1985-1998 [Subscribe to Daily Digest] |
Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup
While I am in no way affiliated with the Boy Scouts of America, I try to “be prepared” when it comes to travels, (and travails) in my ‘97 CS. My travel kit consists of a DI cassette, idler & tensioner pulleys, tensioner, serpentine belt, and DVOM. The trunk compartment also has a few SAAB Service Manuals and requisite bag of tools to perform most repairs. Lucky for me!
An hour after departing Orlando on a trek to West Palm Beach, the A/C stopped cooling. ACC self diagnosis (simultaneously pressing top left and bottom right corner buttons) revealed “0”- -No faults. The 100F heat and my sweat might have indicated to the contrary. I parked at WallyWorld and realized the compressor clutch was not engaging. Bought a can of refrigerant dye, connected it to the low side, started the engine, and got Day-Glo yellow all over my hands.
Darwin Award? (I didn’t need no steekin’ nitrile gloves! Just an excuse to use Hydrogen Peroxide and paper towels.)
Got out the A/C Electrical Diagram and DVOM. ALL fuses intact. Next, pulled the A/C relay at the battery. 13 volts at Fuse 11, but zero at terminal 30 of the relay. Insufficient time to locate and correct the open circuit. DING DING DING! How about a paperclip to jump ignition power from terminal 85 to terminal 30? Worked like a champ! Smugly enjoying 62F, I almost broke my arm patting myself on the back!
It is a terrible sinking feeling to experience ignition failure at 80 MPH, in July, on Alligator Alley, especially when the nearest facilities are 40 miles away. Coasting to the shoulder I tried unsuccessfully to restart. The dash warning lights were off. CRAP! I just ordered a NEW ignition switch three days ago for my brother’s CS. Wish I had it now! Oh well. I pulled out “Ari’s No Start Checklist” (saabnet.com 9000 page), removed and replaced the failed fuse 13. Why? Oh no!!! “No good deed goes unpunished?”
Darwin Award? (My A/C relay paperclip jumper overheated the +15 ignition circuit, blowing fuse 13.) So much for being a brilliant temporary repair. I removed the paperclip.
One sweat-soaked body later, I exited Radio Shack with a 30’ roll of wire. This time I’d temporarily substitute a jumper wire from the load side of fuse 11 through the passenger door hinge, under the hood, across the Aquarium, to terminal 30 of the A/C relay. Ahhhh!!! Cool air again! On the road again, after an hour, the interior temp warmed. CRAP! I couldn’t escape the heat by lowering the front windows because they were on the same circuit. A real PITA to pull off the road just before a toll plaza to replace ANOTHER ^*#ing window fuse! But somehow, the cool air makes it all worth it.
Then pulling into my driveway, I hear the radio playing, “I don’t know why I love you, but I do.”
Happy Trails!
posted by 67.34.14...
No Site Registration is Required to Post - Site Membership is optional (Member Features List), but helps to keep the site online
for all Saabers. If the site helps you, please consider helping the site by becoming a member.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
