87 Suzuki Samurai

Wanted to do another quick update tonight.


When I owned my Jeep I was lucky enough to start wheeling close to town and with people who had OBA setups. A good mentor of mine had a nice relatively stock TJ with a YORK compressor and I was jealous of that thing. Eventually I purchased a Co2 tank from someone on the co4x4.org message board and I ran a 20lb Co2 tank for several years before destroying my jeeps drivetrain and eventually selling my jeep and all of my four wheeling stuff, Co2 tank included.


I've honestly only taken my Samurai out a handful of times and I would have loved to air down but I did not have a convenient way to air back up. After reading a few reviews I decided to bite the bullet and get the CKMA12 ARB On Board Air Compressor. I'm hoping to use it on July 4th weekend here in a day or so.


In all honesty, I'm a horrible planner and most of my trips end up with me leaving around noon and not setting up camp until it's already dark.


I had already thought about using the Samurai's jack mount under the hood as the base for something and when I got the idea to order the compressor I knew it would be the perfect location. I had to cut off the top loop that the jack used to hold itself in place. The compressor came with a mounting bracket and a baseplate which I used to mark and drill the mounting holes. 3 of the holes went through some material but the 4th hole really just needed to notch out the round hole in the middle of the jack mount. The baseplate would sandwich the jack mount with the mounting bracket.


[img]http://www.detn8r.net/Samurai/2016-06-30_00-45-4.JPG[/img]


The wiring harness left a bit to be desired. I've been doing electrical work for the past 12 years and I'll say that it was nice to have a well made harness come with this compressor. It was pretty well labeled and made but the layout under the hood of the Samurai .... it kind of sucks. So I wasn't happy with the location of the control relay I chose.


[img]http://www.detn8r.net/Samurai/2016-06-30_00-45-2.JPG[/img]


I actually unmounted it from here and ziptied this to some other bits of the harness.


There was an unpunched grommet in the firewall for the samurai that allowed me to run the switch wires to the left of the steering column to a hole that me and my nephew carved out with a dremel and utility knife. The compressor came with the fancy carling switches that ARB is known for. Unfortunately I didn't take a picture of that switch.




I had to run to Home Depot to pick up some plumbing for the compressor. It came with a cut off switch which will shut the compressor off when the pressure in the tank and lines reaches 100psi. The compressor has two ports for the Locker solenoids but only 1 port for a standard 1/4" NPT fitting. So I had to use a brass Tee with a nipple to connect the Shutoff Switch and quick connect fitting for an air hose.




[img]http://www.detn8r.net/Samurai/2016-06-30_00-45-3.JPG[/img]


[img]http://www.detn8r.net/Samurai/2016-06-30_00-45-1.JPG[/img]


I tested the compressor out a bit but I did not fill any tires. Though I'm pretty confident that this compressor will suit my needs just fine.

Made some progress on the tire carrier.

Got the swing welded to the spindle and the spindle welded to the bumper.
I had the spindle extended about 1/2" with a piece of steel the same diameter.

[IMG]http://www.detn8r.net/Samurai/2016-07-20_01-02-3.JPG[/IMG]


I came across Trail Gears Polyurethane tire mount and immediately decided to use it. I love simplicity in mounting. I picked up a 1' 1"-8 bolt from fastenal and some washers and lock washers.

[IMG]http://www.detn8r.net/Samurai/2016-07-20_01-13-4.JPG[/IMG]


Still need to add a diagonal support but I'm liking the tire carrier so far.

[IMG]http://www.detn8r.net/Samurai/2016-07-20_01-02-2.JPG[/IMG]


I had picked up the latch off of Amazon a long time ago. I was disappointed that I couldn't bolt it to the swing so I had to weld it.

[IMG]http://www.detn8r.net/Samurai/2016-07-20_01-13-2.JPG[/IMG]

The other side of the latch wend on easily enough.

[IMG]http://www.detn8r.net/Samurai/2016-07-20_01-13-1.JPG[/IMG]

[IMG]http://www.detn8r.net/Samurai/2016-07-20_01-02-1.JPG[/IMG]

So far I'm really liking the setup. Going to add supports for the hi-lift, water can and gas can.

I picked up some HDPE, the same stuff cutting boards are made out of. Going to use it to make the prep tables on both the tailgate and the swing.

[IMG]http://www.detn8r.net/Samurai/2016-07-20_01-13-3.JPG[/IMG]


That's it for now.

Still need to pack the bearings and get the prep tables welded on.

I've got the tire carrier finished! More or less.


I got a diagonal support welded. I had a slight issue with warpage while welding. I tacked another diagonal to the opposite side of the main tire support and strapped it down while it cooled.


[img]http://www.detn8r.net/Samurai/2016-07-27_00-00-11.JPG[/img]


Once that was done I welded a bolt to the swing and made a bracket to secure the top of the hi-lift.


[img]http://www.detn8r.net/Samurai/2016-07-27_00-00-1.JPG[/img]


Now that would complete any standard tire carrier well enough but I wanted to mount a jerry can or a water can so I made an additional support for one. I'll likely add another in the future but time was running our for me to go camping this past weekend. I was still doing some welding Saturday morning before heading out that afternoon.


[img]http://www.detn8r.net/Samurai/2016-07-27_00-00-10.JPG[/img]


I ran into some trouble. I had asked my nephew to grind away all the surface rust on all the metal and he accidentally stripped the threads on one of the bumpers mounting bolts and nut plate. The nut plate was salvageable I just need a tap. So I ran to Fastenal Friday morning to grab some new bolts and a 12M-1.75 Tap. I got home and fixed the nut plate and got everything mostly painted.


[img]http://www.detn8r.net/Samurai/2016-07-27_00-00-9.JPG[/img]


Everything was looking good except I needed a spot for my license plate. I used some scrap aluminum I had from making my mirror relocation brackets and the stock Samurai license plate bracket.


[img]http://www.detn8r.net/Samurai/2016-07-27_00-00-8.JPG[/img]


I got the prep tables mounted and everything packed up and was on my way to camp! We headed to mount Herman again for a 3 night trip.


The prep tables worked out great! I used some hinge material from home depot to mount the HDPE to the tailgate and the tire carrier.


[img]http://www.detn8r.net/Samurai/2016-07-27_00-00-4.JPG[/img]


[img]http://www.detn8r.net/Samurai/2016-07-27_00-00-2.JPG[/img]


My Coleman camp stove fit perfectly on the tailgate which is quite lucky for me since I didn't measure anything! I drilled some holes into the HDPE for some paracord hangers.


[img]http://www.detn8r.net/Samurai/2016-07-27_00-00-3.JPG[/img]


The water can mount I made worked great with our water can. I turned the can on it's side and it made for a great way to get water out of the can and into our water bottles and pots and pans for cooking and cleanup.


[img]http://www.detn8r.net/Samurai/2016-07-27_00-00-5.JPG[/img]


The whole setup worked out quite well. I need to refine our camp kitchen and kit a bit.


[img]http://www.detn8r.net/Samurai/2016-07-27_00-00-7.JPG[/img]




I made a snafu when I was showing off my tire carrier to my friend and I stood on it and I bent my spindle! I was able to bend it mostly back into place but I am disappointed with it's strength. I will be upgrading...


Despite that I did get some time to do a little bit of wheeling and playing around.




[img]http://www.detn8r.net/Samurai/2016-07-27_00-00-6.JPG[/img]


My daughter decided to climb in and pretend that she was the one driving after I got out to take some pictures.






Some things I'd like to improve



[LIST][*]Tailgate needs way to lock into the open position. I used a strap to secure it but that method seems clumsy. Same goes for the tire carrier.[*]The water can being able to mount on it's side was great for getting water out but we had to run around the tire carrier to get access to the spout. It would be nice if we could dispense water from inside the kitchen area.[*]Stronger spindle.[*]Want another spot for another can for longer trips.[/LIST]





I also discovered that my trailer light adapter didn't allow for my hazard lights to function properly. I think I might be making my own trailer light adapter soon.

Fred, LOVE seeing your build here. You're doing some really awesome and creative stuff!!

Thanks Peter.

Can't say any of my ideas are original. Been borrowing where I could.

Too tired to post another in depth write up so I'll just post these two pics. Picked up this 93/94 EFI 16 Valve Automatic Suzuki Sidekick yesterday! 141K miles.

[img]http://www.detn8r.net/Samurai/2016-08-04_01-39-1.JPG[/img]

[img]http://www.detn8r.net/Samurai/2016-08-04_01-39-2.JPG[/img]


Has a sputtering/bucking issue around 1500-2000k RPM. Adam seems to think it's a fuel mixture problem. Seller thought it was an electrical issue with the transmission. Not sure yet.

I've removed the Suzuki Security System from the Sidekick since the siren relay kept clicking. Someone had cut the wire to the siren long ago. I'm assuming that it kept going off.


I've yet to really dive into troubleshooting the issue but have come up with this list of items to hit.


Fuel Pressure Regulator
Fuel Pressure - Measured 35psi at idle - 40 under throttle
Vacuum Leaks
Plugged Catalytic Converter
Secondary Ignition cables.
Spark Plug Wires
EGR Valve
PCV Valve - Replaced since it was a cheap part
Faulty ECM - I plan on removing it to check for faulty components (capacitors?)





I planned on modifying the harness myself so I was going through Warbirds Harness Modification Instructions and he mentions that modifying the wiring harness from a 4 speed automatic donor is "significantly more complicated and not included in these instructions."


I've got access to the FSM for my sidekick through alldatadiy, so I can access the wiring diagrams for the transmission control module. Been trying to figure out what modifications are going to be necessary but I'm at a loss.

I have that same ARB compressor in my Jeep. It works good for me. I have 35" tires. Airing down to 15 pounds makes it take me about 20 minutes to air back up. I am not in any hurry, so it all works out.

Fred, I was going to recommend the kick fix website but it's no longer viable. I found this though:

[url]http://www.suzuki-forums.com/suzuki-sidekick-escudo-vitara-geo-x/49200-panic-time-where-kick-fix-site-6.html[/url]

About half way down is a "Download Zip file" link. Someone archived the site. It's clunky but check out the section under sensors, lots of good info on diagnosing the sensors.

The suzuki forums sidekick page was very helpful to me when I was chasing similar issues.

lol, nevermind I found it.

[url]http://www.fixkick.com/[/url]

Thanks Flashboiler. I have been reading through the fixkick.com website.

Half of my laziness with diagnosing the sidekick is that it hasn't acted up since I've gotten it. Haha!
I'ts been running fine.

I had discovered that someone had taken the valve cover off and never reinstalled it correctly. it was missing one bolt and only two of the remaining bolts were tightened.

Someone has clearly removed the RWAL module in the past since one of the plastic nuts was sitting on the drivers side floor.

The 60amp fuse was blown and the remaining tabs were bent in to complete the circuit. Whoever decided that bypassing a 60 AMP fuse was a good idea is brilliant!

Got off the phone with Petroworks and it looks like the oil pan and pickup modification service they offer is $125 which isn't bad. But I either have to pay $250 up front to get the pan shipped to me and then I get my $125 core refunded to me when I ship my pan and pick up back to them.

I really like your tire carrier and the way you made fold down tables for your cook stove. Nice!

Thanks JandDGreens!

I suppose I'll give a brief pictureless update. I've got the 1.6L engine in the samurai. I've yet to get all the radiator lines plumbed in and I plan on tackling the wiring this weekend. I've pulled the harness from the Sidekick and I've stripped it of all the electrical tape. I got the VSS from the sidekick installed into the Samurai's cluster. Suzuki made a spot in the Samurai for a VSS, almost like the Samurai was supposed to have fuel injection.

Ran into an issue with the Exhaust. Looks like I'll have to get one made or fab one myself.

Hi Fred,

I bought a 2" exhaust (lowrange?) and Doug Thorley header for my 1.6 swap. I had a shop weld it up, it's worked well... A little loud for the road but I like it snow bashing.

But, I've always struggled to pass NOx. I think it comes down to two things: The 2" exhaust came with a new cat, which I question the quality of (only because I barely pass Nox, usually the 2nd day testing) or the lack of back pressure from the bigger exhaust. The EGR system expects a stock level of backpressure and I've got less, so I must have less EGR flow.

Just some thoughts on what exhaust to go with.

I'd stick with stock exhaust adapted to the stock header.

Last weekend I was wheeling some hard trails in South Dakota and managed to smash my exhaust. It's smashed pretty good right by the t-case for a few feet and I can't say I notice any power loss.

I managed to get everything bolted together. I think I need to redo the hangers for the exhaust because it is TIGHT and it rubs the frame quite a bit.

Going to try and make a decent effort at posting an update here.


I started this project about a month ago. It's honestly probably the biggest project I've ever committed to tackling too!

I pulled the front clip from the Samurai as I knew it'd make things easier. I recommend that anyone attempting an engine swap in a Samurai do this as well. It's incredibly easy!
[img]http://www.detn8r.net/Samurai/2016-09-24_00-36-1.JPG[/img]

This made pulling the engine that much easier! Everything unbolts easy enough. I found it was easier to remove the heater core hose from the engine rather than the heater core. FYI.

[img]http://www.detn8r.net/Samurai/2016-09-24_00-36-2.JPG[/img]

I honestly used this 1/4" Socket Wrench and socket set for most of the removal. I also found myself using my 12mm and 14mm wrenches quite a lot as well.

[img]http://www.detn8r.net/Samurai/2016-09-24_00-36-3.JPG[/img]

My 3 Year old daughter helped me out as much as she could!

[img]http://www.detn8r.net/Samurai/2016-09-24_00-36-4.JPG[/img]

Pulling the engine out of the Samurai was the easy part!

Getting the engine out of the Sidekick was a major pain! I never got around to picking up Adam's engine hoist and I decided to use two ladders, a 2x4, a ratchet strap and some steel tubing. I didn't get the engine out of the sidekick this night it got too dark and there were some extra brackets bolting the engine to the transmission as well as the flywheel inspection plate.

[img]http://www.detn8r.net/Samurai/2016-09-24_00-36-5.JPG[/img]

The next day I got the engine out and began work on swapping the oil pan and pick-up out. The 1.6L's oil pans sump was a little too wide and would have come in contact with my front axle had I left it. To solve this I discovered I could use a 1.3L oil pan and modify a pick up. I purchased a new oil pan and modified pick up from Trail Tough so I could keep my 1.3L in usable/sellable condition.

[img]http://www.detn8r.net/Samurai/2016-09-24_00-36-6.JPG[/img]

[img]http://www.detn8r.net/Samurai/2016-09-24_00-36-7.JPG[/img]

[img]http://www.detn8r.net/Samurai/2016-09-24_00-36-8.JPG[/img]

I got the new oil pan installed as well as the transmission adapter plate and the 1.3L's motor mounts with the passenger side relocation bracket.

[img]http://www.detn8r.net/Samurai/2016-09-24_00-36-9.JPG[/img]

[img]http://www.detn8r.net/Samurai/2016-09-24_00-36-10.JPG[/img]

Ran into a slight issue with the exhaust. I was hoping to get away with using the Samurai's exhaust with the catalytic converter and everything but it did not want o fit.

[img]http://www.detn8r.net/Samurai/2016-09-24_00-36-11.JPG[/img]

I got the Sidekicks downpipe and catalytic converter installed and coupled to my muffler. It's rubbing on the frame everywhere and I think I can fix it if I move some of the exhaust hangers but I'll look into it more when I get the thing running.

I've been tackling the wiring these last two weeks. I've been using Warbirds Samurai Engine Swap Wiring Harness instructions as a guide. Unfortunately my donor sidekick is the 94' 4-Door 4-Speed Automatic Transmission version which his instructions reference as "...significantly more complicated and is not included in these instructions."

According to some people who have had Myron (of Zuks Off Road) modify their harness he gets rid of the Transmission Control Module altogether. One person from a facebook group, who works closely with petroworks, said that I need to keep the TCM to make everything work.

According to fixkick I can disconnect the TCM which puts it in Manual Test Mode (limp home mode). Which is what I suspect ZOR is doing by deleting the TCM. Right now I plan to keep the TCM connectors on the harness in case I need to try some stuff out.
[url]http://www.fixkick.com/tranny/slush/OD-flashes%20now%20what.html#manual_mode[/url]

Also, my Sidekick donor had Cruise Control. So I'm keeping the cruise control wiring as well in hopes of adding cruise control. The Cruise Control actuator is just a cable that pulls the gas pedal! Should be easy to swap into the Samurai!

Saturday I hope to get the fuel pump mounted and complete the wiring and hopefully add oil and get this thing running!!

Some Great sources I'm using! Huge thanks to HardLuk on ZukiKrawlers for his thread!


[url]http://www.azrockcrawler.com/_images/tech/2003/2-0216vmotor/2-0316vmotor.html[/url]

[url]http://www.billjohn.com/articles/engine/16valve/16valve.htm[/url]

[url]http://www.zukikrawlers.com/showthread.php?t=48353&referrerid=38154[/url]

Let me save you some grief, (assuming your using an external fuel pump) prime the pump. I had to prime my pump before it would work, I used a brake bleeder sucker tool like this.

[url]http://www.tooldiscounter.com/ItemDisplay.cfm?lookup=MITMV8020&source=froogle&kw=MITMV8020&gclid=CPuH5v-OqM8CFYF9fgod3loKew[/url]

Fred are you using an external fuel pump?
What psi will it be pushing?

Thanks Flashboiler!

I am using an Airtex E2000 pump. I believe it puts out 100psi. The regulator on the sidekick should bring it down to about 35psi