[hiloh_3]

Has anyone tried one of the performance ecu chip tuners on an OG Saab. I do have OBDII on my 99 9 3 S E. but am wondering if these things are really any good or just another urban myth.

 

[jvanabra]

I'm not sure what you mean by a myth... there are people who tune Saabs, some are better than others. Not sure who OG Saab is, nor where they fit into the spectrum.

 

[hiloh_3]

I'm not sure what you mean by a myth... there are people who tune Saabs, some are better than others. Not sure who OG Saab is, nor where they fit into the spectrum.

Sorry meant OG-93. An Performance Chip ecu tuner is a part that plugs into the OBDII plug on the car and supposedly increases horse power, tourque, and mileage.It is then left in the car. If you do a search on "Saab performance chip", you will see what I am referring to

 

[Jeremy R.]

I think it was BSR that used to make a tuning system that could flash the ECU though the OBDII port on T7 cars. There are also some very good tuners who will tune your ECU when you send them your old one. I used to have a stage 2 tune from Nordic, and currently have a stage 4 from Taliaferro Saab. They're both great.

 

[CarpeCyprinidae]

Sorry meant OG-93. An Performance Chip ecu tuner is a part that plugs into the OBDII plug on the car and supposedly increases horse power, tourque, and mileage.It is then left in the car.

Yes these are a myth

 

[jvanabra]

Maybe a link to an example would be helpful.

 

[SunSaab]

I looked into the OBDII chip and learned it was a myth. I purchased a Stage I ECU from saabtunerscott off Ebay and have been very pleased with the performance upgrade. It was around $140 or so and I have been using it for about a year. I received a new ECU so I still have the unmodified original ECU if I ever want to go back. I had to modify the mounting holes on the new ECU to match my ECU, but other than that it was plus and play.

 

[betawave]

I looked into the OBDII chip and learned it was a myth. I purchased a Stage I ECU from saabtunerscott off Ebay and have been very pleased with the performance upgrade. It was around $140 or so and I have been using it for about a year. I received a new ECU so I still have the unmodified original ECU if I ever want to go back. I had to modify the mounting holes on the new ECU to match my ECU, but other than that it was plus and play.

I always wondered about this one as Ive seen on the bay for a while now. Does he send you an ECU and does the uptick in hp better on mpg?

 

[SunSaab]

A few edits to the original post: My car has the 205R engine with the High Output Turbo which stock has 205 hp (153 kW) @ 5500 rpm and 280 N⋅m (207 lbf⋅ft) @ 1800 rpm. I was 1,000 RPM's off on the RPM at which I experienced torque steer in 2nd - that figure has been updated. I also added a bit about low rpm driving.

--

He (saabtunerscott off Ebay) sent me an ECU that he reprogrammed, I think mine might have been from a 9-5 as the mounting holes were different and I had to drill a new hole to mount in my 9-3. I still have my original ECU in original unmodified condition.

Not sure about the MPG as it is not something I monitor. Per the SID, my current mpg is 19.2 and average speed is 20 mph. Most of my driving is around town and sitting at stop lights with occasional highway driving. I once reset the SID for highway driving and was getting about 30 mpg.

The upgrade also gives access to the OpenSID feature.

I received a chart with the ECU showing the projected torque and HP, but I doubt that my car hits these numbers because as a general rule cars tend to lose HP as they get older and mine has 110,000 miles:
Torque: sharp rise from 168 Nm (123 ft/lb) at idle to 365 Nm (296 ft/lb) from 2,020 rpm to about 4,000 rpm and then it falls off to 246 Nm (181 ft/lb) at 6,000 rpm
HP: 20 HP at idle with a smooth curve to 241 hp at 5,060 rpm then falls off to 207 at 6,000 rpm

I find that I hit the rev limiter a lot when in 1st and sometimes in 2nd. I have to be careful when starting from a stop to keep the wheels from chirping and I even occasionally get a wheel chirp when I floor it while in 2nd (all weather rain tires, not grippy sport tires). Even though I have the 6-point brace, steering rack brace, strut brace and rear sway bar all from GenuineSaab, I still get crazy torque steer when I floor it above 3,500 rpms in 2nd gear. I drive hard when I can but I shift slow and easy to preserve the clutch, so that above comments are from when after I have fully engaged the clutch (no dumping of the clutch or hard, high rpm quick shifts).

I have also found that the car is much easier to drive in traffic. I can go lower in the RPM range without having to change gears. For example, I can go down to 30 mph in 4th gear without the engine complaining so I can drive in 4th in a 35 mph zone where before I was in 3rd.

I am happy with the cars power with the Stage 1 tune and do not have any plans to go to a Stage 2 or 3. If I did upgrade further I am not sure I could safely handle or stop the car.

Hope that helps.

 

[BobSaabit]

I have to be careful when starting from a stop to keep the wheels from chirping and I even occasionally get a wheel chirp when I floor it while in 2nd (all weather rain tires, not grippy sport tires). Even though I have the 6-point brace, steering rack brace, strut brace and rear sway bar all from GenuineSaab, I still get crazy torque steer when I floor it above 3,500 rpms in 2nd gear.

Physics are working against you, but there is one more upgrade if you don't have it: Stiffer springs and shocks that will dampen them. It's the weight lift off the front end, and often a lift more on one side than the other, that lets a wheel break free. If the rear is stiffer and the damping stronger, the front end can't rise and or twist. This is also most of the "torque steer" people encounter on Saabs (not really torque steer, but similar effects and usually called the same).

 

[CarpeCyprinidae]

For example, I can go down to 30 mph in 4th gear without the engine complaining

A lot of people queried why I specifically hunted down a naturally aspirated 2.3 when so many good turbos are available in the UK.. this is one of the reasons why, turbo cars are difficult to drive at low revs. My 2.3 pulls firmly in 5th gear from 25mph. It goes from 25 to 135mph in a single gear.

 

[lms]

Turbo's are not difficult to drive at low revs, now that right there is a "myth" you just created.

 

[CarpeCyprinidae]

I meant in terms of repeated gear changes and the need to match revs to speed more frequentll. Perhaps frustrating rather than difficult would have been a better term. I like the ability not to change gear often

 

[jvanabra]

The saying is "Turbos are for people too lazy to downshift." I think you're doing it wrong!

 

[BobSaabit]

The saying is "Turbos are for people too lazy to downshift." I think you're doing it wrong!

Driving at low RPM is fine... I cruise in parking lots at 10mph in a manual without hiccups. BUT, getting going quickly in a turbo from a stop or low RPM requires some technique. The quick pull out into or across traffic is a challenge until you figure out turbo spool on both ends.

 

[jvanabra]

With older turbos (c900, XR4Ti, 740T) I always roll my foot down nearly to the floor and then roll it back up as rpms & boost builds. T5 addresses that to some degree with timing tricks (lots of advance at low engine speed) but not fully. T7 solves the problem well with the ETA - I haven't found any real reason to second guess T7. I drive it like I would most any other car, understanding of course there is big torque from a FWD car with a crap chassis to account for.