Reveeen

Thorough cleaning. This is why a couple of thousand miles on ATF seems to "fix" these things. I do not recommend running ATF, but might try it if I felt I had nothing to be lost, I pretty sure it will leak oil after an ATF run, the cleaning action is not selective.

What do they rebuild on these? Parts cleaned and checked, likely the spring replaced. I would clean with carb cleaner and check clearances, look for burrs, I can't help you with the spring, having no idea what the value should be.

it took him 2 1/2 Hours for a 30 minute job I note that you did not want to do this "simple" job. The last stupid trailer hitch I put on a vehicle was on a Mazda MPV (Money Pit Van), it too was "simple", just bolt it up to the existing nuts welded in the frame, trouble was, after 6 years of out in the salt, and crap, there was little hope of just threading a bolt in anywhere. That "simple" hitch install turned into an ordeal. I *think* before you can constructively criticize ANYONE maybe, just maybe, you should give it "a go" yourself. Haven't put it on yet as I haven't yet found a path way through the floor to the underside of car. Efforts noted.

OK, you can shoot me: 88gl 2WD 5 spd 45mpg, up hill, down hill, loaded, empty, 1.8 SPFI 92 4WD Loyale 5 spd 38mpg highway, as is, bought ($60), and driven home, 2 square tires, broken radio, no heater Imperial gallons! (the "real" way to measure anything!)

she says se thinks the o2 sensor is bad If bad, like the mighty Subaru, the "check engine" light will be on (of course the two are not exclusive together), there is also a knock sensor, looks like a Subaru one, same result if bad (retards timing 10 degrees, puts check engine light on). The electronic engine management is almost identical between Subaru, and Saab. (one is "the original" the other is Memorex, there is very little difference, other than the Saab parts are cheaper!)

The later coil-over shocks (technically struts) come in two lengths, the 2WD strut is 2" longer (provides 2" more height, because the lower spring perch/mount is in a different place on the strut body) than the 4WD strut. Once you have a pair of these struts the length really kinda becomes moot, because you are going to build a upper mount extender, just make it the desired length?

Not any I have seen, but I have not been looking, or looking hard.

could it just need a tune up? plugs? filters? ect Yes............. Depending on the miles, a MAF/IAC cleaning might/should be in order. Saab 4 cylinder engines are really nothing special, being a British Leyland/Triumph engine in sheep's clothing, so to speak, the electronics are Bosch, again holding little surprises as they are nearly identical to stuff found on a Subaru.

I resued all the gaskets except the head gaskets (the guy was cheap). Then you should have sent him somewhere else. The front cap for one of the four camshafts had both bolts round out slightly in their bores, so only 8 of 10 bolts are snug on it. These engines are, well, what they are. You will get all kinds of strange noises out of them if things in the cam, chain, front pulley/damper, aren't within spec, noises such as you describe (though I like the sound of a diesel engine), even switching the rotational direction of the cam chain (re-using the old one, flipping it around) can cause a noise as the chain, and gears, take a "set" to them. . The crankshaft end play can be excessive, and just by disturbing the front, can cause a sound like a bad rod (not quite the noise you describe). These engines are the "bic lighter" (cheap, and disposable) of the auto industry. All you can do is take it apart, carefully inspect EVERYTHING, replace anything questionable, and re-assemble carefully to spec.

pick up the SJR 2inch lift kit A rear 2WD strut/shock will pick up your rear 2". There is really no recommending a lift size, it seems every case is a little different, I am up on 215/85 16's and still had some drastic trimming with a 6" lift.

there were bits of rtv type sealant in the valve cover Be afraid, very afraid.

Before you get carried away check the external shift linkage 1st before going any further. Does the clutch feel ok? (sometimes the pilot bearing blowing up will cause the stuff you describe), too, the input shaft bearing blowing up, will cause the same thing (any noises from the transmission?). It would be interesting to be told how this condition you describe came about. (these cars, especially a 2WD sport sedan, do incredible burn-outs, until something breaks!) The AWD transmission will work, but you gotta plug the hole, the hole where the front driveshaft yoke "plugs" into.

Typically you would remove the + terminal from the battery and put a test light between the terminal and the battery. The brightness of the light shows the amount of drain. Now, there are some things that are powered key off, so to eliminate those (like the radio memory) you would pull the appropriate fuse. Now start removing fuses until the light goes out, you have found the draw, fix that circuit.

If you strike out there, with part numbers I can search Canada.

what are your rationales? I live in the weeds, either way (dealership, or aftermarket) a part required is a "special order", and wait. The OEM part arrives, and the job gets done, cheap Chinese junk arrives, and IF it fits, maybe it might last out the week. How much do you enjoy doing the same job twice? (my dealer sells to me at better than trade price)

I've posted this before, and I will post it again: http://www.rockforddriveline.com/replacem.htm Charts/instructions. If you do not wish to wait NAPA sells these things in a NAPA box for a small up-charge. Driveline(s) stuff has always been a mystery to me. The biggest mystery being the amounts of money they seem to want for the simplest task. I will leave the overall length adjustment required thing to someone that knows.

did you guys get "Bilstein" models in the USA? Not that I know of in Canada, here Bilstien has a very limited catalogue, and with the nearest distributor 4000 miles distant from me, and the afore mentioned "dangerous goods" designation, they aren't about to get too popular.

David is the guy to speak to.

i don't know much about struts Just an oversize shock absorber with provision for a spring welded to the case. how does that happen, what causes it, Like a hydraulic cylinder that it is: worn seals, be it normal wear, or maybe some rust/imperfection on the piston shaft. what problems would it cause Same as a leaking shock. These, and shock absorbers, cause a real "head problem" for me, well, not a "head problem", but how about just one of those things I feel really ripped off about. Once upon a time shocks, and struts, were cheap as dirt, a disposable controlled action hydraulic cylinder, $8 and $12 respectively. Then the bright idea about gas filling these things happened, resulting in escalated cost, due to manufacturing cost (yes, right) and shipping cost (they became gas filled pressure vessels, hence hazardous). Let me assure you, the gas leaks by the seals (replaced by old fashioned air) long before the paint stops shining. In fact I have had occasion to cut apart a year old pair of domestically made struts, lifetime warranty, blue ones, and never mind the absence of "gas", the oil inside was water contaminated, no external sign of leaking oil though. Sorry, rant over.

can I get cash for these axles? Rebuilders will pay $10 an axle for cores. Closest $20 bill to where you live that I know of is in Burlington @ Eurodrive. I should be up your way later in the summer, and have no difficulty giving you $20, doesn't really pay to ship.

Well............... If the top isn't bent, then you have to look at the bottom, get it up on a hoist, or a pair of ramps, and see if you see anything out of place, or bent. Check the front sub frame for signs of shifting on the chassis. Look at the mounting point for the lower control arm for any signs of metal distress. It's raining out in my garage today (God's garage), so you won't get any measurements out of me today, but tomorrow afternoon I will go out, and look, to see if I can pull some quick measurements. I have some camber "issues" here of my own, but they are of my own making. Aftermarket parts here are Chinese, and junk.

Strangely the filter itself is more expensive than the kit.

It is all: "whatever works for you". In the past, when confronted with the daunting task of vehicle disassembly to install an OEM air conditioning set-up, I decided to go "easiest way", now, I was not working on vehicles of historical value, and wished to have air "now", not after 20-30 hours of work. All I offer is "another way".

The clutch switch: 1) tells the computer there is no load on the engine and adjusts operating parameters accordingly. 2) it can be used to not allow the starter to work unless the pedal is depressed 3) in a vehicle with cruise control depressing the clutch disengages the cruse.

Clutch Switch or Circuit faulty.