Awesome tutorial! I imagine Saab had this conversation when designing the 2.8T..."So we messed up with the ECU location on the 2.0T...how about this time we put the battery and coolant reservoir by the turbo? That should be a nice treat for them!"
They could send the battery to the trunk, as Mercedes and Volvo did. Also could let the ECU where the old gen 9-3 goes, but for us correspond to save our Saabs doing this kind of mods.
Here i am 3 years after you made this video and finding it incredibly useful. The esaabparts photo instructions leave much to be desired for someone who doesn’t know what everything is, your easy to follow video is perfect. Thank you! And thanks for everything you are doing to help us keep our Saab’s on the road!
My 2004 93 was bringing up multiple codes and air con stopped working. I did a similar thing to this and now have no codes, air con works and engine runs better. You wouldn't think this would make a big difference but it does. Thanks for showing us.
I made one kit like this myself, it cost me 10-15 bucks in materials but also several hours of work . :) It reduces the temperature but still at times the computer gets really hot.
Bought a 2005 9-3 aero convertible with 85,000 miles, well maintained. This was the first “mod” I couldn’t wait to do! Installed tonight! Great instructional video! Thanks!
Excellent video, thanks for sharing! Purchased a kit for my 2006 93 with 198k miles. Still on the original ECU and my Saab runs very nicely. Great cars. Going to install my kit today 30 March 2023
I made a similar kit for my 1.6 Fiat Stilo ECU, which had similar issue (except it wasn't the intake manifold but a metallic plate mounted on top of the engine valve cover (also metallic). I bought 3 rubber anti-vibration male-to-male screws, a thick shield of electromechanical bakelite (it was very hard to find it as it isn't usually offered in retail stores) and of course a similar earth strap. Works like a charm. I will probably make a similar video soon.
Just bought the exact same kit took 4 days to UK. Can't wait to install this, I will also add aluminium heat shield under both the ECU and Spacer for extra heat dissipation. I won't use the engine cover. Hopefully stops me throwing codes on an otherwise pampered car.
Helpful tip: I installed this today. Ordering / receiving was easy and pretty quick. The bottom studs on the rubber spacers are just glued on. 3 out of 4 went all the way in and bottomed out with just finger tightening. For some reason the bottom right was tight and I couldn't get it to bottom out by finger tightening. I put one of the screws in the top to be able to use ratchet to get the spacer to bottom out and... pop - rubber detached from bottom stud and I wasn't using much torque. Had to use pliers and then glue it back on with some 5 min. epoxy. So, if you're not able to get all the rubber spacers to bottom out on the plate with just your fingers, squirt a little PB Blaster or the like onto one of the screws and work it with a ratchet - in, back out, in, back out, until threads on intake have no more tight spots. Then you'll be able to get all the rubber spacers to bottom out with just fingers. When mounting the ECU, you won't want to put much torque on those screws at all as you may risk the bottom rubber spacer stud detaching. Maybe a couple lbs. torque with some loc-tite. I didn't use loc-tite so will check the mounting screws in a couple hundred miles.
Thanks for another informative, well- made video! Your input about how to increase ventilation on the engine cover is something I experimented with, though like you I am not skilled in making straight vertical slits in the cover. What I did was drill four holes equally spaced 1.5 inches across each of the three indentations. I used masking tape after measuring to make sure each of the holes lined up vertically, and I angled the drill at about 45 degrees to assist with the angle the inflow of air would take before exiting the holes the factory made at the rear of the engine cover. I think the cosmetic look is acceptable, to me at least, and a bit more ventilation for the ECM. Happy to email you pics if you want. Cheers! John
Thanks for the fantastic video. I installed the kit today, it was easier than it expected with your help. After I was done, started my ‘09 Combi and got a stability control error. Turned off and re-started, it went away until I drove about 10 mins. Turned off, drove again another 10 mins, no error. Fingers crossed it won’t appear again. 🤞Anyone else experience this issue?
That’s odd. Did you disconnect the battery and everything? I wonder if the car was just acting strange since the ecu was disconnected. If it doesn’t come back, I wouldn’t worry 😁😁
Yeah....gotta get one of those kits. Already roasted an ECU at 190k on my ARC Vert. Thanks for pointing them out! If that plastic coolant y-pipe isn't fairly new, you might want to check out the metal aftermarket versions soon. Mine snapped when I tried to push it out of the way recently. Less than cool...
Just purchased one of these for my 2008 9-3 SportCombi. They have added a 2nd design where you can also set the Saab Griffin logo now. Cost me $78 shipped and I picked the faster DHL shipping, it could be a bit less if you text the original design and USPS shipping. Also, they have super great service and very fast! Thanks to the guy who makes these and thanks to you for the video!
If someone wants to make it on its own, it cost less than 5$ ... It's not just a heat, vibrations are a bigger problem ... rubber bolts neutralize vibrations, and the bakelite plate and the space in between regulate the temperature down.
I made a similar kit for my 1.6 Fiat Stilo ECU, which had similar issue (except it wasn't the intake manifold but a metallic plate mounted on top of the engine valve cover (also metallic). I bought 3 rubber anti-vibration male-to-male screws, a thich shield of electromechanical bakelite (it was very hard to find it as it isn't offered in retail stores) and of course a similar earth strap. Works like a charm. I will probably make a similar video soon.
I just followed this video (thanks so much for posting it). I couldn't get the Intake Hose off. And, it turns out I didn't need to. You can get to the engine cover bolts without removing it, if you have an extender for your 10mm ratchet. I did loosen the clamp on the Intake Hose though (which was opposite direction from your video and re-tightening it later was difficult to get a screwdriver in position for). NOTE: You can not install those new elongated bolts for the engine cover (from the kit) without a deep socket 10mm. So make sure you have a deep socket 10mm, make sure you have socket extender, and you can probably get away with leaving your Intake Hose on if you feel you need to.
Great tip and tutorial on the kit (my third T8 ECU is going to be installed next week along with the kit). I purchased the kit on Monday June 28th from Martin (the gentleman you recommended), and I received it on Friday July 2nd. I contacted Martin by email to start the process, and he was quick to respond. I paid extra to have the kit shipped by DHL and there were no issues. The financial transaction was done through PayPal which worked for both of us. Thanks for putting the video together and recommending him.
I put one of these kits on my 2006 Combi about 6 months ago. My car has about 85K on it and I just thought it would be a good preventative measure. My temp difference is about 37 deg. C cooler.
Although I've not done this yet, a recent experience leads me to believe excess heat is definitely an issue with old ECUs. We recently hit 95 degrees here in Central Texas. I drove my 40 minute commute home in my '06 9-3 sportcombi. Stopped at a store for 20 minutes, parked in the sun, and when I came back out to go, had Traction Control Failure and other codes and car wouldn't start. There were zero symptoms on the 40 minute drive. Cleared codes to start and limped home. Disconnected battery and every possible electrical quick disconnect. Let it sit overnight and reconnected all. Cleared codes and no issues since, but it hasn't been much above 80 degrees outside. Makes me think the heat and baking Texas sun that day had something to do with it. Making the CPU cooler on a computer for better performance and stability is definitely a real thing (and has sure come a LONG WAY in the last 15 years). Stands to reason the same holds true here. I'm going to give it a go.
@@ereseminole Hi all SAAB 9-3 NG Petrol 4s have ecu mounted on engine. Mine is an Aero and ECUs are becoming harder to find and prices are high so good insurance to prolong life of what are now aging parts with solder that melts at relatively lowish temperatures or at least over time erodes with heat etc etc or whatever the correct name is for solder joints failing in car parts.
My local (Australian) SAAB mechanic installed this for me about 2 months ago. I went and watched the video by the guy who developed the kit and he said it takes 15 minutes to install. My mechanic charged me for one hour of labour. I guess he needs to eat too! LOL.
Hi, I drilled holes in the engine cover where those 3 lines are. Car seems happy enough with the amount of airflow over the ECU. Also on key fob, the button next to boot/trunk button with a line on it brings on your exterior and interior light so you can see if anyone is hiding in your car. On the subject of the ski hatch in the rear seat, DO NOT lock the hatch. If you have the misfortune for you your boot/trunk catch to fail when boot is closed you will have no way of opening it. With hatch unlocked you can just reach through to release the rear seat back so you can get into the boot/trunk.😂
Thanks for this vid! I ordered one and am about to install. My 05 Aero is still on its original ECU at 154k. Mostly freeway miles which is why I'm guessing it survived so long.
Thanks, I just got my ecu back and I bought this kit so it doesn't happen again. As soon as I finish the install I found a problem. The little red security lights weren't blinking. The doors are locked so I can't get in. Bad day lol.
This kit took just 4 days to arrive, so great service from the email address given in the video. Not 100% sure it'll work but logic to me says heat isn't good for electronics so thought I'd fit it in case it does help.
@@AutoAutopsy oh yes, I'm sure it will reduce temperatures, just not sure if it'll prevent my ecu failing in future. I fitted in case it can do that though. Worth a try imo & it's a nice kit, easy to fit.
you can see it in original video, just type on youtube "saab 9-3 ecu heat insulation" ... btw this guy saw this instulator kit in that video... I made it myself, it costs less than $ 5 ... the ecm doesn't heat up at all while driving, and when the car stops, after a while it collects part of the ambient temperature but is still lukewarm and can be held with bare hands which was not the case before. ..
I'm going to relocate the ECU to the air filter area. I already purchased cables, so I'll extent each one of the ECU connector cable one by one to avoid mistakes and once all if them are extended I will relocate the ECU. Actually mine starts to fail. It show check engine codes related to inyectors and turbo valve. I found info and it's a problem related to overheating the ECU by years (14 on mine), so with this measure ecu will be free of more heat and hopefully I'll continues working with no more check engine codes.
To anyone doing this mod....you're gonna wanna cover the open throttle body or stuff a small rag down there. If you drop something in there, this tiny job could turn into a MAJOR project and you'll DEFINITELY be "hatin life". But look at the bright side...when you have to remove the intake manifold to, maybe, retrieve the screw, or whatever fell down there (if it didn't go into a cylinder), you could also change the PCV valve when you had it off. NEVER underestimate the power of "Murphy's Law". Mr. Murphy is ALWAYS lurking, ready to bite you in the A$$. Or, as an old gear head might say: "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" Yes, I know the "butterfly" is closed, but, Murphy don't care! And LEAVE THAT STUPID BLACK PLASTIC (heat sink) COVER ON THE GARAGE FLOOR!
@@AutoAutopsy I found that removing the air intake hose from the throttle body was unnecessary to do this job... You might need to loosen its clamp a bit, to rotate the clamp around to get the screw out of the way so you can remove the hold-down for the plastic engine cover...but no need to actually pull the hose off. Also, it wasn't necessary to disconnect the cables from the ECU itself.... once you've removed the ECU's bolts, it can be (gently) swung out of the way while still connected to its cables. This reduces the likelihood of two Murphy type disasters.
@@akahan1 Yup. I couldn't get the hose off, and was concerned about damaging stuff trying to get it off, and found that all you need is a ratchet extender to get to those bolts and you can leave the hose right where it is. But - I did loosen that clamp because it was in the way. I think it was interfering with the ground wire if I recall. I loosened the clamp, slid it, took the bolts off, did the ground wire, and at the end of the job, tightened the intake hose clamp as the last step before putting engine cover back on.
Hey man, I found a turbox that I want to bring back to life, the current owner no longer has time and says it has the timing chain stretch and is throwing p0016 and p0018. Been following for a while and have wanted one since I was 21
Mine will be arriving Thursday! Thanks for this, wasn't able to find them anywhere else (except ebay where everyone is charging double!) For me on the east coast it was $50+$25 DHL.
@@AutoAutopsy thank you Love it so far. When I told my school friends and my auto class they were giving me tons of shit . Ignored the haters bought the car and I love it it's so unique
You have parts of what you used? I have a CNC router that cut cut most material, aluminum, composite material etc... I need to make one of these but trying to figure out what material that is?
@@alexandrugorun6283 Hey sorry for the late reply. I don't have a exact parts list in english but i did the best i could :D Extension nuts M6 10pc kit Stud bolts M6x70 4pc kit bolts M6X16 DIN933 A2 15pc kit rubber mount vibration insulator 20X15XM6 4 pieces Then i just had some scrap metal laying around which i measured and cut so it would fit
@@hughjanus7376 Hey sorry for the late reply. I don't have a exact parts list in english but i did the best i could :D Extension nuts M6 10pc kit Stud bolts M6x70 4pc kit bolts M6X16 DIN933 A2 15pc kit rubber mount vibration insulator 20X15XM6 4 pieces Then i just had some scrap metal laying around which i measured and cut so it would fit
I made my own kit from the exact same part's in the UK, cost of full kit less than £30 people are charging a fortune for such little part's that are needed, you can make these yourself
The location is horrible for an ECU to be mounted. It’s the #1 demise of the 9-3 ….., sending them to be scrapped metal in the crushers. I fought back and took things in my own hands and extended all the wires and relocated it under the window wiper compartment next to the cabin filter. The stupidity is over !!!!
Interesting idea, I wonder would a square piece of embossed aluminium heat shield cut and drilled to size and fitted between the manifold and the ecu work as well and would cost about 20$ - it’s a lot thinner but very efficient and the original bolts should still fit?
bakelite / pertinax what this board is made of is an excellent insulating material, it does not transfer heat to the other side - ecu side (unlike aluminum which would heat up for sure) ... here it is also perhaps even more important is these rubber spacers, which absorb most of the vibrations that actually, with the help of heat, make a cold solder joint - which is a malfunction in the end ... This kit is not expensive at all, if you dont want to buy this original product, you can make your own... the material costs less than $ 5.
There is a company that repairs them 200 Us with warranty I built the spacer kit using 1/4 g10 fiberglass board and 10 dollars for rubber isolators and I machined spacers for front bracket ...cost 10 dollars
Imagine having your ECM (and TCM if you have one) in a “safe” place from factory.... The joy of being a Volvo owner... I’m such a d*ck for making that comment, I miss the old days when the rivalry between the 9-5 sport kombi and V70, 9-5 and S80 was all that mattered, it was a strong one (think Chevy vs Ford or Lamborghini vs Ferrari or Mercedes vs BMW or Citroën vs rust or Renault vs public transport.....) and it was glorious, the world became a better place thanks to that rivalry.
Hi my friend you put this kit also .You remember i say to you for that kit last year. I put also a simple tude front and i give fresh air in the ECU. I sent to you photos
My question about this ecu mod/saver is how much space is made from the plate to the bottom of the ecu? Or how thick are those spacers? My guess is 1 1/2 inches? Enough to fit your index finger under it?
I don't think Aluminum will really shield much heat, will it? And I guess you had to precision drill those holes, which in aluminum is a piece of cake if you measure it up right. Doing that with a piece of thicker metal wouldn't be worth the hassle. And why copper spacers? No corrosion perhaps, but copper conducts heat. Probably not pure copper though.
My 2004 Saab overheated due to a damaged hose so it was unable to hold and circulate water. The first time it happened my car sounded very different when I tried to start it. Only way I could start it was if I pumped the gas paddle a lot, then once it started, it sounded and ran perfectly fine. The next time it overheated, sounded exactly the same when cranking it over, but no matter how much I pumped the gas peddle and it will not even come close to starting. It's as if whatever was damaged the first time I overheated, got way worse or just completely burned out. Can overheating burn out the ECM? Or another sensor that could be causing my problem? I'm hoping I didn't damage the head or head gasket, pistons or ring damage etc. I can't afford to have a mechanic diagnose it. Any help will be appreciated. Thanks.
@@RagnarTheRed1 Not US, I'm from Serbia, in best case, same prices as in Europe, sometime even expensive here... bakelite plate in this size is 1 od 1.5 euros... These rubber bolts are from 1 to 2 euros max... rest are the standard m6 nuts or bolts you probably have at home... even if you dont, price is 0,1 euros or so...
@@milosrog Well, you can make most things cheaper if you do it yourself, but we usually pay for the convenience of having it done for us. I will look into it, but I doubt I can do it for cheaper where I live.
@@RagnarTheRed1 I don't know why you talk like that when it comes to very simple things. The plate could be bought in places that sell thermal insulation materials, pipes, plastics ... they cut it for you in dimmensions you want. I guess you are capable to measure and drill 3 or 4 holes in the plate? That is all work. Even if you don't believe it, it is enough to look at the prices of all these parts on ebay ...
With the hottest summer in modern history of Greece the ECU of my 9-3X failed. I decided to fix it instead of replacing it. What is your opinion? My mechanic also proposed to relocate it somewhere next to the battery where the automatic ones have their computer for the auto gearbox. What’s your opinion?
It would help not much at tropic country while it was driving at urban area as the cooling fan will blow the hot air, coolant house to radiator is at right corner where the tempt is much higher than last side that will heat up the T-8.
I don't see how this lowers the temperature off the ECU, the plate you are installing will get to the same temperature as the manifold it is bolted to, only the stepped bolts are spacing the ECU from the plate but it is minor realistically. The best solution would be something that removes the heat transfer between the manifold and the ECU, this plate does not do that in my opinion.
I just got the ecu spacer I put the new ground where you said my car is misfiring with coil pack codes because of the ground from the throttle body is there a better ground that I can use
Do you need to disconnect the battery when swapping out your ECU? On all the videos I have seen, nobody has done so unless they just are not saying so in the vid. Thanks for content!
There are a few check engine light codes that will indicate if it’s bad or going bad. This video discusses and show how to marry a new ecu to the car: ua-cam.com/video/p4JbHSR6FMg/v-deo.htmlsi=8JIVV2zIlJDdSUAi
Help! Lol! I’m having issues with my 2005 Saab 9-3 I’m getting code P0686. It’s also jerks when in the beginning stage of acceleration. Can you help with any info? Thank you!
I boght 2 of these kits for my two cars. But.. I am not happy because My ECU does have notorious Ground-connection problems with these rubbers. Anyone else? Communication does not work.
Is there any downside to leaving the engine cover off? Does it offer and protection from rain and dirt while driving? Or, is it just there to discourage owners from working on them?
Bought the spacer kit and installed. Went to turn it on and it didn’t start. Realized the ground was loose and tightened bolt. Started right up but now I have a “limited performance” light on the dash. I think I really messed up something.
@@AutoAutopsy I double checked the ground and it looks appropriately fastened. Tried leaving the battery off for 10 minutes and still getting the error. Guesss I’ll see what errors I’m getting on the reader.
Hey I’m sorry, this question has probably been asked a lot over the years but is there any way I could get some help on putting an aftermarket headunit in my Saab 93? I just want to put a single din in the place of my CD changer but I’m having trouble finding the right wire harness and fm adapter to use for my car. I’ve already wanted many UA-cam videos on how to do it, I just can’t seem to find those two parts for sale to use for my car It’s a 2003 Saab 93 arc 2.0 L Any help would be appreciated and thank you!
Hey! I would post on Facebook groups if you haven’t found the exact parts you need. You might be able to find it in a group search, and if not, couple probably find your answer with a new post
Awesome tutorial! I imagine Saab had this conversation when designing the 2.8T..."So we messed up with the ECU location on the 2.0T...how about this time we put the battery and coolant reservoir by the turbo? That should be a nice treat for them!"
They could send the battery to the trunk, as Mercedes and Volvo did. Also could let the ECU where the old gen 9-3 goes, but for us correspond to save our Saabs doing this kind of mods.
LMAO
Well said
Well said
Well said
Here i am 3 years after you made this video and finding it incredibly useful. The esaabparts photo instructions leave much to be desired for someone who doesn’t know what everything is, your easy to follow video is perfect. Thank you! And thanks for everything you are doing to help us keep our Saab’s on the road!
you should tell them to include my video link on their page! lol.thanks for the kind comment, and im glad I could help
My 2004 93 was bringing up multiple codes and air con stopped working. I did a similar thing to this and now have no codes, air con works and engine runs better. You wouldn't think this would make a big difference but it does.
Thanks for showing us.
Wow awesome. Glad you enjoyed!
Which codes? Out of curiosity
@@pitagoras17yeah
I made one kit like this myself, it cost me 10-15 bucks in materials but also several hours of work . :) It reduces the temperature but still at times the computer gets really hot.
Yeah it provides a great benefit
Do you have a parts list?
Bought a 2005 9-3 aero convertible with 85,000 miles, well maintained. This was the first “mod” I couldn’t wait to do! Installed tonight! Great instructional video! Thanks!
Right on! thank you
Excellent video, thanks for sharing! Purchased a kit for my 2006 93 with 198k miles. Still on the original ECU and my Saab runs very nicely. Great cars. Going to install my kit today 30 March 2023
I made a similar kit for my 1.6 Fiat Stilo ECU, which had similar issue (except it wasn't the intake manifold but a metallic plate mounted on top of the engine valve cover (also metallic). I bought 3 rubber anti-vibration male-to-male screws, a thick shield of electromechanical bakelite (it was very hard to find it as it isn't usually offered in retail stores) and of course a similar earth strap. Works like a charm. I will probably make a similar video soon.
Just bought the exact same kit took 4 days to UK. Can't wait to install this, I will also add aluminium heat shield under both the ECU and Spacer for extra heat dissipation. I won't use the engine cover. Hopefully stops me throwing codes on an otherwise pampered car.
Helpful tip: I installed this today. Ordering / receiving was easy and pretty quick. The bottom studs on the rubber spacers are just glued on. 3 out of 4 went all the way in and bottomed out with just finger tightening. For some reason the bottom right was tight and I couldn't get it to bottom out by finger tightening. I put one of the screws in the top to be able to use ratchet to get the spacer to bottom out and... pop - rubber detached from bottom stud and I wasn't using much torque. Had to use pliers and then glue it back on with some 5 min. epoxy. So, if you're not able to get all the rubber spacers to bottom out on the plate with just your fingers, squirt a little PB Blaster or the like onto one of the screws and work it with a ratchet - in, back out, in, back out, until threads on intake have no more tight spots. Then you'll be able to get all the rubber spacers to bottom out with just fingers. When mounting the ECU, you won't want to put much torque on those screws at all as you may risk the bottom rubber spacer stud detaching. Maybe a couple lbs. torque with some loc-tite. I didn't use loc-tite so will check the mounting screws in a couple hundred miles.
it won't come loose, you should be fine!
Thanks for another informative, well- made video! Your input about how to increase ventilation on the engine cover is something I experimented with, though like you I am not skilled in making straight vertical slits in the cover. What I did was drill four holes equally spaced 1.5 inches across each of the three indentations. I used masking tape after measuring to make sure each of the holes lined up vertically, and I angled the drill at about 45 degrees to assist with the angle the inflow of air would take before exiting the holes the factory made at the rear of the engine cover. I think the cosmetic look is acceptable, to me at least, and a bit more ventilation for the ECM. Happy to email you pics if you want. Cheers! John
nice! I think I'll stick with my current setup, but thanks for the offer!
Thanks for the fantastic video. I installed the kit today, it was easier than it expected with your help. After I was done, started my ‘09 Combi and got a stability control error. Turned off and re-started, it went away until I drove about 10 mins. Turned off, drove again another 10 mins, no error. Fingers crossed it won’t appear again. 🤞Anyone else experience this issue?
That’s odd. Did you disconnect the battery and everything? I wonder if the car was just acting strange since the ecu was disconnected. If it doesn’t come back, I wouldn’t worry 😁😁
Yeah....gotta get one of those kits. Already roasted an ECU at 190k on my ARC Vert. Thanks for pointing them out!
If that plastic coolant y-pipe isn't fairly new, you might want to check out the metal aftermarket versions soon. Mine snapped when I tried to push it out of the way recently. Less than cool...
no problem! Yeah...that's definitely a common fault with these too :(
Just purchased one of these for my 2008 9-3 SportCombi. They have added a 2nd design where you can also set the Saab Griffin logo now. Cost me $78 shipped and I picked the faster DHL shipping, it could be a bit less if you text the original design and USPS shipping. Also, they have super great service and very fast! Thanks to the guy who makes these and thanks to you for the video!
After installing it, the ECU is considerably cooler. Super appreciate the recommendation and shout out to the creator for the quality!
fantastic!
Relocating the ECU to the air filter area with a heat barrier like the ones created for a free flow air filter will save the ECU for good.
Yeah, that’s a lot more work than this though. IMO, I think this is a good solution! What you mentioned can definitely work too 👍🏼
@juan how did you manage to relocate it to the air filter area?
If someone wants to make it on its own, it cost less than 5$ ... It's not just a heat, vibrations are a bigger problem ... rubber bolts neutralize vibrations, and the bakelite plate and the space in between regulate the temperature down.
You have commented this about 15 times on this video 😂🤦🏻♂️
@@AutoAutopsy i was just giving reply on other people comments
I made a similar kit for my 1.6 Fiat Stilo ECU, which had similar issue (except it wasn't the intake manifold but a metallic plate mounted on top of the engine valve cover (also metallic). I bought 3 rubber anti-vibration male-to-male screws, a thich shield of electromechanical bakelite (it was very hard to find it as it isn't offered in retail stores) and of course a similar earth strap. Works like a charm. I will probably make a similar video soon.
Nice video and the honesty in the end about not enlarging the 3 slots in the cover yourself😂😂.
Lol! Thanks
Hello! Try not to put the plastic cover - the ecu will have more air and cooling!
I just followed this video (thanks so much for posting it). I couldn't get the Intake Hose off. And, it turns out I didn't need to. You can get to the engine cover bolts without removing it, if you have an extender for your 10mm ratchet. I did loosen the clamp on the Intake Hose though (which was opposite direction from your video and re-tightening it later was difficult to get a screwdriver in position for). NOTE: You can not install those new elongated bolts for the engine cover (from the kit) without a deep socket 10mm. So make sure you have a deep socket 10mm, make sure you have socket extender, and you can probably get away with leaving your Intake Hose on if you feel you need to.
Thanks for the guide and the link to the spacer! I just did it without removing the intake hose. A lot easier than struggling with a stuck hose haha
Great tip and tutorial on the kit (my third T8 ECU is going to be installed next week along with the kit). I purchased the kit on Monday June 28th from Martin (the gentleman you recommended), and I received it on Friday July 2nd. I contacted Martin by email to start the process, and he was quick to respond. I paid extra to have the kit shipped by DHL and there were no issues. The financial transaction was done through PayPal which worked for both of us. Thanks for putting the video together and recommending him.
I put one of these kits on my 2006 Combi about 6 months ago. My car has about 85K on it and I just thought it would be a good preventative measure. My temp difference is about 37 deg. C cooler.
Awesome! Thanks for sharing the temp difference
What is that plate made from?
"deez nuts" tickled me 😆 great vid man! Just got my first ever Saab (in UK) and loving it. Glad I came across your channel 👍
haha great. thanks for the comment!:)
Although I've not done this yet, a recent experience leads me to believe excess heat is definitely an issue with old ECUs. We recently hit 95 degrees here in Central Texas. I drove my 40 minute commute home in my '06 9-3 sportcombi. Stopped at a store for 20 minutes, parked in the sun, and when I came back out to go, had Traction Control Failure and other codes and car wouldn't start. There were zero symptoms on the 40 minute drive. Cleared codes to start and limped home. Disconnected battery and every possible electrical quick disconnect. Let it sit overnight and reconnected all. Cleared codes and no issues since, but it hasn't been much above 80 degrees outside. Makes me think the heat and baking Texas sun that day had something to do with it. Making the CPU cooler on a computer for better performance and stability is definitely a real thing (and has sure come a LONG WAY in the last 15 years). Stands to reason the same holds true here. I'm going to give it a go.
Yeah that’s weird. It’s a good mod for preventative maintenance. It gets pretty hot in phoenix here too. I’m lucky I’m still on my original ECU lol
This was very useful fitting today at RTJ autos in Stockport - fitted easily except fiddle doing earth cable
These have been available from SAAB Salvage in Sydney Australia for a number of years now have one on my 9-3 Aero
Nice! I’ve heard of that one
Dies the aero have same issue?
@@ereseminole Hi all SAAB 9-3 NG Petrol 4s have ecu mounted on engine.
Mine is an Aero and ECUs are becoming harder to find and prices are high so good insurance to prolong life of what are now aging parts with solder that melts at relatively lowish temperatures or at least over time erodes with heat etc etc or whatever the correct name is for solder joints failing in car parts.
Got mine about a month ago. No guess work. Perfect fit. Even trimmed the engine cover to let more air in.
My local (Australian) SAAB mechanic installed this for me about 2 months ago. I went and watched the video by the guy who developed the kit and he said it takes 15 minutes to install. My mechanic charged me for one hour of labour. I guess he needs to eat too! LOL.
lol
Hi, I drilled holes in the engine cover where those 3 lines are. Car seems happy enough with the amount of airflow over the ECU. Also on key fob, the button next to boot/trunk button with a line on it brings on your exterior and interior light so you can see if anyone is hiding in your car. On the subject of the ski hatch in the rear seat, DO NOT lock the hatch. If you have the misfortune for you your boot/trunk catch to fail when boot is closed you will have no way of opening it. With hatch unlocked you can just reach through to release the rear seat back so you can get into the boot/trunk.😂
Thanks for this vid! I ordered one and am about to install. My 05 Aero is still on its original ECU at 154k. Mostly freeway miles which is why I'm guessing it survived so long.
Did you get yours from the video which one did you put on
nice
@@kevincarboni5072 I got the email address from this video and emailed the guy.
Thanks, I just got my ecu back and I bought this kit so it doesn't happen again. As soon as I finish the install I found a problem. The little red security lights weren't blinking. The doors are locked so I can't get in. Bad day lol.
rip, you'll get it sorted!
This kit took just 4 days to arrive, so great service from the email address given in the video. Not 100% sure it'll work but logic to me says heat isn't good for electronics so thought I'd fit it in case it does help.
it greatly reduces temperatures, it works!
@@AutoAutopsy oh yes, I'm sure it will reduce temperatures, just not sure if it'll prevent my ecu failing in future. I fitted in case it can do that though. Worth a try imo & it's a nice kit, easy to fit.
@@AutoAutopsy I fitted this kit 18 months ago. My ECU has now failed so it seems that this kit doesn't always prevent this from happening.
Martin Hsu supplier - very efficient 👌 mine arriving Wednesday morning - ordered Sunday !
Nice one!
Just finished installing mine. Thanks for the heads up!
nice!
finally you made this vid, I have been needing this so long!!!!!
you have another video, maker of this kit, for 2 years almost now :D
Glad you enjoyed!
I would've really liked to see a test of the differences in ECU temp when the engine is warmed up. :)
you can see it in original video, just type on youtube "saab 9-3 ecu heat insulation" ... btw this guy saw this instulator kit in that video... I made it myself, it costs less than $ 5 ... the ecm doesn't heat up at all while driving, and when the car stops, after a while it collects part of the ambient temperature but is still lukewarm and can be held with bare hands which was not the case before. ..
I'm going to relocate the ECU to the air filter area. I already purchased cables, so I'll extent each one of the ECU connector cable one by one to avoid mistakes and once all if them are extended I will relocate the ECU. Actually mine starts to fail. It show check engine codes related to inyectors and turbo valve. I found info and it's a problem related to overheating the ECU by years (14 on mine), so with this measure ecu will be free of more heat and hopefully I'll continues working with no more check engine codes.
@@milosrog awesome! what size is the plate? and what sizes on the rubber mounts? :)
Sorry! Many have said differences of 30+ degrees
@@AutoAutopsy Alright, thanks! :D
any recommendations for a company to purchase a new ecu ? you're a great addition to youtube. I dig the info.
I’m not sure if they’re still available new, but if they are, they’re very, very expensive. Secondhand is your best bet! 😁
Just got an an 03 Saab 9-3 and this is great to know
To anyone doing this mod....you're gonna wanna cover the open throttle body or stuff a small rag down there. If you drop something in there, this tiny job could turn into a MAJOR project and you'll DEFINITELY be "hatin life". But look at the bright side...when you have to remove the intake manifold to, maybe, retrieve the screw, or whatever fell down there (if it didn't go into a cylinder), you could also change the PCV valve when you had it off. NEVER underestimate the power of "Murphy's Law". Mr. Murphy is ALWAYS lurking, ready to bite you in the A$$. Or, as an old gear head might say: "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" Yes, I know the "butterfly" is closed, but, Murphy don't care! And LEAVE THAT STUPID BLACK PLASTIC (heat sink) COVER ON THE GARAGE FLOOR!
Yep of course! Only reason I didn’t (I think I said in the video) was so people could see the bolts I was removing
@@AutoAutopsy I found that removing the air intake hose from the throttle body was unnecessary to do this job... You might need to loosen its clamp a bit, to rotate the clamp around to get the screw out of the way so you can remove the hold-down for the plastic engine cover...but no need to actually pull the hose off. Also, it wasn't necessary to disconnect the cables from the ECU itself.... once you've removed the ECU's bolts, it can be (gently) swung out of the way while still connected to its cables. This reduces the likelihood of two Murphy type disasters.
@@akahan1 Yup. I couldn't get the hose off, and was concerned about damaging stuff trying to get it off, and found that all you need is a ratchet extender to get to those bolts and you can leave the hose right where it is. But - I did loosen that clamp because it was in the way. I think it was interfering with the ground wire if I recall. I loosened the clamp, slid it, took the bolts off, did the ground wire, and at the end of the job, tightened the intake hose clamp as the last step before putting engine cover back on.
Hey man, I found a turbox that I want to bring back to life, the current owner no longer has time and says it has the timing chain stretch and is throwing p0016 and p0018. Been following for a while and have wanted one since I was 21
I’m not sure of the exact procedure to replace it. Saab WIS might have step by step instructions though!
@@AutoAutopsy I'll see if I can find the wis.
You are killing me. You made this a month too late. I got my from Australia. $80. Still worth it.
Good investment nonetheless :)
Where in Oz did you get one?
I'm in Brisbane
@@hereinoz7051 SaabSalvage. $120 Australian.
This is brilliant. Thank you! Ordered two kits in case my son gets a 9-3, but he said he wants bmw, so who knows.
Haha great!
Mine will be arriving Thursday! Thanks for this, wasn't able to find them anywhere else (except ebay where everyone is charging double!) For me on the east coast it was $50+$25 DHL.
awesome
did you get it from this video source? through email?
@@hughjanus7376 I did get mine through the email he listed with this video.
Another great video, thanks for the insight and step by step procedure 👍🏼
😁👍🏼
Just bought my first car , it's a 2011 9-3 Turbo 4
Congrats! 🎊
@@AutoAutopsy thank you Love it so far. When I told my school friends and my auto class they were giving me tons of shit . Ignored the haters bought the car and I love it it's so unique
That's a provileged first car, hope you become a saab fan
Thanks for the video, i made my own kit from parts from the hardware store, only cost me 22€ plus maybe an hour of work. So worth it to do this!
nice :)
Hey! Do you have a list of the parts that you used? Thanks!
You have parts of what you used? I have a CNC router that cut cut most material, aluminum, composite material etc... I need to make one of these but trying to figure out what material that is?
@@alexandrugorun6283 Hey sorry for the late reply. I don't have a exact parts list in english but i did the best i could :D
Extension nuts M6 10pc kit
Stud bolts M6x70 4pc kit
bolts M6X16 DIN933 A2 15pc kit
rubber mount vibration insulator 20X15XM6 4 pieces
Then i just had some scrap metal laying around which i measured and cut so it would fit
@@hughjanus7376 Hey sorry for the late reply. I don't have a exact parts list in english but i did the best i could :D
Extension nuts M6 10pc kit
Stud bolts M6x70 4pc kit
bolts M6X16 DIN933 A2 15pc kit
rubber mount vibration insulator 20X15XM6 4 pieces
Then i just had some scrap metal laying around which i measured and cut so it would fit
Just ordered one,,,great timing thanks!
Right on!
How much are they?
Got one for my 9-3. Only 92k miles so hopefully the ECU can outlive the rest of the car, would like to avoid needing a tech2.
you can also probably find someone relatively close that has one
Thanks for this I’ve just emailed the person hopefully they get back to me and I can order one for my Saab ....
🙏
Right on
Did you receive it ok? Was it sent from Taiwan?
@@45graham45 yeah it was all good
I made my own kit from the exact same part's in the UK, cost of full kit less than £30 people are charging a fortune for such little part's that are needed, you can make these yourself
i have no issue paying a little more to support those who help keep our cars and community alive.
@@AutoAutopsy and that's exactly what I am doing keeping these cars going
Ive install that spacer Kit today as you recommended
great!
It is your idea? Brilliant
Not my own idea haha
Your Saab still looks modern
Thank you!
@@AutoAutopsy np
The location is horrible for an ECU to be mounted. It’s the #1 demise of the 9-3 ….., sending them to be scrapped metal in the crushers. I fought back and took things in my own hands and extended all the wires and relocated it under the window wiper compartment next to the cabin filter. The stupidity is over !!!!
he makes it look so easy i gotta pull the ecu and have it rebuilt . i am gonna be adding a kit to it Fyi Amazon does have them .
it's very easy
Interesting idea, I wonder would a square piece of embossed aluminium heat shield cut and drilled to size and fitted between the manifold and the ecu work as well and would cost about 20$ - it’s a lot thinner but very efficient and the original bolts should still fit?
bakelite / pertinax what this board is made of is an excellent insulating material, it does not transfer heat to the other side - ecu side (unlike aluminum which would heat up for sure) ... here it is also perhaps even more important is these rubber spacers, which absorb most of the vibrations that actually, with the help of heat, make a cold solder joint - which is a malfunction in the end ... This kit is not expensive at all, if you dont want to buy this original product, you can make your own... the material costs less than $ 5.
True. That could work. I think the biggest benefit comes from the space created though
i have this heat shield more than a year. My ECU was change last month :)
Did your ECU go bad or did you just replace it?
@@nikdelano replace
Interesting
Why did you replace your ecu?
@@45graham45 overheated after 10 years. ECu will show you some random error codes
There is a company that repairs them 200 Us with warranty I built the spacer kit using 1/4 g10 fiberglass board and 10 dollars for rubber isolators and I machined spacers for front bracket ...cost 10 dollars
Imagine having your ECM (and TCM if you have one) in a “safe” place from factory....
The joy of being a Volvo owner...
I’m such a d*ck for making that comment, I miss the old days when the rivalry between the 9-5 sport kombi and V70, 9-5 and S80 was all that mattered, it was a strong one (think Chevy vs Ford or Lamborghini vs Ferrari or Mercedes vs BMW or Citroën vs rust or Renault vs public transport.....) and it was glorious, the world became a better place thanks to that rivalry.
Low blow lol
Hahaha 🤣 it was tasteful
Excellent video. Thanks for sharing.
10:06 HA GOT HIM!!!
HA
Great video, thanks for posting this! Question: Do those guys make this kit for 2.8 engines?
I don't know, you'd have to contact him and ask! :)
Hi my friend you put this kit also .You remember i say to you for that kit last year.
I put also a simple tude front and i give fresh air in the ECU.
I sent to you photos
I don't recall, sorry.
Εχεις βρεί κάτι συγκεκριμένο από Ελλάδα ή το έχεις φέρει από Αμερική ?
Γεια σας.ο σύζυγός μου έχει ενα saab 93 του 2004. Το ECU εσπασε.ενδιαφερετε για
Για το spacer kit install.πραματι θα ςχει διάφορα.εισαι ευχαριστημένος με το προιον;
My question about this ecu mod/saver is how much space is made from the plate to the bottom of the ecu? Or how thick are those spacers? My guess is 1 1/2 inches? Enough to fit your index finger under it?
There's a photo at 9:04; I don't know the exact measurement but it's not quite that much
@@AutoAutopsy Cheers.
You should have done a before and after temperature test, proving the kit works, or at least how well..
okay.
I'm building my own for $12 with copper spacers and a aluminum plate shield and some longer bolts from the parts store like Ace.
sweet
@@AutoAutopsy yep ECU is failing 🤬 so trying to get a good used one and have it cloned.
I don't think Aluminum will really shield much heat, will it? And I guess you had to precision drill those holes, which in aluminum is a piece of cake if you measure it up right. Doing that with a piece of thicker metal wouldn't be worth the hassle. And why copper spacers? No corrosion perhaps, but copper conducts heat. Probably not pure copper though.
My 2004 Saab overheated due to a damaged hose so it was unable to hold and circulate water. The first time it happened my car sounded very different when I tried to start it. Only way I could start it was if I pumped the gas paddle a lot, then once it started, it sounded and ran perfectly fine. The next time it overheated, sounded exactly the same when cranking it over, but no matter how much I pumped the gas peddle and it will not even come close to starting. It's as if whatever was damaged the first time I overheated, got way worse or just completely burned out. Can overheating burn out the ECM? Or another sensor that could be causing my problem? I'm hoping I didn't damage the head or head gasket, pistons or ring damage etc. I can't afford to have a mechanic diagnose it. Any help will be appreciated. Thanks.
I'm guessing it's $65 shipped in the US?
I would really like to get my hands on one of these but I live in Sweden.
5$ if you make it on your own...
@@milosrog $5 in the US sure, in Sweden though, nah no way.
@@RagnarTheRed1 Not US, I'm from Serbia, in best case, same prices as in Europe, sometime even expensive here... bakelite plate in this size is 1 od 1.5 euros... These rubber bolts are from 1 to 2 euros max... rest are the standard m6 nuts or bolts you probably have at home... even if you dont, price is 0,1 euros or so...
@@milosrog Well, you can make most things cheaper if you do it yourself, but we usually pay for the convenience of having it done for us. I will look into it, but I doubt I can do it for cheaper where I live.
@@RagnarTheRed1 I don't know why you talk like that when it comes to very simple things. The plate could be bought in places that sell thermal insulation materials, pipes, plastics ... they cut it for you in dimmensions you want. I guess you are capable to measure and drill 3 or 4 holes in the plate? That is all work. Even if you don't believe it, it is enough to look at the prices of all these parts on ebay ...
With the hottest summer in modern history of Greece the ECU of my 9-3X failed. I decided to fix it instead of replacing it. What is your opinion? My mechanic also proposed to relocate it somewhere next to the battery where the automatic ones have their computer for the auto gearbox. What’s your opinion?
I would say 100% remove the engine cover, either add the spacer OR do a relocation. maptun sells a relocation kit.
I stick some heat resistant tape underneath the ecu
that could help too
It would help not much at tropic country while it was driving at urban area as the cooling fan will blow the hot air, coolant house to radiator is at right corner where the tempt is much higher than last side that will heat up the T-8.
It will help regardless of climate and driving conditions lol
Mine failed because the radiator hose that is on the left of the ECU was cracked and sprayed coolant all over my ECU.
rip...yeah, another common failure point are those T connectors
what is the original reason for moving the ground wire?
because its too short to reach the new position of the ecu
I run mine without the cover. Well, it rained real hard and i drove through in. Do you think I got water in my ECU? It's throwing a P0687 code....
I don't see how this lowers the temperature off the ECU, the plate you are installing will get to the same temperature as the manifold it is bolted to, only the stepped bolts are spacing the ECU from the plate but it is minor realistically. The best solution would be something that removes the heat transfer between the manifold and the ECU, this plate does not do that in my opinion.
Will the kit work once the ecu has started giving problems. Until it heats up the car works great. Thanks
In another video the guy cut heat shield material and stuck it to the underside of the ECU for extra protection. Is that necessary?
I just got the ecu spacer I put the new ground where you said my car is misfiring with coil pack codes because of the ground from the throttle body is there a better ground that I can use
Do you need to disconnect the battery when swapping out your ECU? On all the videos I have seen, nobody has done so unless they just are not saying so in the vid. Thanks for content!
It wouldn’t hurt!
I need a ECU! Mine is failing. Any recommendations on where to buy a reliable one?
Great video! I will be doing this job myself this weekend on my 2006 9-3. Do you need to disconnect the battery before starting this or nah?
Nice. You could if you want. Not necessary though!
shouldn't the battery be disconnected first?
Does it fit to Saab 93 with engine Z18XE engine?? 1800 cc ?
How can you tell if the ECU is bad? Do I need to have it reprogrammed if purchased refurbished?
There are a few check engine light codes that will indicate if it’s bad or going bad. This video discusses and show how to marry a new ecu to the car: ua-cam.com/video/p4JbHSR6FMg/v-deo.htmlsi=8JIVV2zIlJDdSUAi
Do you think it’s worth doing the relocation kit or does the spacer accomplish the job?
Relocation is the best solution, but this still helps
Help! Lol! I’m having issues with my 2005 Saab 9-3 I’m getting code P0686. It’s also jerks when in the beginning stage of acceleration. Can you help with any info? Thank you!
Worked great! Thanks
Great to hear!
Nice! Thanks!
👍🏼👍🏼
I boght 2 of these kits for my two cars. But.. I am not happy because My ECU does have notorious Ground-connection problems with these rubbers. Anyone else? Communication does not work.
Hi Jacob. Before installing, is it necessary to disconnect the battery?
definitely recommend it!
Is there any downside to leaving the engine cover off? Does it offer and protection from rain and dirt while driving? Or, is it just there to discourage owners from working on them?
Should be fine cars built way back that had no covers still run fine today without
What material rubber do you use ?
I’m not sure exactly what rubber was used
Bought the spacer kit and installed. Went to turn it on and it didn’t start. Realized the ground was loose and tightened bolt. Started right up but now I have a “limited performance” light on the dash. I think I really messed up something.
Disconnect the ecu/battery for a few minutes and reconnect
@@AutoAutopsy I double checked the ground and it looks appropriately fastened. Tried leaving the battery off for 10 minutes and still getting the error. Guesss I’ll see what errors I’m getting on the reader.
Okay I drove it around for a bit and it turned off! Maybe it needed to recalibrate or something? Who knows. Everything operating smoothly.
If you take apart yoir ecu cables do you have tk reprogram
Do you need the beity cover bracket
Can a bad throttle body cause a p0300 code? Anybody please help
Do you need to remove the two large wire connectors to install the shield?
On the ecu? Yeah I unplugged and removed the ecu
Hallo, wo kann ich einen Link bestellen, vielen Dank im Voraus.
Is it better than kit 88800073 from Orio?
Hey I’m sorry, this question has probably been asked a lot over the years but is there any way I could get some help on putting an aftermarket headunit in my Saab 93? I just want to put a single din in the place of my CD changer but I’m having trouble finding the right wire harness and fm adapter to use for my car. I’ve already wanted many UA-cam videos on how to do it, I just can’t seem to find those two parts for sale to use for my car
It’s a 2003 Saab 93 arc 2.0 L
Any help would be appreciated and thank you!
Hey! I would post on Facebook groups if you haven’t found the exact parts you need. You might be able to find it in a group search, and if not, couple probably find your answer with a new post
Where can order the kit ?I have some car they You got . thanks
Email the person in the description
As I stated, email the guy in the description!
nice, got anything similar for the V6 ECU?
Not to my knowledge :(
Yo!! @auto autopsy
..you did not yell us where the other end of the ground goes!!
I did show it in great detail!
@@AutoAutopsy I had to go back, my bad