Re the 'official' SAAB version of the benefits of freewheel: Some patient soul has scanned the entire owner's manual for the 1960 SAAB 96 and placed it on the Web at <http://www.geocities.com/vintagesaab/Manual/1960Saab96/>
About freewheel, it says:

"Generally the free wheel should be engaged, thus enabling the car to coast with idling engine, when the accelerator is released. This gives more miles per gallon of fuel and reduces engine wear. Gear-shifting is also carried out more smoothly and the driving becomes more comfortable. Take advantage of the free wheel, not only downhill, but also on level roads. the only occasions when the free wheel should be locked are when the motion of the car is required for starting the engine, and when descending long, steep grades in order to use the engine for braking the car."

While I'm sure the main motivation for fitting the freewheel was preventing oil starvation, as Andy has posted, these other advantages seem significant enough that I can see why SAAB continued to offer it after they switched over to four-stroke power. As to why they eventually dropped it, I wonder if the higher power and torque of the later engines had anything to do with it? The later-type freewheel mechanism sometimes failed even under the load of a V4, or so I've heard...

posted by 24.3.2...

• Freewheel, jim, Sat, 18 Aug 2001 17:40:00
  • Re: Freewheel, Roger S, Sat, 18 Aug 2001 19:53:59
    • Re: Not a centrifugal clutch, Anders OZ, Tue, 21 Aug 2001 21:52:43
      • Anders: I'm glad somebody knows what they're talkin about ! n/m, KsKid, Wed, 22 Aug 2001 12:10:16
      • Actually called a 'Bendix drive' or Sprag clutch, KeithG, Wed, 22 Aug 2001 11:51:09
        • Re: Actually called a 'Bendix drive' or Sprag clutch, Anders OZ, Mon, 27 Aug 2001 22:07:12
    • Re: Freewheel, Dave Westlake, Sat, 18 Aug 2001 22:48:32
    • Re: Freewheel, kansas, Sat, 18 Aug 2001 21:48:36
      • Re: Freewheel, spiv, Sun, 19 Aug 2001 13:56:53 <-- Viewing This Message
        • Re: Freewheel, KsKid, Sun, 19 Aug 2001 16:52:02
          • And did you shout at her, "How I get this out of 3rd gear?" n/m, Roger S, Sun, 19 Aug 2001 20:46:25
            • Driving a little Nash Rambler........who sang this??, Justin, Mon, 20 Aug 2001 20:52:18
              • Sorry, Justin. Try this link...., Roger S, Wed, 22 Aug 2001 21:56:47
              • Beep Beep by the "Playmates" (more), Roger S, Wed, 22 Aug 2001 21:03:07
      • Hey, Kansas, Roger S, Sat, 18 Aug 2001 22:12:52
        • Re: Hey, Kansas, kansas, Sat, 18 Aug 2001 23:06:54
          • Probably a hold-over for the old die-hards, Roger S, Sat, 18 Aug 2001 23:26:42
        • Yep! Should have read your reference first (n/m), Roger S, Sat, 18 Aug 2001 22:32:08
    • 1971 was the last year for free-wheeling 99's (n/m), Roger S, Sat, 18 Aug 2001 19:57:06
  • Re: Freewheel, kansas, Sat, 18 Aug 2001 19:43:38

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