[Birdman]

Can anyone recommend an Engineer for G16b to Sierra conversion in Vic, preferably Eastern side of State I am in Wonthaggi.

[ZUZUKI]

Enkelman & Assoc. just did one for us.
They are at 1/5 Braeside Drive, Braeside, p/h 9580 3024.
Were very reasonable, said it was a lot easier if stock or close to stock tyres, didn't like a bonnet with a scoop on it (& cut bracing - we had modded the Sierra sump & pick up, lowered the engine so it all fitted under a stock 1.3bonnet), be neat with any unused or added wiring, check charcoal canister & fuel lines are plumbed correctly.
We had a Vitara 5spd behind the Vitara G16b = hotrodded jack shaft, hotrodded bolt on engine mounts (didn't change the chassis mounts) custom gearbox mount, reworked under bellhousing brace, used the Vitara radiator & air box, so various brackets fabbed to get that to all sit in place. Extractors, used the Vitara cat.
The owner took the car there, after we had tee'd it up & paid them directly - it was under $1k
Rgs, Michael

[Birdman]

Thanks for your reply Michael
We have a 96 LWB Maruti 1 ltr 4 Speed, 50mm OME springs and shocks, 215-75-15 BFG muddies and black steel rims.
Plan to convert to G16B from SWB Vitara, Seirra 5 speed with adaptor plate and engine mount kit from Ben T
I spoken to another Engineer last week who advised we would need to prove Seirra box could cope with additional torque with out self destructing.
I'll try Enkelman see what they think of our plan.
Rgs Paul

[sideways]

What sort of proof do they need? It's an extremely common conversion and well proven to be reliable. You can run the Vitara gearbox but it's a lot more work.

[Gwagensteve]

Normally evidence something is common and well proven is enough.

Getting other data like permissible torque ceilings etc is almost impossible for gearboxes that are unique to a particular application.

[jono165]

Also the fact that adapter plates are commercially available worldwide from a number of suppliers should be persuasive enough.

[Birdman]

I agree with all your comments, I haven't dealt with engineer before so I wanted to sus a few out before we bit the bullet. I suspect his unfamiliar with vehicle and how common this conversion is, it would be nice to find engineer who was familiar. Reckon we'll just do it, do it well see how we go from there, what could go wrong!!!!.

[ZUZUKI]

The Vitara gearbox wasn't too much work.
Car didn't have a body lift, so had to pump the trans tunnel out a bit - if you're careful with a big hammer, it doesn't look too butcherous - luckily Sierra panels are thin!.
Take the Vitara T/case off, & the gearbox output spline is the same as the Sierra gearbox output spline, so shorten the original jack shaft & that bit's done.
The cross member sits close to the back of the trans, so a 'Z' sort of shaped bracket picked up off a few of the bolt holes used to mount the t/case & a couple on the bottom face, then onto the Sierra (lightly modded) mount.
Gearlever ends up about a whole hole backwards & 1/2 way down the 'ramp' of the tunnel - 3mm alloy checkerplate to cover the original hole & cut a new one. Shift housing is tight in the tunnel & might touch under torque load / vehicle bounce, but had enough clearance that the engineer didn't pick on it. Where the lever sits in the car, doesn't feel odd to operate at all.
I had more issues with the intake cross over pipe - see if you can find a Jimny G engine to raid the intake manifold off, keeping the airbox on the D/S is a lot neater.
Rgs, Michael