Hi folks,
Could really use some help from you informed Saab enthusiasts (and less-than-enthusiasts.) Here's the story...1996 Saab 900 SE with 60,000 miles had a minor fluid leak for many months. Occasional drops of fluid on the drive. Mechanic diagnosed as power steering fluid pump leak and indeed the reservoir once needed topping up, but I elected not to replace costly pump since the leak was so minor. Then shortly after an oil change, a major fluid leak appeared (12 inch puddle of fluid under car, fluid splattered around serpentine belt/PS pump area and below.) Mechanic again diagnosed power steering fluid pump as the source and replaced this pump for $500+. On leaving the garage I noticed a (new) ticking sound form engine compartment (passenger side) that increased or slowed according to engine speed. It looked like the serpentine belt was not running entirely smoothly. A day later, after driving 250 miles, battery and other warning lights came on while driving. Pulled over and found the drive belt partly shredded (black cotton candy-like fibers all over) and came off, fluid all over engine compartment, and a little coolant also sprayed around, and major fluid leak from same area as before. Unfortunately I didn't inspect to try to identify source. This time, mechanic said PS pump was fine but the leak was from the engine oil cooler lines, which required replacement. Next, while disconnecting those lines, the oil cooler threads were stripped (mechanic said there was no choice but to pull the lines off and sacrifice the threads), requiring replacement of engine oil cooler. My questions: 1) should mechanic have been able to differentiate between power steering fluid and oil cooler line leak? 2) if the first occasion of the MAJOR leak was actually the oil cooler lines (rather than PS pump, which had a MINOR leak), wouldn't this have been evident if proper cleaning and diagnostics were performed? 3) isn't it possible to disconnect the lines without destroying the oil cooler? 4) what was likely the cause of the ticking noise? (the mechanic speculated that a pulley was suddenly failing) 5) did the ticking likely have any relation to the serpentine belt failure and/or oil line leak?
I'm looking at about $1000 on top of the $500+ already paid for a possibly unnecessary PS pump. Does it sound like my mechanic could use more training? Or needed to make his boat payment?
Thanks kindly for any help, recommendations or comments.
Could really use some help from you informed Saab enthusiasts (and less-than-enthusiasts.) Here's the story...1996 Saab 900 SE with 60,000 miles had a minor fluid leak for many months. Occasional drops of fluid on the drive. Mechanic diagnosed as power steering fluid pump leak and indeed the reservoir once needed topping up, but I elected not to replace costly pump since the leak was so minor. Then shortly after an oil change, a major fluid leak appeared (12 inch puddle of fluid under car, fluid splattered around serpentine belt/PS pump area and below.) Mechanic again diagnosed power steering fluid pump as the source and replaced this pump for $500+. On leaving the garage I noticed a (new) ticking sound form engine compartment (passenger side) that increased or slowed according to engine speed. It looked like the serpentine belt was not running entirely smoothly. A day later, after driving 250 miles, battery and other warning lights came on while driving. Pulled over and found the drive belt partly shredded (black cotton candy-like fibers all over) and came off, fluid all over engine compartment, and a little coolant also sprayed around, and major fluid leak from same area as before. Unfortunately I didn't inspect to try to identify source. This time, mechanic said PS pump was fine but the leak was from the engine oil cooler lines, which required replacement. Next, while disconnecting those lines, the oil cooler threads were stripped (mechanic said there was no choice but to pull the lines off and sacrifice the threads), requiring replacement of engine oil cooler. My questions: 1) should mechanic have been able to differentiate between power steering fluid and oil cooler line leak? 2) if the first occasion of the MAJOR leak was actually the oil cooler lines (rather than PS pump, which had a MINOR leak), wouldn't this have been evident if proper cleaning and diagnostics were performed? 3) isn't it possible to disconnect the lines without destroying the oil cooler? 4) what was likely the cause of the ticking noise? (the mechanic speculated that a pulley was suddenly failing) 5) did the ticking likely have any relation to the serpentine belt failure and/or oil line leak?
I'm looking at about $1000 on top of the $500+ already paid for a possibly unnecessary PS pump. Does it sound like my mechanic could use more training? Or needed to make his boat payment?
Thanks kindly for any help, recommendations or comments.