tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-278361922007-07-03T11:14:14.831-07:00DanBlogger45125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27836192.post-52686495269212910292007-06-10T00:06:00.000-07:002007-06-10T08:56:51.942-07:00

We didn't win. We didn't even come close. That said, Hans navigated his first FN event, and in UNL class no less in a very dirty Saab with street tires hastily bolted on after No Alibi. Boost is still intermittent. We had it on the way to the rally, but as soon as the event started it went away. Gotta be a wire issue. We zeroed 3 out of the 4 checkpoints. As in no points -- that's a good thing.

Dantag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27836192.post-83598352034353971872007-06-05T22:31:00.000-07:002007-06-06T14:39:52.989-07:00

Tools needed: medium channel lock pliers, JB Weld epoxy, retrieval tool. After a number of rallies on some rough roads, I've had four fuel level senders break off within the tank. I suspect it's the result of the fuel slapping around in the tank while bouncing down the road, sometimes sideways, sometimes on some pretty good bumps or even little jumpy bits of road. The sending unit is a tube

Dantag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27836192.post-12667537485949053892007-05-31T02:30:00.000-07:002007-05-31T02:46:40.710-07:00

I've had problems with the '85 and proper turbo boost for a while now. It's pretty driveable, but the lack of a kick is getting me down. Plus I think the issue is affecting first gear take off. So I've been chasing a couple of ideas... removed the knock sensor, wrapped in a rag, and drove around with no boosty love. Phase II. That involves cleaning the APC solenoid. It likes to be clean. Still

Dantag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27836192.post-46906048479754212092007-05-28T23:19:00.000-07:002007-05-28T23:29:28.208-07:00

Yesterday I picked up a 1986 900 Turbo that I found on craigslist. It wasn't too far from home so I stopped by to have a look last week. It had been parked for eight months and the owner had used it as a construction work vehicle prior to that so the interior was in pretty bad shape. However the body has no apparent rust, decent paint, and is very straight. Tires are decent and AC blows cold. All

Dantag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27836192.post-51530280480135295732007-05-28T22:57:00.000-07:002007-05-28T23:17:33.972-07:00

Yikes. Too much time since the last update. Plenty of work on the green car since Tbird, including: new fuel filterrewired right side engine harnessnew ham radio installedreplaced the fuel level sender - twiceinstalled a 2nd odometer sensor for the rally computerremoved the trailer hitchAlong with all that, Hans and I went up to Vancouver Island to compete in the Coast To Coast rally a few

Dantag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27836192.post-87820296013720865682007-03-30T16:11:00.000-07:002007-03-30T16:18:32.776-07:00

Thunderbird 2007 Rally, up in British Columbia, was a few weeks ago. Hans came along as a navigator, running the Timewise computer for the first time and experiencing right seat duties. He did a great job, considering the amount of information to take on board, along with my less than helpful help from the wrong side of the car. Jeff did a wonderful write-up on the TeamD site. Congrats to

Dantag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27836192.post-38615609468339797622007-03-30T15:48:00.000-07:002007-03-30T16:19:18.110-07:00

A few weeks ago I finally got around to getting the head rebuilt and replaced. With the help of Hans, it wasn't too bad of a job. We figured that at some point in the not too recent past the head gasket had been replaced, as it came off nice and easy. The intake manifold was another story, though. Spent more time cleaning that off than just about any other procedure. Unfortunately the shop

Dantag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27836192.post-38507946206455334682007-02-14T01:01:00.000-08:002007-02-14T01:37:27.002-08:00

After the ham radio failed a while back, I finally pulled it out to get repaired. While I was in there, thought it was a good time to chase down the problems with interior lights. Not so fun to need a flashlight in the winter months to find anything in the car... Limited progress was made tonight. Now the clock works and the lights don't stay on all the time. They even come on when the

Dantag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27836192.post-1161817917309772872006-10-25T15:57:00.000-07:002006-10-25T16:11:57.420-07:00

When I installed an aftermarket stereo in the 1990 900 a while back, I was able to use a wiring chart I'd found online to make it easier to match the OEM Saab wires with the current standard wires on the new stereo unit. Went to look for that chart again today and the site that hosted it is down. Nabbed it from the google cache, and now it's available here (pops into a new window). (originally

Dantag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27836192.post-1161648177842774692006-10-23T16:50:00.000-07:002006-10-23T17:02:57.926-07:00

Intermittent work on both the '85 and the '90 has taken place and I'm overdue for a post here. For the '90, I've replaced the right side CV boots and swapped the drivers to fix the bad vibration. Unfortunately the "fix" wasn't very good, as the car now vibrates when coasting. I will eventually locate another used driver cup and replace it. Now that I've been in there, I know it's not too bad,

Dantag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27836192.post-1158109286218553442006-09-12T17:54:00.000-07:002006-09-12T18:01:26.230-07:00

Now for some badly needed catchup on deferred maintenance. I bought this 1990 900 Turbo a couple of years ago as a daily driver. Apart from needing a leaky heater valve replaced, I haven't done much with it. Just a stereo and some tires. But the vibration in the drive train has finally gotten to the point it's not comfortable to drive at just about any speed. Last weekend I pulled the axles to

Dantag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27836192.post-1157857540990703952006-09-09T20:02:00.000-07:002006-09-09T20:05:41.003-07:00

I've neglected this blog, just like I've neglected the green Saab since returning from the Alcan rally. Here are a few things I've learned. 1. You can forget a comb, but not your tools. 2. You can forget an antenna, but not your radio manual 3. You can always find a great time. Lots of pics and reports at the TeamD rally news blog Upcoming projects: repair/replace the cylinder head, prep the

Dantag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27836192.post-1155448333700091462006-08-12T22:43:00.000-07:002006-08-12T22:52:13.710-07:00

The hatchback Saab 900 has a great storage area under the floor of the hatch area. Normally the left side of this is taken up by a donut spare -- the right is for a small number of tools and assorted stuff. Since we're carrying two full size spare tires, one on top and the one you can see in the pic, I removed the donut and dedicated the space to all the spare parts that would be difficult to

Dantag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27836192.post-1155438006349464762006-08-12T19:43:00.000-07:002006-08-12T20:00:06.360-07:00

Last night I had the good fortune to watch Hans install a front swaybar and new CV boot on his white Saab 900 while I puttered around doing important stuff like cleaning the dust out of my taillight lenses. Eric came over to give me the big stuff for on top of the rack -- the mount for the spare, the two gas cans, and the associated bits for tying it all down. Even more vital were the two bottles

Dantag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27836192.post-1155288043884708662006-08-11T02:18:00.000-07:002006-08-11T02:20:43.890-07:00

I wanted to check the weather along the route, and then things got a little out of control. So here's a page of weather links for Alcan 5000 - 2006 route. That took a bit longer than I'd planned. At least I'm done with laundry. For now.

Dantag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27836192.post-1155185258881831412006-08-09T21:22:00.000-07:002006-08-11T11:17:42.123-07:00

I gave the memory card a Heimlich maneuver and got it to cough up yesterday's tool photos, as well as some of the rack. The rack basket is borrowed from Eric and uses a pair of bars that came with the '83 900 I no longer own. One of my minions holds up Buzz, dirty from riding on the top of the car during all of Alcan '04.

Dantag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27836192.post-1155107729725427482006-08-09T00:02:00.000-07:002006-08-09T00:15:29.736-07:00

Just weighed the bag of tools that I organized today. It's fifty pounds on our oh-so-precise bathroom scale. If my camera hadn't just decided to puke on its memory card, I'd post a photo of all the tools laid out to be counted. Maybe later if I can give it some pepto bismol or something. So I hope I don't have to use any of those tools, except for the 16mm needed for the oil drain that I plan

Dantag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27836192.post-1154980263462149882006-08-07T12:29:00.000-07:002006-08-07T12:51:03.566-07:00

Last Friday I met up with Hans and made my first trip to the Pull A Part yard. For a $2 entry fee, we had the run of four different classic Saab 900 models. I was able to nab some "nice to have" items like parcel shelf, console carpet, a very good rear hatch seal, and a pristine interior light. Also got an AIC valve and a complete fuel pump as spares for the trip. Oh, and a rear sway bar, since

Dantag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27836192.post-1154632032030116252006-08-03T10:03:00.000-07:002006-08-03T12:34:49.160-07:00

How to Reduce Performance by Carrying a Saabload of Tools Here's what is going in the tool bag or spares box for Alcan: Sockets & related turny things standard mm sockets deep mm sockets 13 mm universal spark plug socket long wobble extension medium wobble extension short wobble extension universal extension 3/8" ratchet 1/2" breaker bar and 3/8 adapter metric hexes for bumper and seats (10mm?)

Dantag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27836192.post-1154219978957911972006-07-29T17:30:00.000-07:002007-02-13T21:13:12.853-08:00

Installed a new exhaust system today. The old one, while it sounded nice, really had a ton of leaks due to a clapped out muffler and poor gaskets where the catalytic converter had been removed. At Golden West 2005, I'd lost a few parts, like the interemediate pipe, and had the system welded at a shop on the cheap to get me home. That short term repair lasted a year. I've had the replacement parts

Dantag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27836192.post-1153687180224308262006-07-23T13:18:00.000-07:002006-07-23T13:39:40.246-07:00

On the way back from Golden West, my traveling companions noted that the Saab was producing oily smoke on hard engine braking, such as when exiting the freeway. The initial diagnosis was possible leaky valve seals. During the trip home, the car turned over 240K miles on the odometer; I have no idea whether the head is original or not. On the advice from folks at the SaabCentral forum, I

Dantag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27836192.post-1152651959901783362006-07-11T14:05:00.000-07:002006-07-12T15:19:49.843-07:00

Fellow rallyists Eric and Jeff from TeamD have also published a variety of photos from Golden West 2006. Congratulations to Jeff and Marvin for their overall win. Eric's photos are here. Jeff's are over thisaway.

Dantag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27836192.post-1152651872021275722006-07-11T13:45:00.000-07:002006-07-11T14:07:10.606-07:00

My photos are here. The Golden West SCCA National Rally was last weekend, July 8 and 9. Headquartered in Yreka, California, it's a straightforward touring rally with one control or checkpoint per section. This was the Saab's second visit to this event, this year with my friend Ryan. It was his first experience with an SCCA rally, and probably the last for both of us. I'm just not a fan of

Dantag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27836192.post-1150836076502095752006-06-20T13:34:00.000-07:002006-06-20T13:41:16.510-07:00

Final bushings for the rear suspension: upper and lower links, plus the panhard rod, are now installed. Was able to do them all myself except for one of the rod bushings, which I mangled to the point of uselessness and had to take to Scanwest for installation. Also nabbed a used power steering pump from them, as I'm afraid I ruined the existing one by running it dry during No Alibi. The only

Dantag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27836192.post-1150134463021963582006-06-12T09:27:00.000-07:002006-06-12T16:05:42.416-07:00

My dad recommended using a couple of sharp scribes to pry the key fragment from the lock cylinder, but there was just no room to get leverage on the key while the cylinder was installed. I took out the driver's seat and was able to remove the cylinder per the instructions in my Bentley manual. Had to drill out a plug and then tap a pin in the cylinder to remove it. Even though I broke a drill

Dan