Saab 9-3 (2001) will not start properly when below half a tank or...

twoflower169

pointing up hill!

We have been having trouble with our car now for a few months now where if its parked up hill or below half a tank (its a 2.2 Tid) it will take several attempts and lots of unused fuel to start!!!

Does anyone know if this is likely to mean e new fuel pump, or as the saab specialist suggested the 1st time it happened it maybe down to a fault they tend to have with overflow pipes(I think!).

Its just I googled it and a new fuel pump is £1500ish and we only have £1000ish to get it fixed. To top it off the engine management light has started coming on and staying until car has reached certain revs, last time this happened we needed a new turbo which cost £1000, we cannot afford this again!

Car is booked in tomorrow but just wanted some advice or heads up before it goes in.

Also whats the best way to tell a garage you only have so much money, in the past we would put it on our Credit cards but we dont have them anymore, and DH seems to think we just have to let them do the work rather than asks for a quote intitally, any help would be appreciated.

I feel like crying as its just too much again!

Paradigm

If you need Saab parts check Neo brothers or Elk parts. I get all my stuff from these.

New turbo for your car £375.... http://www.neobrothers.co.uk/turbocharger-unit-genuine-saab-939593ss-diesel-p-872.html

Volcano

Hold tight on that fuel pump just yet!

This guy says:

If the car was running OK till you parked it up I would lay money on the fact that it was parked with the front facing uphill. Common fault on these cars that causes bad/impossible starting after it has stood for a while, is perished bleed back hoses from the injectors that cause air to get into the system and fuel to drain back to the tank when parked facing up hill. This would be my first thing to check.

http://www.uksaabs.eu/UKS/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=45965

IF it turns out you need a new fuel pump then it will be around the price you've stated (+ fitting) which seems excessive on a car that's probably not worth much more. Source a pump from a scrapyard (go through the yellow pages and phone them and tell them you need it off the shelf, i.e. taken off their vehicle) and then get a garage to fit that. I'm sure you don't really need an expensive 'specialist saab' garage (and they may well refuse to fit it anyway), just need a good independent, 'back steet' garage who will be happy to give you a quote prior to fitting.

It's completely normal to get a quote before work from several garages, anyone who can't even give you a rough figure needs to be avoided.

Edit: Some mechanics' idea of fault finding is to replace parts in turn until the problem is fixed. Replacing your fuel pump as a first blind attempt doesn't really seem to be an option for you given the cost. Print off the above quote and tell them you want this checking/fixed first. Tell them you can't afford to get the fuel pump replaced so if it's not that simple problem you'll probably scrap the car. This'll help avoid them skipping the check or just lying and telling you that a pump is needed anyway. There are always plenty of garages out there that want your cash so don't be afraid to take your car somewhere else.

LandyAndy

twoflower169 wrote: »

pointing up hill!

We have been having trouble with our car now for a few months now where if its parked up hill or below half a tank (its a 2.2 Tid) it will take several attempts and lots of unused fuel to start!!!

Does anyone know if this is likely to mean e new fuel pump, or as the saab specialist suggested the 1st time it happened it maybe down to a fault they tend to have with overflow pipes(I think!).

Why do you think the Saab specialist is wrong?

Is that who you have taken it to for diagnosis?

CHR15

I "think" the 2.2TID Saab uses a VP44 Fuel Pump.

If that is correct, you cannot DIY a Fuel pump replacement, or use a simple back street garage.

The Pump will have to be configured to the the car (Tech2 probably) so you may need a decent Saab independant garage or dare I say it, the main dealer.

I have heard of prices including fitting of up to £3k (main dealer).

Either way, a replacement fuel pump (if it were me) would result in getting shot of the car.

Definitely worth getting a few garages to look at it and exhaust all other posibilities before condemning the fuel pump.

harveybobbles

A common fault on the 2.2 td engine is the leak off pipes. We usually replace them around 60,000 as they start the look shoddy.

but, dont overlook the fuel sender unit on the top of the tank, this could be causing a duff read out on the gauge.

My money is the leak off pipes.

twoflower169

Hi thanks for replies, passed all info on to DH to discuss with garage tomorrow, he seems to have got the not letting them just do the work bit, finally, seems to have taken on board the comment about saying we would scrap it if so.

harveybobbles it has 109k, could that mean its due for the pipes to be changed again?

Anyway Thanks all. Will keep you posted tomorrow.

harveybobbles

Pipes will probably be letting air in somewhere. Quite easy to do. Someone who has some basic spanner knowledge should sort it out for some beer tokens.

goldspanners

harveybobbles wrote: »

Pipes will probably be letting air in somewhere. Quite easy to do. Someone who has some basic spanner knowledge should sort it out for some beer tokens.

is it just the little rubber push on spill pipe that go between the injectors and then finally back to the tank? ive got a roll of that stuff and it cost about £3 for it from a motor factors if its the same stuff.

harveybobbles

Yup thats the ones.

twoflower169

Hi all,

It was the bleed back hose, very perished! £60 in total including £4 for car as well for the day.

Going to pick it up in a minute.

Also garage agreed with not worth spending the money if it was a fuel pump! This means we can put all the money we had aside as our emergency fund as we start a dmp next month which means anymore problems we have money to fix things!

Thanks all for your help.