Building a racecar with a 2.0 saab 9000 turbo engine

[whpracing]

We are bussy installing a 2 liter saab 9000 turbo engine in a matra murena. We are planning to remove the apc system and we want to use a boost control valve. Any thoughts on that?

[whpracing]

Picture of the engine.

[whpracing]

Other angle

[valbowski1980]

I think that it's pretty cool. Sorry that I'm not much help but still, cool.

[IceSaab]

Well the engine runs fine without the APC, I´m not using it and my 9000 (B202) is over 400 hp. I do have very good stand alone Autronic ECU and W/B analyzer so I do not have a hard time playing with the fuel and ignition.
However if you are using the original ECU and you want to be on the safe side, you keep the APC. This depends a little on ho much power you are aiming on. APC is very good to protect the engine and can be tuned up to some more hp. than originally (maybe up to 350 or more, along with some other mods, correct me if I´m wrong).

I like you project, how much the Matra weight?

Nóni

[whpracing]

We are not planning many engine upgrades for the moment. We have machined the flywheel down to 7kg, made a better downpipe and we're installing a blowoff valve, larger injectors and a fuel pressure regulator. We want to remove the APC because nobody seems to really know how it works and this way we don't have to install APC wire loom!

ICESAAB: The weight of the original Matra was 930 kg we estimate the weight with the saab engine will be 950 kg.

[ylee coyote]

apc valve is simply a form of solonoid valve that controls the wastegate driven from the ecu
The ecu sees that it needs to reduce boost (usually because of detonation ) and the apc opens the wastegate more
if you do not use the apc then be aware of knock...
Apc can be used to control over 450 hp...
It is usually set very conservitively and a lot of people bleed off the pressure to the wastegate to give more boost

A good choice of engine as it is very strong and dificult to break

good luck and keep us posted !!

[whpracing]

Thanks for the info so far.
Can we connect the knock sensor to the ignition system? or perhaps connect it to a warning light?

[Stefano]

The pin 19 of the APC ECU is grounded when the sensor is detecting knock. So if you keep the APC you can just connect a LED to the battery and the pin 19 and you'll have a knock light.

A knock sensor is basically a microphone, so its output is basically a weak tension signal. Amplify it, and you can do with it anything you want.

[whpracing]

Here it is, one Saab powered Matra Murena.

[Stefano]

The back end seems a bit high, is it because there's no engine in there?

Looks awsomely mean 8)

[whpracing]

This was done because we thought the wheels would hit the inside of the wheel arches. The car has been lowered now and that look much better.

[Grentarc]

I modded my APC unit to give more boost, on dash boost control, no taper of boost, and a LED that lights up when knock is detected. i reccomend keeping the APC unless a stand alone ignition computer/ECU is used to retard the spark, allowing more boost.

[whpracing]

We didn't use the apc. We installed a mbc and set it at 0.9 bar boost. The car is very quick I think 0-100 can be done in about 6 seconds, but public road isn't a good place to test! We are a bit worried about the oil temp it's over 100c degrees but maybe this is normal for a Saab? I seems a little to high (water temp is ok). The car has been lowered and a leaking gearbox has been fixed so we gonna take it to the track next weekend.

[Grentarc]

i read that the oil cooler has a thermostat that opens at 112°C or 120°C (cant remember which exactly ops: ), and think about it.. how hot does a turbo get? then think about the oil running through a glowing red turbo. gonna get hot! ideally remove the stat from the oil cooler, and let it do its job. the stat is for when it is used a an auto box cooler, where higher temps are wanted before cooling, where as with engine oils, they like cooler temperatures.

[whpracing]

I asked the other guys from the team and they say the oil temp reading was about 120c, I think this is rather high even for a turbo car. Is it possible to connect the oil cooler incorrectly? Does it perhaps have a valve that keeps the oil in the cooler? or does the oil go back into the sump.

[boxman]

where have you positioned the oil cooler :-?? does it get good air flow through it :-?? my 2.3 never gets to 100 c unless i'm pulling my caravan

[whpracing]

If you look at the picture of my previous posting you can see the oilcooler. It's inside the cars bodywork so there isn't much airflow I still need to make an airduct from the right airscoop to the intercooler. Infact I started on that yesterday evening.

[boxman]

sorry couldn't see it first time there is however a thermostat in the oilfilter housing to control temp' they do sometimes stick, i had this prob' on my 9-3 and the oil light would come on when the oil was hot, so check that out