I have an adult daughter who just bought a '99 SAAB 9 5 with a 2.3L I4, auto trans, and a "low pressure turbo." I'd driven turbo before in my long-gone Eagle Talon, and recall how the power "cut in" at a certain rpm. But the SAAB runs nothing like that. In regular mode, it's just a nice sedan, but in "sports mode" it pulls hard from 500 rpm on up. Why wouldn't something like that work in an s2k?

Thanks,
Richard

 

high compression for one.

low boost is adaptable to the S2K. the comptech supercharger is in the 5-6PSI area.

 

I just sold 2 of those set ups. I got a good price on them so I was investigating that possibility. One turbo isn't large enough to supply the S and although 2 would be quite adequate, they use a different bolt pattern so everythng would have to be specially fabricated.

it uses a GT 2052s turbo.

I have pics of manifold (quite nice) and of the turbo if you'd like me to email them to you.

 

post pics of the turbos.

BTW, you cant make the s2k like the SAAb without having a laptop in your car and two entirely different fuel maps for each setting. great idea though.

 

Having had many Saabs, I think the term Low Pressure is being misunderstood. The term refers to the activation of the turbo, it requires less pressure to spool up. That is why it has virtually no lag. It does not mean it creates low boost.

I have always wondered if "low pressure" just means that the Saab 9-5 has a "small" turbo, one that spools up quickly, vs a "large" turbo that requires more time / pressure / energy to spool.

I had several 900 and 9-3 turbos and they suposedly had a large turbo (not a low pressure) and they had a significant kick once the turbo spooled up. They were very different than the 9-5's. I do not miss the mega torque steer now that I have the S !!!!!

Anyhoo....what the hell am I doing home on saturday night responding to the forum? i have to get a life.

 

[QUOTE=knlg,Jan 8 2006, 12:54 AM] Having had many Saabs, I think the term Low Pressure is being misunderstood.

 

I think it must have a small turbo, as a large turbo is going to take time to spool up regardless. With a small enough turbo, you arn't going to feel any lag, but it will still be able to pull hard with the correct fuel map.

oh and BTW I find turbo lag and torque steer to be fun..

the kick in the rear from Bi-Turbos in an S4 is quite the experience

 

Oddly, I am unable to induce torque steer in this SAAB 9 5, and it doesn't give that "uncertain feeling" I get from all other FWD cars I've driven. The only time I can tell it's FWD is in fast cornering, when it is obvious that I am being "pulled" and not "pushed." I have learned that the 9 5 is really quite a bit different from the 9 3. There is a lot more General Motors in the 9 3, including its Opel Vectra body, which is GM's international mid sized FWD body and pan. Wouldn't surprise me if there is more GM international bits under the hood. The 9 5 is the "old Swede".

I am also very curious about how the car performs when the "sport" function is engaged via pressing a knob on the gear selector. It is not like the "sport" mode on our Mercedes Benz C 320 which merely holds the car in gear longer before shifting. The SAAB's sport function clearly gives more power without the higher revs. So I wonder if the sport function allows the turbo to engage and "dump" sooner or with less throttle, or something.

When Daughter told me she was going to buy this used SAAB, I was really predisposed to dislike it. While it's no s2k, the SAAB really turned my head around with its performance and driving manners. As the SAAB suffers from the same foundational problem as the s2k (lack of displacement at only 2.3L), I naturally wondered if it's turbo system might have an application on the s2k. From your answers, I can tell that it would flunk the "economic feasibility" test for me, given my criteria. Personally, I really don't want to get very much money tied up in s2k mods --- beyond some low cost stuff like improving the air intake and the like.

Thanks,
Richard

 

Richard,

It differs from your Mercedes because of the fact its a boosted car. It more than likely works similiar to a boost controller. You could have put a boost controller on your Eagle Talon and controlled how much power the turbo gives you at the touch of a button (or switch/knob). This is probably simililar, in non-sport mode it probably limits the turbo and other ECU functions (fuel, etc accordingly).


- J

 

dolebludger

I think you have the 9-5 and 9-3 backwards. The 9-5 was introduced in 1997-98 on an opel / GM platform (I do not know the name). If you were to look at the Saturn LS, you would find that you are looking at a Saab 9-5. The last 900, which became the 9-3 is built on its own platform, straight from Saab. As of now, there is no more pure Swedish Saab. The current 9-3 is based on the GM epsilon, which is the same thing as the Chevy Malibu.

Saab lost it for me when they stopped offering a hatchback based 900/9-3. That 9-2x is a leather wrapped Subaru WRX. Not that there is anything wrong with the WRX, it is just not a Saab.