Head Gasket
Despite information on SaabCentral, to the contrary, I’m afraid that the head gasket is the source of BSOS woes. I found the following information on www.thesaabsite.com when searching the FAQs under Engine Smoke:
A problem that will cause your car to smoke or steam after sitting overnight could be a faulty head gasket. A faulty head gasket will allow the cooling system pressure to bleed coolant into the combustion chamber overnight causing the vehicle to blow white smoke and create a sweet smell from the exhaust until the exhaust has become hot enough to burn all of the antifreeze away. The gasket usually blows between Cylinders # 2 and # 3.
If the engine is only smoking during cold start and you have a sweet smell coming from the tailpipe check the headgasket to see if it is leaking down overnight. You can often check this by pulling the spark plugs and looking at the piston tops. If they are silver then they are likely getting steamed cleaned because coolant is leaking into the combustion chamber during the cooldown process.
The first paragraph very accurately describes what I’ve got. I’ve just called my repair shop and gotten a quote for replacing the HG: $1850 with rebuilt head, $1400 without. The necessary gaskets themselves purchased online are $72.50 plus shipping.
I’m afraid I don’t have the skills to replace the HG myself. It looks like my cherished, fun project car is dead unless I can find some friends or family members willing to help me undertake replacement of the HG.
Friends of BSOS 900, please comment or email me with your thoughts. Thanks.
What do you have to lose to try doing it yourself? How much are the parts, lets run some numbers for you. Think of resale value of a car with or w/o a good engine. Just and Idea. -Jim
Well, that is a good point. If I spend $100 on parts and attempt the repair and it works, great. The car is alive.
If I spend $100 on parts and it doesn’t work, then if I can at least re-assemble the engine it’s worth the same amount as it is now. I calculate that to be about $0 plus a minimal tax deduction after donating it to Father Joe who I always see advertising on TV.
If I spend the $100 on parts, and can’t fix it, and can’t even put it back together, I’ll be stuck with a dis-assembled car with boxes of engine parts. I’ll likely have to pay to have it hauled away.
I did the annual budget calculations last night, and after all expenses for the car’s 2nd year with me it is $560 in profit based on mileage reimbursement. I didn’t recover the losses from the first year of ownership at all, those are just written off. But for the 2nd year of ownership the car made me almost 3/4 of what I originally paid for it.
I’m sorry for your news, but I wouldn’t give up yet. I think Jim is right, you could try it….I bet you could find a lot of knowledge and moral support. Thinking good thoughts - Amy
Oh, and we donated the Buick to Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation through http://www.donateacar.org
It was pretty easy
Now this might be sacriligous to even suggest, but why not get the parts and let your local high school auto shop take a crack at it for experience? I heard the shop teacher they have is good and will doublecheck the students’ work before releasing it back to you as fixed? It could be useful experience for them and result in a repair priced right for you. In case you’re wondering, we did get a CV joint replaced on a Mazda Protege this way. Even better might be to look into an automotive program at the local community college such as Northgate State. They might be equipped to handle such a repair. Kind of like getting a haircut at the Greenwood School of Beauty…
Old Mother- that’s actually a good idea. Then the car can be taken apart in their shop for a few weeks instead of my garage for several months.
I’ll use the contacts from our IM conversation to see whether the auto shop teacher would have any interest in attempting the head gasket on my 16 year-old Saab. Ha… the car would be as old as the students working on it.
Ack!!
Replace it! We can do it!!!
Uncle E
WE can do it? Does your use of the term WE mean that you’re coming to help?
I’m really liking Old Mother’s idea of offering it up to the HS autoshop class.