SAAB Turbo and an MBC
Discussion
A few days ago my wife casually suggested a SAAB Convertible as I have been driving Volvo for a number of years. (Tenuous link there)
Now I've never driven on, sat in a Classic once about 30 year a go and I'm sitting here thinking they are actually a tidy looking package.
With the Volvo (940 and a few others) you can up engine output considerably by including an MBC in the turbo set up. Is that option available in the SAAB engine bay? And having squeezed 300bhp out of your turbo engine will the torque steer throw you unceremoniously though a hedge?
Now I've never driven on, sat in a Classic once about 30 year a go and I'm sitting here thinking they are actually a tidy looking package.
With the Volvo (940 and a few others) you can up engine output considerably by including an MBC in the turbo set up. Is that option available in the SAAB engine bay? And having squeezed 300bhp out of your turbo engine will the torque steer throw you unceremoniously though a hedge?
No specific model but petrol turbo.
With the Volvo 940 for instance there is a low pressure turbo (boosts by around 4psi) and a high pressure turbo (boosts to around 8 or 10psi) however it's the same turbo just regulated differently and if you add an MBC (manual boost control) into the LPT set up you can easily, for around £35 take the boost up to the HPT level and beyond. 12 to 15psi is considered safe (ish) more than that can get a little risky but the Volvo engine pretty strong in that respect and 300bhp isn't unknown (apparently).
I'm looking at all options for a roadgoing hilclimb car at a reasonable cost. I'm considering the under 1400cc class but also the over 2 litre class.The E46 M3 does pretty well in the over 2 litre class with 320bhp or thereabouts and I wondered about a SAAB turbo.
With the Volvo 940 for instance there is a low pressure turbo (boosts by around 4psi) and a high pressure turbo (boosts to around 8 or 10psi) however it's the same turbo just regulated differently and if you add an MBC (manual boost control) into the LPT set up you can easily, for around £35 take the boost up to the HPT level and beyond. 12 to 15psi is considered safe (ish) more than that can get a little risky but the Volvo engine pretty strong in that respect and 300bhp isn't unknown (apparently).
I'm looking at all options for a roadgoing hilclimb car at a reasonable cost. I'm considering the under 1400cc class but also the over 2 litre class.The E46 M3 does pretty well in the over 2 litre class with 320bhp or thereabouts and I wondered about a SAAB turbo.
I’m pretty sure the older c900’s can use a MBC but I’m not too clued up on these or the best way to tune them. They’re getting thin on the ground now and decent ones cost a fair few quid. Also from what I’ve read you can’t really get loads of power from them like the newest Saab’s as it’ll munch the gearboxes. Nice handling cars though! I’ve seen a couple high powered ones but most seem to stick around the 240 mark!
The newer models that replaced the c900 (900 & 9-3) run trionic t5 management with the b204 engine, and you can add an MBC to these but your better off getting it remapped, a stage 1 map will see around 220bhp from its original 150, add a IC and 3” DP and your around 260/270ish on the t25 turbo, the td04 should be closer to 290, these are very strong engines can be tuned up to 450/500bhp with the right turbo & supporting mods, handlings pretty crap though especially the verts!! I spent a good £2k on handling mods on my old one and it still wasn’t great.
2000 was the changeover year from t5 to t7 management (9-3 and 9-5) with the b205 & b235 engines, you can take these to around 320bhp before you need forged pistons and it’s gets expensive.....I’m 99% sure these can’t use a MBC, there’s a couple guys on UKSaabs who can remap by post so they’ll send you the ecu then you send them your old one, or you can take the car to them. I just used to do mine by post.
The later 9-3’s come in either 2.0 or 2.8, the best handling of the lot, the 2.8’s easily tunable and a remap should see you around 320bhp & 400ft/lbs which is nice & rapid!
The newer models that replaced the c900 (900 & 9-3) run trionic t5 management with the b204 engine, and you can add an MBC to these but your better off getting it remapped, a stage 1 map will see around 220bhp from its original 150, add a IC and 3” DP and your around 260/270ish on the t25 turbo, the td04 should be closer to 290, these are very strong engines can be tuned up to 450/500bhp with the right turbo & supporting mods, handlings pretty crap though especially the verts!! I spent a good £2k on handling mods on my old one and it still wasn’t great.
2000 was the changeover year from t5 to t7 management (9-3 and 9-5) with the b205 & b235 engines, you can take these to around 320bhp before you need forged pistons and it’s gets expensive.....I’m 99% sure these can’t use a MBC, there’s a couple guys on UKSaabs who can remap by post so they’ll send you the ecu then you send them your old one, or you can take the car to them. I just used to do mine by post.
The later 9-3’s come in either 2.0 or 2.8, the best handling of the lot, the 2.8’s easily tunable and a remap should see you around 320bhp & 400ft/lbs which is nice & rapid!
Thanks for that info, most helpful. It would double up as a road car and would possibly be convertible and I had heard the flex a bit. Definitely needs decent roadholding and handling for hillclimbs though so a bit of a quandary.
Interesting about the remap being better than a MBC though, the MBC is pretty cheap option.
td04 engine, I assume that's a diesel? Good power output if so and most for sale seem to be diesel.
Need to look up all the different engines.
Interesting about the remap being better than a MBC though, the MBC is pretty cheap option.
td04 engine, I assume that's a diesel? Good power output if so and most for sale seem to be diesel.
Need to look up all the different engines.
Skyedriver said:
Thanks for that info, most helpful. It would double up as a road car and would possibly be convertible and I had heard the flex a bit. Definitely needs decent roadholding and handling for hillclimbs though so a bit of a quandary.
Interesting about the remap being better than a MBC though, the MBC is pretty cheap option.
td04 engine, I assume that's a diesel? Good power output if so and most for sale seem to be diesel.
Need to look up all the different engines.
No idea on the diesels the ones above are all petrol Interesting about the remap being better than a MBC though, the MBC is pretty cheap option.
td04 engine, I assume that's a diesel? Good power output if so and most for sale seem to be diesel.
Need to look up all the different engines.
I’d cross the ng900/og9-3 verts off your list then if you want good handling and look for a 2003 onwards 9-3 instead. Here’s the different terminology as it’s a bit confusing at first:
C900 - classic 900
ng900 - new gen 900
og9-3 - old gen 9-3
9-3ss - newest shape 9-3 (2003 onwards)
B204 - 2.0 turbo (og900/ng9-3/9000)
B234 - 2.3 turbo (9000)
B205 - 2.0 turbo (ng9-3/9-5)
B235 - 2.3 turbo (9-3 viggen/9-5)
B207 - 2.0 turbo (9-3ss)
B284 - 2.8 v6 turbo (9-3ss V6 Aero/Turbo X/ Carlson)
Turbo options:
Gt17 (crap)
T25
TD04 (ng900/og9-3/9-5 can be upgraded with the same td04 and the 9000 Aero had a td04 with 6cm exhaust housing vs 5cm so most try to go for this if it’s available) the td04 on the 9-3ss 2.0 & v6 are completely different turbos.
Handling wise the best out of the bunch will be the 9-3ss, worst will be the ng900/og9-3 verts (these are basically the same cars but the 9-3 had a load of improvements/updates)
Out of curiosity, where would this stand in the pecking order
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Saab-93-Viggen-Converti...
f:0
No idea about it other than the wheels look aftermarket
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Saab-93-Viggen-Converti...
f:0No idea about it other than the wheels look aftermarket
Worth a call.
The Viggen was the top model above the Aero. Plus 2.3t vs 2.0t on the Aero, so a little extra oomph. £3.5k is a decent price if it’s a good one ....but £3.5k should also get you a nice 05/06 9-3 v6 Aero vert. A remap on this would blitz the viggen plus it’ll handle much better.
Wheels are standard Viggen, look nice but they’ve got a bad rep for bulking so most upgrade these at some point.
If it’s been to Abbott’s for work it’s worth a call to them and maybe they can tell you exactly what’s been done. Generally speaking they’re hardware is top notch (spent a fortune there in the past) but they’re maps have a bad rep so most remap with T7 Suite (Saabnoob from UKSaabs is your man)
It might have the Viggen rescue kit fitted (VRK) to help with the handling which costs a few quid plus labour!!
https://www.abbottsaab.com/product/viggen-rescue-k...
^^^^ I fitted similar to my old 9-3 but was much cheaper by shopping around. If it’s not done then at the minimum I’d look at a subframe brace (2,4 or 6 point) and a steering rack & clamp brace (cheapest used to be from PFS at £100 or £200 from Abbott’s)
These older 9-3 verts can suffer with split bulkeads, if you sit the in car and turn the wheel lock to lock and the pedals are moving a lot it’s probably split, mine was ok but there was a few mm movement in my pedals. Used to be an engine out job to fix but can be done in situ now by a competent mechanic.
Still sloppy handling though compared to the newer 9-3.
The Viggen was the top model above the Aero. Plus 2.3t vs 2.0t on the Aero, so a little extra oomph. £3.5k is a decent price if it’s a good one
....but £3.5k should also get you a nice 05/06 9-3 v6 Aero vert. A remap on this would blitz the viggen plus it’ll handle much better. Wheels are standard Viggen, look nice but they’ve got a bad rep for bulking so most upgrade these at some point.
If it’s been to Abbott’s for work it’s worth a call to them and maybe they can tell you exactly what’s been done. Generally speaking they’re hardware is top notch (spent a fortune there in the past) but they’re maps have a bad rep so most remap with T7 Suite (Saabnoob from UKSaabs is your man)
It might have the Viggen rescue kit fitted (VRK) to help with the handling which costs a few quid plus labour!!
https://www.abbottsaab.com/product/viggen-rescue-k...
^^^^ I fitted similar to my old 9-3 but was much cheaper by shopping around. If it’s not done then at the minimum I’d look at a subframe brace (2,4 or 6 point) and a steering rack & clamp brace (cheapest used to be from PFS at £100 or £200 from Abbott’s)
These older 9-3 verts can suffer with split bulkeads, if you sit the in car and turn the wheel lock to lock and the pedals are moving a lot it’s probably split, mine was ok but there was a few mm movement in my pedals. Used to be an engine out job to fix but can be done in situ now by a competent mechanic.
Still sloppy handling though compared to the newer 9-3.
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