saab engines

Forgive me for not using the proper numeric name, but I am not familier with it. I have come to understand that the inline 4 that the 99 and OG900s used was based on a triumph unit. The same engine used into the TR7, but built by saab itself.

Does this mean you can throw a saab engine into a Tr7 to give it the sort of power and reliablity it should have had from the beginning? I realise you have to do something about the oilpan and other ancilleries.. but it should bolt to the transmission?

Might make for a cool locost donor

I no longer have my TR7, but I've always wondered about this too.

I know nothing about this subject. Just wanted to point out that a Saab 2.3T from a 9000 Aero in a TR7 would be AMAZING.

Someone here tried it and they said its not eveen close. Even the 99 engine isnt exactly the same I dont think, and thats where the story came from.

Yeah, the Saab 99 and the Triumph OHC 4 share a common heritage, but from what I understand they ended up being quite different. Probably good for Saab.

From that bastion of truthiness, Wikipedia: The first engine used in the original 99 was a four-cylinder in-line engine that was tilted at 45 degrees, basically half of a V8. The 1709 cc Triumph-sourced engine produced 87 PS (64 kW; 86 hp) at 5500 rpm.[7] The engine was water-cooled, but unlike most cars of the time it had an electric cooling fan. Triumph soon upgraded the engine to 1.85L: the appearance in February 1971 of the 4-door Saab 99 (99CM4 series) coincided with the adoption of the bored out 1854 cc unit.[7] Saab experienced reliability problems with Triumph sourced engines and decided to bring the design home. From September 1972 the 1985 cc Saab B engine was used; during the lifetime of the 99 model, several subsequent engine developments took place including the incorporation of fuel injection for some versions.[7]

Tim Baxter wrote: Saab experienced reliability problems with Triumph sourced engines

No way!

oh well.. thought it would be cool to use a turbo saab unit, canted WAY over, in a locost...

Travis_K wrote: Someone here tried it and they said its not eveen close. Even the 99 engine isnt exactly the same I dont think, and thats where the story came from.

I don't know if it was the same person, but I followed the progress of someone who tried to use a SAAB engine in a TR7 on the idea that it was based on the Triumph design. Unfortunately (or fortunately), there had been way too many changes for it to be a feasible project.

There is a guy on Saablink working on putting the B234R in his Miata right now using a T5 and a custom bell housing adapter. Should be an interesting result if it gets finished.

I will have to check that out.. would be great for my eventual plans

MiatarPowar wrote: There is a guy on Saablink working on putting the B234R in his Miata right now using a T5 and a custom bell housing adapter. Should be an interesting result if it gets finished.

I went looking and could not find it. How about a link? Thanks

It's in this thread:

http://saablink.net/forum/showthread.php?t=38367

I can not find it right now, but there was a picture of a Super 7 clone with a T-5 engine in it on one of the SAAB tuners websites.

I wonder what trans the guy used.

I think this is the car, but no pictures.

SAAB engined Super 7 clone.

81gtv6 wrote: I think this is the car, but no pictures. SAAB engined Super 7 clone.

http://www.uksaabs.co.uk/UKS/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=24782&hilit=westfield

There's a guy in Sweden who put one of these engines in a Porsche 911, and on the UKsaabs.com forum there are other RWD swaps as well.

mad_machine wrote: Does this mean you can throw a saab engine into a Tr7 to give it the sort of power and reliablity it should have had from the beginning?

i think Saab makes pretty great engines, but "can i throw a Saab engine in there to increase reliability?" is definitely not something you'll read every day.

I have 188k on my 9-3, it uses no oil and still makes me smile every time I punch 2nd or 3rd gear. Good stuff for sure.