Six-hundred miles in a week- Black Saab, Orange B L U R…
Many of you may know that I was expecting to be in Munich, Germany, this week, sampling the beer and Autobahn, though not necessarily in that order. In our fast-paced world, working for the company featured in OfficeSpace, anything is possible, and it came to pass that our German office cancelled the trip. Easy come, easy go, right?
In any case, since I completed the shock replacement on my birthday, the V70R has been sitting unused in the garage, and I’ve been doing all my commuting all over town in the 900. I’ve been to Burlington (including a fun little drive up Chuckanut Drive and back down), Auburn, Preston, SeaTac, back to Auburn and Preston, and back to SeaTac. It adds up to a bit over 600 miles in a week, and about 800 miles total since the installation was complete. Many of the miles were covered with the “Learn In Your Car- German- Level 1″ tapes playing… evidently a waste of the flaky cassette player’s few remaining hours of operation.
I’ll say that the ride is better the faster I’m going. Around town, it can be pretty rough with the firm shock absorbers. Taking fast cloverleaf interchange ramps, I’d say I’m happy with how the car holds on in corners. However, the creak/rattle somewhere near the passenger door is now more persistent than ever. And there’s a new problem with the shift lever shaking/rattling over markedly uneven pavement that makes me think that something that should be securing it in place is damaged.
I’m still getting the CHECK ENGINE lamp too. More frequently the more I drive it. It will illuminate when I come to a stop after driving, when idling after the engine is warmed up. After a bit of driving the lamp will extinguish, but may come on again at a stop. I read a bit on Saab Central about it, and it seems like it could be the AIC (idle control valve). But it may also be the oxygen sensor. I can’t find the ECU lead to pull the codes. I need to get to that.
I’m almost ready for a break from the 900. I may drive the Volvo later this week, though I actually prefer driving the 900 to job sites, as I don’t care as much about putting my test equipment in it, and don’t mind putting miles on it.
There’s an autocross practice this weekend on Saturday. I’m trying to figure out if my BEAC membership is still valid, so I can go (it’s a members only practice). I’ll keep you all posted.
The shift lever jiggle over rough pavement sounds as though it could be a bad engine/tranny mount. That could also help to explain why you keep getting things going loose in the engine compartment. The bushings/mounts holding the engine to the car are most likely a metal/rubber combination. I would bet that the Saab equivalent of IPD has such things readily available. I know in the 855 it is a relatively painless (in terms of $$ and time) process. Besides, you need something new to do, right?
As for the check engine light, does that car even have an ECU? I’m pretty sure it didn’t come with one in 1973. I’m guessing a vacuum hose someplace has become aged or rattled off. Otherwise my guess is faulty O2 sensor or the connection to same.
Uncle E, The ECU came with the fuel injection. I think that the fuel injection was actually standard as far back as 1979 when the 900 was launched, though it may have not been electronically controlled… though by the early 80s it was certainly electronically controlled.
That’s just one of the many, many systems added on to the 900 between 1979 and 1993, which is why there are funny little electronic subassemblies scattered all over the car like under the back seat and hidden behind lumpy shape-cast carpeting.
In any case I need to find the ECU diagnostic connector. The connector under the console by the shifter is only for diagnosis of the airbag system…. one of the notable things about all of the electronic systems added over time to the 900 is that very few of them are in contact with one another…