# Black Saab 93 2.8 V6 Turbo - Correction



## Starbuck88 (Nov 12, 2013)

Hi All,

As some of you may notice, I spend a lot of time in the 'Time Out' section, I don't have too much confidence in dishing out my own advice on things but an opportunity presented itself to do some light correction work on a friends new vehicle that we picked up over the xmas break, we drove from Cornwall all the way to Blackpool to collect it.

The car is a beast, He is looking at a possible Vtuner remap taking it from 250 to circa 350 horses. Yikes.

Anyway, you wanna see pics 

Here she is, in her motorway grimed state...














































Time to get to work.

Started off with AD Magifoam (only foam I have at the moment)










This was then followed up with a 2 bucket wash and a full decontaminate and clay.

Left with this ALL over the paintwork. I think previous owners used scouring pads to wash it.

Swirls, Cobwebs, scratches, bush scratches...this poor girl needed some love.










Scrape from another door, or post or something. Every panel like this 










I then proceeded to start correcting the paint.

After trialling a few polishes and pads, the best combo to correct this paint was with an Orange Chemical Guys Hexlogic Pad and Menzerna Power Finish 2400.

Small area by small area, proceeded around the vehicle. The Menzerna is very low dust and stayed away from the seals as had no tape on us.










Remember it's winter and this was just to smarten the vehicle up, a full correction is hopefully going to be done in the summer.

The results were quite frankly astonishing for a 1 day winter session, here she is...

(Clio Sport in the background)



























Approve? My friend did anyway.


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## Steve (Mar 18, 2014)

Sweet

See you in a few months


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## Nick-ST (Mar 4, 2013)

Nice car and good work! Do they feel particularly quick to drive?


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## Idlewillkill (Jun 3, 2009)

Beautiful car


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## waxtrucker (Mar 21, 2014)

Great result


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## 20vKarlos (Aug 8, 2009)

:thumb: Good effort!


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## shepbomb (Jun 22, 2014)

Brilliant work, I love to see a nice shiny swede


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## Markg2013 (Jan 24, 2013)

I had a 2.8 estate and wouldn't recommend a remap. The turbo seem to be near on the limit for power out the box due to size. When I was looking in to it the tuner advise me to swap them out for something bigger.


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## ibiza55 (Feb 22, 2008)

Lovely jubbly motor, deep gloss shine great car


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## Jack R (Dec 15, 2014)

That looks stunning, mine was an aero as well and I miss it


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## Starbuck88 (Nov 12, 2013)

Nick-RS03 said:


> Nice car and good work! Do they feel particularly quick to drive?


My friend loves it, it is a nice car.

I have a Seat Exeo with a 2.0 TDi 170 engine, which has the same torque figures as his 2.8 V6 Turbo at 250bhp.

I think it would feel faster if I didn't have a car with so much torque.

The sheer fun of revving the engine further than 4k and the sweet music it makes when revved is lovely.

Ref the Remap, if it gets done, it'll be done by an absolute specialist it seems, Saabcentral, saabscene etc swear by Vtuner and members have done thousands and thousands of faultless miles on his remaps as he's a proper saab/GM nut.

I have just been over to see him as it has a couple of issues.

1.) Has a very slight misfire that comes under load mostly, so going by forums etc, these seem to eat coils for breakfast. So I'm putting in iridium spark plugs for him first as the current ones look a bit crap, then if that doesn't sort it, new coil packs time.

2.) It has started ****ing out water when the system gets up to temp and pressurised, it's leaking out of a banjo fixing to the turbo.

Hopefully I will get that all sorted over the weekend for him as long as we can get a new pipe in time. If we can't source a new pipe, we'll try new seals only and wait on a pipe, seems silly in the first instance as it's a mission to get it out.


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## zim117 (Nov 9, 2014)

Good job bud nice reflection shot too


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## zippo (Mar 26, 2008)

very nice job, I like your style _Remember it's winter and this was just to smarten the vehicle up, love it_ :thumb::thumb:. I have read the 100bhp gain from a chip correctly haven't I. Turbo engines aren't really my thing ,but to get that kind of power from the Saab would it not need a cooler decent exhaust different turbo ect . Or uprate to a safe 280bhp the way Vauxhall did then see where the car stands before chip.
Daz


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## Starbuck88 (Nov 12, 2013)

zippo said:


> very nice job, I like your style _Remember it's winter and this was just to smarten the vehicle up, love it_ :thumb::thumb:. I have read the 100bhp gain from a chip correctly haven't I. Turbo engines aren't really my thing ,but to get that kind of power from the Saab would it not need a cooler decent exhaust different turbo ect . Or uprate to a safe 280bhp the way Vauxhall did then see where the car stands before chip.
> Daz


It's done by a remap not just a generic chip, but yes, 100bhp is where it's at.

They do a Stage 0, Stage 1 and Stage 2.

Stage 0 which is the 100 bhp, going by all others on those forums I mentioned is completely safe to do.

The stage 1 requires a new intercooler and exhaust system which takes it to just over 400bhp and then a stage 2 requires further bits including bigger injectors etc.

It looks as if Saab seriously detuned the engine to make a comfortable cruiser.


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## Starbuck88 (Nov 12, 2013)

Want to apologise here and admit, the Stage 0 actually takes it to 320bhp not 350. Derrrrrrr.


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## bigbaldyone (Nov 3, 2014)

Nice work fella


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## JBirchy (Oct 9, 2010)

Looks splendid pal, nice work!


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## zippo (Mar 26, 2008)

Starbuck88 said:


> It's done by a remap not just a generic chip, but yes, 100bhp is where it's at.
> 
> They do a Stage 0, Stage 1 and Stage 2.
> 
> ...


just nipped over to their site and had a look around interesting place . Need to read a lot more I think


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## Starbuck88 (Nov 12, 2013)

zippo said:


> I thought you meant it was just the a chip change to reach 100 hp. Not the whole thing i.e. intercooler eg/manifold bigger turbo or dual blade turbo injectors etc.. Now my tiny mind can wrap its one brain cell around it. I thought 100bhp gain without melting pistons is an engineering warp speed achievement without cooling things down a little prior to the exhaust gases be chucked out the exhaust port Plus that one cell I've gets confused between S.I. and C.I. Sorry its old age
> Daz


No you were right, it's just a remap to get it to 320bhp. Nothing needs to be changed.

I know we're in the UK but this guy ships all over the world. Takes a log of the running car you send to him etc so he can see what the engines doing, then sends maps back to you to flash yourself.

have a look: http://vtunersaabs.com/?p=43

It's when you go past the 320bhp mark that it gets serious, new intercoolers etc.


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## zippo (Mar 26, 2008)

When General Motors retuned the Vauxhall VXR Vectra from 250 bhp to 280 does anyone know if it was Saab/VX wide or just Vauxhall.


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## zippo (Mar 26, 2008)

Starbuck88 said:


> No you were right, it's just a remap to get it to 320bhp. Nothing needs to be changed.
> 
> I know we're in the UK but this guy ships all over the world. Takes a log of the running car you send to him etc so he can see what the engines doing, then sends maps back to you to flash yourself.
> 
> ...


 I've read the link you gave me SB,:thumb::thumb: that's a lot of torque at pretty low revs .Then more to come from the stage 2 .All you'd need to add to the list is an lsd and you'd have the perfect Q-CAR. Handy for giving most cars a scare


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## zippo (Mar 26, 2008)

Starbuck88 said:


> Want to apologise here and admit, the Stage 0 actually takes it to 320bhp not 350. Derrrrrrr.


crap happens don't worry about it :thumb::thumb::thumb: I'm still amazed at the figures for just a chip flash :speechles:speechles
Daz


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## Starbuck88 (Nov 12, 2013)

zippo said:


> When General Motors retuned the Vauxhall VXR Vectra from 250 bhp to 280 does anyone know if it was Saab/VX wide or just Vauxhall.


The FWD 9-3 Turbo here is 250 stock. The All Wheel Drive 9-3 TurboX is 280.

So Saab used both tunes on that engine, if there are any different mechanical parts apart from a different map, I don't know?


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## zippo (Mar 26, 2008)

Starbuck88 said:


> The FWD 9-3 Turbo here is 250 stock. The All Wheel Drive 9-3 TurboX is 280.
> 
> So Saab used both tunes on that engine, if there are any different mechanical parts apart from a different map, *I don't know*?


I believe the main difference was the fitment of a twin scroll turbocharger other than that I'd have to dig through all the sales brochures I have for all the cars and engines mentioned .Which would take me an age ,my filing system is pathetic  I do know the 2.8 engine was a joint operation between Opel /VX and Saab The same as the 2ltr turbo. The reason for the hike in power from 250 to 280 from what I remember was purely branding ,that and the Vectra was a bit weighty and needed the power boost to differentiate it from the lesser 250 Vectra Elite which was the top of the line at the time and as far as I can remember it never came with the 2.8 engine in 280 form .The SRi Vectra was either a 2ltr turbo or an oil burner so that left the door open for the VXR 280 BHP I Cant remember the year for the power hike, 09 at a guess about the time of the face lift .That being the only year the Vectra ever out sold the Ford Mondeo 
Daz


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## MadOnVaux! (Jun 2, 2008)

Great work on a smart looking car


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## bazz (May 15, 2007)

great job and look forward to seeing the proper summer detail


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## Naranto (Apr 5, 2007)

I would be a little careful. 

The earlier SAAB engines, (I am talking about the 2.3 litre) , as used in the later 9000 range were immensely strong and could be modified to around 400+ bhp without any work being done to the internals.

The later SAAB/GM engines were not built to the same tolerances and quality and as such around 300-350 is the maximum you can expect before things go pop.

Footnote: Some BMW owners are replacing their engines for the SAAB kit simply because it offers more bhp for your hard earned £s. The BMW engine is legendary, so that must surely be the biggest compliment you could offer to these SAAB units?


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## zippo (Mar 26, 2008)

Naranto said:


> I would be a little careful.
> 
> The earlier SAAB engines, (I am talking about the 2.3 litre) , as used in the later 9000 range were immensely strong and could be modified to around 400+ bhp without any work being done to the internals.
> 
> ...


weren't an outfit called Abbots responsible for making them fast and handle well. I Remembering a road test on their cars ,absolute beast
Daz


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## tonyy (Jul 26, 2008)

Nice finish:thumb:


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## Starbuck88 (Nov 12, 2013)

UPDATE - 

He did buy it for a cheap price considering what they are currently going for. £1900 instead of about £3500.

The jobs on it so far..

I replaced the Turbo cooling pipe, (which required the whole front end to come off) was a time consuming job.

All the spark plugs have been changed and 2 coil packs.

The new coil packs have just made the older ones start behaving badly too. She he's going to order a full set and I'm going to gap down the spark plugs.

He is also planning on moving to spain (has an offer on his house currently), and I'm selling my Exeo...

So this could well be my weekend project car sometime soon!


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## zippo (Mar 26, 2008)

credit to you lads ,she looks better than new


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## djmisio85 (Jun 24, 2012)

Awesome results! Can I ask, what is the process to getting rid of the 50/50 line? Hand polish? Or do you just continue polishing over the line after removing the tape??


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## Starbuck88 (Nov 12, 2013)

djmisio85 said:


> Awesome results! Can I ask, what is the process to getting rid of the 50/50 line? Hand polish? Or do you just continue polishing over the line after removing the tape??


Personally, I think the best thing to do is not go to harsh up to the line, so that when you remove the tape, it'll look like night and day but then you can just polish over the line..

If you go at it, you'll cause a pretty aggressive line which is a pain to get out.


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