This is Interesting story about the Opel Vectras in which are inserted Saab B204 engines.
Below, you can read the most interesting parts of this great “swap” story.
The B204, was based on the 9000’s B234, but in order to make the engine fit in the 900 the engine had to be shortened. This meant that a new chain drive for the camshafts was required to reduce the length of the engine.
The B204 engine was available with natural aspiration in 900, 9000 and 9-3 in the form of 2.0i (B204i), with a low pressure turbo in the form of 9000 and 9-3 2.0t (B204E) or Saab 900 and 9-3 2.0T (B204L). B204R was briefly available in the 1999 9-3 Aero (U.S. market ‘SE’) model. B204 was in production in the Saab 9-3 until 2000, when it was replaced by B205.
The B204 and B234 are regarded by engine tuners as the preferable engine for performance tuning over the later B205 and B235 engines as the internals are of a higher strength. The later models had lightened internal components to improve efficiency and fuel economy but limit the total power output when the engine’s software is revised to increase the boost pressures and specific power output.
The B204 engine became a very popular engine swap for Opel Astra, Calibra, Cavalier and Vectras with the GM T-body platform, in Scandinavia in the mid 2000s – the engine uses the same mounting positions due to sharing the same platform.
If you are interested in this story should visit saabconversions.com
First start after swap B204L Saab Engine (only Downpipe) without intercooler