I have a 2001 Saab 9-3 SE Turbo with about 120K on it. This winter I started noticing a fairly loud whining noise that only occurs after a cold start (car sitting overnight). It begins about 5-10 seconds after the engine has started and lasts about 1-2 minutes. It also seems to be temp. dependent because I noticed it less during a recent warm spell. I initially thought it was related to the serpentine belt / tensioner, but I had those replaced in the meantime, and I'm now wondering if it is sludge related. I also noticed there is a very slow leak from the distributor hole plug, although I think that may predate the whining noise. For most of the Saab's life Mobil 1 has been used. However, based on some probably bad advice, the last 2-3 oil changes used regular oil. Several weeks ago I changed the oil and used M1 0W-40, which it seems most people with older Saabs use. At that time I also used a coat hanger to scrape inside the bottom of the oil pan, and didn't see any evidence of sludge. The noise still occurs with the OW-40 and the slow leak is still there as well (although I plan to address this w/some high-temp silicone). I described the noise to the mechanic at the shop where I had the belt change done, and he suggested trying MMO before doing anything more involved such as dropping the oil pan. Is MMO suitable for my engine, and assuming yes, how much should I use and how long should I leave it in? I'd rather not wait until the next oil change, so I'm planning to remove an equal volume of oil before adding the MMO.
Thanks,
Dan
Thanks,
Dan