DEAR CAR TALK: My dad passed away and left me a 1983 Saab 900 Turbo hatchback in perfect physical condition, but it does not run. Parts are impossible to find. Can you put a Toyota or Honda engine in a car like that? Am I crazy to consider this?
-- Susie
DEAR SUSIE: In a word, yes. Putting another manufacturer's engine in that car would be the equivalent of the 1969 moon launch. Only more expensive.
In general, it's hard to find parts for cars that are more than 30 years old. It's even harder to find parts for old cars that didn't sell in large numbers. And it's harder still to find parts for cars whose manufacturers went out of business. So you win the trifecta, Susie.
Fortunately, Saab owners were a very enthusiastic lot, and you still can find Saab clubs and Saab geeks who will be happy to share their hints about how to keep an old Saab on the road. If you find a club in your area, the members may be able to tell you about mechanics who are fond of working on Saabs. We were ... because they were good cars, and because they really helped us with our monthly boat payments.
You don't say why it doesn't run, so it's probably worth tracking down a mechanic who likes Saabs and asking him to investigate. If it's something minor, like a fuel pump, you probably can fix it and get it on the road again.
If it's something major, like a blown head gasket or a cooked turbocharger, you can find out what it would cost to have the mechanic rebuild the engine for you.
And then you'll have to weigh the sentimental value of Dad's Saab versus the cost, in time and money, of keeping the car going. Have you considered removing the hood and planting a fig tree in it, Susie?
DEAR CAR TALK: I have a 2008 Chrysler Town and Country with the 3.8-liter V-6 engine. I get heat when I want outside air or air conditioning. I have taken the car to Chrysler twice, and they say the system is working properly, and they properly charged me for telling me that both times. But I still get the heat. I looked for a valve that could be stuck open and be causing this, but I can see none in the system. I thought of putting one in, but then I saw that all the heater lines are actually metal, and integrating a valve would be difficult. There has to be something that segregates the hot from the cold and ambient air systems.
-- Jerry
DEAR JERRY: Well, the first thing I'd do is when the dealer charges you for telling you that it's working properly, say, "No, actually, it's not." And then have him sit in the car so he can feel the heat.
My guess is that you have a blend door that not's closing. The dealer should have been able to figure that out.
In the majority of cars now, there's no heater control valve to stop the warm engine coolant from circulating through the heater core behind your dashboard. If you have climate control in your car, you definitely don't have a heater control valve.
There are just flaps inside the ducts, called "blend doors," operated by vacuum motors, that open and close to allow heat or stop heat from coming through the vents into the passenger compartment. And it sounds like one of your blend door motors is no longer working and that door is stuck in the open position.
Unfortunately, if you really want to fix it, you'll probably have to take apart the dashboard to get to it. Which makes it even more surprising that your dealer didn't home in on this: He can easily make a boat payment on this kind of repair.
So, at this point, I'd recommend that you try another dealer or an independent mechanic. There's a database of mechanics recommended by other readers and listeners of ours that you can search by ZIP code. You can find it at mechanicsfiles.com.
And if the price is too high for you, see if Costco is still selling that 128-pack of Bermuda shorts. Best of luck.
Ray Magliozzi dispenses advice about cars in Car Talk every Saturday. Email him by visiting
cartalk.com
HomeStyle on 11/14/2015