Saab cooperating with C.O.T.
February 28, 2011 in News
It is not much information available about that, but it looks like Saab is cooperating with a Swedish Company based in Gothenburg called Clean Oil Technology.
COT has developed some technologies to keep the oil in the engine cleaner. While the oil is clean, it can be further used, and thus the intervals between oil changes could be increased.
In the 2010 review of the company, there is a small paragraph about their cooperation with Saab.
Saab Automobile now has funding in place for the continued operation of the COT which meant we could advertise the cooperation that lasted a long time. Saab Automobile AB is planning to further strengthen its position in the fields of environmental technology and safety. Among the interesting new environmental technologies being studied is the COT Oil Refiner ™. Our study and evaluation of the COT Oil Refiner ™ by field tests have been ongoing during 2010 and most of 2009. The results, which so far we have achieved, meet our expectations, “said Kjell ac Bergstrom, CEO of Saab Automobile Powertrain AB. He continues: “COT Oil Refiner ™ provides us with potential opportunities in the future to extend our service intervals, in our evaluation of the system also includes planning for the introduction of selected models to emerge.” Together with Saab, which has a recognized reputation as innovators and a pioneer in cutting-edge technology in the automotive industry, we have now reached the result that opens a whole new international market for the COT Oil Refiner™.
If this is true, Saab has been working on that for at least 2 Years, but without assigned funding, the Trolls seem to be good at that.
With this technology Saab intends to increase the oil change intervals, which, in my point of view, would make Saab cars very interesting.
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Red J
Paddan said on February 28, 2011
Somewhat on topic – years ago, I worked with an attorney who leased a 9000 Aero and failed to have the car serviced, much less have the oil changed, for close to 15,000 miles. That episode ruined the engine. And I think the Factory covered the new engine and labor under warranty, which shocked me.
UWb said on February 28, 2011
…he was an attorney…
Paddan said on March 1, 2011
+1 – LOL I actually never thought of that.
ivo 71 said on February 28, 2011
It may sound shocking to someone in the US but, in Europe, it’s quite normal to change the engine oil in a 9000 after 20.000 km’s (appr. 12.000 miles), provided the car isn’t used for city driving only but does some fast mileage on highways as well. If city traffic is the sole pattern of use, it is considered advisable (but not in so many words recommended by Saab) to change the oil after 10.000 km’s (appr. 6.000 miles).
The 20.000 km’s is actually the engine oil change interval Saab recommends for a 2.3 litre full-pressure turbocharged engine (such as the Aero reffered to by Paddan) where I live. I would guess this recommendation contains a certain safety margin. So, around here, it wouldn’t be all that strange to see a car do 15.000 miles on the same engine oil. Not ideal perhaps, I agree, but certainly not lethal if the oil is a good quality fully synthetic product.
I know about the fact that many Americans have doubts about synthetic engine oil but, in Europe, the 5W40 synthetic is the de facto factory-recommended standard for a turbocharged 9000 engine.
I think that new engine was just a convenient way for Saab USA to prevent the lawyer from suing. It probably wouldn’t have happened if the owner was a baker or a barber. Or maybe the engine suffered from black sludge, although the 9000 rarely has that particular problem.
Ivo
albert said on March 1, 2011
Actually, for my 2006 9-3 Saab recommends an oil change interval of two years or 30.000 km (18.645 mi).
Somewhere between 2006 and now there has been a change to yearly or 30.000km.
ivo 71 said on March 1, 2011
I was referring to a 9000 turbo/Aero. That particular Saab was discontinued in 1997 and the last 9000-s were delivered in 1998. It is, of course, quite possible, probable even, that oil change intervals have been significantly extended since that -fateful- year.
That return to ‘…or one year…’ may have something to do with the introduction of low-sulphur gasolines. Or with increased engine failure claims. Or the conjunction of both…
Ivo
Thylmuc said on February 28, 2011
There are several “perpetual” filters on the market (100000 km) that have a better particle removing characteristic. The COT system seems somewhat different, since its filter requires electrical power.
Tomas TL1000R said on February 28, 2011
Sounds very interesting and bring the owning costs down and thats great. Hopefully Saab implements it to all there engine soon and extend the warranty time.
G-man said on March 1, 2011
The COT OilRefiner consists of an evaporation unit that removes from the oil volatile contaminants, such as water, acids and fuel residues. And a filter unit that cleanses oil by removing particles as small as 1 micron in size (1/1000th of a millimeter). The patented part is the evaporation unit, that works at a very exact temperature without thermostate.
For more information:
http://www.cot.se/?id=1470
charlie said on March 1, 2011
That is great. I am more concerned about the water in the oil which might turn into acid.
G-man said on March 1, 2011
… and the water will the evaporator take care of!
GerritN said on March 1, 2011
Changing the oil every year hardly adds to the cost of ownership. Our cars have to have their emission inspection every year. I take that opportunity to have the basic things checked and to have the oil changed, the oil adds about $40 to the bill.
I actually prefer to have the oil changed every 5,000 miles. Compared to the gas expenditure that’s less than 10% of the running cost. Saab engines and turbos are just to expensive to take the risk, imho.
The main issue is what is happening to the old oil. Luckily it is not being poured down the drain anymore, but does anyone know how it is being recycled?
The COT system removes water, acids, fuel residues and particulates from the oil. What it doesn’t do is restore the oil itself to its original quality. Especially in a turbo engine the long molecular chains that constitute your nice synthetic oil get cracked leaving you with an oil that has inferior lubrication properties. In how far that is a problem depends on how much of the oil still retains its original properties. This means that the quality of older oil depends a lot on the total quantity of oil in the engine. Saab engines don’t carry that much oil which makes me a bit nervous.
Sorry for the long Email, mainly fueled by the fact that I feel guilty changing oil rather often. However, as long as Saab doesn’t guarantee engines for life when sticking to their standard maintenance, I’d rather be safe than sorry.