Saab Engines: Heritage, Quality & Your Next Upgrade

Saab, a marque synonymous with innovation and distinctive engineering, has long captivated car enthusiasts worldwide. Known for their unique approach to vehicle design and their pioneering work in areas like turbocharging, Saab engines hold a special place in automotive history. For owners looking to maintain or restore these classic vehicles, understanding the specific characteristics of Saab powerplants and where to source reliable components is paramount. This article delves into the intriguing world of Saab engines, exploring their rich heritage, technical prowess, and the practicalities of acquiring quality used units, particularly from specialists like Reman Engine, ensuring your beloved Saab continues to perform as intended.

Are Saab Engines Remanufactured at Reman Engine? Understanding Your Options

When considering an engine replacement for your Saab, it's crucial to understand the distinction between used and remanufactured units. At Reman Engine, the focus is squarely on providing a diverse selection of high-quality used Saab engines. This means that while these engines are not remanufactured from the ground up, they undergo a stringent selection process to ensure their reliability and suitability for your vehicle. Our inventory spans a wide range of popular Saab models, including the venerable Saab 90, the robust 9000, and the versatile 9-7X, amongst others.

Our commitment to quality begins with the sourcing process. Engines are meticulously acquired from various locations across the U.S., and each unit is subjected to a thorough visual inspection by our trusted suppliers. This initial scrutiny ensures that the engines meet our demanding standards before they are even made available for purchase. While these engines are ultimately sold in the condition in which we receive them, this rigorous pre-screening process provides a significant degree of confidence in their integrity for your restoration or maintenance project. It’s an approach that prioritises authenticity and cost-effectiveness, allowing you to retain the original charm and performance potential of your Saab without the premium price tag often associated with new or remanufactured components.

Embracing a used engine from Reman Engine means valuing the authentic character of your vehicle. While these units are provided in their as-received condition—potentially reflecting their previous maintenance levels or histories, including any involvement in accidents or exposure to flooding—they offer a genuine and economically viable solution for keeping your Saab on the road. This transparency ensures you know exactly what you're investing in, allowing you to make an informed decision that aligns with your project's scope and budget.

Peace of Mind: Warranty and Shipping Details

To further underscore our commitment to quality and customer satisfaction, every used Saab engine sold by Reman Engine is backed by a comprehensive 3-year/36,000-mile parts-only warranty. This extensive warranty provides substantial peace of mind, demonstrating our confidence in the longevity and performance of the engines we supply. It’s a testament to the quality of our sourcing and inspection processes, ensuring that your investment is protected for years to come.

Understanding the logistical aspects of engine delivery is also key. We strive to make the purchasing process as convenient as possible, offering efficient shipping options tailored to your needs. For commercial addresses, we provide fast flat-rate delivery, simplifying the budgeting process. Should you require delivery to a residential address, please note that an additional £99 fee is applied by the shipping carrier, specifically for instances where a forklift or liftgate is not available for unloading. This ensures that even large and heavy items like engines can be delivered safely and without undue hassle to your desired location.

Furthermore, one of the significant advantages of opting for a used engine from Reman Engine is the absence of a core charge. This eliminates an often-unforeseen cost and simplifies the transaction. You are also given a generous 30-day window to manage the swap or return of your old engine, providing ample time to complete your project without feeling rushed. Choosing Reman Engine for your used Saab engine means prioritising authenticity, reliability, and value, all meticulously supported by our dedicated customer service and comprehensive warranty provisions.

The Legendary Saab B Engine: A Deep Dive into Innovation

The history of Saab's engine development is as fascinating as the cars themselves, and at its heart lies the formidable Saab B engine. This powerplant, which powered iconic models like the Saab 99 and early 900, represents a significant chapter in the company's engineering journey. Its origins trace back to the early 1960s, when a team led by Rolf Mellde, Per Gillbrand, and Karl Rosenqvist embarked on designing a new 1.2 L inline four-cylinder engine for the then-upcoming Saab 99.

Initially, Saab collaborated with UK engineering and consultancy firm Ricardo. Ricardo, aware that Triumph in the UK was developing a similar engine, facilitated a connection between the two manufacturers. This proved fortuitous, as Saab determined that developing their own engine from scratch would be both prohibitively expensive and inherently risky. Consequently, Triumph agreed to supply Saab with 50,000 engines for the new 99. The initial displacement of these Triumph-sourced slant-four engines was 1.71 litres, later increased to 1.85 litres. Saab enjoyed exclusive use of this slant-four design for the initial years of its production, giving their vehicles a distinctive edge.

A crucial design adaptation made by Saab involved a new transaxle that ingeniously utilised its own casing as the oil sump. To accommodate this, the Triumph engine was rotated 180 degrees, positioning the clutch and flywheel at the front of the vehicle. A direct consequence of this orientation was that the 'front'-mounted water pump, typically located at the front of the engine, would now face the firewall or bulkhead, rendering it largely inaccessible for maintenance. To resolve this, Saab engineers cleverly relocated the water pump to the top of the cylinder block, a unique and pragmatic solution. In 1972, Saab brought the production of the engine in-house, transferring it to their Scania division at a state-of-the-art facility in Södertälje. This move was reportedly planned from the outset, indicating Saab's long-term vision for engine autonomy.

Following this internalisation of production, Saab embarked on a substantial redesign of the engine, which ultimately resulted in the creation of the Saab B engine. Displacement was increased to a full 2.0 litres, though interestingly, the bore diameter was slightly smaller—by 0.3 mm (0.012 in)—than the corresponding 2.0 L Triumph version. The B engine was further refined in 1981, evolving into the equally renowned Saab H engine.

Technical Features of the B Engine

While the B engine retained certain foundational features from the original Triumph design, such as bore centres and bearings, it was, by all accounts, a substantial redesign. Like its Triumph predecessor, the B engine's block was meticulously crafted from cast iron, a material chosen for its durability and heat dissipation properties. A defining characteristic, carried over from the slant-four, was the distinctive 45-degree canting of the cylinders from vertical. This angle was not merely aesthetic; it contributed to a lower bonnet line and potentially improved packaging within the engine bay.

The 78 mm (3.07 in) stroke of the earlier Triumph engine was purposefully retained in the B engine, but the bore was notably increased to 90 mm (3.54 in), contributing to the larger 2.0-litre displacement. Beyond these core dimensions, Saab implemented a series of crucial enhancements. These included a newly designed cylinder head featuring larger valves and enlarged ports, optimising airflow and combustion efficiency. The combustion chamber itself was reshaped, and the camshaft assembly was redesigned for superior lubrication, ensuring consistent performance and longevity. From as early as the 1970 model year, Saab 99s had incorporated fuel-injected versions, and this advanced feature continued with the B engine, alongside options for both single- and dual-carburettor setups, catering to various markets and performance requirements. Intriguingly, the compression ratio in the earliest B engines was slightly reduced to 8.7:1 from the Triumph engine's 9.0:1, yet power output reportedly increased, a testament to the efficacy of Saab's redesigns.

The unique water pump arrangement, consisting of a cast aperture in the block and a pump shaft with bearing, seals, and impeller pressed into the aperture, was retained but significantly improved in terms of seal design. This pump is driven by a jackshaft and helical gear. Later B engines introduced a fine-tooth gear for this drive, which, while precise, was unfortunately prone to damage, becoming a rare weak link in an otherwise exceptionally reliable engine. Notably, the early B engine achieved a remarkable feat: it was one of only two engines (the other being the Honda CVCC) that could meet the stringent emission requirements set by the state of California for 1975 without the necessity of a catalytic converter, highlighting Saab's foresight in environmental engineering.

In the mid-1970s, Swedish engineer Gunnar Axelsson further pushed the boundaries of the B engine, developing a DOHC (Double Overhead Camshaft) cylinder head with 16 valves specifically for the B engine block. This advanced design was estimated to produce an impressive 220 hp (164.1 kW) and was briefly employed in Saab's rally cars, showcasing the engine's inherent potential for high performance.

The Pioneering Turbocharged B Engine

A pivotal moment in Saab's engine history arrived in 1978 with the introduction of a turbocharged version of the B engine, first seen in the groundbreaking Saab 99 Turbo model. This innovation cemented Saab's reputation as a pioneer in forced induction technology. A key figure in the development team was Per Gillbrand, affectionately known as Turbo-pelle (Turbo-Pete) in Sweden and 'Mr. Turbo' in English, a testament to his profound impact on turbocharging technology. Mellde was also integral to this team, joined by Bengt Gadfelt, who brought valuable experience from turbocharging Saab-Scania trucks, and the English engineer Geoffrey Kershaw, who later founded Turbo-Technics Ltd.

Saab's primary emphasis with its turbocharged engine was not merely on achieving maximum power output, but rather on delivering a broad and usable torque curve. This philosophy distinguished their approach. The turbocharged B engine set itself apart from earlier turbo engines through its innovative use of a small, low-mass impeller designed to spin up rapidly, minimising turbo lag and providing immediate responsiveness. Furthermore, Saab pioneered the use of a wastegate to precisely control boost pressure, a feature that would become standard across the industry. A unique characteristic of these early turbo engines was Saab's ingenious method of using exhaust manifold pressure to modulate the wastegate. This allowed boost to decrease slowly at higher engine speeds, resulting in an exceptionally broad, flat, and highly usable torque curve across the rev range. This engineering marvel led to a significant performance boost: power increased by 23% over the naturally aspirated version, while torque surged by an impressive 45%. Changes implemented in the turbocharged B engine included a reduced compression ratio of 7.5:1, achieved through special pistons, the incorporation of sodium-filled exhaust valves for enhanced durability under high temperatures, a revised camshaft profile, an oil cooler to manage increased thermal loads, and a Garrett AiResearch T3 turbocharger equipped with oil-cooled bearings and the aforementioned external wastegate. The turbocharged B engine became a cornerstone of both the 99 and early 900 models, defining a generation of performance cars.

B Engine Variants and Specifications

The Saab B engine evolved over its production run, with various configurations catering to different performance and market requirements. The table below summarises some of the key variants:

Motorsports Legacy of the B Engine

The robust and adaptable B engine also left an indelible mark on the motorsports arena. Driver Stig Blomqvist, a legend in rally driving, achieved significant success with a specially prepared 16-valve Saab 99, winning the 1976 Belgian Rally Boucles de Spa. He continued his winning streak with B engine-powered 99 EMS vehicles, securing victories at the Swedish Rally in 1977. Perhaps most famously, Blomqvist repeated his Swedish Rally triumph in 1979, this time at the wheel of a Turbo 99. This particular victory was historic, marking the first time a turbocharged car had ever won the challenging Swedish Rally, a testament to Saab's pioneering spirit and the B engine's capabilities. Despite these successes, Saab officially withdrew from rally competition in 1980. Beyond professional rallying, B-powered 99s were also successfully campaigned in various SCCA (Sports Car Club of America) classes, further cementing their reputation for performance and reliability in competitive environments.

The Saab 99 GL Petro: An Alternative Fuel Experiment

An intriguing chapter in the B engine's history is the development of an alternative-fuel version, the Saab 99 GL Petro. This model was a joint venture between Saab and Valmet, manufactured at the Valmet factory in Uusikaupunki. The Petro was designed with dual fuel tanks—one for conventional petrol (gasoline) and another for either kerosene (marketed as "petroli" in Finland) or turpentine. The latter was a particularly innovative choice, as it could be produced from paper-mill byproducts readily available in Finland, the only market where the car was sold. The engine would typically start on petrol and then automatically switch to the alternative fuel, though the driver retained the option to manually select petrol only. This version of the engine utilised the low-compression pistons from the turbocharged B engine, alongside electronic ignition. The Saab 99 GL Petro made its debut in 1980. Running on 67 octane kerosene, the engine produced 85 hp (63.4 kW) at 5600 rpm. A total of 3,756 Saab 99 GL Petros were built, showcasing Saab's commitment to exploring diverse fuel solutions.

Choosing the Right Engine for Your Saab 9-5 Estate 2005

For Saab owners, particularly those with specific models like the beloved 9-5 Estate 2005, finding the exact replacement engine can seem like a daunting task. However, the process is designed to be straightforward, ensuring you acquire the precise engine needed for your vehicle's specifications. To navigate this selection, we recommend following three simple steps to pinpoint your desired version of the Saab 9-5 Estate 2005 engine:

1. Select the Trim: Begin by choosing the specific trim level of your 2005 Saab 9-5 Estate from the provided drop-down menu. This initial selection helps narrow down the available engine configurations considerably, as different trims often correspond to specific engine types.
2. Select the Engine Type: Once the trim is selected, proceed to the second drop-down menu and choose the particular engine type you are looking for. This might involve distinguishing between various petrol engines, or even different power outputs within the same engine family, as Saab offered a range of options for the 9-5.
3. Select the Exact Version: Finally, from the third drop-down, select the exact version that matches your vehicle's requirements. This level of detail ensures perfect compatibility, accounting for any subtle variations in specification or production year within the 2005 model range.

By diligently following these steps, you can confidently access the full specification details of your perfect Saab 9-5 Estate 2005 engine, ensuring a seamless and accurate replacement or upgrade. This methodical approach minimises errors and helps guarantee that the engine you receive is a perfect match for your vehicle’s needs.

Frequently Asked Questions About Saab Engines and Reman Engine Services

Are the Saab engines offered by Reman Engine remanufactured?

No, Reman Engine specialises in providing high-quality used Saab engines. These engines are sourced from across the U.S. and undergo thorough visual inspections by suppliers to ensure their quality before being offered for sale. They are sold in the condition they are received.

What kind of warranty comes with a used Saab engine from Reman Engine?

Every used Saab engine sold by Reman Engine is backed by a robust 3-year/36,000-mile parts-only warranty, providing significant peace of mind for your purchase.

Is there a core charge on used engines purchased from Reman Engine?

No, there is no core charge on our used engines. This simplifies the purchase process and avoids additional costs often associated with engine replacements.

How long do I have to return my old engine after purchasing a used unit?

Reman Engine provides a generous 30-day window for you to manage the swap or return of your old engine, offering ample time to complete your project.

What is the significance of the Saab B engine's 45-degree canted cylinders?

The 45-degree canting of the cylinders was a distinctive design feature carried over from the Triumph slant-four engine, contributing to a lower engine profile and potentially improved packaging within the engine bay of models like the Saab 99.

How did Saab overcome the water pump accessibility issue in the B engine design?

Due to the engine's 180-degree rotation when paired with Saab's transaxle, the original front-mounted water pump would have faced the firewall. Saab ingeniously relocated the water pump to the top of the cylinder block to ensure accessibility.

What made the early turbocharged B engine unique?

The early turbocharged B engine was notable for its use of a small, low-mass impeller for rapid spool-up, and its pioneering use of a wastegate to control boost pressure. Furthermore, Saab's unique method of using exhaust manifold pressure to modulate the wastegate created a broad and usable torque curve.

Can I find engines for older Saab models like the 90 or 9000 at Reman Engine?

Yes, Reman Engine specialises in providing a wide selection of high-quality used Saab engines, covering models such as the Saab 90, 9000, 9-7X, and more, sourced from across the U.S.

Concluding Thoughts on Saab Engines and Their Legacy

The legacy of Saab engines is one of bold innovation, distinctive engineering, and a relentless pursuit of performance and efficiency. From the foundational B engine, with its unique design and pioneering turbocharging applications, to the careful consideration required when sourcing components for iconic models like the 9-5 Estate, Saab powerplants represent a significant chapter in automotive history. For enthusiasts and owners, companies like Reman Engine play a crucial role in preserving this legacy by providing reliable used engines. Their commitment to quality, backed by comprehensive warranties and customer-centric services, ensures that the spirit of Saab continues to thrive on the roads of the UK and beyond. Choosing an authentic used engine is not just a practical decision; it’s an embrace of Saab’s enduring charm and a testament to its engineering brilliance, allowing these remarkable vehicles to continue their journey for years to come.

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