ECU upgrade for my Saab 9-5 Aero today.

Nick1881 · 25 Jul 2009 at 11:10

I have been wanting to do it for ages. A guy off a Saab forum has sent me a stage 1 tuned ECU for my car. It has just this minute arrived.

Standard Power is 230bhp and torque I think about 240lb/ft.

Stage 1 is meant to take power up to around 265bhp and torque I have heard reported as high as 290lb/ft.

I'm going to have a shower then get it fitted, just a 10-15 minute job to whip the ECU out and put the replacement in.

Wish me luck, I shall report back in a bit.

Berger · 25 Jul 2009 at 11:14

Good luck, hope you bought some shares in Goodyear.

DM · 25 Jul 2009 at 11:25

Enjoy

Ev0 · 25 Jul 2009 at 11:39

Friend has been building up his 9-5 for ages now, when it's done it'll be running very very silly power.

Bluelion · 25 Jul 2009 at 11:45

I thought all the 9-5 Aero's were 250hp standard? Wasn't it the older 9000 Aero's which were 230hp? Maybe I'm wrong

naefeart · 25 Jul 2009 at 12:10

Bluelion said:
I thought all the 9-5 Aero's were 250hp standard? Wasn't it the older 9000 Aero's which were 230hp? Maybe I'm wrong

The mk1 95 Aero was 230bhp and 258 lb/ft torque, the facelifted mk2 onwards was 250bhp.

Good luck with the upgrade, my old mk1 Aero had 280bhp and was a handfull, especially in the wet. Went like stink though

n

Nick1881 · 25 Jul 2009 at 12:57

Well it was a little more complicated, for some reason the new ECU must have been mounted different, had to drill 2 holes where my original had its mounting holes, this was only on the outer brackets so nothing major.

It's definitely quicker, really surges forward, butt dyno approved.

I might look at getting a rolling road run. A local place has a dyno pack, one where you take the wheels off the car. Think it's about £60-70 for a run. Worth it or is that expensive?

Really happy for what it cost me anyway.

Tom|Nbk · 25 Jul 2009 at 13:37

Biohazard · 25 Jul 2009 at 13:38

35bhp from an ECU mapping? This a turbo?

Nick1881 · 25 Jul 2009 at 14:02

Biohazard said:
35bhp from an ECU mapping? This a turbo?

Yep.

2.3 4 pot turbo.

Not sure what boost they run as standard, I should have checked it before and after.

The in car boost gauge does go higher than it did before, it's no where near accurate though.

thepharcyde · 25 Jul 2009 at 14:06

Does you car not have a ODB port? Most new cars these days just get a new tune loaded up this way

PS don't forget to inform your insurance if they are still open

Alibaba99 · 25 Jul 2009 at 14:40

Bluelion said:
I thought all the 9-5 Aero's were 250hp standard? Wasn't it the older 9000 Aero's which were 230hp? Maybe I'm wrong

9000 Aeros were 225.

Pre '02 cars are 230 but have overboost so actually give 240 or so.
The post '02 (facelift) cars are 250 and the Dame Ednas are 260.

Alibaba99 · 25 Jul 2009 at 14:44

mr_x_plosion said:
Yep.

2.3 4 pot turbo.

Not sure what boost they run as standard, I should have checked it before and after.

The in car boost gauge does go higher than it did before, it's no where near accurate though.

Boost measurements on T7 cars are fairly meaningless as the ECU is mapped to torque demand and then juggles the throttle and boost to give the desired results. This results in very consistent performance regardless of weather and altitude, but feels rather different to a normal turbo car.

Stonedofmoo · 25 Jul 2009 at 14:46

Alibaba99 said:
9000 Aeros were 225.

Pre '02 cars are 230 but have overboost so actually give 240 or so.
The post '02 (facelift) cars are 250 and the Dame Ednas are 260.

Aye what he said, although apart from a few minor tweaks it's all the same engine. I considered doing the power upgrade on my 95 Aero, but sold it beforehand. It already had plenty of power for FWD

They are damn nice cars, it's just a shame they aren't RWD like other cars in it's class.

Nick1881 · 25 Jul 2009 at 14:51

thepharcyde said:
Does you car not have a ODB port? Most new cars these days just get a new tune loaded up this way

PS don't forget to inform your insurance if they are still open

Yes it does, I heard its quite easy to do but they recommend getting a second ECU so your not messing with the original, for the price I got a second ECU already mapped it would hardly be worth me messing with.