Swapping a Tracker
EFI engine into a 1988.5 Suzuki Samurai
The stock 1.3 liter carbed motor is
underpowered, and with over 100k miles, not in
great shape. It was time for an upgrade.
A call to Brent at Trail Tough got me the adapters and
modified wiring harness to drop in a fuel injected 1.6 liter from a ’94 Geo
Tracker. I found a hideous pink Tracker
at a local car lot & bought the thing to part it out.
The motor slipped out easily. This is a good time to clean up the engine
compartment. Stock Samurai motor mounts
are notoriously weak, and both of mine were broken. I installed a pair of Roadless Gear bomb-proof mounts to deal
with the extra power.
While I was replacing the engine, it
was a perfect time for a clutch upgrade.
Centerforce makes one of the
toughest clutches on the planet. A
Dual-Friction disk and pressure plate were installed, and has more than proven
itself (I’m hard on a clutch).
Before installing the 1.6, I
replaced the timing belt, plugs, cap and rotor… cheap insurance.
Fuel injection requires more fuel
pressure than a carburetor, and the 1.6 doesn’t have provisions for a
mechanical pump. Trail Tough sells the electric in-line
pump needed. It’s a little noisier than
an in-tank pump, but much cheaper and easier to install. I mounted it right beside the fuel filter
above the axle to keep it out of harms way.
The adapter plate bolts to the stock
transmission and the bigger engine bolts right up.
The 1.6 fits right in like the
factory made it that way. The red valve
cover is good for an extra 10 horsepower!
The original Tracker exhaust system
all the way past the catalytic converter bolts in with minimal modification
The original
Samurai radiator was used, and has never gotten hot, even in 100 ° plus
weather. After everything was double
checked and all fluids were topped off, the engine fired right up.
The initial test drive was a
shock! What a power boost.
After wheeling with this, I can say
fuel injection is the way to go! The 1.6
liter is an awesome choice for the Samurai it’s lightweight and similar to the
original 1.3 that they share many parts.
I also have the power steering system from the tracker, which will be
one of the next upgrades.
EDBD was barely able to turn it’s
31’s and had a top speed of 45-50 mph, NOW I can easily make 65mph plus and
spin the tires in the mud with authority.