Little Red (1996 Geo Tracker)

[FleshEater]

Well, I bought a freaking CLEAN 1996 Geo Tracker today. 140,000 miles on it, rust free, and dead.

I blew it up on the test drive, but couldn’t pass it up. I’ve never rebuilt a motor before and needed an excuse to do so. So, hopefully going to rebuild this motor and probably the trans and have a gem to run for yeas to cone.

Pics from the seller. I got home in the dark from hauling it home.

Will post more when time allows.

 

[JR4X]

Congrats on a nice clean slate! As these get fewer and harder to find I’d have bought it too!

It’s kinda funny. We used to part out 4 doors to do Samurai 16V swaps because NOBODY wanted a 4 door and they were super cheap. Now you can’t find them anymore and a 4 door is the only thing I’m interested in.

 

[lagunaMS]

Nice find. I would love to have one of those

 

[YotaAtieToo]

Something about a suzuki, once you have one, you want them all.

 

[FleshEater]

Is there ANY chance this could be a timing issue/key way issue?

Someone fucked the timing cover back on seven ways to Sunday and it was basically hanging open. The guy I bought it from said the distributor was all loose when he bought it.

These are non-interference motors, but the loud banging on the bottom end has me thinking the bearings need replaced. No idea what else I might find.

Just want to make sure before I get ready to tear this all down. Doubt I’m that lucky.

Also, I’m obviously not an engine guy and I’ve never blown a motor up, so this is new territory here.

 

[crispins]

Is there ANY chance this could be a timing issue/key way issue?

Someone fucked the timing cover back on seven ways to Sunday and it was basically hanging open. The guy I bought it from said the distributor was all loose when he bought it.

These are non-interference motors, but the loud banging on the bottom end has me thinking the bearings need replaced. No idea what else I might find.

Just want to make sure before I get ready to tear this all down. Doubt I’m that lucky.

Also, I’m obviously not an engine guy and I’ve never blown a motor up, so this is new territory here.

Engines are so cheap, no way i would mess with rebuilding one.

I bought a spare engine for my Tracker from a wrecked unit for $200 delivered to my house

 

[FleshEater]

Engines are so cheap, no way i would mess with rebuilding one.

I bought a spare engine for my Tracker from a wrecked unit for $200 delivered to my house

Where? Everything I have seen locally people want $800 for a pulled motor!

 

[crispins]

Where? Everything I have seen locally people want $800 for a pulled motor!

I am in TN, there are tons of them here.

My neighbors have at least 6 in their yard, I am sure I could buy a few of them for $300 each

Facebook is a POS so I have an alart set on craigslist anytime anyone posts "Tracker" or "Sidekick" in the auto parts section

 

[FleshEater]

I am in TN, there are tons of them here.

My neighbors have at least 6 in their yard, I am sure I could buy a few of them for $300 each

Facebook is a POS so I have an alart set on craigslist anytime anyone posts "Tracker" or "Sidekick" in the auto parts section

I’d probably want to go through one either way since it’s out and easily fixable at that point.

 

[FleshEater]

Got the cooling system out, A/C deleted, and the air intake off. Loving those rust free fenders.

Also, morons cross threaded the bottom bolt on the timing belt cover, it’s riding on the harmonic balancer, and has been open the whole time on top.

 

[FleshEater]

Is this a decent rebuild kit, or is there something better out there?

Sidekick 1.6L 16V Basic Engine Rebuild Kits

That Suzuki 1.6L is a fantastically reliable, lightweight, and powerful engine! We have seen them reach 200K on the odometer. Still, your engine will eventually get tired and need a rebuild. If you are dumping smoke out the tailpipe or seem to have only a fraction of the power you used to, its...

lowrangeoffroad.com

I also found this place: Professional Engine Rebuilders

 

[JR4X]

Never rebuilt one of those so don’t know what to look for. The head is usually what’s wrong with them. Worn guides and seals, hammered in valve seats. When they smoke it’s almost always the cylinder head. These things are known for over heating and blowing the head gasket. When they overheat it can cook the piston rings but that’s pretty hard to do because they usually quit running before they get that hot.

 

[FleshEater]

Never rebuilt one of those so don’t know what to look for. The head is usually what’s wrong with them. Worn guides and seals, hammered in valve seats. When they smoke it’s almost always the cylinder head. These things are known for over heating and blowing the head gasket. When they overheat it can cook the piston rings but that’s pretty hard to do because they usually quit running before they get that hot.

So, good thing, this didn’t over heat. No smoke out the back. So I think the head is good. Pretty sure all the issue is in the bottom end.

I have a local old timer who builds hot rods. I might use him once I pull this apart, clean it up, and need someone to really check it out and see what’s what. He builds his own heads and is extremely knowledgable.

 

[FleshEater]

When you guys do motor swaps in these, do you leave the trans in place and pull the block forward, or pull the trans and then the motor?

 

[crispins]

pull the motor is easiest on a track / kick

On the Sammy's I pull the whole thing.

Im sure either way will work fine.

 

[FleshEater]

pull the motor is easiest on a track / kick

On the Sammy's I pull the whole thing.

Im sure either way will work fine.

Thanks! Saves me a whole lot of work.

I replace the torque converter while I’m that deep into it. Not sure I’m confident enough to rebuild the trans by myself.

 

[JR4X]

With the radiator out the engine easily moves forward far enough forward to get it out with moving the trans. Just make sure the torque converter stays in its spot. After you remove the torque converter bolts. Use a pry bar on each side at the same time and just wiggle them back and forth till the pilot unseats from the crank snd the TC slides back away from the flywheel. Do that before you pick the engine up with the cherry picker

 

[crispins]

Thanks! Saves me a whole lot of work.

I replace the torque converter while I’m that deep into it. Not sure I’m confident enough to rebuild the trans by myself.

Man it is your money but this throwing new parts at everything is not the Suzuki way.

My Tracker has 300,000 miles on it (well the odo broke at 279, not sure how long ago that was)

Original everything in it

I take it WAY further in the woods than I would like to walk out.

Toss a used short block in, run the trans the way it is.

These things are reliable cheap POS's, keep it that way.

YMMV

 

[FleshEater]

Man it is your money but this throwing new parts at everything is not the Suzuki way.

My Tracker has 300,000 miles on it (well the odo broke at 279, not sure how long ago that was)

Original everything in it

I take it WAY further in the woods than I would like to walk out.

Toss a used short block in, run the trans the way it is.

These things are reliable cheap POS's, keep it that way.

YMMV

I mean...the rebuild kit is cheaper than any used motor I’ve found around here.

This is a vehicle I hope to keep running WELL for a LONG time. I have no plans to beat this down our SXS trails.

 

[crispins]

I have no plans to beat this down our SXS trails.

I don't understand.

Mine identifies as a SxS

Anyway I get it, trying to make a cheap reliable vehicle for street use.

 

[FleshEater]

I don't understand.

Mine identifies as a SxS

Anyway I get it, trying to make a cheap reliable vehicle for street use.

More like for back road adventures. The more reliable the more confident I’ll be venturing much further out of cell phone range.

I got the snow tracker for my beating down trails. This thing is just so clean, and this love of Geos and Samurais just can’t be explained. I’m obviously suffering from some form of mental retardation, so just bear with me.

 

[FleshEater]

Well, pretty much everyone says I’m an idiot for trying to rebuild this motor.

I’ll try to hunt one down and just do a swap. So far swapping one of these out is really easy.

Taking the cooling system stuff out has been the biggest pain in the butt.

 

[FleshEater]

Just brought this home as a good donor for Little Red.

Also has a 2” lift and sweet wheels and tires, as well as Aisin manual locking hubs for it.

The bumper and winch is going on the Snow Tracker. This thing is so rusted the body is about to fall off it.

 

[JR4X]

That thing is a score

 

[FleshEater]

That thing is a score

The tires are basically brand new. Has power steering I can rob off it. Good front axle. Manual trans and transfer case. Bunch of other good parts under the hood.

Just the body and all metal associated with the body are gone. Frame isn’t bad.

 

[JR4X]

The tires are basically brand new. Has power steering I can rob off it. Good front axle. Manual trans and transfer case. Bunch of other good parts under the hood.

Just the body and all metal associated with the body are gone. Frame isn’t bad.

Confirm 16V donor for the red 4 door?

 

[FleshEater]

Confirm 16V donor for the red 4 door?

Yessir and good compression.

 

[YotaAtieToo]

So this makes #3? Or is there more you aren't telling us about?

If you still want to do a rebuild, why not drop this motor in the white one to get it going for beating on, then take your time and rebuild the one in the red 4 door?

 

[FleshEater]

So this makes #3? Or is there more you aren't telling us about?

If you still want to do a rebuild, why not drop this motor in the white one to get it going for beating on, then take your time and rebuild the one in the red 4 door?

So I got COVID the week I got the green one. Then I saw a couple rats running out of it. I said fawk it and sold it for a good return. It was a rusted shit bucket and the rats had made a nest in the intake, so probably trashed the 64,000 mile motor.

I don’t want to do the harness swap on the white one to go 16V. My idea now is to throw this good running motor into the red one, and rebuild the red block so I have a back up ready to go when I need it.

My garage is getting pretty full and it’d be nice to have the red one running so I can move it around easier.

I actually debated moving the tractor to the shed, then lining all three up sideways in the shop to work on them. Pretty sure I’ll be hating life, though.

 

[FleshEater]

My oldest kid has already claimed Little Red for his first car. He’s obsessed with these things. He’s still go 5 years until he’s 16, so that means I get to modify this thing until then.

When I brought home the Sidekick he bugged me to start swapping parts. I got the wheels and tires swapped a few weekends ago (forgot to post pics). This looks pretty awesome. I definitely need to rob the lift and manual locking hubs off the Zuk, but that’s not going to happen until it’s just about ready for the yard. Pretty sure most of the suspension and what not will need cut off.

The off set on the tires looks good.