Project Loki - 1988 classic SAAB turbo

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Jordan
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Re: Project Loki - 1988 classic SAAB turbo

Postby Jordan » Mon Feb 09, 2015 11:04 am

I once had the vac lines mixed up from the TB and the car ran horribly. One of the nipples is post throttle plate and the other pre- for the FPR and Distributor Vac Advance. swapping those and you get all sort of weird things happening. That diagram looks like an 89 or 90+ which may have had slightly different pickups than your car. Not a bad idea to double check where your vac lines are picking their signal up from.

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Re: Project Loki - 1988 classic SAAB turbo

Postby Saabina » Mon Feb 09, 2015 12:03 pm

The emissions sticker on the left front wheel well should have the proper vacuum system routing clearly displayed. If one of those small hoses is faulty, it willl effect idle mostly or dying when coming to a stop. Check the Air Mass meter and look for a bad intake hose/connection anywhere between the AMM and the throttle body. If it is 'bucking' on acceleration but basically running OK otherwise, check timing, plugs, wires, dizzy rotor/cap, coil - those components can have a big effect on driveability. Good Luck!

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Re: Project Loki - 1988 classic SAAB turbo

Postby Adrian Thompson » Mon Mar 23, 2015 8:31 am

Progress without moving forward.

Wow, so I finally got some time in the garage this weekend. Fixed the brakes on eldest daughters 2001 MDX, slider pins corroded solid so it took twice as long as it should, but I did get a solid 4+ hours on the Saab, the first and last chunk of which were clearing the accumulated crap off it and tidying my tools, but I still got a good chunk done.

Some people had suggested my issues could be a blocked fuel filter and or just the timing was way off. I had been planning on getting it up and running then doing a full service as it used to run fine, but instead did the service first. So off to eEuropparts and Rock auto.

Glamour shots of parts!!.. Ooohhh Aahhhhhh
Image
Image

Changes the fuel filter, cap and rotor, plugs, plug wires, PCV valve plus sundry vacuum fittings, hoses and unions then set the timing from scratch. I got a new coil as well, but it appears to have been dropped and the ceramic around the top is scratched so I’m talking to Rock Auto about a new one before I fit it.

It fired up instantly and pulling the timing light out was gratified to see I was within a couple of degrees. Tweaked it and reattached the vacuum advance. The result? E36 M3 <img src="/media/img/icons/smilies/unhappy-18.png" class="smiley" alt="" />

When it first started I had oil bubbling around the turbo flange that I’ve had before. It stopped once up to temp though. Don’t anyone complain about the vertical video OK, I don’t need the Glove and Boots clip again!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-vayVYg1ZY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2LsOEctuB4


Well as you can see it idles well, but it won’t take any throttle input.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UuyjfuFV34

Try driving it and it’s the same thing. I can drive it around the block by slipping the clutch, but it’s a bucking bronco under any load or as soon as I let the clutch all the way out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8jo012xh-Y
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDPLphc8jQI
So, any more ideas?
Project Loki - 88 900C - future TSD, Rallycross and track day toy

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Re: Project Loki - 1988 classic SAAB turbo

Postby DrewP » Mon Mar 23, 2015 1:02 pm

What does it do if you try to drive it with the air mass meter unplugged?
"You can educate ignorance, but you can't fix stupid."

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Re: Project Loki - 1988 classic SAAB turbo

Postby Crazyswede » Mon Mar 23, 2015 8:55 pm

Your exhaust could be plugged
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Re: Project Loki - 1988 classic SAAB turbo

Postby gmreider » Tue Mar 24, 2015 8:52 am

Here is an offer for you. Hang it on a tow dolly and bring it to me in Penna. Let it here for a month or 2 and I'll figure it out . No charge .
Then we can all sleep better at night after the car is fixed. I like a challange from time to time.

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Re: Project Loki - 1988 classic SAAB turbo

Postby Adrian Thompson » Tue Mar 24, 2015 10:38 am

DrewP wrote:What does it do if you try to drive it with the air mass meter unplugged?


Battery was flat last night :rolleyes: Will let you know tonight.

Crazyswede wrote:Your exhaust could be plugged


I really don’t’ think so, but I could check

gmreider wrote:Here is an offer for you. Hang it on a tow dolly and bring it to me in Penna. Let it here for a month or 2 and I'll figure it out . No charge .
Then we can all sleep better at night after the car is fixed. I like a challenge from time to time.


Be careful what you offer. I have an offer from the someone Ohio who comes up form to Michigan every few weeks. I’ll see than I may investigate towing.
Project Loki - 88 900C - future TSD, Rallycross and track day toy

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Re: Project Loki - 1988 classic SAAB turbo

Postby gmreider » Tue Mar 24, 2015 11:21 am

Well , it has to be driving you crazy and all the advice has not cured it yet. Ask around, and you will find that I some talent with dead SAAB's. It isn't doing you any good the way it is. It would cost you some money to get it here and I am not free just this moment for another project. But I do like a challenge. So offer is for real . But NO money back guarantee . LOL

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Re: Project Loki - 1988 classic SAAB turbo

Postby DrewP » Tue Mar 24, 2015 11:54 am

Good call on the exhaust / cat being plugged Crazyswede.

Adrian, the super easy way to check that is to loosen the three nuts that hold the downpipe onto the cast elbow and let the pipe separate a little big and go for a drive. Give it like 1/4" of clearance.

It'll be noisy, but if that's what it is the decrease in restriction will make it very obviously better.

I also had a car come into the shop once that did sort of what yours is doing, the FPR had ruptured and dumped fuel up the vacuum line and half-filled the intake manifold. The pool of fuel in there was visible by popping one of those vacuum trees out of the bushing on top of the plenum. I can't remember back farther in here if you've messed with the FPR (I suspect you have) but it's likely there's something unusual going on since you've hit almost all the easy stuff.
"You can educate ignorance, but you can't fix stupid."

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Re: Project Loki - 1988 classic SAAB turbo

Postby Adrian Thompson » Tue Mar 24, 2015 12:44 pm

DrewP wrote:Good call on the exhaust / cat being plugged Crazyswede.

Adrian, the super easy way to check that is to loosen the three nuts that hold the downpipe onto the cast elbow and let the pipe separate a little big and go for a drive. Give it like 1/4" of clearance.

It'll be noisy, but if that's what it is the decrease in restriction will make it very obviously better.

I also had a car come into the shop once that did sort of what yours is doing, the FPR had ruptured and dumped fuel up the vacuum line and half-filled the intake manifold. The pool of fuel in there was visible by popping one of those vacuum trees out of the bushing on top of the plenum. I can't remember back farther in here if you've messed with the FPR (I suspect you have) but it's likely there's something unusual going on since you've hit almost all the easy stuff.


I bought an FPR from Saabina on here so it's not that. I will loosen the DP tonight.

Cheers
Project Loki - 88 900C - future TSD, Rallycross and track day toy

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Re: Project Loki - 1988 classic SAAB turbo

Postby Luke » Tue Mar 24, 2015 3:43 pm

gmreider wrote:Here is an offer for you. Hang it on a tow dolly and bring it to me in Penna. Let it here for a month or 2 and I'll figure it out . No charge .
Then we can all sleep better at night after the car is fixed. I like a challange from time to time.


Oh, if Adrian declines, I'll sign up for that deal :) I have a 99 that hasn't run in 25 years or so, I put some fresh 93 gas in, but can't seem to get it to run, also something is really weird with the brakes, I pushed the pedal but it just stayed down and didn't spring back and now I can't even move the car! Also some sort of orange substance grew all over the floorboards and now there's just holes where metal used to be :( Just think about how much better you'll feel if this poor SAAB is on the road again with the minor gremlins worked out :yay:

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Re: Project Loki - 1988 classic SAAB turbo

Postby Crazyswede » Tue Mar 24, 2015 4:04 pm

one of my land rovers isnt running right and could use the same offer. Image
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Re: Project Loki - 1988 classic SAAB turbo

Postby gmreider » Tue Mar 24, 2015 5:49 pm

Oh, if Adrian declines, I'll sign up for that deal :) I have a 99 that hasn't run in 25 years or so, I put some fresh 93 gas in, but can't seem to get it to run, also something is really weird with the brakes, I pushed the pedal but it just stayed down and didn't spring back and now I can't even move the car! Also some sort of orange substance grew all over the floorboards and now there's just holes where metal used to be :( Just think about how much better you'll feel if this poor SAAB is on the road again with the minor gremlins worked out :yay:[/quote]

OK Luke, maybe I can make it run, but I don't do brakes !! I'll send you the contract documents .
When are you going to get a car together and join our SAAB MAAB?? 2 of our members ran off to Florida.

I used to work on Land Rovers, but it was just too frustrating !

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Re: Project Loki - 1988 classic SAAB turbo

Postby Adrian Thompson » Tue Mar 24, 2015 7:21 pm

OK, we may or may not be on something.

I told my wife I was popping into the garage for 20 mins, two and a half hours later I'm back inside. I thought I'd try the exhaust first as it would be easier to unplug the MAF when hot than the exhaust! So, one bolt comes off with heat, one shears off and the third wouldn't budge for love nor brut force. So much grunting, sweating and a couple of broken tools later it's free. The down pipe won't move off the elbow and down, I thought it wouldn't drop but it doesn't, so I push it across so it's about 20% open. I set off and at first I think it's made a different, but no its soon back to normal. I limp round the block and home to find it's slipped back in place. It's now dark, I've got no hood, lights, plate or anything so I figure I'll call it off for the night. I did try to disconnect the MAF, but it wouldn't stay idling, so I don't think it's that.

I'm out tomorrow night, so I'll drop the rest (or more) of the exhaust on Thursday and see if we (you lot) have fixed it.

If it is the exhaust, I may as well replace the elbow for a more free flowing one while it's off. If anyone has one let me know. YEs, I"m getting ahead of myself :)
Project Loki - 88 900C - future TSD, Rallycross and track day toy

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Re: Project Loki - 1988 classic SAAB turbo

Postby Crazyswede » Tue Mar 24, 2015 9:36 pm

If it is the exhaust it could be a bad plugged cat. Luke found such a problem recently
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