An uncle with a 1982 SAAB 9000 has just driven a fair distance to stay the night, and on arrival proclaimed that a few miles from arrivel his clutch started to fail to disengage.
Stopping at traffic lights required use of neutral whilst stationary and then much pumping of the clutch pedal to get in to gear without having to switch off the engine and restart in gear.
A penny to a pound, from the symptoms, either the clutch slave or master cylinder (replaced only five weeks ago so a prime place to start looking for bad workmanship or faulty goods) are playing up.
I have never worked on a SAAB in my life however, so would welcome any comments from BRers before I roll my sleeves up tomorrow morning to try and fix it for him.
Apart from the fact that the clutch master cylinder will be the first thing I look at, are there any tricks I would benefit from, or known weaknesses to know, please?
Many thanks!
|
|
Try posting this question on saabscene (www.saabscene.co.uk/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi). However, from the symptoms it sounds like the master or slave cylinder as you suggest. You need also to check which Saab it is, as there is a discrepancy in your post - it must be either a 1982 900, or a 1992 9000 - there was no 9000 until 1985.
|
What does the pedal 'feel' like?
--
groups.msn.com/honestjohn - Pictures say a thousand words.....
Reply |
Report as offensive
| Link
|
|
|
Mike H - I have just checked the details for myself, and confirmed that it does indeed appear to be a late 1985 or 1986 model year car, as you suggest. Thanks for that. I also now know it's a left hooker that was orginally used by his sister and husband at their holiday house in Portugal!
As it's now daylight, and he want so leave as soon as is reasonable, I will now have a gander under the bonnet. From a quick sit in the driving seat, symptoms really do feel like a duff master or slave cylinder.
Hope it's gonna be straightforward (and if anything needs replacing, in stock at local motor factors...!)
|
I don't think it's too difficult to do the master cylinder - if it's the slave, then that is a problem. Obviously the 9000 was designed as LHD, so it it probably simpler than a RHD drive car.
A thought has just occurred to me - I seem to recall there is a known problem with the flexible house from the master to the slave - if the master & slave have recently been replaced, then it's possible they left the original flexible on. If it's worn, the extra pressure from the new cylinders might be causing it to bulge slightly? The Saab part number for the 1985-1986 LHD hose is 8963712. The Saab part number for the master cylinder (1985-86 LHD, gearbox no. 323504 onwards is 4385001 (doesn't list one for the earlier gearbox oddly).
HTH
|
Hi Mike H,
Thanks for all your help.
Much appreciated.
Investigation indicates that the problem is with the slave cylinder, which as you so rightly commented 'is a problem'! Buried deep in to the clutch/gearbox assembly, it's beyond what I'm equipped to do with no technical manual or spare part to fit on a cold and windy day.
There are no leaks, and the system is properly bled. Pumping the pedal quickly a few times allows first gear to engage, and the car to move away from rest in a controlled manner, so long as it is within a few seconds. Subsequent gear changes are then clutchless. We've therefore decided to wait until the roads are quiet tonight, and then I'll shadow him home (with tow rope in boot in case). Thankfully most of the journey is out of town A-road, so we should have long stretches with no gearchange needed.
|
Access to the co-axial slave cylinders on these cars is a problem; the gearbox has to come out. However, with a slave cylinder, if it doesn't leak there is nothing wrong with it. Before re-rubbering the master cylinder, bleed the system. I have found that on my SAAB the only way to do it is to pressurise the reservoir, then open the bleed screw. Bleeding by pumping the pedal is a waste of time, and makes things worse.
There is a design fault with these co-axial slave cylinder in that they let in a little air when the temperature drops. You may well find that bleeding cures the problem, and that there are no other faults. Mine needs doing about every 2 years (both cylinders still original).
The master cylinder is Lockheed and if my memory seves me correctly, Marina clutch master cylinder rubbers fit. I hope this is the only component the cars have in common. I made a pressure bleeding tool by cutting a hole in a spare reservoir cap, and cutting a car inner tube into a disc around the valve, so that it could be inserted into the cap like a sealing washer, with the valve poking out through the hole. Pump up gently with a foot pump.
659.
|
Many thanks 659.
I have printed your advice and that of Mike H for my uncle to show to his mechanic tomorrow. Hopefully your neat trick will prove a low cost solution!
Will post the outcome here when I know what it is.
|
|
|
|
|
