# SAAB 9-3 coolant issue need help **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** saab, 9-3\ **Created:** [February 1, 2020, 3:40am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/saab-9-3-coolant-issue-need-help/157682 "2020-02-01T03:40:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![thegreendrag0n](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/thegreendrag0n/32/9265_2.png) [@thegreendrag0n](https://community.cartalk.com/u/thegreendrag0n)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2020, 4:32pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/saab-9-3-coolant-issue-need-help/157682/41 "2020-02-04T16:32:18Z")
> [@Honda\_Blackbird](#): > > Dare I say…it’s happening to those other two a little bit now too isn’t it? I’m getting through my Honda disaster now… dare I say it seems to be not in “top X club” for some time apparently. ---
**Author:** ![Oliver\_Pantoto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/b19c9b/32.png) [@Oliver\_Pantoto](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Oliver_Pantoto)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2020, 8:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/saab-9-3-coolant-issue-need-help/157682/42 "2020-02-04T20:11:23Z")
Good- ish news. Got it back from the shop where they put a new radiator, cleaned the engine, drained and filled trans, and it drives ok. Tiny bit of hard shifting into 1st but it subsides once it warms up a bit. mechanic says put a few miles on it and see how that goes. Asked if I should flush it he says that often times flushing makes the problem worse. Plan on bringing it back to the shop on Thurs or Friday when they said they’ll take a look and see how the fluid is doing. ---
**Author:** ![Honda-Blackbird](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/honda-blackbird/32/3159_2.png) [@Honda-Blackbird](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Honda-Blackbird)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2020, 8:17pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/saab-9-3-coolant-issue-need-help/157682/43 "2020-02-04T20:17:02Z")
Very good… thanks for the update. Be prepared to drop the fluid a few more times (about 3qts comes out each time) so it takes about 3 times to fully renew the fluid. Dont be too alarmed to see traces of moisture (milkshake)… but eventually that should stop. Hopefully you can just keep on keeping on. Good Luck ---
**Author:** ![Oliver\_Pantoto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/b19c9b/32.png) [@Oliver\_Pantoto](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Oliver_Pantoto)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2020, 8:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/saab-9-3-coolant-issue-need-help/157682/44 "2020-02-04T20:19:04Z")
Got my fingers crossed, how often should I drain & fill? ---
**Author:** ![Honda-Blackbird](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/honda-blackbird/32/3159_2.png) [@Honda-Blackbird](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Honda-Blackbird)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2020, 8:22pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/saab-9-3-coolant-issue-need-help/157682/45 "2020-02-04T20:22:47Z")
If this were my little project I would drain and refill it… go for a short drive…drain refill…go for a short drive…etc and on the last drain n refill… replace the trans filter. But I’m a mechanic, so this is not a big issue for me. If your trans pan has a drain bolt its a very simple process…if not…its a mess…but still. You could fully replace the trans total capacity in one day easily but that’s up to you. The trans holds around 6-9 qts in total…or thereabouts including the converter etc… ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2020, 8:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/saab-9-3-coolant-issue-need-help/157682/46 "2020-02-04T20:24:27Z")
Yep, you need to get the fluid cleaned up now, so do the drain and fills soon. ---
**Author:** ![Oliver\_Pantoto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/b19c9b/32.png) [@Oliver\_Pantoto](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Oliver_Pantoto)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2020, 8:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/saab-9-3-coolant-issue-need-help/157682/47 "2020-02-04T20:24:29Z")
I don’t think this transmission has a pan to get to the filter, but as soon as I can I’ll do another drain & fill. Thanks ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2020, 8:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/saab-9-3-coolant-issue-need-help/157682/48 "2020-02-04T20:25:05Z")
> [@Oliver\_Pantoto](#): > > Plan on bringing it back to the shop on Thurs or Friday when they said they’ll take a look and see how the fluid is doing. At that time ask the shop what they think about more fluid changes as they can see the fluid in person. ---
**Author:** ![thegreendrag0n](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/thegreendrag0n/32/9265_2.png) [@thegreendrag0n](https://community.cartalk.com/u/thegreendrag0n)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2020, 8:29pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/saab-9-3-coolant-issue-need-help/157682/49 "2020-02-04T20:29:42Z")
> [@Honda\_Blackbird](#): > > If your trans pan has a drain bolt its a very simple process…if not…its a mess…but still. On Nissan Altima CVT, I had a successful experience getting more than 50% of fluid sucked out by a 1/4 inch polyethylene tube used for refrigerator water lines: just feed it to the dipstick tube until it stops. Congrats on getting coin flipped to your favor! 🙂 If drain plug is in place: great, if not - could do that, but YES, you want to drop pan at least once to replace filter. ---
**Author:** ![Honda-Blackbird](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/honda-blackbird/32/3159_2.png) [@Honda-Blackbird](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Honda-Blackbird)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2020, 8:32pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/saab-9-3-coolant-issue-need-help/157682/50 "2020-02-04T20:32:17Z")
Yes… sucking the fluid out does work. But since the OP has been going to the shop for semi simple items I doubt he has a Vacume pump on hand. I still use my “Vacula” pump all the time. It can push as well as pull fluids. Handy dandy ---
**Author:** ![thegreendrag0n](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/thegreendrag0n/32/9265_2.png) [@thegreendrag0n](https://community.cartalk.com/u/thegreendrag0n)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2020, 8:43pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/saab-9-3-coolant-issue-need-help/157682/51 "2020-02-04T20:43:14Z")
> [@Honda\_Blackbird](#): > > I still use my “Vacula” pump all the time. It can push as well as pull fluids. Handy dandy I’ve just recently made one from 1.25 galon tank of broken garden sprayer. Still waiting for $5 electric vacuum pump to get delivered from China to transition from hand-pumping to the total nirvana. ---
**Author:** ![Honda-Blackbird](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/honda-blackbird/32/3159_2.png) [@Honda-Blackbird](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Honda-Blackbird)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2020, 8:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/saab-9-3-coolant-issue-need-help/157682/52 "2020-02-04T20:46:13Z")
You wouldn’t believe some of the contraptions I have made… they all work too. Nothing wrong with making something you can put to good use. ---
**Author:** ![old\_mopar\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/6bbea6/32.png) [@old\_mopar\_guy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/old_mopar_guy)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2020, 2:37am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/saab-9-3-coolant-issue-need-help/157682/53 "2020-02-05T02:37:54Z")
I’d also look at the pressure differential. Cooling system operates at about 16psi. Line pressure in the trans is about 150 psi. Based on that, Id believe ATF would flow into coolant. ---
**Author:** ![Honda-Blackbird](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/honda-blackbird/32/3159_2.png) [@Honda-Blackbird](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Honda-Blackbird)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2020, 1:45pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/saab-9-3-coolant-issue-need-help/157682/54 "2020-02-05T13:45:53Z")
Indeed I did ponder that @old_mopar_guy you are correct about those pressure numbers but line press wouldn’t be present in the cooling circuit…would it? I believe that gets dumbed down considerably before doing its cooling loop, Admittedly I am only semi literate with auto trans’s… They are the one single item that I did not actively become proficient in…I figure theres a trans guy for that. Slowly I am correcting my deficiency in this dept…only out of boredom mind you. I was trying to think of more ways it would go the opposite direction as well…when cold theres almost negative pressure in the cooling system and upon startup the trans starts flowing as usual…so lots of mixing and then you have a slurry of sorts…and left in there long enuf. . Oh hell if you leave a failure condition to its devices long enough there’s no telling the things it can accomplish ! Just take me as an example ! haha …but yeah… I was with you in saying it would only go ATF to cooling as well…but hey we live in strange times…who knows ---
**Author:** ![thegreendrag0n](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/thegreendrag0n/32/9265_2.png) [@thegreendrag0n](https://community.cartalk.com/u/thegreendrag0n)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2020, 1:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/saab-9-3-coolant-issue-need-help/157682/55 "2020-02-05T13:51:28Z")
> [@old\_mopar\_guy](#): > > Line pressure in the trans is about 150 psi going over meager rubber houses attached with flimsy clamps ? I do not believe that. internal pressure is most liekly 150 psi, but over the cooling loop it is much, much less. ---
**Author:** ![Honda-Blackbird](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/honda-blackbird/32/3159_2.png) [@Honda-Blackbird](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Honda-Blackbird)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2020, 2:16pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/saab-9-3-coolant-issue-need-help/157682/56 "2020-02-05T14:16:21Z")
I’m fairly sure we can agree on that. Line pressure is measured at the valve body port on the side of the trans, it shouldn’t or rather couldn’t be that high in the cooling loop. ---
**Author:** ![tcmichnorth](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tcmichnorth/32/25126_2.png) [@tcmichnorth](https://community.cartalk.com/u/tcmichnorth)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2020, 2:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/saab-9-3-coolant-issue-need-help/157682/57 "2020-02-05T14:19:58Z")
With the hot engine turned off with over 10 # of pressure in coolant system there is 0 pressure from tranny. ---
**Author:** ![old\_mopar\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/6bbea6/32.png) [@old\_mopar\_guy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/old_mopar_guy)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2020, 4:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/saab-9-3-coolant-issue-need-help/157682/58 "2020-02-05T16:02:09Z")
You are correct, the cooling circuit is regulated down to about 15 psi ---
**Author:** ![Honda-Blackbird](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/honda-blackbird/32/3159_2.png) [@Honda-Blackbird](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Honda-Blackbird)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2020, 11:56am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/saab-9-3-coolant-issue-need-help/157682/59 "2020-02-06T11:56:15Z")
Ha yes, correct again… @thegreendrag0n Touche ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2020, 3:04pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/saab-9-3-coolant-issue-need-help/157682/60 "2020-02-06T15:04:49Z")
The OP should keep close (daily) watch on all the fluids. Also, do a cooling system pressure check. Where there’s one problem like this, there may be others. The patient’s not out of the woods yet… [Previous page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/saab-9-3-coolant-issue-need-help/157682.md?page=2) [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/saab-9-3-coolant-issue-need-help/157682.md?page=4)