If you can find someone with a non-turbo 16v distributor you could put one of those in to get it running. The non-turbo cars don't seem to deteriorate the plug as quickly (less heat in that area). I ran my '85 on a '86 900S distributor for a few months.

while I have the front tore down, I need to get the auto-transmission cooler back in service. When I bought the car it was removed and tie wrapped to the right side inner fender near the battery. According to the Bentley there are two types, an inline coolant type and an air type exchange. This car was equipped with the air type and unfortunately, the Bentley is quite vague on this type. I know autos aren't very popular, but is anyone familiar with the air type exchange and how it interfaces with the tranny?

Its been a while but I seem to remember there being ports for the transmission lines on the left side of the transmission (sort of under the front of the intake, towards the bottom of the transmission). I don't remember if there's a right or wrong way to hook them up but if there is I'd bet the lines would only attach to their respective ports...

http://www.nysocphotos.com/Other-Saab-Events/Saab-Owners-Conventions/Saab-Owners-Convention-2011/18649727_vsJSGJ#!i=1441529674&k=rTBqs7h

I hope this helps, from an 86 convertible.

yes, a big help Jon1. Thank you.

got the donor harness install done. Wound up with 3 minor discrepancies. A stray, black (thin gauge) ground running right to left. I'll be grounding it at the left fender. A grey from the left marker married to red/grey and a thin gauge white was married to a very light (same gauge) grey. Fingers and toes are crossed.

Im amazed my 85 car was still running with wiriing that looked that good ! Mind you it wasnt running that well and one day the brake fluid level sender caught fire ! Since then Ive replaced pretty much every wire in the engine bay .

with the wiring harness swapped out, a with a new (used) distributor with healthy HALL sensor in place, the no start condition was quickly resolved and the car was up and running. Now I've turned to troubleshooting the non functioning turbo. For easy access to the turbo assembly, I tore down the front of the car again. The impeller show in photo turns freely so I'm assuming a seized turbo is not the problem. The electronics that serve the turbo are still in question. I tested the APC solenoid and it operates, but because the wiring harness was off an 85, 8V donor I had to run a wire to the APC solenoid. To do that I piggybacked off the yellow/white wire just after the 2 pin connector that serves the vacuum switch. Based on the APC electrical schematics this should be correct. The other wire (black) I grounded to the core support at one of the radiator bolts. Unfortunately, there is still no turbo, no boost. Something may be up with the wastegate, but my knowledge of it's functionality is very limited. From what I understand they can sometimes stick.

Flatfronter wrote:Unfortunately, there is still no turbo, no boost. Something may be up with the wastegate, but my knowledge of it's functionality is very limited. From what I understand they can sometimes stick.

Assuming you have some movement on the turbo gauge but can't build any boost pressure chances are the arm that goes from the wastegate actuator to the wastegate flapper in the turbo itself has fallen off or its stuck open. The rusty circular thing right by the turbo compressor housing that has a vacuum port on it, thats your wastegate actuator, it should have a long rod coming out of it that goes to a little flapper on the exhaust side of the turbo. The flapper opens up to let exhaust gas bypass the turbine wheel and go straight into the exhaust. This is usually done at higher rpm to slow down the turbo, or when the APC senses knock, to lower the boost pressure. If the rod falls off or is stuck in the open position it will bleed too much pressure and you won't be able to build any boost. Check out this website, different saab engine and turbo, but same idea on how it all functions.
http://www.saab9000.com/procedures/exha ... ostadj.php




A lot of times that little retaining clip gets rusty and falls out and the rod falls off the wastegate lever. I use a little mechanics wire and just twist it a bit as a replacement. You can also pump up the actuator a bit with a bike pump or something and see if it moves the rod and opens the flapper on the turbo to tell you if it is seized open. Those are really the only two ways you can have absolutely no boost, having too little boost can be a whole bunch of issues, but having no boost is almost certainly a mechanical issue on the turbo itself.

meant to post this photo of the wastegate I took this morning. Everything looks intact.

Are you trying to build boost under load, or just sitting there in your driveway?

Check to see if the wastegate door is still there. I had one fall off because the weld failed on the retaining pin. No boost because the turbo could not spool up.

Attempted to create load in the driveway while power-braking basically. I applied some air the the wastegate and it seems to operate and I can hear the gate door slamming shut against the housing so I'm pretty sure it's still intact, however, at closer inspection the APC bypass valve may be faulty due to a deteriorated bellow. It's hard to see in the photo, but I can see part of the bellow has torn away.

I think everything is fine, unless you can blow through that valve. You'll never be able to generate enough load on the engine to generate significant boost without actually driving the car around. You'd be lucky if it it get out of mid yellow. but report back when you get it on the road.

Thanks Jordan, I'm probably just used to my 82 8V Turbo that spools up and whines while standing just by pressing the accelerator lightly. I ordered a new APC bypass anyway and some plugs for pickup tomorrow.