Saab vibration and PS Question

[PhillipM]

It'd be internal, they do sometimes leak the fluid out if you can see it, but usually the only sign is the upper cone has flattened out a bit like yours there.

If you can grab it in a vice and bear up and down on it with a bar or something you can sometimes feel the slop/play in it by hand if they're bad.

 

[Wightsparks]

Thought I might have found the problem...
Whilst waiting for Phil's reply re the rear mount test thought I would take another proper look at the left one, when I did it suddenly occurred to me - see that 2nd picture on page 1, of the mount ... NO BOLTS!!

Unfortunately on a 2nd look it's bolted from the back - but something is not right about it as there is a bit of rubber waving around

 

[Wightsparks]

Looks like the front mount is one of those multi car things - there is a rubber pad that is just not doing anything that made it look like it was not attached. Can't see that it would fit any other way.

Put the rear mount in a vice, seems a bit clicky not sure if that means broken or not..

 

[PhillipM]

That looks really, really soft, the clicking noise is the disc inside the damper which should be quiet if there's fluid left in it - what's it like vertically?

 

[Wightsparks]

Can't really move it at all vertically

 

[james butler]

my mums 93 saab estate started a vibration that was just how you descibe and it turned out the balncer shaft chain had come off in the bottom of the engine and is a common fault on later model saab and vauxhall engines.
the tensioner collapses and the chaine falls off. not the end f the world but did cause weird vibrations at odd revs

 

[Wightsparks]

Thanks James - it's the earlier B205E engine which is a Saab engine vs the B207 in the post 2003 cars which was a GM engine with Saab attention to it. The balance chain is not something it suffers from.

 

[Red'n'Black]

my mums 93 saab estate started a vibration that was just how you descibe and it turned out the balncer shaft chain had come off in the bottom of the engine and is a common fault on later model saab and vauxhall engines.
the tensioner collapses and the chaine falls off. not the end f the world but did cause weird vibrations at odd revs

Not sure if there is any history of this but I fixed mine a bit more urgently as the chain was trying to saw its way through the ally spring housing, I could see it snapping eventually, getting tangled in the timing chain and game over.
Also the tensioner spring had pinged out of the back of the housing and was waiting to drop into the works.

One job on the list is to drop the sump and retrieve the broken end of the plastic tensioner arm. There is a baffle plate in the way with narrow slots so it isn't about to block the oil pickup and it can wait a bit longer.

 

[james butler]

Not sure if there is any history of this but I fixed mine a bit more urgently as the chain was trying to saw its way through the ally spring housing, I could see it snapping eventually, getting tangled in the timing chain and game over.
Also the tensioner spring had pinged out of the back of the housing and was waiting to drop into the works.

One job on the list is to drop the sump and retrieve the broken end of the plastic tensioner arm. There is a baffle plate in the way with narrow slots so it isn't about to block the oil pickup and it can wait a bit longer.

definately a histrory of it as the saab dealer that fixed my mums has the kits in stock he does them that often
its been good ever since though.

 

[Wightsparks]

@PhillipM looks like you were on the money (again !). Still could not see the difference even with a "Sweden Professional Part" replacement side by side, but it seems to have eliminated most if not all the vibration. I owe you a cold one when you get your buggy racing !

 

[PhillipM]

I'll add it to the invoice

 

[PhillipM]

If you knock the old one open I bet the fluid damper inside is shot.

 

[Wightsparks]

Yep it is sitting on the desk waiting to be butchered in the name of curiosity!