Saab 9-5 2.0t auto saloon 2001
Discussion
Hi Dan, cheers for posting this. Reading with interest as I have a 9-3 Aero and I'm sniffing around 9-5s, no reason other than I have the 3 yr itch and I like a fast wagon.
Some advice on the power issue, having had a 1.8T TT for 6 years and taken it to stage 1.5. Those 1.8T engines are quite susceptible to boost leaks and as you've mentioned as soon as you start driving boost up you will expose any weakness in the whole air metering, mixture, spark and vacuum system. If the car is not 100% then you can expect problems unless you have some very good luck. Best thing you can do is a leak test, loads of videos on youtube and all you really need are some plastic fittings, a tyre valve, some hose and a foot pump. This is the fastest and lowest cost way to find a boost leak and avoids switching out part after part. After that its air flow, in the world of VAG 1.8Ts it is MAF, MAF, and MAF again. They're generally hot wire sensors and they foul up over time, have it out and clean it by soaking it in a polythene bag with contact cleaner. Replacements are north of £100 for the 9-3 but it is worth doing. They will read good enough for the OEM conservative tune but weaknesses will be shown up by higher boost (more air flow in). As a rule of thumb airflow/0.8 = engine power so it you're looking for 220 then flow should be > 170 g/s.
With the VAG-com diagnostic software the acid test was always a WOT run in 3rd/4th from 1500 rpm to red line and log the live values for airflow, requested boost, actual boost, and ignition advance on all cylinders. I don't know if you can do that with the Saab (I haven't bothered looking into it myself). This would usually show up boost management issues and air starvation. For best running on those engines the golden rules were:
Healthy MAF
Healthy plugs
Healthy coils (DIC in your case)
Clean air filter
No boost leaks
99 RON fuel
If any of these are weak on the VAG engines either you won't be making boost or the engine will pull timing to reduce knock; if it needs to pull more than I think 12 degrees advance it will limp.
I can't speak for the GM engines but on the basis that all turbo engines work pretty much the same way the areas to look at are probably not much different. Karl seems like a good guy and pretty much the Saab opposite No. to the guy I gleaned all this VAG stuff from, so I expect you're in good hands. But as ever, start with the basics. Leak test, good ignition side, then start trying to rule out weak spots.
I'll keep reading!
Some advice on the power issue, having had a 1.8T TT for 6 years and taken it to stage 1.5. Those 1.8T engines are quite susceptible to boost leaks and as you've mentioned as soon as you start driving boost up you will expose any weakness in the whole air metering, mixture, spark and vacuum system. If the car is not 100% then you can expect problems unless you have some very good luck. Best thing you can do is a leak test, loads of videos on youtube and all you really need are some plastic fittings, a tyre valve, some hose and a foot pump. This is the fastest and lowest cost way to find a boost leak and avoids switching out part after part. After that its air flow, in the world of VAG 1.8Ts it is MAF, MAF, and MAF again. They're generally hot wire sensors and they foul up over time, have it out and clean it by soaking it in a polythene bag with contact cleaner. Replacements are north of £100 for the 9-3 but it is worth doing. They will read good enough for the OEM conservative tune but weaknesses will be shown up by higher boost (more air flow in). As a rule of thumb airflow/0.8 = engine power so it you're looking for 220 then flow should be > 170 g/s.
With the VAG-com diagnostic software the acid test was always a WOT run in 3rd/4th from 1500 rpm to red line and log the live values for airflow, requested boost, actual boost, and ignition advance on all cylinders. I don't know if you can do that with the Saab (I haven't bothered looking into it myself). This would usually show up boost management issues and air starvation. For best running on those engines the golden rules were:
Healthy MAF
Healthy plugs
Healthy coils (DIC in your case)
Clean air filter
No boost leaks
99 RON fuel
If any of these are weak on the VAG engines either you won't be making boost or the engine will pull timing to reduce knock; if it needs to pull more than I think 12 degrees advance it will limp.
I can't speak for the GM engines but on the basis that all turbo engines work pretty much the same way the areas to look at are probably not much different. Karl seems like a good guy and pretty much the Saab opposite No. to the guy I gleaned all this VAG stuff from, so I expect you're in good hands. But as ever, start with the basics. Leak test, good ignition side, then start trying to rule out weak spots.
I'll keep reading!
2gins said:
Hi Dan, cheers for posting this. Reading with interest as I have a 9-3 Aero and I'm sniffing around 9-5s, no reason other than I have the 3 yr itch and I like a fast wagon.
Some advice on the power issue, having had a 1.8T TT for 6 years and taken it to stage 1.5. Those 1.8T engines are quite susceptible to boost leaks and as you've mentioned as soon as you start driving boost up you will expose any weakness in the whole air metering, mixture, spark and vacuum system. If the car is not 100% then you can expect problems unless you have some very good luck. Best thing you can do is a leak test, loads of videos on youtube and all you really need are some plastic fittings, a tyre valve, some hose and a foot pump. This is the fastest and lowest cost way to find a boost leak and avoids switching out part after part. After that its air flow, in the world of VAG 1.8Ts it is MAF, MAF, and MAF again. They're generally hot wire sensors and they foul up over time, have it out and clean it by soaking it in a polythene bag with contact cleaner. Replacements are north of £100 for the 9-3 but it is worth doing. They will read good enough for the OEM conservative tune but weaknesses will be shown up by higher boost (more air flow in). As a rule of thumb airflow/0.8 = engine power so it you're looking for 220 then flow should be > 170 g/s.
With the VAG-com diagnostic software the acid test was always a WOT run in 3rd/4th from 1500 rpm to red line and log the live values for airflow, requested boost, actual boost, and ignition advance on all cylinders. I don't know if you can do that with the Saab (I haven't bothered looking into it myself). This would usually show up boost management issues and air starvation. For best running on those engines the golden rules were:
Healthy MAF
Healthy plugs
Healthy coils (DIC in your case)
Clean air filter
No boost leaks
99 RON fuel
If any of these are weak on the VAG engines either you won't be making boost or the engine will pull timing to reduce knock; if it needs to pull more than I think 12 degrees advance it will limp.
I can't speak for the GM engines but on the basis that all turbo engines work pretty much the same way the areas to look at are probably not much different. Karl seems like a good guy and pretty much the Saab opposite No. to the guy I gleaned all this VAG stuff from, so I expect you're in good hands. But as ever, start with the basics. Leak test, good ignition side, then start trying to rule out weak spots.
I'll keep reading!
Thanks - I appreciate the tips. The DI is new so I'm ruling that out and the difference in air requested and actual air makes me believe it is a boost leak somewhere or possibly a MAF issue but won't know until I solve it.Some advice on the power issue, having had a 1.8T TT for 6 years and taken it to stage 1.5. Those 1.8T engines are quite susceptible to boost leaks and as you've mentioned as soon as you start driving boost up you will expose any weakness in the whole air metering, mixture, spark and vacuum system. If the car is not 100% then you can expect problems unless you have some very good luck. Best thing you can do is a leak test, loads of videos on youtube and all you really need are some plastic fittings, a tyre valve, some hose and a foot pump. This is the fastest and lowest cost way to find a boost leak and avoids switching out part after part. After that its air flow, in the world of VAG 1.8Ts it is MAF, MAF, and MAF again. They're generally hot wire sensors and they foul up over time, have it out and clean it by soaking it in a polythene bag with contact cleaner. Replacements are north of £100 for the 9-3 but it is worth doing. They will read good enough for the OEM conservative tune but weaknesses will be shown up by higher boost (more air flow in). As a rule of thumb airflow/0.8 = engine power so it you're looking for 220 then flow should be > 170 g/s.
With the VAG-com diagnostic software the acid test was always a WOT run in 3rd/4th from 1500 rpm to red line and log the live values for airflow, requested boost, actual boost, and ignition advance on all cylinders. I don't know if you can do that with the Saab (I haven't bothered looking into it myself). This would usually show up boost management issues and air starvation. For best running on those engines the golden rules were:
Healthy MAF
Healthy plugs
Healthy coils (DIC in your case)
Clean air filter
No boost leaks
99 RON fuel
If any of these are weak on the VAG engines either you won't be making boost or the engine will pull timing to reduce knock; if it needs to pull more than I think 12 degrees advance it will limp.
I can't speak for the GM engines but on the basis that all turbo engines work pretty much the same way the areas to look at are probably not much different. Karl seems like a good guy and pretty much the Saab opposite No. to the guy I gleaned all this VAG stuff from, so I expect you're in good hands. But as ever, start with the basics. Leak test, good ignition side, then start trying to rule out weak spots.
I'll keep reading!
The new valve arrived today although haven't had time to fit it:
The car is running mush as it was - fine under light and medium load and heavy throttle at low revs, but stutters if you floor it at higher revs. It seems better in Sport mode but no idea why that would be as I believe it just makes the gearbox kick down easier and adjusts the throttle sensitivity.
I noticed the Nood ECU means the MPG readings on the SID are no longer any good. When resetting the MPG after filling up and pulling away from the petrol station the reading went from blank straight to 25PMG and stayed there for a while before adjusting to 25.4MPG. I would expect this to be around 18MPG shen setting off around town based on experience so far and rise to 30-ish if driven sensibly. Interestingly though the DTE (distance to empty) does seem about right and adjusts well depending on how you drive.
The car is still a pleasure to drive despite the stuttering issue and when in traffic listening to music with a coffee in the cupholder and nestled in the comfy seat I feel all I am missing is a pair of slippers. I'm sure my heart rate is lower in the Saab than when I'm at home.
As the weather was so good for October yesterday I took the other car to work for the commute and after a clean at the garage I got some nice pics on the way home:
I noticed the Nood ECU means the MPG readings on the SID are no longer any good. When resetting the MPG after filling up and pulling away from the petrol station the reading went from blank straight to 25PMG and stayed there for a while before adjusting to 25.4MPG. I would expect this to be around 18MPG shen setting off around town based on experience so far and rise to 30-ish if driven sensibly. Interestingly though the DTE (distance to empty) does seem about right and adjusts well depending on how you drive.
The car is still a pleasure to drive despite the stuttering issue and when in traffic listening to music with a coffee in the cupholder and nestled in the comfy seat I feel all I am missing is a pair of slippers. I'm sure my heart rate is lower in the Saab than when I'm at home.
As the weather was so good for October yesterday I took the other car to work for the commute and after a clean at the garage I got some nice pics on the way home:
She's looking clean! And am liking the other car!
Thankfully mine got through the MOT today
Cost a few quid but that included an oil change too!
Now I can start to fettle her a little bit. Want to sharpen the handling to begin with. New bushes coming up! Oh and new front tyres
Thankfully mine got through the MOT today
Cost a few quid but that included an oil change too!
Now I can start to fettle her a little bit. Want to sharpen the handling to begin with. New bushes coming up! Oh and new front tyres
Edited by baptistsan on Wednesday 24th October 22:31
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