No pictures, no technical writing, just words here.
The reason I'm writing about this is because I've fielded the same question from every new client I've worked for since I started here in Pittsburgh. "Why SAAB's?," they always ask. I usually just reply with something like "They're all I know."
Mechanically, they really are. Sure all engines and such work the same and the technology that ran the first Model T ford is still present in the function of the modern engine, but there sure has been a lot of other stuff bolted to/around it since then.
I've been thinking about this question to myself more and more lately.
Specializing on a niche gives me a lot of satisfaction. Sure, I like SAABs and they're basically all I've ever driven, but I certainly don't "love" them. They're great value for the money and dollar to dollar you'll never own another car with as many features as your SAAB, which makes them a tempting buy, but at the end of a day, it's just an organized structure of bolts, wires, fabric, and metal.
I'm very much not your average mechanic. While I've been fascinated by mechanical things my entire life, I never really planned on having a trade skill as a profession. I have a Bachelor's in Political Science from West Virginia University, and had full intention of completing law school... but the modern cubicle/desk lifestyle seemed so un-fulfilling. Daunting repetitive work that's all part of an information based economy that can easily be transfered or phased out... no thanks. I take comfort in knowing that you cant turn a bolt over the internet, so the trade skills are safe. Most of my friends I graduated with are realizing now how generalized and unmarketable their college-acquired skill set really is, and the outlook doesn't seem to be getting any better.
I can't imagine life without the day to day joy of physically fixing or creating something with your own hands. Hearing an engine start after fixing a tow-in, or fixing a problem that's been bugging people for years in only a minute or two... that kind of satisfaction I just don't get anywhere else. Joke about plumbers cracks and people who have jobs with names on their shirt all you want, but they probably have a much more prospective and lucrative job market than someone with a four year degree.
Every other mechanic seems to view a SAAB as a problem, whereas I always viewed it as a challenge. I like challenges. I pretty much live for them. I race bicycles for that reason as well... and I enjoy the hardest races the most, because anyone can do the easy ones. I see a lot of botched jobs that come in that are obviously done by someone that either doesn't care about the quality of their work because they know as long as the cars rolls out the door they're going to get paid, or they just no longer have a desire to get any better at their job and learn something new. Sometimes, I think they just cannot think outside the box. Some SAAB stuff is kind of "quirky," but would make sense to any average person with mechanical knowledge if they would just change their perspective a bit and take the time to look at it from a different viewpoint.
I do find it upsetting, because this kind of stuff is what drives people to sell their cars. Owners are forced to believe that SAAB ownership is just a problem or an inconvenience simply based on the ignorance of those who they are having work on their car. Often, by the time people find me online or get a business card, they have already dumped so much in to their cars at places who had no clue what they were doing or overcharged them to the point that they feel they're in too deep to invest in the work I suggest that the car actually does need to get it running reliably.
I'm getting so much of a workload now that I'm going to have to start being selective about who I work for. If your interest is solely fixing your car as cheaply as possible and you want something for nothing, find another guy, I'm not interested. Maybe I didn't give you the cheapest quote you received for a job, but I bet they're not using genuine parts or they're cutting corners somewhere else. I'm way cheaper than the dealer by a long shot in every way for better quality work and the same parts, and I'm not going to get any younger or live any longer because I'm taking time to work on your car, so I have to make it worth my time at a price that's fair to me and you... and I've found that most people have absolutely no problem paying it because they know they're getting high quality, warrantied work.
This is why I don't work for used car dealers... for the most part, they always want something for nothing and to bandage a problem to pass it on to the poor person who's getting stuck with the car. I feel so, so bad for those people.... but everyone falls victim to the quest for the $ I suppose. The used car world is full of snakes... deal with people, not dealers. Not saying that means you'll get a better deal or a better car, but individuals have consciences, whereas dealers just have money invested.
If you're honest, do good work, and have reasonable prices, the work will come, nothing to worry about there. And if all you care about is cheap... well sometimes there's a price you pay for the price you paid. See you when you get towed in.
I do good work, and I have made a lot of happy clients here in Pittsburgh. I don't know how long I'll do this or if it's my career, but as long as I have a desire to get better and faster at what I do, I'll still be turning wrenches tomorrow. Thanks to everyone who has been so easy to work with and has left me good praise online and via word of mouth. That kind of true marketing is invaluable to a small business.
So.. that's "Why Saab's?."
Take care,
-Chad
Oh, and another take on it:
"A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects."
-Robert A. Heinlein
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Engine/Transmission mounts
Is your SAAB feeling shaky... as in, constant vibrations or clunking on acceleration/deceleration? Engine and transmission mounts commonly fail and collapse after 60k miles and make the car feel like it's running extremely rough. It's amazing what a difference changing them can make. Below is a picture of an automatic transmission mount I changed in a 1999 9-3 today.
Notice how the one is torn? This allows the transmission to literally jump up and down when the car is shifting or accelerating, though it cannot fall out as the design is made to cradle the part of the mount that bolts to the transmission. It's amazing how much better and smoother a car drives once one of these mounts is replaced.
I check them all when doing and initial consultation.
Have a good weekend,
-Chad
Notice how the one is torn? This allows the transmission to literally jump up and down when the car is shifting or accelerating, though it cannot fall out as the design is made to cradle the part of the mount that bolts to the transmission. It's amazing how much better and smoother a car drives once one of these mounts is replaced.
I check them all when doing and initial consultation.
Have a good weekend,
-Chad
Saturday, February 19, 2011
More Sludge!
Just dropped the oil pan on a '02 9-3 with an oil pressure light on. Mmm mmm Sludge.
The sludge pile under the oil pickup screen (removed)
And the pickup screen:
Post Cleanup:
Update your crankcases and change your oil with Mobil 1 synthetic, and you can usually avoid this problem.
-Chad
The sludge pile under the oil pickup screen (removed)
And the pickup screen:
Post Cleanup:
Update your crankcases and change your oil with Mobil 1 synthetic, and you can usually avoid this problem.
-Chad
Sunday, February 6, 2011
A botched 9-3SS brake job -or- one more reason why you should always have a SAAB specialist service your SAAB.
I recently got to observe a pretty amazing site... a front brake job on a 9-3 Sport Sedan that had been completely botched in just about every way.
Client stated brakes were soft, making noise, and not stopping well. Front brakes had been "replaced" by a local generic automotive repair shop. Client took the car back to them on two different occasion stating the above issues and overall not being pleased with the work.
The findings were pretty amazing.
Firstly, the shop had "turned" the brake rotors (a process of removing metal from the rotor to create a flat surface). I NEVER do this or recommended it, as replacement with original SAAB parts is a much better option for the same amount that most shops charge for their "turning" service. The rotors had been cut way below their minimum thickness, and had about half of the braking surface removed. Once the pads would have worn down near their replacement point, the brake pistons would have overextended and blown out, causing a loss of front brakes (which provide about 80% of the cars stopping power).
Stock rotor vs. the turned rotor on the car
Now, on to the pads. The pads used were incorrect for the car. The car was a 2003 9-3, which is a tough year to order parts for. In 2003, the sedan version of the car was different from the convertible version of the car. The convertible was the older body style, with different brakes. The issue is that the difference is slight, so if you receive the wrong parts, it seems as if they will install... because they will, but they are completely incorrect!
The pads on the earler 9-3 (which is what was installed on this car) are too large and will rub the caliper, inner hub of the rotor, and bind when the piston trys to compress them. Here's what it looked like when the wheel was taken off:
1: The rattle clip retainer is missing
2: The pad is rubbing the inner hub
3: The pad is not making full contact with the rotor
4: They put some kind of grease on the back of the pad to make it work?
I was pretty amazed at this point. It would have been one thing for them to do the job and send it out thinking it was okay, but the client took it back TWICE to complain about issues with it and they still looked at it and said it was OK!
Things got worse, though. After taking it all apart and removing the pads, it was immediately apparent that something more was very wrong. The pads binding had caused the pistons that push the pads onto the rotors had cracked on both sides due to the binding of the incorrect pads! I can't stress how dangerous this was to be driven. The brake fluid was leaking out from behind the pistons and failure was imminent.
Cracked brake caliper piston
After reassembly with all new and correct parts the brakes work and feel great. I just wanted to put this up as a reminder to everyone... make sure you know who's working on your car. Most inspection stations fail cars on brakes and exhausts, then try to sell them to the customer because that's how they keep their doors open. I'm not saying I'm perfect, but I would have easily caught this before I ever installed the new parts. My cost for the job with all new parts was also less than what this shop charged her... just something to keep in mind.
All done
Take care,
-Chad
Client stated brakes were soft, making noise, and not stopping well. Front brakes had been "replaced" by a local generic automotive repair shop. Client took the car back to them on two different occasion stating the above issues and overall not being pleased with the work.
The findings were pretty amazing.
Firstly, the shop had "turned" the brake rotors (a process of removing metal from the rotor to create a flat surface). I NEVER do this or recommended it, as replacement with original SAAB parts is a much better option for the same amount that most shops charge for their "turning" service. The rotors had been cut way below their minimum thickness, and had about half of the braking surface removed. Once the pads would have worn down near their replacement point, the brake pistons would have overextended and blown out, causing a loss of front brakes (which provide about 80% of the cars stopping power).
Now, on to the pads. The pads used were incorrect for the car. The car was a 2003 9-3, which is a tough year to order parts for. In 2003, the sedan version of the car was different from the convertible version of the car. The convertible was the older body style, with different brakes. The issue is that the difference is slight, so if you receive the wrong parts, it seems as if they will install... because they will, but they are completely incorrect!
The pads on the earler 9-3 (which is what was installed on this car) are too large and will rub the caliper, inner hub of the rotor, and bind when the piston trys to compress them. Here's what it looked like when the wheel was taken off:
2: The pad is rubbing the inner hub
3: The pad is not making full contact with the rotor
4: They put some kind of grease on the back of the pad to make it work?
I was pretty amazed at this point. It would have been one thing for them to do the job and send it out thinking it was okay, but the client took it back TWICE to complain about issues with it and they still looked at it and said it was OK!
Things got worse, though. After taking it all apart and removing the pads, it was immediately apparent that something more was very wrong. The pads binding had caused the pistons that push the pads onto the rotors had cracked on both sides due to the binding of the incorrect pads! I can't stress how dangerous this was to be driven. The brake fluid was leaking out from behind the pistons and failure was imminent.
After reassembly with all new and correct parts the brakes work and feel great. I just wanted to put this up as a reminder to everyone... make sure you know who's working on your car. Most inspection stations fail cars on brakes and exhausts, then try to sell them to the customer because that's how they keep their doors open. I'm not saying I'm perfect, but I would have easily caught this before I ever installed the new parts. My cost for the job with all new parts was also less than what this shop charged her... just something to keep in mind.
Take care,
-Chad
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Crankshaft Position Sensor Replacement, 900's, 9000's, 9-3's, and 9-5's
Some issues have classic symptoms that throw up a red flag right away when a client is describing them. "The car wouldn't start after I shut it off for a few minutes, but would start right up if I let it sit for an hour" is classic Crankshaft Position Sensor failure.
This little sensor is mounted on the front of the engine on turbo SAABs from 1994 and up. It's job is to tell the engine management system the angle of the crankshaft. Essentially, it's just a magnet that corresponds a pulse from a trigger wheel mounted on the crankshaft. However, without the signal, the car doesn't know what order to ignite spark or fire the fuel injectors, therefore leading to a no start condition.
Sometimes the sensors just fail and have no visual signs of wear, but on the car I was working on today, this was not the case.
Old, broken wiring harness vs. new sensor.
Oil from an oil leak at the cylinder headgasket soaked the sensor harness, causing the rubber to swell and eventually rupture. Heat from the turbocharger also aids in the degradation, though there is a metal heat shield over the sensor to prevent this. If this was a clients car, I would have definitely caught it in the consultation, but this was an out of state tow in that broke down locally and had the car towed to me.
Where the sensor mounts, if you look hard inside the hole you can see the trigger wheel the sensor reads its signal off of.
Easy enough job to do. A common failure that can leave you stuck and stranded... no bueno.
I'm getting out of the cold and heading to Florida for a week on a bit of a vacation. Heading to the Rolex 24hrs of Daytona race on Saturday/Sunday. See "Yinz" later.
This little sensor is mounted on the front of the engine on turbo SAABs from 1994 and up. It's job is to tell the engine management system the angle of the crankshaft. Essentially, it's just a magnet that corresponds a pulse from a trigger wheel mounted on the crankshaft. However, without the signal, the car doesn't know what order to ignite spark or fire the fuel injectors, therefore leading to a no start condition.
Sometimes the sensors just fail and have no visual signs of wear, but on the car I was working on today, this was not the case.
Oil from an oil leak at the cylinder headgasket soaked the sensor harness, causing the rubber to swell and eventually rupture. Heat from the turbocharger also aids in the degradation, though there is a metal heat shield over the sensor to prevent this. If this was a clients car, I would have definitely caught it in the consultation, but this was an out of state tow in that broke down locally and had the car towed to me.
Easy enough job to do. A common failure that can leave you stuck and stranded... no bueno.
I'm getting out of the cold and heading to Florida for a week on a bit of a vacation. Heading to the Rolex 24hrs of Daytona race on Saturday/Sunday. See "Yinz" later.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Cabin Air Filter Replacement, All Saabs
For whatever reason, most of the cars I see have never had the cabin air filter replaced. Maybe Wright and Cochran are skipping them in the major services they're doing, or clients are being naughty and skipping their scheduled maintenance!
The filter does exactly what the title says it does, filter the outside air that flows into your car. All the air you and your family breathe with the windows up passes through this thing, so it's important to make sure it's working properly. The units I use also have a charcoal residue built in to the filter which eliminates outside smells from coming into the cabin!
I change it on almost every major service I do, and here's why:
Old filter v. new, on a 7yr old car with 91,000 miles.
This is a picture taken by head technician Anders at Swedecar in California showing how clogged up the housing around the filter can get. The cowl cover that typically covers the filter is removed in this photo. Anders reported that by clearing out the housing and replacing the filter, the customers air conditioning temperature dropped by almost 10 degrees!!!
Have you had yours replaced?
The filter does exactly what the title says it does, filter the outside air that flows into your car. All the air you and your family breathe with the windows up passes through this thing, so it's important to make sure it's working properly. The units I use also have a charcoal residue built in to the filter which eliminates outside smells from coming into the cabin!
I change it on almost every major service I do, and here's why:
This is a picture taken by head technician Anders at Swedecar in California showing how clogged up the housing around the filter can get. The cowl cover that typically covers the filter is removed in this photo. Anders reported that by clearing out the housing and replacing the filter, the customers air conditioning temperature dropped by almost 10 degrees!!!
Have you had yours replaced?
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
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