The New And Improved Unofficial R65 Forum V2
General Category => Totally Off-Topic Discussions, Rants, Tire & Oil Threads, Etc. => Topic started by: dogshome on October 13, 2021, 12:52:36 PM
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The old Saab has passed MOT again (14 years old) apart from a slightly high smoke test. Situation normal. Phase I - Change air and fuel filters, injector cleaner in tank, Italian tune-up, take the car in smokin' hot = no change. Limit on mine is 0.5%, she's running around 0.7. Mine was an early one with a 0.5% plate on it, if I had one 6 months earlier, the limit is 3%.
Engine management is early for DPF so no indication, no fault codes. A spurious calculated DPF full can crop up but you know if it is because it runs like rubbish and feeling the air on the DP sensor tells you. The dp sensor has never alarmed even when the filter was properly choked. It only seems to detect presence of the DPF to annoy me at MOT time if I took it off or gutted it. The EGR only alarms if the air calc goes wrong and that can be due to leaks or the two can cancel out and no alarm. So it's a guessing game as to the problem.
Phase II - EGR valve, throttle body and MAP sensor out to look for black gunk. Black gunk found! Absolutely choked up with sticky, sooty, oily carbon ecological disaster.
Onto my RANT - of the 9 bolts you have to undo (10 inc MAP sensor) one was so tight even my impact gun wouldn't shift it and the Allen head was half mullered before I got to it. A second one was totally stripped out and gaskets AWOL. So after much cursing, removing of other kit to get the drill in, drilling and helicoiling we are back in business for another smoke test tomorrow. I know these fasteners were fine when I took them out about 3 years ago, but then a garage I've only used once had the inlet manifold off to plug the swirl flaps. So I know it was them. Somewhere at the top end of Lincoln on an industrial estate.
I learned not to strip or butcher fasteners by the time I was 20. Most of the 'engineers' in that place had grey hair and mature brains, how hard is it to do it right? They must have felt the stripped one and seen the shiny gashes on the other one. Worst place for a car is the garage!
The ones where I live are generally very good though. No guy at the desk, just shared between a couple of the senior guys. Whilst waiting for my MOT, 2 or 3 happy customers with no quibbling, asking if that is enough (willing to pay more) and guys happily swinging spanners. From I was sat, enjoying it and taking care. Tools tidy, relatively clean overalls, friendly and ready for some banter. My man wouldn't suggest what the issue with mine might be, but I wouldn't either! Obviously seen this type of engine before (loads about in Fiat, Vauxhall and Opel as well as Saabs).
I hope there is no Phase III. I don't know what that would be yet!