[lucky7s]

What have I done… not just today but over the past week

-new PCV update kit installed (couldn’t verify when my cars current PCV was replaced but it was already latest kit.)
-GenuineSaabs “Taliaferro” oil cap
-Fixed the most annoying vacuum leak. (See my post vacuum leak from hell for more info)
-Redid my vacuum bypass of the solenoid on the firewall for BPV
-I forget if I mentioned this, redid all EVAP in the engine bay. Need to redo the line from engine bay to fuel tank though. Task for another day.
-Ordered (not yet received) a Krona cobra pipe and Forge motorsports BPV
-Gave the interior a wipe down and some protectant.
-Broke the windshield cowl that’s under the wiper arms (cries)

 

[rich1068]

Got my folding mirrors working again thanks to this excellent thread

Folding mirror overhaul

The how-to 1. Position the mirror, with the switches in the car, until it completely points inward. You can pop the glass out of the clips, you will want to compress the two outer ends of the steel spring while doing so. It's difficult. Put a blanket on the ground because you will drop the...

www.saabcentral.com

Originally did the driver's side and turned my attention to the passenger side yesterday. Took a little more prompting but with some WD40 help it's now working well. But the bloody mirror glass! I've had dozens of these on and off and the damn thing would just not clip into place. Took longer sorting that than dismantling and rebuilding the rest of of the assembly

 

[rich1068]

Bought this splendid t-shirt (they threw in the Haribo freebie)

 

[bmdubya1198]

That's a cool shirt! Haha, that's like this BMW parts site Bimmerworld always sends German Haribo bears with every order.

 

[rich1068]

I'm not in any way connected to the site but it's Prime Vinyl

They already did the B204 one and I asked if they could do a B235.

 

[rich1068]

Replaced the vacuum lines. The old ones were absolutely shot. Powdery and crumbling. Just goes to show they're worth replacing even on a "newer" low mileage car.

 

[lucky7s]

So much has happened to my car since my last post;

What have I done… not just today but over the past week

-new PCV update kit installed (couldn’t verify when my cars current PCV was replaced but it was already latest kit.)
-GenuineSaabs “Taliaferro” oil cap
-Fixed the most annoying vacuum leak. (See my post vacuum leak from hell for more info)
-Redid my vacuum bypass of the solenoid on the firewall for BPV
-I forget if I mentioned this, redid all EVAP in the engine bay. Need to redo the line from engine bay to fuel tank though. Task for another day.
-Ordered (not yet received) a Krona cobra pipe and Forge motorsports BPV
-Gave the interior a wipe down and some protectant.
-Broke the windshield cowl that’s under the wiper arms (cries)

-Krona Cobra has been installed (finally!). After I installed it I realized I forgot the o-ring… had to undo and redo the install.
-Forge BPV came in and is almost on the car. Had to buy an adapter as the seller didn’t include it - oh well. Forge had it in stock so no issues…
(Got the two combined for just over the cost of the forge valve new, so really happy none the less)
-Started running terribly lean…
-Started troubleshooting boost and vacuum leaks, found my OEM BPV failed (good thing I have the Forge!), found the brake booster nipple bushing was leaking from the plastic seam on charge piping… Got a new charge pipe and installed it + new bushing. Also redid other bushing on manifold.
-Noticed a leak from the fuel pressure vacuum tap on the manifold I need to fix tomorrow.
-Threw some tools out of anger when I realized the above, as I thought I was done with the leaks.

 

[bob3000]

-Threw some tools out of anger when I realized the above, as I thought I was done with the leaks.

Not the tools fault, you need to apologize.

 

[lucky7s]

Not the tools fault, you need to apologize.

Im out in the garage now, giving the tool an apology it deserves… no worries!

 

[shaggy]

Adjustable wrenches are meant for throwing; that’s all they’re good for so no worries if it was one of those!

 

[rich1068]

My USB Fast Charger finally arrived from Hem | Saab3dPrint Royal Mail lost it and then found it again

Fitted it at lunchtime and did a not so stealthy install of the cable to the aux socket. Apologies for the not so good pictures.

(The mark on the plastic surround bottom right of the charger is a cigarette burn done by a previous owner. Always looks awful in pictures but I never notice it normally)

 

[Jack1133]

Welp, after successfully replacing the leaky valve cover gasket on my ‘07 wagon with 141,000 miles I’ve decided to tackle the rear brakes.

The driver’s side rear rotor and pad swap was fairly straightforward (a little rusty, broken torx retaining screw, etc.). The piston was easy enough to compress in order for the new thicker pads to clear the caliper. Cool!

However, I’m having trouble compressing the passenger side brake piston so I can fit the pads. I’ve tried C-clamps and channel locks. Neither will squeeze the caliper piston! I think the piston is seized. Major bummer. This was an “easy” DIY up until this point.

 

[steve12955]

Think you need a tool and adapter to rotate the piston while compressing it.

 

[bob3000]

Button the other side back up, put a c clamp loose enough to let the piston come out a bit and push the brakes to see if you can get it come out a bit then go back and forth a bit at at time with some lube to free it up.

Or rebuilt caliper is about a hundred and fifty bucks.

 

[Jack1133]

Think you need a tool and adapter to rotate the piston while compressing it.

From my forum surfing I came to the conclusion the 9-3 and some other Saabs have the rotating piston (you can tell because there's a hole in it to still a tool or something).

 

[Jack1133]

Button the other side back up, put a c clamp loose enough to let the piston come out a bit and push the brakes to see if you can get it come out a bit then go back and forth a bit at at time with some lube to free it up.

Or rebuilt caliper is about a hundred and fifty bucks.

I bent a C-clamp trying to compress it! I also tried:

• keeping the old pad on for creating more surface area for compression
• opening the brake fluid reservoir cap
• letting out a little bit of fluid from the piston

The other side is buttoned-up, and I tried starting the car and pumping the brakes and the piston in question didn't move — maybe I didn't do something right?

Autozone has rebuilt rear calipers for $70 plus $70 core return. Not bad. Now I will have to wrestle with getting the brake line off the caliper. UGH.

 

[bob3000]

Now I will have to wrestle with getting the brake line off the caliper. UGH.

It doesn't sound like you are having fun...I work on my car for fun and to save a few bucks...for the record a Corolla rear caliper is a total pain to do and costs twice as much...it makes working on the Saab more fun.

 

[Jack1133]

It doesn't sound like you are having fun...I work om my car for fun and to save a few bucks...for the record a Corolla rear caliper is a total pain to do and costs twice as much...it makes working on the Saab more fun.

haha, well my "UGH" was a bit dramatic I must say.

I too work on my Saab and Volvo V50 for fun and to save a few bucks. It is satisfying work when you are finally finished (and it works). Thankfully the 9-5 isn't my only car. What looked like an "easy" job like pads and rotors (truthfully it was pretty easy) has been tremendously slowed down by this stuck piston! Now I have to dissemble the "finished" side to replace that piston as well (safest to do them in pairs)

 

[EdT]

Instead of using a C-clamp, you can try levering the caliper itself. Forcing the calipert outward relative to the rotor will compress the piston on the inner side. It's usually possible to get a breaker bar to fit somewhere, either through the opening in the caliper, or if you get the outer brake pad off, between the caliper ears and the rotor.

Of course you don't want to damage a new rotor, but even there, if you can get a lever between a worn-down outer pad and the caliper ears, you can have at it.

 

[skucera]

Yesterday I cleaned my mirror switch with contact cleaner, which got both mirrors adjusting well.

Next little task will be to clean the contacts on my seat memory switch, so I can save the seat and mirror presets. The family that owned my car before me was very tall and liked their seat bottoms utterly at the bottom of their travel. Makes me feel like a little kid in an adult chair.

Scott