Saab 9-3 Aero

Heres mine :)

It's a 55 plate Saab 9-3 v6 Aero, ive had it just under 2 years now, haven't really touched it in the last 12 months but plan to get back at it this year (ive been a bit lazy compared to my old cars!)

Here it was the day I collected it, completely standard.
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I dropped it off with the Saab garage same day for an oil change and fresh plugs ready for the remap booked for a couple days later

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Interior is pretty nice with grey leather & light grey leather inserts, dash is bit plasticky tbh but still a nice place to sit.

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Leagues ahead of my other Saabs for comfort & refinement.....but that Audio....terrible!! I've been in a few new shape 9-3's and all have sounded pretty bad. This has the full 13 speaker system and its still awful!

So the first job was an oil & filter change, fuel filter change and fit new plugs. I went for these NGK IridiumIX plugs as theyre recommended for the new map by JZW as standard plugs can throw a wobbly.

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Also bought a BSR Optiflow intake kit which sounds like there's a DV fitted! Not to everyones tastes but really brings the v6 growl to life especially on start up. I like it anyway :)

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A few days later I had it remapped, it's a JZW stage 1 'aggressive' map. You get 3 to upload via the obd2 port & laptop: 'Regular' 'aggressive' and 'revised' Should see 320bhp & 409ft/lbs 409 with the aggressive map and slightly more with the revised map but it's also a fair bit smoother and I prefer the slam you into the seat feeling. Power comes in nice and early and the extra torque over standard is pretty insane! Giggling like a school girl first time I floored it....and then the clutch slipped! More on that later :(

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BSR Optiflow filter fitted

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Then got the windows tinted

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Looks very dark from outside but still lets in plenty of light
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A few days later I got told there's some used Bilstein B8's, Eibachs and a Maptun strut brace for sale on one of the forums, so snapped these up for a good price as tasty used kit hardly ever comes up for the 9-3ss just the older Saabs!

Bilstein B8 dampers
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Eibach Pro Sport Kit
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Maptun Strut Brace
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Strut Brace fitted
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Then the most important bit! JZW boot sticker!

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After the remap my standard brakes were just not up to the job, had a brown trouser moment chasing down a stupidly quick CTR so decided better brakes were needed asap as I almost put the thing on its roof! Scared the life out of me as I had no brakes for a good 300 meters!

Mtec dimpled discs
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Yellow stuff pads
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Hel lines
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RBF600 fluid
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That lot made a hell of a difference, not too expensive either so pretty happy with this set up for now.
 
Thanks :)

Next purchase will be an uprated clutch, solid flywheel and Quaife LSD. Once that's fitted I can crack on with the go faster bits :)
 
Brakes fitted, looking back the 'extra' black pain option on Mtec discs was a waste of £25! Also I'd probably just get plain discs if doing it again.

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Cars sits around 35mm lower now
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Also had a few polly bushes that ive still to fit!

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3 point subframe brace, jury's out on these as some think it's not worth it but will see when it's fitted. I'll be getting a couple more braces from Ultra Racing over summer then add these to the mix :)
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Also a Powerflex wishbone bush plus bush mounting & front Powerflex ARB bushes (no pics)
I'll fit the bushes next month when it's in for the service, subframe brace will be fitted after the 3" DP & new system are fitted
 
One of my biggest gripes with this car is the 6 speed manual box, it's probably the most notchy gear change ive ever experienced (and that's after driving some big Army stuff!!) it's terribe, the 5 speeds better but best of all is the Auto, if I was in the market for a tuned 9-3ss again it would be an auto!

So I bought these to fit, ive only fitted the shifter cable reinforcement kit so far.

GS Shifter cable reinforcement kit
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http://www.genuinesaab.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=44_46&products_id=850

Fitted
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GS Shifter Mount Kit
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http://www.genuinesaab.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=44_46&products_id=745

GS Short Shifter
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http://www.genuinesaab.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=44_46&products_id=516

The short shifter's tiny!! Was expecting some big chunk of metal but its around the same height and a AA battery! Not technically a proper short shifter kit but better than nothing!
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So this lots going in someday this week
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Also have this turret repair kit to fit and this should solve the notchy gearchange, the standard ones plastic and wears after use, you basically replace this with a stainless sleeve and it's as good as new :)
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/281201987413?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649
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This oils going in next month, meant to be great for a notchy box like mine!
http://www.opieoils.co.uk/p-1019-re...al-transmission-lubricant-mtl-70w-80-gl4.aspx

Hopefully that'll sort it!

So as you've probably noticed! I've got a lot left to fit!
 
That's as far as I've gone so far on any performance/handling mods....been a bit lazy but have some big plans this year :)

I picked these 550cc injectors up pretty cheap, they originally came from JZW for another customers car so are brand new and unused, ive bought things a bit premature here as these are for a stage 5 tune with the 19t or billett 20T upgrade, not sure what I'm going for yet, probably the 20T as its the same price plus gives a lot more top end oomph with hardly any extra turbo lag. As tempting as it is to just go big again with a gt30 I'm trying to avoid it, I did it on my old 9000 Aero and in reality made it slower for day to day use. Ballistic above 80/90 but normal driving.....made it slower :(

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Paperwork.....no idea what any of this means means but might be of interest to a tuning bod!

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Then snapped up a cheap Intercooler off the bay, it's a Chinese Evo type. Virtually a drop in swap on my car....90mm thick!

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Best bring the audio side up to date now as I'm cracking on with it soon and it's all changed!

I've been pretty lucky with this one as its already got the full 13 speaker/2 amp system fitted. Most either have 4 speakers only and no amp or 7 plus 1 amp. Doesn't really matter in the end though as its all getting bypassed anyway!

Here's the standard set up, basically 2x 3.5" mids & tweeters in dash corners plus a 4" mid in the center, 6.5" woofers in the doors, then 2x tweeters, 2x 4" mids & 2x 6x9" subs in the rear shelf. It's a sort of active system so all speakers get their own range of frequencies for high/mid/low. One amp (AMP1) provides sound to the doors & center dash mid, then AMP2 powers the 6x9 subs:

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So full of speakers and in theory should sound the nuts! But it's bad.....really really bad :(

No actual head unit in these (thanks Saab!) what you see below is just the icm (infotainment control module) and this ones ICM2, there's also the basic ICM1 which has buttons only and no display then ICM3 which is the Satnav, which looks nice but from what the guys tell me it's not that great!

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First job was deadening the doors & floor (took days!)

I've gone for Silent Coat products again as its pretty cheap compared to Dynamat and tbh its just as good. But also added some mass loaded vinyl to really help kill outside sound and it's done the trick.

This was the first lot, also needed another lot plus half again so there's a lot of deadening gone into this....and weight! Dread to tot it all up but probably 70kgs+ sound deadening.

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I won't upload the full set but here's how I did the doors. Deadening (CLD) on the outer door skin as best as possible, then same on the inner skin to seal up most the panel gaps, then closed cell foam (CCF) over this to act as a decoupler for the mass loaded vinyl (MLV) & seal up any more gaps, then MLV ontop and on the back of the door cards I stuck sound absorber which is a closed cell egg crate type foam. (Closed cell foam doesn't absorb water, but open cell foam does so need to make sure the correct stuffs used!)

CLD (mix of 2mm silent coat & 4mm silent coat multilayer extra)
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CCF (mix of sound isolator 4mm & 3mm foam solutions ccf)
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MLV (2mm dodo MLV)
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Sound absorber 15 (15mm thick)
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So all 4 doors done the same way and what a difference! Hard work but well worth the effort, this is still with the standard audio fitted.
 
Interior floor was next and took ages! Had to get the seats, trim and carpet out then apply the same way as the doors minus the egg crate foam.

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Because I needed the car for work and was dojo get it bit by bit (around 7-8 hours flat out over the week!!) I did the rear first then front

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CCF on top
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CCF
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MLV
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I've just taped this to the CCF, ill then overlap it when I deaden the front :D
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New turbo coming :)

Was torn between a ready built td04-HL-19t from the states or go all out and have mine rebuilt with a billet 20T compressor wheel (compressor housing needs to be machined out and new wheel fitted) but costs were mounting, plus I'd have to get another standard turbo to refit when I sell up....so I've gone for a more sensible 18t turbo from the Insignia VXR.

Bolt on job so just need a remap and it's good to go :) I'll get this fitted next month as there's only a 3 month warranty with it....best get it on there incase there's any problems!

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Should still see decent numbers when the 550's are fitted, probably close to 390/400hp and 500ft/lbs but will get a conservative map loaded until the clutch is done :) 20T would have been nice but I'll give this a try first :)

Popular upgrade with the VXR boys but I think JZW's mapping should see a lot more gains :)

Just need the clutch & exhaust now and it's done :)
 
Excellent news. Thanks for the update. Bet you're bursting to see the results of the new turbo

Thanks :)

Yeah should be good but a fair way to go yet, saving the pennies for the clutch & LSD now.

There's another 9-3 running the same turbo and had decent numbers but standard injectors & clutch, 325hp & 472ft/lbs. So hoping to get closer to 400 with the bigger injectors then decent torque with the SPEC clutch :)
 
The trouble with dark tint side windows is that others can't see if you are looking and have seen them .
 
OEM windows are close to the legal limit as standard, so any tint is likely to reduce the light transmitted to below 70%, just so that you are aware. Peeling off tint at the side of the road is a pain :)
 
Car was booked in for a full service last Friday but could only get the oil changed as they were short staffed, so will be going back in next month to get finished off.

Here's the service items plus new yellow & bluestuff brake pads, also changing the gearbox oil for some redline and hopefully his with the turrett repair kit will get rid of the notchy gear change (also have a front HEL brake line & fresh RBF600 fluid to go in as mines had it!)
 
Looking great!

Its good to be able to get some ideas from it to research and hopefully implement in a project of my own!

Really like the sound deadening too!
 
I had window tint on the rear Windows of my Skyline. Took about 2 days to get that off using a hairdryer and blade.
Keep up the good work, must be ticking off a lot of the jobs on your initial list now.
 
Looking great!

Its good to be able to get some ideas from it to research and hopefully implement in a project of my own!

Really like the sound deadening too!

Thanks mate :)

Yeah plenty of deadening but if doing it again on a 9-3 I'd leave the floor, took days & days but the standard deadenings pretty good anyway so can't see it done much difference.....doors though.....more the merrier :)
 
I had window tint on the rear Windows of my Skyline. Took about 2 days to get that off using a hairdryer and blade.
Keep up the good work, must be ticking off a lot of the jobs on your initial list now.

List keeps getting longer! Just researching uprated rads now, hoping to get one sorted and fitted same time as the IC :)
 
I am tempted to do the doors and under the rear seats and boot on mine.

I've also done the rear shelf mate (need to update the thread) I've got some Genesis P69 subs there instead of the standard subs. Deadening here made a MASSIVE difference ;)

Not as good as a proper sub but still shakes the car.

What car is it budd?
 
MIne? 1.4tdi skoda fabia.

It does have a bit of an irritating noise but now that I am starting to do the mods it will be a big improvement.

My switchable remap comes from JRtuning hopefully tomorrow!

The big sound system isn't for me though....
 
Ha ha tried that......

The wife made no food and I had to have dirty pants on for 2 weeks instead of the standard one week as she wouldn't do any washing.
 
MIne? 1.4tdi skoda fabia.

It does have a bit of an irritating noise but now that I am starting to do the mods it will be a big improvement.

My switchable remap comes from JRtuning hopefully tomorrow!

The big sound system isn't for me though....

A couple sheets in the door will work wonders mate, no real need to deaden the entire car imo. I went a bit ott on mine!!
 
Slight balls up with my new turbo....it's been sent to someone else in error and he can't get in touch with him to get it returned. So someone's had a free brand new insignia vxr turbocharger!!!!!

Sellers got a brand new insignia vxr engine coming in next week so he's pulling the turbo and posting it later in the week.

No real drama as its not getting fitted for 3 weeks anyway....but any more problems and the 18t ideas getting shelved and ill be getting a 2nd hand 15t from the vectra or Saab & rebuilt to billett 20T.
Every cloud an all that stuff!!
 
Have a look on eBay the other guy has probably listed it already! Ha ha

Either way its a project I will be following.
 
Well one turbo's here :)

Insignia VXR, identical size to what's fitted but larger compressor wheel

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I've been scratching my head with these 2.8 turbo's wondering how it bolts up to the manifolds (thought it bolted up like a normal turbo!)

Bit of googling and here's the two manifolds:

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So it bolts onto these flanges here. Not sure if I need new gaskets here or not but struggling to find any

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Turbo side:

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Reading the vxr forum these manifold flanges aren't very robust so needs to be fitted very carefully....defo a garage job!!

More pics (shiny!!) I think the small black plastic box is the bov? Anyway! Almost ready to fit now just need to figure out what gaskets I need and where to get them. I'm guessing vauxhall will be my best bet?

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Quite often the official main dealer is best place to get parts. I used to get all sorts of bits for my Skyline from main dealer up the road even though it wasn't a UK car and 20 years old and a lot cheaper then some 'specialist' places.
 
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