Tuesday, April 04, 2006
James Glass Automotive
PO Box 3342
Roanoke, VA 24015
540.343.8364
www.jamesglass.org
Dear SAAB owner and James Glass client,
This is a James Glass Automotive notice that affects the below listed SAABs. You are receiving this bulletin because you own one or more of the below cars.
Notice of possible unexpected engine failure in the following cars:
1994-1998 SAAB 900 4 cylinder
1991-1998 SAAB 9000 4 cylinder
1999-2007 SAAB 9-5 4 cylinder
1999-2002 SAAB 9-3 4 cylinder (also 2003 convertible)
1999-2002 SAAB 9-3 Viggen
Synopsis:
The above cars can have engine failures due to sludge build up when proper maintenance is not strictly followed. Proper oil changes with the correct oil type and weight with MANN brand oil filters are crucial to prevent engine failure. Repair costs for catastrophic engine failure range from $3200 to $7500 depending upon the engine type and the extent of damage. To prevent extensive engine damage a more comprehensive approach to maintenance must be undertaken on these cars, specifically more frequent oil changes with higher quality full synthetic oil.
The origianl factory SAAB maintenance program regarding oil changes for these cars is incorrect and has directly led to this problem. To address this problem, SAAB has taken the following corrective actions: it has modified the recommended maintenance schedule, it has issued related Service Campaigns, and it has extended the warranty to cover failed engines for original owners of affected cars.
Because of different driving styles, geographic regions, and because some people have changed their oil more frequently, not all of the above cars are equally affected by sludge build up. Additionally, some engines, by unintended design, are more prone to sludge build up than others. Specifically, the cars of primary concern for sludge build up are:
1999-2003 SAAB 9-5 4 cylinder cars
2000-2002 SAAB 9-3 4 cylinder cars (also 2003 convertible)
1999-2002 SAAB 9-3 Viggen
The engines in these particular cars are of the B205 and B235 engine designation with the early PCV design. The older cars from the above list like the 900, 9000, and 1999 9-3 use engines with the B204 and B234 designation while the 2004-2007 9-5 engines have an improved PCV design. While all four cylinder engines from 1994-2007 can be prone to sludge build up, the above listed cars of primary concern are the most vulnerable to this engine sludge problem. This is due, in large part, to difficulties in positive crankcase ventilation. SAAB is only extending the original factory warranty for original owners on cars with these engines. SAAB is not recognizing any of the 1994-1998 900 engines, the 1991-1998 9000 engines or the 1999 9-4 engines. Six cylinder engines from any of the above years are not affected by this engine sludge problem and older Classic 900 cars are also not prone to engine sludge. These unaffected cars will remain on the standard maintenance interval this shop has used in the past, which is a 5000 mile oil change with a fresh MANN filter, regardless of typical driving conditions, using any quality mineral or synthetic oil.
The cars affected by this notice can suffer varying degrees of engine damage including total engine failure, bottom end failure, excessive timing chain wear and premature failure, excessive balance shaft chain wear and premature failure, and an assortment of other engine component failures including oil pump failure, turbo charger failure, oil passage way clogging, crankcase ventilation failure and other premature failures.
The causes for this engine failure are dynamic and complicated. Without going into detail in this section it is important to note that the primary causes of engine failure due to sludge build up are: 1) dangerously low oil pressure due to restricted passageways filled with sludge, and 2) metal failures caused by oil that has chemically changed into a liquid incapable of properly lubricating the internal parts of the engine.
If your engine has not yet catastrophically failed due to engine sludge and you are still driving the car, it is crucial to address this issue. At the very least, heed this notice and call me to discuss this problem. If there is concern that your car may be affected by sludge build up, an inspection is the first step to categorically determining the extent of sludge build up. During this inspection tests can be done to determine if excessive wear has already occurred due to sludge build up. For more details please see the James Glass Engine Sludge Diangostic and Repair Flowchart.
Briefly, I will address the most basic aspects of this problem: 1) how to prevent engine failure by performing proper maintenance, 2) how to clean engines that have already begun to sludge, 3) what to do if your car has suffered irrevocable engine damage due to sludge build up.
How to prevent engine failure due to sludge build up:
How the cars that are affected by this notice are typically being driven affects the service program recommended by this shop, James Glass Automotive, and ideally I will interview you regarding your driving habits to determine the best service schedule for you.
Regardless of that interview there are several general guidelines I’ve developed over the last several years as I have charted premature engine failure in the affected cars. Based on the data that I have collected along with examination of the failed engines I have noted the following:
1. if your typical driving involves mostly short trips in town you must change your oil every 3200 miles or sooner
2. if your typical driving involves mostly longer trips using the highway you must change your oil every 4500 miles or sooner
3. if you own a SAAB with a B205 or B235 engine you must use only synthetic oil
4. if you own a SAAB with a B204 or B234 engine you may use semi-synthetic oil or synthetic oil
5. mineral oil (regular oil) is no longer an option for use in any of these affected cars
6. previous recommendations by me concerning standard 5000 mile oil change intervals unequivocally for all SAABs are no longer valid except for the Classic 900 series and also any 900, 9000, or 9-5 with the six cylinder engine
7. as before, only use only MANN brand filters at every oil change
8. if you own a SAAB with a B205 or B235 engine you must maintain the positive crankcase ventilation system
a. please see related documents and TSBs on this website regarding crankcase ventilation failures
9. contrary to recommendations by this shop and others, do not change the oil thermostat
10. a modified engine oil pan is available from an aftermarket company that allows for quick access to the oil pick up tube and this oil pan can be installed on your car to allow for regular inspection and cleaning of the pick up screen
How to clean engines already affected by sludge build up:
If your engine is inspected and then found to be affected by sludge, several tests will be performed to determine the extent of the engine damage. If your engine has not yet been damaged due to sludge it can be cleaned and the car can be placed on the aforementioned improved James Glass Automotive maintenance program. A wide variety of methods and procedures have been used over the last several years to clean engines that have been affected by sludge. The inspection and subsequent cleaning method will vary depending on 1) whether the engine is already removed from the car, 2) the degree of the sludge build up found, and 3) exactly where inside the engine the sludge build up is found.
Here are several general points regarding the cleaning of engines affected by sludge build up:
1. if the engine is completely out of the car it is possible to remove the covers and the oil pan to extensively pressure wash the engine
a. this method has been used many times in the past with great results and it is the best way to completely clean an engine affected by sludge build up
b. typically after this extensive cleaning the engine is resealed with fresh gaskets (including the head gasket) and new chains are installed along with a new oil pump
c. engines that were affected by sludge build up, but not yet damaged, are ideal candidates for this type of cleaning and with the fresh oil pump, chains, and resealing these engines can then be placed on the improved maintenance program to prevent sludge from reoccurring
2. if the engine is still in the car it is possible to clean the internal portions of the engine and lubricating system that can be accessed with both the valve cover and oil sump removed
a. this method has been used many times in the past with good results
b. depending on the degree of sludge build up it may be necessary to repeat the cleaning process of the oil pan and affected oil passage ways (if applicable) several times every 4000 miles
3. during the initial inspection of the oil pan and valve train noted above, measurements of the bearing wear on the crank shaft can be taken, and if all clearances are within nominal specification, then the lower case and valve train can be cleaned of sludge using solvents with the engine inside the car
a. also note that additional inspection of the timing and balance chains is required
4. it is possible to have an engine affected by sludge that has not yet been irrevocably damaged
a. once cleaned; however, following the improved maintenance program is crucial in order to prevent sludge build up from reoccurring
What to do if your engine has been damaged by sludge build up:
Sludge build up can cause varying degrees of damage and a careful inspection of the engine is the only way to determine what has been damaged, however, here are a few general points on engines that have been damaged:
1. not all engines have been catastrophically damaged and some can be successfully repaired without total engine replacement
a. sometimes the damage is limited to only the crankshaft and the engine can be removed and the lower end rebuilt without touching the cylinder head or cylinder walls
b. occasionally damage is limited to only certain ancillary components and with the damaged parts replaced and the engine cleaned of sludge build up the engine can be placed back into service
2. if your engine has catastrophically seized due to sludge build up the only repair available to you is a replacement engine
c. often only the short block need be replaced
Why is this happening?
Again, the attached links address the causes of this sludge build up problem; however, I will note the following general factors that lead to sludge build up:
1. the piston rings have been significantly lightened and this causes greater blow by gases into the crankcase
a. the piston rings were lightened as a part of goal to meet new federal emissions and fuel economy standards
b. these lightened piston rings allow greater amounts of blow by gases into parts of the engine that are not equipped to handle it—this process leads to the contamination of engine oil and its subsequent chemical alteration
2. SAAB incorrectly instructed owners to change their oil every 10,000 miles
a. in an attempt to market a more maintenance free car SAAB increased the suggested oil change interval
b. owners often exceed suggested maintenance intervals especially if the car is a leased vehicle that will be turned back in at the end of the lease
c. these longer oil change intervals allowed contaminated and chemically altered oil to remain in the engine for longer periods thus compounding the problem and allowing for even greater oil break down
3. Further complicating the problem, SAAB altered the size of the pick up screen in the oil pan by using a newly designed fine mesh instead of the previous design of one millimeter wide holes
a. while the intention of this new design was to further filter contaminants before entering the lubricating system, it actually caused the contaminants and debris to collect on the fine screen
b. as the screen slowly begins to become clogged with sludge build up, oil pressure is greatly reduced
c. when the screen becomes mostly or totally clogged the engine is unable to receive any sufficient amount of oil and the engine and/or its components fail
4. many aftermarket repair shops are not using the correct weight or type of oil
5. SAAB only recently addressed the shortcomings of mineral oil as opposed to synthetic oil and SAAB is not aggressively pursuing lower oil changes that use only synthetic oil
a. SAAB is still instructing its dealers to handle this problem reactively instead of proactively and while they are now using semi-synthetic or synthetic oil in new cars they are only having dealers use lower oil change intervals if sludge build up has been noted—they are not automatically increasing standards to prevent this problem from occurring
6. SAAB has made several design mistakes regarding the positive crankcase ventilation system in the B205 and B235 cars
a. some of the recalls addressing the crankcase ventilation problem have been recalled themselves as the intended results were not achieved with the recall modifications
b. the most current (as of October 2006) TSB regarding the PCV system is TSB 210-2418. Currently this system is working well and crankcase ventilation is now between 8,000 and 10,000 ccm. Previously ventilation was between 0 and 2,000 ccm, so this system is a vast improvement and it also does not appear to be causing excess oil consumption as the 2003 modification did.
Conclusions:
Because the cost to repair or replace a damage engine is so high it is recommended that the client observe this notice and taken appropriate action to prevent engine failure. These engines are very strong and are capable of achieving 300,000 plus miles, but only by adhering to diligent maintenance.
Please read the linked articles and Service Campaigns for more details and other research being done on this issue.
Please participate in the laboratory testing regarding this issue.
Please call JGA with further questions to talk about how your SAAB might be affected by this sludge problem.
James Glass |