TheSamba.com :: View topic - Has anyone considered doing a Saab B234 conversion?

Mon May 04, 2015 9:16 am

Hi there. Question just as it sounds. I've done a bunch of googling but have found no information. The B234 is a rock solid engine that's highly tunable, makes tons of torque, and lasts basically forever. Does anyone have any info or ideas about such a conversion? I'm soooooo curious.

Mon May 04, 2015 9:28 am

In the middle of doing a Volvo B230 , 140ft/lb torque on single carb :D

Mon May 04, 2015 9:30 am

:arrow:

Mon May 04, 2015 10:14 am

I miss the gobs of fun it was to do waterpump replacements on the Saab 900 engines. I took my driving test in a '74 Saab 99 with balky D-jet injection.

The torque curve should be your guide to matching an engine to the T3. Personally, I want torque to build early and maintain up to 3k to 4k. Any engine that throws its torque hotdog down the hallway up beyond 3500k is useless to me

Mon May 04, 2015 10:20 am

Depending on how you tune it the 9000/B234 engine peaks torque between 2800 and 3500 RPMs. Occasionally as late as 4000, though not usually. This guy got a fairly flat torque curve after 2800 using custom tuning and a nice exhaust. In fact, having driven and tuned several 9000s the torque curve is the reason I want to put a B234 in my Vanagon. So much low end torque.

http://www.saabcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=234240

Mon May 04, 2015 10:55 am

I believe you would be on uncharted waters. Assuming you can weld and fabricate any thing is possible. Looking forward to your progress.

Mon May 04, 2015 11:04 am

I assume there are no off the shelf bellhousing adapters or flywheel spacers available, so those two are probably the biggest challenges to overcome

Tue May 05, 2015 4:27 am

Check with Kennedy engineering, seems they make adaptors 4 about anything, last i checked you can get their listing which gives pros/cons of each eng.

Tue May 05, 2015 8:26 am

Kennedy doesn't show a Saab engine on their list. Volvo, yes, but not Saab.
Some very interesting comments regarding vibration levels, too.

http://www.kennedyenginc.com/Pages/EngineOptionList4cyl.aspx

Tue May 05, 2015 8:32 am

Is that the one where the water pump leaks into the crankcase and can only be removed with a rare puller that uses a left hand thread? Loved that feature, still miss my 900s though

Tue May 05, 2015 8:44 am

took 3 years to get laurains 900 running and not setting it on fire with the red sleeve on the fuel pump GROUND wire.

Tue May 05, 2015 8:46 am

That's the one I referenced earlier. I seem to recall the block was some kind of English design or something. I've always liked Saabs, including my mom's two stroke smoker from the sixties

Tue May 05, 2015 9:39 am

I'm gonna go out and jump into my 1988 Saab SPG and drive it to work. It rides rough but it's kind of fun. I've had a few Saab 900s and we now also have a 9000. They have been very good cars for us.

My Doka has a stock engine and it's fine with me. But then, I've never driven a 1.8t cornveresion! :)

Chuey

Tue May 05, 2015 9:45 am

The 900 engine would be a stupid conversion and that's the one where the water pump causes all sorts of issues. The 9000 engine however is rock solid, way more solid than a 1.8t in my opinion for a whole host of reasons. Also, more displacement, more turbo, and the resulting more torque. What's not to love?

Tue May 05, 2015 11:01 am

The van doesn't care what engine is back there. The trick is to do a conversion that when done is both safe and reliable. A chain is only as strong as the weakest link. Powering up often exposes the next weak link.

This needs to be solved first.
Quote: I assume there are no off the shelf bellhousing adapters or flywheel spacers available, so those two are probably the biggest challenges to overcome

I am using Saab hydraulic engine mounts to support my TDI.

Wed May 06, 2015 10:33 am

The easiest Saab engine for a conversion would be the 9-2X. :wink:

Wed May 06, 2015 9:03 pm

WLD*WSTY wrote: The easiest Saab engine for a conversion would be the 9-2X. :wink:
Isn't that just a re-badged Subaru? :)

Wed May 06, 2015 9:50 pm

I say go for it. I like seeing what other people come up with which is not the norm. I've have a little over 5k miles on my 2.4 Ecotec now and it's great. (another rock solid engine with 170ish ftlbs of torque & 180hp stock)

I think if I do another major build, it will be taking a subie AWD system and finding a engine which spins the right direction to make it go vroom vroom in the forward direction inside a vanagon with awd.. :lol:

Then again, I kind would like to see what a 4bt Cummings would be like in a late 80s early 90s chevy shorty van with 4x4.. :oops:

Wed May 06, 2015 11:35 pm

Not to bash the idea of a Saab motor in a Vanagon, but after you work thru the engine trans adapter-flywheel deal, you will need to fab up an oilpan, as the Saab motor uses the transaxle as an oil pan.
The water pump is against the firewall on this motor, no real problem if it ever makes it's way into a Vanagon.
The late 70s "B" motor, used in the Saab 99 is the one with a water pump under the intake runners, under the brittle fuel lines, driven by a gear on the cam. As someone else said, need a special puller to change water pump.

Thu May 07, 2015 7:59 pm

Jake de Villiers wrote: WLD*WSTY wrote: The easiest Saab engine for a conversion would be the 9-2X. :wink:
Isn't that just a re-badged Subaru? :)

That's what makes it so easy! Now the Aero is a bit tougher... :lol: