| Author |  Topic  |
rogerblount
V4 Fan
190 Posts |  Posted - 09 Apr 2018 : 19:41:40  
| | What is the proper colour to paint a saab v4 engine |
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TTruckie
V4 Fanatic
United Kingdom
320 Posts | Posted - 09 Apr 2018 : 22:24:55
| Silver, Blue or Black!
Silver for an early 'open' deck engine
Blue for the majority
Black for the later (low compression IIRC)
They are Ford colours and Frost Restoration do some good paints - POR engine prep and paint |  |
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melle
V4 Guru
United Kingdom
3833 Posts | Posted - 10 Apr 2018 : 00:30:00
| All V4s in Saabs are high compression.
www.saabv4.com | |
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Mos6502
V4 Fan
USA
133 Posts | Posted - 10 Apr 2018 : 14:56:14
| | U.S. Spec got low compression engines for 1971 IIRC, for emissions reasons. | |
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melle
V4 Guru
United Kingdom
3833 Posts | Posted - 10 Apr 2018 : 14:59:28
| Yes, those are 1.7LC if I'm not mistaken? I meant all 1.5s.
www.saabv4.com | |
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TTruckie
V4 Fanatic
United Kingdom
320 Posts | Posted - 10 Apr 2018 : 21:38:05
| yep, Sonett V4 engines are HC and Sonett III are LC for emissions.
There are still 3 colours though - Silver, Blue and Black. I have a Silver and a Blue and a Hybrid tuned which is between the 2!?!!
Silver engines have short throw plugs and the heads are not interchangeable on later models as they are a subtly different shape and don't cover all the water jacket. (don't ask me how I know.....!) | |
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melle
V4 Guru
United Kingdom
3833 Posts | Posted - 10 Apr 2018 : 21:58:54
| I just read in Jack Ashcraft's Fast V4 book that 1.7 heads are 7.5mm higher than 1.5 heads and that the bolts are longer as well. I've worked on many V4s and never noticed any difference, will check next time I'm in the workshop!
www.saabv4.com | |
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pchristy
V4 Guru
United Kingdom
1790 Posts | Posted - 11 Apr 2018 : 09:00:02
| quote:
Originally posted by melle
All V4s in Saabs *should be* high compression.
www.saabv4.com
Corrected that for you, Melle! 
After 40 years, who knows what they've ended up with! Mine has a Vege rebuilt engine, but has always felt somewhat flat compared to my original car. Perhaps its just rose-tinted spectacles, looking back, and the fact that average car performance has improved so much in the intervening decades..... But it still feels flat!
--
Pete
"Duct tape is like the Force: It has a light side and a dark side, and it binds the Universe together!" | |
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melle
V4 Guru
United Kingdom
3833 Posts | Posted - 11 Apr 2018 : 11:06:24
| High or low compression refers to compression ratio, not the actual compression. I've worked on/ owned a good few VeGe engines (the current one in my 96 also is a VeGe) and I've never experienced them as being "flat". Would be interesting to see how your engine responds to a few jetting and ignition tweaks.
www.saabv4.com | |
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pchristy
V4 Guru
United Kingdom
1790 Posts | Posted - 12 Apr 2018 : 09:27:24
| As I say, it may just be that 40-odd years of memory have made me think my original car was better than it was in reality! It would be interesting to get mine on a rolling road and see what I'm actually getting out of it.
I'm getting reasonable mpg from it, so the jetting can't be far out - its set to the 1600 Pinto at present, which should be pretty close. On the other hand, I've never heard it pinking - even when I've deliberately advanced the ignition. That's what makes me wonder about the compression ratio.
BTW, I remember reading somewhere that all Vege engines had hardened valve seats fitted. Of course the V4s were all done before Vege rose from the dead again, so I have no idea if the V4s were treated this way or not. Do you happen to know?
--
Pete
"Duct tape is like the Force: It has a light side and a dark side, and it binds the Universe together!" | |
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melle
V4 Guru
United Kingdom
3833 Posts | Posted - 12 Apr 2018 : 12:05:13
| I had my current VeGe apart to the last nut and bolt and found that oddly it has one cylinder head with hardened valves and one without. I have no reason to believe someone has been into the engine between VeGe putting it together and me taking it apart again.
I installed an AFR gauge in my 96 and it still amazes me how a 0.003mm jet change (e.g. primary main down from 130 to 127) can transform how an engine performs and how it affects the readings. The upside of Webers is their tunability, the downside is that they nearly always perform OK but it's a lot of work to get them to work at peak performance because there are so many parameters that also influence each other. Loads of good books on Webers about, e.g. John Passini's and the Weber factory manual (I can email you a pdf if you're interested).
www.saabv4.com | |
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pchristy
V4 Guru
United Kingdom
1790 Posts | Posted - 12 Apr 2018 : 15:56:22
| Interesting! Sounds like I'd better keep tipping the additive in, then! At least, until I can afford a set of Malbrads Big Valve heads!
The problem with Webers is that there are so many variables its difficult to know where to start! And to do the job properly, you really need to get it onto a rolling road - which ain't cheap either! I don't know if there is one down this neck of the woods, either.
First priority though is the MOT. Its just inside the one month window, so I need to get it through that before worrying about anything else! Thanks for the useful info, though!
Cheers,
--
Pete
"Duct tape is like the Force: It has a light side and a dark side, and it binds the Universe together!" | |
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melle
V4 Guru
United Kingdom
3833 Posts | Posted - 12 Apr 2018 : 16:43:26
| There is a lot you can test without a rolling road, even without an AFR gauge! Quite time consuming, but a lot of fun if you're patient enough. I think a tachometer is indispensable by the way.
For DCD tuning you can roughly use the following as a guide, the Weber factory manual and the various Weber books discuss it in much more detail.
<2500 rpm: idle jets, the most important jets if you think about it as they do most of the work (not only at idle)
2500-4000 rpm: main jets
>4000 rpm: air correctors for fine tuning
A main jet change has about 4x the impact of an air corrector change, so those really are for fine tuning at higher rpm
Smaller venturi> higher air velocity/ more vauum> better fuel atomisation> better low rpm torque and better fuel economy
Larger venturi> more air volume> better high rpm torque
Funny how the opening question on colour tuning derailed into a discussion about actual tuning! Will you be at Swedish Day Pete?
www.saabv4.com | |
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pchristy
V4 Guru
United Kingdom
1790 Posts | Posted - 12 Apr 2018 : 18:08:58
| Yes, we've wandered a bit off topic, haven't we? 
Yes, I should be at Swedish Day. No clashes this year! Hopefully in the V4 - assuming no issues with it, as the MOT is imminent! I really ought to bring the 9000 Aero one year, but the V4 is more fun! 
I've just discovered a rolling road place almost on my doorstep! They specialise in fuel injection and Cosworths, but their rates aren't excessive, so maybe I'll pay them a visit once the MOT is over.
I'm not anticipating any issues, but when a car reaches this age, you never know....!
--
Pete
"Duct tape is like the Force: It has a light side and a dark side, and it binds the Universe together!" | |
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melle
V4 Guru
United Kingdom
3833 Posts | Posted - 13 Apr 2018 : 14:01:28
| Be good to catch up at Swedish Day and yes, bring the 96! Good luck with the MOT.
www.saabv4.com | |
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greg124
V4 Fan
United Kingdom
173 Posts | Posted - 14 Apr 2018 : 01:40:41
| | I hope to meet up with some of you V4 guys at Swedish Day, but I've come to the realisation that The Custardwagon ('72 96V4) will not be ready for this year, so I'll be in the 900 | |
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| Topic | |
Engine colour
