Current Project:
 

"The 2.0 Liter Beater"

I have installed quite a few engines in Zuk's over the years, but this is the first time I have ever really focused on one of my own vehicles instead of doing a write up on a customers rig. 

To start I will give you some of the specs of my current Samurai:
-1.6 16 valve Sidekick engine w/header, K&N, 2.25" exhaust, Dynomax Super Turbo muffler
-Centerforce Dual Friction Clutch
-5.12 hybrid rear w/disc breaks, spool, heavy duty axles
-5.12 front w/4-door Sidekick disc breaks, spool, heavy duty 26 spline axles, birfield rings
-Trail Tough Missing-Link YJ kit w/5 leaf front (double main leaves), 5 leaf stock YJ rears
-Trail Tough 4.16 4-1 T-case w/Mighty Kong T-case bucket/skid plate
-35X14.5 Super Swamper Boggers on 15X10 steel wheels w/1.25" wheel spacers

 

The 1.6 16 valve engine is rated at only 99hp and about the same amount of torque, but with the lighter flywheel, header, free flowing exhaust, K&N filter, and a little tuning these motors put out well over 100 hp. This little 1.6 engine really turns even these heavy 35's nicely and it goes 0-60 in well under 10 seconds verses the 20 seconds it takes your average stock Samurai. This is quick for a Zuk, but when I compete in Rally Races and Tough Truck competitions I can never have enough power. The desire to be even faster and to compete with the Big Block Jeeps I started looking for MORE POWER. So what's the next step?....what's the next small lightweight motor that has more power and fit's in a Zuk? The 2.0 Liter 4 cylinder motors out of 1999 on up Suzuki Vitara and Chevy Tracker. Why?....They are conservatively rated at 125hp & 135ft/lbs torque which is definitely a very noticeable increase in power and torque over the 1.6 16 valve and easily DOUBLE the horsepower and torque of the stock 1.3. 

After about a few weeks of looking around for one I finally found a 1999 Chevy Tracker with 95K miles on it that had been rolled over on it's roof. I picked it up for a reasonable price and attempted to get it to run. After hours of troubleshooting I was not able to get it started and just went ahead and pulled out the 2.0 liter motor, auto trans, complete harness, and all necessary components I would need for it to run. I also pulled out the gas tank and found that the reason it would not run is that the tank was full of a gas & water mixture! No wonder I was not able to get it to fire! 
After seeing the MASSIVE amount of wires in the wiring harness (about 30 pounds of wiring!) I gave Brent at Trail Tough a call and he indicated that using the auto tranny would be a pain to install in a Samurai, because of it's excessive size and length and that the way to go would be to use the 2.0 liter installation kit which couples the 2.0 liter with the stock Samurai 5-speed transmission. I thought about it for a few days then called him back and placed my order even though I thought the price was more than I really wanted to spend. After sending him my harness it took about 2-3 weeks for the complete kit to arrive which included all the  parts I needed and the new modified wiring. At this point I was not expecting to install the motor until after the GonZookin 2004 event at Paragon Adventure Park in Hazleton, Pennsylvania so it was no rush. I intended to install the 2.0 liter immediately after the event, but other things came up and now here we are 4 days before leaving for the 2004 ZookiMelt and I am just starting the swap.

This kit is composed of many well engineered custom made parts and now I understand why it costs more than the other 4 cylinder engine swap kits. Top left is a multi-core custom radiator that is modified in several ways to work with the new motor. Below it is a high volume pusher fan which comes with all necessary wiring, relay, connectors, as well as a thermal and a manual override switch. Top right is the Chevy Tracker computer with modified harness that has been labeled for easy installation. Below that are the custom radiator hoses and the custom drilled and machined flywheel which uses a custom machined pilot bushing. Next to the flywheel is the high pressure fuel pump. Below them is the Trail Tough full circle 2.0 liter adapter plate with custom manufactured installation hardware. To the left and right of the adapter plate is the custom captive motor mounts that are nothing like I have ever seen....extremely Heavy Duty!

PAGE 2>>

E-Mail us at aftermarket4x4@cox.net

Copyright 2004 Aftermarket Industries