Out with the old, in with the new..

[tdavis]

I know, I know.. little more than 4 weeks to Moab, and I've pulled the whole drivetrain to worth a portion of it away! I'm such a madman at times!

I have had a 2.0 liter engine from a 2001 Suzuki Grand Vitara sitting in my garage since August of last year. Been wanting to get it installed, but decided a few other things had to occur first - like fix a few problems in the rear end.

Hopefully, this is the last of the major changes to the Zuk for a few months.

The new engine is a 16 valve, 2 liter, multi-port fuel injection with coil-on-plug technology. It has less than 50k miles on it, and runs great (the place I bought it from let me listen and see it run before I bought it).

The new engine

The old drivetrain

The transfercases have been pulled to get the shift interlock removed, so I can run a twin stick setup in the rear case (and not have it leak if tipped over), and a new shifter for the front case also that matches the back shifter.

I have a new transmission for this also; found a used but recently rebuilt Toyota G52/54 tranny on pirate4x4 for $280 shipped. The old transmission was shot for sure; when I pulled the drain plug, there was a HUGE glob of metal shavings stuck to the magnet.

The only truly custom part on this setup is the engine mounts; I am building my own and they will be a full capture design. Everything on the drivetrain bolts right back together.

So, the whole thing goes back in next weekend, I spend a couple of hours re-wiring the harness (not difficult, I've got it all tagged, there is only 15 wires to setup), connect up the fuel lines, install a new and larger radiator, install the Ford Taurus fan with a controller from http://www.dccontrols.com, and I then run off to get the exhaust rebuilt with 2.5" of tube, turbo muffler and a high flow cat.

I should have it done by April 30th, if not it will be running on May 7th.

 

[RangerX]

Ch-ch-ch-changes...

What was the old trans, a Toyota also?

 

[RockRanger]

But your old exhust pipe was so cool. Or was that a straw I was wondering when you were going to start a thread on the swap.

 

[tdavis]

Ch-ch-ch-changes...

What was the old trans, a Toyota also?

Exact same style transmission.

I'm trying to make this swap simple.

 

[FROADER]

So the test drive will be from the driveway to the trailer for the trip to Moab?

 

[Stic-o]

Good luck Tom

 

[BeauJ]

That is probably the smallest tranny I have ever seen..

 

[SVO]

That may bee the smallest looking tranny, but man the optical-contusion is that it sure looks long.

Wow Tom that's cutting it awfly close but, looks like you got it under control and had it all well planned out!

That's gonna net you a few extra ponies there



4 weeks to Moab!?!?

Damn it I better stop jerking around with my junk and get Johnstone's Sport Trac in the garage and get it preped and ready to go, wow, time flys



Jeff - :navajo:

 

[410Fortune]

Jeff I am coming over, hahaha I have 4 weeks as well and an A%^ load of issues with the BII.....

Tom thats awesome, and 15 wires?? lucky!! Good luck, should be quite a runner with the new heart

 

[tdavis]

Jamie, when Suzuki/Geo/Chevy designed the Vitara, they did it right - the whole engine harness pulls out as one piece, there is only 3 connectors you have to fish out of the rest of the vehicle (OBD diag, dash to PCM, dash to engine harness). I have a complete wiring diagram for the stock EFI, and I also have the complete Vitara Factory Service Manual.

I've already pulled the 1.3 EFI, just need to pull the ECM for that. The wiring is already started; too bad it's a royal PITA to find color striped wire, so I get to use solid color wire with colored heat shrink tubing to mark the wires.

At the same time I am doing this, I get to upgrade a portion of the electrical. The stock zuk alternator is 35amps, the new Vitara alternator is 85 amps; I am also rewiring the headlights to run through a set of relays, along with the starter relay. There will be no more major current draw through the dash for headlights, start or run.

As for power, stock the 1.3 puts out 68 hp; the 2 liter runs around the 125-130hp. The weight difference is under 100lbs. Torque is also doubled.

 

[IZwack]

I like the concept of smaller powerplants

 

[410Fortune]

You are going to be oh so happy!

 

[RangerX]

As for power, stock the 1.3 puts out 68 hp; the 2 liter runs around the 125-130hp. The weight difference is under 100lbs. Torque is also doubled.

Nice! It'll finally be able to get out of it's own way.

So you smogged it recently, right? Will it be greenstickered in two years, or will you register it with the new engine?

 

[tdavis]

It goes greensticker in 2 years.

Cal smog wants it to be totally OBDII compliant - engine, transmission, fuel tank, exhaust, and VSS.

Exhaust will not fit - the first cat hits the frame rail, and you are NOT allowed to move it.

Fuel tank is the next problem - I'd have to swap in a Vitara tank. not difficult, but still it's work.

The details are just too much for what I want, so I'm punting.

 

[Stic-o]

It goes greensticker in 2 years.

Cal smog wants it to be totally OBDII compliant - engine, transmission, fuel tank, exhaust, and VSS.

Exhaust will not fit - the first cat hits the frame rail, and you are NOT allowed to move it.

Fuel tank is the next problem - I'd have to swap in a Vitara tank. not difficult, but still it's work.

The details are just too much for what I want, so I'm punting.

Tom, when I had my truck smogged a month or so ago, I asked him about the tank, and he said they don't care. as long as the cap seals, and it dosn't throw codes. He did however say, that in the next year or so, they will start testing gas tanks to hold a certain presure, he said most of the 80's and 90's cars don't have a chance. He also said starting this month (april) they will raise the no smog every year again Car just has to be over 30 years now. Only 10 years left..right

Your have to take yours to a referee station though right?

 

[tdavis]

Your have to take yours to a referee station though right?

That is the problem.

To pass a referee station smog test, they DO check everything, instead of the "oh, it looks like it is there.." that the others do.

I might be able to get by moving the cat the 4" needed; then again, I might not. Same with the rest - it's a total utter crap shoot.

 

[Stic-o]

yeah but wait a second...not sure if this is right, but the guy also told me I could do whatever I wanted engine wise as long as it was available in the car orginally. So my truck is a '99 with a 4.0, but a 5.0 was avaliable, so I could throw it in with no referree. But in a '85 Ranger, only a 2.3 or 2.8 was availabe, I could get away with a newer 2.3, but because there wasn't a 2.8 after '86 that's it. But because your putting in a 2.0, and it came with a 2.0. all maybe good. This all may be crap too, but I'm just try'n to help.

 

[410Fortune]

nope not true
my BII never came with a 5.0L yet my conversion is 100% street legal in CA

 

[tdavis]

Jamie, have you talked to a CA Smog referee about that? They may have something different to say about it.

You cannot modify a gas tank in CA, and still keep it's CA smog certificate. You cannot move certain types of catalytic converters around, and keep the CA smog certificate. They want a CA OBDII compliant VSS.

I've already spent time on the phone discussing this with the CA smog referee, and they said NO.

You can not put a truck engine into a automobile. IE, a 460 truck engine cannot be legally installed into a 2001 Mustang GT.

Once you change the engine out, CARB wants you to visit a smog referee. The only changes that do not force an automatic smog referee visit is when you install an engine that came with the vehicle (ie, replace the 4liter v6 with a 5liter v8 in a 1995 Explorer..) and even THAT is up to the smog shop to decide if they want to even pass it.

 

[Stic-o]

Tom Are you sure about the gas tank? Because that was one of the things I asked the smog guy. I told him I wanted to put a differnt tank in the rear, and he said it didn't matter. He also said a fuel cell didn't matter. as long as no codes are thrown.

Your right on the truck motor in a car though but you can go the oppisite way right? That's why we should be able to get away with putting a 93 T-bird 5.0 into a 80 F-250. The F-250 could have come with the 5.0 from the factory.