[AUSSIE900]

For the rear bearing it is a void either side of where the bearing sits , so the extra 5 mm each side wont foul against anything as you keep the oil holes aligned . NO experience of doing but I suspect if placement is right they would be ok .

 

[Saaberachi]

That's kind of what I'm thinking but I'm hoping that someone comes along with an explanation as to why these are narrower than what is called for

 

[Jeremy R.]

I was looking at the parts listings on eSaabparts, but that's only confused things more. They only show the wide bearings for the 9-3. For the NG900, they show both, and indicate that the wider bearings were for earlier engines and the narrower ones were for later engines. That seems backwards, since you'd think that the newer style would have carried over to the 9-3, not the older style. The 9-5, though, used the narrower bearings, which again, seems odd, since the B205 and B235 are virtually identical except for the pistons and crankshaft.

 

[Saaberachi]

I was looking at the parts listings on eSaabparts, but that's only confused things more. They only show the wide bearings for the 9-3. For the NG900, they show both, and indicate that the wider bearings were for earlier engines and the narrower ones were for later engines. That seems backwards, since you'd think that the newer style would have carried over to the 9-3, not the older style. The 9-5, though, used the narrower bearings, which again, seems odd, since the B205 and B235 are virtually identical except for the pistons and crankshaft.

Yes the 235 & 205 blocks are same i think. Did you see the narrower bearings available anywhere? Think the wider ones would work in place of the others?

 

[Saaberachi]

I would guess the narrower bearings were part of the t7 "shavedown" they did. Blocks got lightened, pistons, ect. Online applications are confusing as well. Now im wondering if the balance shaft journals are wide enough for the wider bearings. I will have to go look. & i have a 97' 9000 block i can check to see which bearings are in it. One online site says these narrower bearings are discontinued! 😭

 

[Jeremy R.]

It seems like you can't get the narrower ones anywhere. I rebuilt the engine in my wife's 2001 9-5 Aero a few years back when it sludged up and seized the balance shafts. The narrow bearings look like the ones I bought, but I also replaced the balance shafts with ones out of a 9000, since I also had a 9000 block laying around. I had bought it for the crankshaft and pistons to convert my 900 to a 2.3 some day. The older balance shafts were much thicker and heavier. I'm sure the engine loses a few horsepower spinning those around.

 

[Saaberachi]

I think i read part of your post about that earlier. I was wondering if those 94-98 234 shafts would work in the 205 block as i have some too. I need to do some comparing i guess. I also wondered about having the wider bearings carefully cut down 5mm on each end to match the exhisting ones. Did you have to do anything special to put those other balance shafts in your t7 block?

 

[Jeremy R.]

The only things you need besides the B234 balance shafts themselves are the front bearings and sprockets, since those are different. Luckily the old ones were in good shape and I was able to reuse them. The ones from the B235 were trashed. The sprockets had no teeth left.

 

[Saaberachi]

That brings up another issue. When i put the 204 bottom end in the car i had a constant screeching sound coming from under the timing cover. I ended up taking the timing cover off in car & pulling the balance chain & plugging the tensioner oil supply. The sound was gone after that. In a hurry i grabbed the exhaust side balance sprocket off the 234 motor when i put it together. Im guessing that was a bad decision. At the time, i assumed the sprockets were the same between the two t5 motors