MX5 Dolly

[Carledo]

So who has actually fitted this Saab turbo engine in a dolly then?
We keep hearing about it but who has actually ever done it?

The old 900 format wont work cos its the wrong way round and is pointless anyway without the turbo, which there is no room for.

Until I see some pics I am not a believer....and why would an Omega box fit? Just cos the 9-3 and 9-5 have some Vectra dna they would never use
an Omie box cos its rwd...

Easier to fit a Holden V8 if you ask me....

Jonners

If you look at a 9-3 from below, the only giveaway that it's not a Cav is that the front wishbones are alloy, not pressed steel. The gearbox is Cav too and since the Omega shares engines with the Cav, it would follow that the Saab lump SHOULD mate to an Omega box. BUT and its a biggie, the Omega box for the (BMW) 2.5 diesel Omega has a completely different case with the starter on the other side in order to match the Beamer lump and there is no reason NOT to suspect that it wasn't done this way for the Saab engine too, its much cheaper to make a different gearbox half case in ally than to retool an iron block!
So at the moment, like Jonners, I'll wait till I see the pictures of this mythical beast!

Unconvinced of Highley

PS ANY V8 is a PITA in a Dolly, they're all too long and the Holden small block is too heavy as well. I'm rapidly coming to the conclusion that the Omega V6 is the way to go for easy serious horsepower!

[2F45T4U]

The b202 is the slant 4 engine thats fitted in to the classic shape 900 backwards, not sure what gearboxs these would fit too but Im not interested in fitting one of them as you say the turbo wont fit.

The b204/234 engine is an upright 4 pot out of the uglier rounder 900s and the 9000. From 1994-98 these have the same gearbox bolt patter as a vauxhall. These enginws will mate up to fwd and rwd vauxhalls. These engines are cheap, strong and tuneable.

[Carledo]

I would not be too quick to dismiss the B202 then! Since we all know it was developed from the Triumph slant engine, the block pattern for the bellhousing adaptor may well match up to Sprint/TR7 parts. In the Saab turbo, the turbo is on the offside which would make life very difficult in a Dolly but this would assume you are using it in the FWD app with the engine in backwards - which is a non starter for several other reasons. If you were to turn it the right way round and fit a sump (maybe even a Sprint sump - who knows?) the turbo would be on the nearside where there is more space. ISTR from my own 99 with this engine that the lean is not so drastic either - I think it might be possible and it would certainly be appropriate to take this engine back to its roots.
If, as you say, the B204/234 '94-'98 uses a GM bellhousing pattern then it would have made sense to have kept it for the 9-3 '98 onward (and possibly the 9-5 though I have less knowledge of these) which definitely uses a GM gearbox. I have a few Vauxhall boxes around here so all I need is a Saab engine to try! Offers anyone??

Steve

[sprint95m]

I found an ebay listing showing a Saab engine.....
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/261174408914? ... 1423.l2649


It has the sump pan to the front and also is quite tall?
Will the electronics be complicated?






Ian.

[Carledo]

I found an ebay listing showing a Saab engine.....
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/261174408914? ... 1423.l2649


It has the sump pan to the front and also is quite tall?
Will the electronics be complicated?
Ian.

This is interesting! I spent a happy hour last night looking at Saab engines on ebay and somehow missed this one which is a refugee from the later style of transverse engined cars. This view, showing the bellhousing fitting is particularly useful as it shows a plate which looks to be compatible on approx bolt spacing and starter position with the GM box. Because it is a plate and not cast into the block it should also be possible to use a Sprint backplate (modified if need be) and put an o/d box behind it. The front well sump is also encouraging and note that the lean, which would be to the n/s in a Dolly, is nowhere near that of an original slant 4 so there's probably room for a turbo. I don't think the height will be a problem, my 8v Vauxhall engine goes in easily, even with its hi-rise plenum and someone is alleged to have a Rover T16 powered Dolly which is a massively tall lump.
This could be a goer! However I'm still not convinced that it would be as good or as easy to fit as the GM 3.0 V6, with its all alloy block its going to be as light or lighter than the Saab lump and there's 210bhp and RWD compatible engine mounts and hoses straight out of the (Omega) box.
To get anywhere near that horsepower figure you'd have to use the turbo'd Saab engine (and its only a low pressure turbo in factory form). Anyone know the figures for the Saab?

Steve

[Triumph1300]

Practical Performance Car magazine are currently inserting a Saab turbo engine, Carlton gearbox, and Volvo back axle into a mk 2 Escort..................

[2F45T4U]

Sorry to hijack this thread.

The figures for the b204 are 150hp in low pressure form. With nothing but a remap you can take this power up to the limit of the turbo which 250hp. A b234 with a td04 turbo from the aero is 220hp, with nothing but a remap you can go to 280hp and 350ftlb +

[Mx5 turbo dolly]

Look out for pics/videos of the dolomite
Doing its 1st drift day!

[shep]

Got a video of drift day! Just a quickie and it not the best but still looked awesome !

http://i712.photobucket.com/albums/ww12 ... 85ff35.mp4

Did some much more impressive drifts but seemed my camera was a bad luck charm!!

[Mx5 turbo dolly]

I don't think the link is working!
Or it might be me!!

[Carledo]

I did get to see it, so it must be you! There was a massive amount of buffering but that was probably ME!

Steve

[mach1rob]

Nice tank slapper

[Mx5 turbo dolly]

It would not be the first time I had been
Called a slapper!!!

[mach1rob]

From what I could see, you were still going by the pit exit lane? Highly impressive as it's a fair old distance

[Mx5 turbo dolly]

I need another 30-40 bhp which I should
Get when I get the wide band in and fitted
So I can see what the engine is doing(pretty
Sure it's leaning out at 6000-7500rpm)
Also I had no rear brakes or hydraulic handbrake
Hence why the entry to the corner was crap!!
Any do a kit for a rear disc brake conversion?