Manual Transmission Fluid Type

eEuroparts.com still lists the transmission fluid for the 97-98 model as being in stock.

Part Code: 8748733
Part Name: Saab manual transmission synthetic fluid
Part Brand: Genuine Saab
Part Cost: $12.60
Part Core Charge: $0.00
Part Description:
Saab manual transmission synthetic fluid. Designed for any 97-98 Saab 5spd. Genuine Saab

8748733 is the original factory fill on your car, as PMI said. You can also use MTF0063 which came later, supposed to be even better, costs about the same but instead of one or two liters you need to do a complete 3 flushes and fill using about five liters total.

There are people on here who have experimented with all sorts of other oil types as you note, but I'd sure hate to find out the hard way that I wasn't so smart to second-guess the Saab engineers. And, considering what a tranny costs to remove from the car just to replace the clutch let alone repair, it's not something I'd cheap out with. My advice, pay the $25.

But: do you know why your trans fluid is low in the first place?

Good luck,
T

You should just stick with the older synthetic. I bought several containers of it at my local dealer not too long ago, and they had the stuff in stock. Tarpot brings up a good point; why is your transmission fluid low?

Well its not very low, with the car on level ground checking it through the check plug hole it is probably about an inch below the hole. The bottom of the transmission case has a very light spot or two of oil stains right where the main halves of the transimission casing are bolted together, i think that may be the leak. However I have checked the fluid a few times in the last few months and it hasn't seemed to change, so it must have gotten low over a long period of time.

I bought a couple liters of the factory synthetic fluid today, thanks for the website, and ya'll are right, better to use factory fill than mess with it. Thanks.