# Saab 900 Distributor with Vacuum - Which one? On a 16V



## B1-16V (Aug 5, 2002)

For those that are running the Saab distributor with vacuum, are you using one with points and condensor or is it one with Hall effect or something?
Are all of them using springs and weights?

I found a link apearing to show both kinds, just want to be sure.

Does anyone have a part number? Or a good source?

Just starting collecting parts for a 2.0 16V with ported 1.8 head, and twin Weber carbs.

My goal really is as little wiring/sensors/black boxes as possible.


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## dougkehl (Nov 30, 2011)

I ran one off a 88 900 turbo that was hall effect. It's going to be from a 8v 900 tubro, not the 16v turbo. 

Also, look for one with a square plug otherwise you'll have to find a round/oval style plug and splice it into your harness.

Ebay is where I got mine probably 4 years ago. I'd get you the part number off it, but I sold it not long after buying it.


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## B1-16V (Aug 5, 2002)

Thank you, that helps. I didn't realize it was the turbo model I was looking for.


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## dougkehl (Nov 30, 2011)

Not a problem. I believe you could use a non turbo 8v distributor, but I know mine came from a turbo car.


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## Damian Grihalva (May 19, 2008)

How does the saab distributor fit the 16v head? Is it bolt on?


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## dougkehl (Nov 30, 2011)

Damian Grihalva said:


> How does the saab distributor fit the 16v head? Is it bolt on?


Yes, well almost. You need to make a plate of sorts to retain one side of the distributor fit. As you know the 16v dizzy has two slots for bolt up and adjustment. The saab dizzy has 3 slots for bolt up and adjustment.


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## B1-16V (Aug 5, 2002)

dougkehl said:


> You need to make a plate of sorts to retain one side of the distributor fit. As you know the 16v dizzy has two slots for bolt up and adjustment. The saab dizzy has 3 slots for bolt up and adjustment.


Does anyone have a photo of this mod?


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## dougkehl (Nov 30, 2011)

B1-16V said:


> Does anyone have a photo of this mod?


This isn't the best picture, but here you can just see on my old engine that the saab distributor is in there and I made a little crescent shaped plate that circled around the distributor to clamp the one side down, while the other side uses one of the bolt slots. I still have the plate at home. I'll take a picture of it today.

1147005_10201046970009718_1919035006_o (1) by dougkehl1, on Flickr


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## B1-16V (Aug 5, 2002)

Oh yes, a picture is worth a thousand words, that was perfect. Thank you very much.


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## Damian Grihalva (May 19, 2008)

So what are you using for ignition then ~ is the distributor attached directly to the coil?


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## dougkehl (Nov 30, 2011)

Damian Grihalva said:


> So what are you using for ignition then ~ is the distributor attached directly to the coil?


It works just like a rabbit on CIS. So you'll have the hall sensor plugged in on the distributor, which is hooked to the ICM which is hooked to the coil which then sends the spark to the distributor. 

When I put this in my 84 rabbit convertible I literally did not change a thing. I put the engine in, put the distributor in the side of the head, hooked up the hall sensor and coil and timed the distributor and started it up.


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## vwracernyc (Apr 17, 2003)

*get the euro 16v dist*


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## vwracernyc (Apr 17, 2003)

pn 0231186042


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## B1-16V (Aug 5, 2002)

I attempted to buy one of these on eBay and I paid, but unfortunately the seller said that he didn't currently have one and he wanted me to send mine for reconditioning. So sadly I'm still without that model. Do you know of a good source for them?


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## vwracernyc (Apr 17, 2003)

There's one on ebay


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## B1-16V (Aug 5, 2002)

Do you have experience with this points type distributor on a 16 V with carbs? I've seen some people say that the points ignition is not powerful enough. But I also am aware that many many cars for many many years used Weber type induction with old-style ignition and they probably got along just fine for decades.


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## vwracernyc (Apr 17, 2003)

throw in a Pertonix Ignition .
It replaces your points to a electronic setup , mated with a MSD box and HV coil you should be golden


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## DbilasTDI (Nov 5, 2017)

*16V DCOE much prefers crank trigger electronic over points*

The only points distributor available is early Polo from UK/Europe. Points are not available in US. Pertronix does not have a conversion that I am aware of. You can get similar from UK. You will need a ballast resistor to keep it from burning up. You need the 90º saab/pug/fiat cap. Many of those caps are non Bosch and of dubious quality. The distributor will bolt on but that is about all it has going for it. If you replace distributor with Electromotive or MegaJolt EDIS, the difference is immediate and impressive. Idle is higher and much stronger, starts like a dream. My old Electromotive burned up and I went back to Polo dist with UK pointless conversion. Yes it runs. I built a Megajolt/EDIS setup and again Wow, it just runs so much better and I am not carrying a spare distributor around because if it breaks, no one has parts in stock. You can get EDIS anywhere. I converted a set of stock wires, then got a custom set made by Taylor <$150. You will probably want a hotter plug. I you are longing for something to futz with, a pair of Webers is good.


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## DbilasTDI (Nov 5, 2017)

Have you guys seen the wizards at Techtonics have produced a bracket to make the Saab distributor bolt on better: http://techtonicstuning.com/main/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=2999


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## B1-16V (Aug 5, 2002)

Nice. Thank you for posting that. 

I haven't been on this thread in a while, life as usual gets busy. I did end up getting a couple distributors, one of them being the Saab Vacuum advance. Can't wait to get wrenching on this project again. 

Thanks for all the replies.


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