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

Tue Dec 31, 2024 9:09 am

acegallagher wrote: 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?

its never too late to make a correction. The engine you were referring to with this post was the "B" engine which was used in the Saab model 99 from around 1973 to 1979 or 80. The water pump was driven off a lay shaft which in turn was driven off of the timing chain. The pump itself was on top of the engine to the side of the cylinder head and the impeller was pressed onto the shaft. The pumps generally did not have problems but at higher miles could have issues with the mating gears between the pump and the layshaft. You needed a puller to remove the pump. If the gears were damaged you had to replace both the pump shaft and usually the layshaft which would require removing the engine. However.....With modern times you can actually remove the water pump and replace it with an electric one which works better than stock.

All that said the engine to consider would be the 4 cylinder banked engine found in the Classic 900. While it does not produce the same power as the later 9000/NG900/9-3/9-5 engines it produces plenty enough for a Vanagon. You can actually bolt a T5 or T7 head onto the earlier block with a few small modifications to the timing cover. These earlier engines can also use a 9000 oil pan which greatly simplifies any need to fab up an oil pan.