[drdave]

So I finally got the wife's Vitara back on the road but it seems to smoke a lot when pulling up to traffic lights and especially when slowing down for a corner and then accelerating again. It also seems to start running rough after getting off the highway, this is when the smoking seems especially bad.

The car had been sitting for about a year before I got it back on the road, it still has 150 psi across all cylinders which I'm told is alright?

Do I need to re-ring this motor or am I missing something? This is the wife's first car so I want it running right.

[Gwagensteve]

I reckon it will be valve stem seals. They seem to go before rings.

[drdave]

That was my first thought but don't they only usually play up until the motor's warm or am I miss informed? Thanks for the reply

[Gwagensteve]

Not if they're really bad. It's possible they've become brittle/dry after sitting for 12 months.

[drdave]

Cool, thank you. Might still re-ring it while the heads off, not really that much more work.

[Gwagensteve]

Hmm, I'm not sure I'd be so keen. I believe that G series motors ovalise their bores, so a hone and re-ring won't achieve much long term. I believe that G motors need to be bored with the block torqued to a deck plate to return the bores to round before a re ring.

I'm not even a fan of replacing the head gasket on G motors due to difficulties with getting them to hold a gasket after replacement. In short, I think they are very flexible blocks.

If you use a compressed air fitting to retain the valves you can do seals with the head on. I'd be doing that.

[drdave]

Hmmm.....interesting, looks like I've got some more research to do before hooking into it. Maybe some stop smoke will help? I plan on buying a new timing light tomorrow to do a proper tune on it so I might grab some while I'm at it.

Eventually I'd like to fit a Baleno coil pack motor but at this stage we don't want to go too nuts on it until the missus learns to drive it properly.

Thanks again mate

[Gwagensteve]

No, I wouldn't bother with snake oil. Oh, sorry, I meant stop smoke.

Just do the seals and don't spend any more time and money on it - it's just going to be wasted if you ultimately want a G16B.

Steve.

[drdave]

Your right that I'd ultimately prefer a G16B but at this stage we've already dropped a fair bit of cash into this car and the missus is only just learning to drive so I'd prefer to just get it running alright for now.

Cheers again,
Dave

[drdave]

Well it looks like we're going a G16B sooner rather than later, pulled up at the traffic lights it now looks like someone's shoved a steam engine up the tail pipe!

I figure its better dropping the money into a coil pack Baleno motor now rather than rebuilding the carby motor and still getting really poor economy (about 200klm a tank on 98 octane). I figure low Klm Baleno motors are easier to find than EFI Vitara motors so no real need for a rebuild.

I've already found a SWB EFI fuel tank for $50, picking it up this weekend.

[Gwagensteve]

I think that's a smart move.
I'd still be on the lookout for a jimny intake manifold- this will eliminate hassles with water piping and potential firewall clearance.

[drdave]

Thanks for all of the help Gwagensteve, is there any specific model Jimny manifold as I'm not familiar with this swap.

Is this thermostat housing of any use or do I need to fabricate my own?
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/301717944505 ... EBIDX%3AIT

Now to decide if I do the wiring or pay someone to do it, wiring is the hardest part for me.

Thanks again for the help

[Gwagensteve]

All G engined Jimny intakes are the same.

Using the Jimny intake will allow you to retain your existing thermostat location and probably even your existing top radiator hose.

If you use the Baleno intake, you will require the thermostat housing in your link. This will put the thermostat behind the cylinder head near the transmission tunnel, and you will need to make piping to bring coolant to the top tank of the radiator. It makes changing the thermostat a nightmare.

Steve.

[drdave]

Man you really know your stuff! I really appreciate all the help.

I will definitely be looking for a Jimny manifold then, I can only imagine how hard the thermostat would be with the thermostat at the back.

Its probably going to be a little while before we get started but I really cant wait!

[drdave]

Ok so I found a complete running coil pack motor conversion out of a sierra at what I feel is a decent price, is the sump different or anything else different I might need to look out for?

It includes the gearbox and all the conversion parts which I believe could simplify the conversion for me

[Gwagensteve]

No need for gearbox new motor will bolt to your gearbox. Swap sump and pickup to your Vitara items, but you'll have to cut and shut the crank angle sensor into the Vitara sump.

[drdave]

Thanks again mate, had a funny feeling the sump would be different sierra to vitara, still shouldn't be too hard to weld that section in for the crank angle sensor.

[drdave]

Well I missed out on the baleno conversion but picked up a SWB Efi AW4 vitara to use for the conversion, the wiring might be a bit of a nightmare but worthwhile I think

[Scrawny]

Going to run the AW4?

[drdave]

Sure am, planning on taking the motor, gearbox, power steer, diffs and wiring for the wife's rig. Should make it a pretty decent setup when all finished, its cost way too much but these things happen.

I'm pretty stoked it came with a tow bar and split fold rear seat which we needed too.