[Oaks]

Hey guys,

Out of the blue today I went to start my car, and it made some kind of noise (cant really describe it, nothing too loud or crazy) and then the red triangle warning and battery light came on.

According to the car manual the battery light means the alternator is no longer charging the battery. Is this always the case? I had to drive it a short distance (about 2 miles roundtrip) but made sure to kill the headlights and accessories in case I'm running on battery-only power.

Also the power steering seems to have went... any reason this would happen in conjunction?

I want to test the alternator / battery with my multimeter but truthfully I'm a novice in that area (I have a good article about it, might give it a shot).

You think it's safe to drive about 2 miles to Autozone tomorrow to have them test the battery and alternator as another option?

I'm basically looking for advice and next steps. Been scouring the forums for similar threads and still digesting all that info. Sucks that lots of the tutorials on geocities aren't available anymore.

Are there any detailed tutorials out there for inspecting / removing the alternator for my car - 97 Saab 900 turbo? I've got car ramps, jackstands, and the tools I need to tinker around a little bit.

 

[Oaks]

Hm...just did some more investigating and the serpentine belt has slid off. It doesn't appear broken but the tension is suspiciously loose. Just found some diagrams/threads so I will see if I can get it back on the correct path and if that fixes anything.

Guess I'll have to check for seized pulleys as well.

Maybe not as bad as I thought? Not sure how any of this ties in with the power steering going out...

 

[earthworm]

Hm...just did some more investigating and the serpentine belt has slid off. It doesn't appear broken but the tension is suspiciously loose. Just found some diagrams/threads so I will see if I can get it back on the correct path and if that fixes anything.

Guess I'll have to check for seized pulleys as well.

Maybe not as bad as I thought? Not sure how any of this ties in with the power steering going out...

It cannot be stressed well enough, this serpentine belt is the single most critical, vital, and important item in the engine accessories system..
On vehicles with over 100K miles, unless recently completely rebuilt with OEM level quality parts, it must be monitored every 3 months, mininum..
Spring is here, and I will be working on mine. I have known for one year that the upper idler is worn and may soon fail, exactly when, I know not.
But when it does, and if I do nothing, the water pump, the PS pump, and the alternator will all stop..

 

[Oaks]

Well, my car is right at 93k.

This guide (http://pages.infinit.net/mlbriand/saab/shortbelt/page1.html) seems pretty comprehensive so I'll investigate tomorrow.

Check the belt, check each pulley, possibly just put the shorter belt on like the mod suggests.

Thanks for the info about the water / ps pumps ...makes sense now. I immediately assumed alternator but wasn't thinking.

Fingers crossed that this may be a much easier fix than anticipated.

 

[Oaks]

Well, it looks like the idler pulley is straight up missing. I'm guessing that's what I heard come off when I started the car (?), and it must have fallen out during my short trip...it's not laying anywhere nearby.

Ughhhhhhh.

Anyway, it is #6 in this trusty old diagram:
http://pages.infinit.net/mlbriand/saab/shortbelt/page1.html

What's my best recourse for getting a replacement w/ the correct bolt? I see europarts has it for $46 but it doesnt have the bolt and seems kind of expensive.

I guess I'll try to retrace my drive on foot in the morning but i seriously doubt that will be fruitful.

Is it possible it just fell off like I'm thinking?

Edit: Seems like finding a replacement pulley won't be TOO hard, but how much leeway do I have on getting the correct bolt? According to this wiki (http://www.saabwiki.info/index.php?title=NG_900/9-3_Idler_Pulleys#OEM_Upper_Idler) I need a "M8x125, 13-mm head, 35-mm length, w. 5-mm lead and floating washer"

 

[longjon76]

Autozone carries the idler pulley or can get it from their hub. It is not very high quality and I would only use it while you wait from one from eEuro or Wazee. If I remember correctly, the bolt comes with it.

One thing though, is the pulley missing or is the bracket that the pulley attaches to missing? If it's not, do you have a shorn off bolt in the bracket?

A picture may help us but definitely get AZ on the phone and get that new idler on its way.

 

['97 Saab SE Turbo]

Since the engine runs clockwise, the rotation of the belt and the pulley would tend to tighten the bolt, not loosen it. If the pulley jammed, I suspect that the bolt sheared off like longjon said. That may be difficult to repair. A closer look is certainly required... Ron

 

[Harquebus]

FWIW, the AutoZone idler pulley looks just like the item I replaced; a sealed ball bearing around a solid steel hub with a polymer outer pulley affixed to the whole thing. It is inexpensive and should last another 100K+ miles if I am correct that the failed one was original to the car (and if I care to gamble on it).
Mine did not come with the bolt. It is a "Duralast" part and made in Slovakia.

Your bolt is completely gone? Sourcing a replacement bolt may be problematic. You have any auto scrapyards around your area?

 

[Oaks]

Ugh, I cant really get a good picture cuz the lighting is crap (working on getting an extension cord over to it).

However, I'm 95% sure the actual bracket part broke off...

Referencing this picture (http://pages.infinit.net/mlbriand/saab/shortbelt/photos/rempulley2.jpg) that part with the rust on it isnt on my setup anymore.

So now what? I feel like I'm screwed now.

Edit: Yeah that part is broken off. Looks like it's physically part of the block so no idea how to fix that. Guess I'll be calling some garages tomorrow.

 

[longjon76]

The same thing happened to me a few weeks ago. Here's my writeup: http://www.saabcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=178956

If you're reasonably handy, have the right tools and a few hours to yourself you can do it.

If not... I shudder to think at what a garage is going to charge you. Make sure they put the "new" bracket on, like the replacement shown in my writeup. It appears to me more beefy.

Funny, this is now what, the fourth one of these in a few weeks? Perhaps this should be added to the list of inspections at 100k and 150k?

 

[Oaks]

Thanks man, appreciate the help. My friend just pointed me to a good thread on here about the idler pulley and bracket shearing off, which looks like what yours is as well.

I'm gonna call the garage in a bit, but am tempted to try it myself so we'll see. Either way I gotta get the parts.

I have a decent tool set and good space to work but might be causing myself more trouble if I can't get the damn thing back on. (Don't have any wobble sockets which you said would make the job easier.)

 

[Oaks]

Silly me...how could I forget that I have a blown up engine sitting at home in Pennsylvania. What a luxury

Gonna try to get my family to send the correct parts off that and hopefully I can do this whole job strictly for the price of shipping.

 

['97 Saab SE Turbo]

Hey, that's great for you. Good luck... Ron

 

[Oaks]

So John, I just came back to your guide after removing the tensioner...

Yeah, the part about cussing a lot - I can relate now.

Holy hell that was painful. Just to get it broken loose was a task. Then spending the next year of my life unscrewing it little by little.

 

[longjon76]

I know right? How does your back feel right now?

If I have to do that again, I'm going to drill/cut an access hole in the wheel well and then weld it shut when I'm done.