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Subject: 1985 900 NA, manual 5 spd (eight valve) - 150,000 miles
History: Recent owner (since August 2012) - Car ran very well at purchase and has performed exceptionally over a 360 mile commute (US Interstate 15) every weekend since, through varied weather conditions. Weekdays -reliable transportation over short distance to and from work (5 miles or less) in mild to COLD environment (Idaho Falls, Idaho).
Repairs History: (Pre-symptom) New muffler, rear brake pads, wiper pulley and cable adjustment, new pre-pump. (Remedial-symptom) adjustment made at throttle mechanism (screw allowing throttle mechanism to pivot down in an attempt to lower idle speed), new coil, new cap, HEAT fuel additive.
Recent Diagnostics: Power to Coil - affirmative. Drivability - unaffected. Warning lights - NONE. Running condition (once started) - unaffected. Idle speed (once started) - higher than pre-symptom but constant.
Symptoms: High idle speed. Car will not fire to start on occasion (recently and frequently), without warning and without pattern.
The Story: With in-place, failed pre-pump, this SAAB ran well: refueled each 1/2 tank so that the pre-pump was not required to maintain levels needed by main pump. Three months on this regimen, she successfully propelled her happy owner over 4000 miles with hundreds of easy starts, in temperatures ranging from 98F to 20F, in wet and dry conditions - unchanging through the addition of a new muffler and brakes.
When a new pre-pump and it's filter were installed (by owner) three gallons of previously unused fuel were burned with the first on-road diagnostic test. Note: No change in performance (at speed or at idle) was detected. With assurance the new pre-pump was functioning, the tank was then topped off. A refurbishment of the wiper system was done at this time. Removal and replacement of the entire wiper assembly accomplished in the dark.
The next few miles saw the idle speed jump from under 1,000rpm to 2,000rpm. Since the overall running condition was per normal, the car was taken through its weekly missions without incident. Two attempts to lower the idle speed were made. One, by breaking the ground to the electrical system at the battery terminal for thirty seconds, as to re-set the computer (worked for a short time- less than 2 hours). The other was a turn of the stop-screw at the throttle arm as to allow slack to the cable (worked for 2 seconds). The actions were of no consequence - good or bad.
Within 7 days of the aforementioned observances, the car refuses to fire when an attempt is made to start her after ordinary drive times and shut-downs. It cranks and cranks - but will not so much as cough or sputter. -sounds like ZERO fuel or ZERO spark...or both. After sitting for a spell (1 - 144 hours), She fires on the first crank and runs/drives like her 1985 debut (except for mildly high idle). It's in "sitting" mode at the moment...nearing a precedent busting time-out.
posted by 68.177.7...
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