Well, I took a chance on buying the NG900 I have. I knew it did not engage reverse when I bought it and was told by the PO that it needed a new transmission. After hearing his story about how he engaged reverse at speed, I thought for certain it was just a broken linkage (especially considering how crappy the linkage was in the early NG900s)
Well, today I installed the updated shift linkage.. and I still cannot engage reverse. I still doubt he sheered all the teeth off of the reverse gear, but I am inclined to think that the shift forks are probably pretzeled. Looks like I need to drop a new trans into the car. Guess I can put in a new clutch and update it to the later hydraulic version as well.
If my dad had known you needed a transmission, he may not have had me sell my 900. Sorry to hear about your transmission troubles.
What year(s) is NG900? I bought an '82 900 Turbo with a broken transmission - knowingly, though. Reverse was what was broken in it. About a year after replacing it, I sold it, with a soon to die transmision. :omg: Again, it was reverse that was failing.
94-2000. 98-2000 models were renamed 9-3, but they're bascially an updated version of the NG900.
So Saab is still made glass transmissions then, eh? :grin:
I know the older Saab's had a reverse lockout feature. That meant you had to pull up the shift knob to get the car into reverse. Sounds dumb... but have you tried that yet?
just a thought. I was laying bed getting ready to get up so I can go to work. (gotta love days where I have to be in at 5:30 am) and it occured to me.. the problem might not be either the shift mechanism or the transmission,
To put it bluntly, the shift feel on my 900 sucks. I have owned air cooled VWs with more feel and precision.. not to mention tighter shift patterns. Can there really be close to a foot of play at the top of the shifter when in neutral? I can literally move the shifter from side to side when neutral almost a foot.
This afternoon when I get home from work, I am going to try and out the car in reverse manually at the linkage. I just cannot see a premium brand like saab putting out a car with such a wide and sloppy shift pattern. Especially a high performance car like a turbo 900.
Or I am just clutching at straws (sorry) as I attempt everything I can to avoid replacing the shift mechanism.
Make sure the shifter is aligned properly http://photo.platonoff.com/Auto/20050325.Saab_NG900_Shifter_Alignment/
Also i don't have an ng900 but i've heard that if the plastic lockout tab on the shifter is broken reverse can be next to impossible to find.
Compared to my Subaru and a couple of Hondas/Acuras I've driven with MTs, my Saab had really long throws. 5th and reverse were always tricky for me to engage. I also had to practically mash the clutch pedal through the firewall to engage it.
well, reverse is definatly toast. I even disconnected the shifter and put it into gear manually at the transmission. No go (actually no reverse) got a line on a used trans for $350 up in Ct
