 Feb 2009 13:16:31
In Reply to: Update, Dennis, Tue, 3 Feb 2009 10:36:36 Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup |
You have three classic C900 issues. As long as the fuel level sender is connected, you'll need to replace the sending unit.
The power seat cable sleeves are not that tough. Do both while you're down there. Contact me if you need any help with it.
And finally, I had the same electrical issue with my '92 S convertible. As it turns out, the alternator winding (internal) had failed. When the battery died, first the radio made a loud popping noise and faded away, then the ABS diagnostic lights came on, then it was just a matter of minutes. Performing a load test on the alternator/battery/charging system will tell you for sure. On my car, the alternator warning lamp was on, but just barely- enough so I couldn't see it unless it was dark outside. I think an open diode inside the alternator will have similar results. Before you decide the alternator itself is toast, remove the brush assembly and inspect it. Sometimes this $20 part will wear out (brushes less than 5mm) and save you $200 or so on the alternator.
Whatever you do, don't get stuck somewhere and send the car to a SFB mechanic that doesn't want to let no saaab owner tell him how to do the job and then takes a crowbar and puts a dent in your firewall to try and make up for it. Welcome to the pack- have you had any 900s before? If not, don't let anyone tell you they are impossible to work on because they are not. You just have to learn about them first. Unconventional? Yes, but usually for a good cause. The backwards-engine concept sounds odd until you try to change a clutch in any other car. Plus, the weight and heat distribution are plusses. Try driving one in the snow, and you'll realize that the weight balance is spot on (use snow tires of course) and that the engine transfers power to the gearbox fluid to heat it up quickly because the gearbox is a heat sink for the engine.
Use this posting board to your full advantage, and you'll save tons of money and aggravation. Chances are, if it's happening to your car, there are a handful of people on here that have dealt with it at least once before.
C900s are turning into a relic of a bygone era where people bought their cars instead of leasing them, so the cars needed to be durable goods. These people had to do their own maintenance, enough of it to keep their cars going indeterminate lengths of time, not just enough to make it survive until the lease is up. They come from a unique corner of the world where it snows a lot, requiring good road manners. Swedish roads were still mostly unpaved in '79 when the 900 series was released (mud flaps in front of the rear suspension) so the car's structure had to be strong. Safety matters to sensible people, so the car had to be designed well for front, rear, side, and rollover impacts. And finally, that corner of the world does not have a fanatical pursuit of cheap petroleum, so the car had to be reasonably light (making AWD a no-no), and the engines could not put them in the great horsepower race.
You've already noticed the results of this design, including the bracing at the base of the windshield and under the rear seat and along the doors. Or maybe that was another Dennis. Either way, have fun, keep it under a hundred, and shiny side up.
, Tue, 3 Feb 2009 13:16:31 <-- Viewing This Message
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