I just got a 87 Samurai with a bad engine and I just want to get it back on the road. I want to do a 1.6 16v conversion but that will have to wait until I save some money.

I found a good deal on an 8 valve Swift engine (not GTI) from a 97 with low miles. The 87 intake, exhaust, and various brackets are suposed to bolt up to the Swift engine, but I'm not sure about the distributor. Does the 87 Samurai distributor bolt up to the Swift head?

Originally posted by r4990
I just got a 87 Samurai with a bad engine and I just want to get it back on the road. I want to do a 1.6 16v conversion but that will have to wait until I save some money.

I found a good deal on an 8 valve Swift engine (not GTI) from a 97 with low miles. The 87 intake, exhaust, and various brackets are suposed to bolt up to the Swift engine, but I'm not sure about the distributor. Does the 87 Samurai distributor bolt up to the Swift head?


how rude of everyone to ignore you! welcome, first posting newbie dude:flipoff2: :flipoff2:

IMHO from what i hear swifts don't make very good swaps as they have less bottom end than is desirable even compared to a Sammy 1.3

also i don't *believe* the distributors will interchange, i heard something about the Swift's angling "back" (towards the firewall) but this was from changing the whole engine, not mixing and matching a Sammy distributor with Swift head:confused:
if it DID interchange, then why would the guys who have done the Swift swap mention that there's interference at the firewall with the distributor? dunno if it's simply a case of engine placement causing the tight squeeze, or specifically because the Swift head/distributor is a weird harold arrangement? i could have this all horribly wrong, and be screwing up:p

sorry, not much help from me:( but if i find out anything before someone else posts, i'll try to let you know:)

i believe the bottom end on the swifts really sucks... :flipoff2: :flipoff2: newbies... :flipoff2:

but they can rev high :rolleyes:

just word of mouth but what I have heard is to get the swift gti
lower end and put the 1.6 on top dont no much about it other than what I have heard the gti produces more Hp then a 1.6
just my 02 if this could be done then just try to get the torque from the motor would be the key no more need for adapter upon adapter to get something to work. oh and welcome newbie :flipoff2:

don't you mean use the 1.6 block and the swift head? i think someone on this board had that... pretty sure it was a canadian :D

Brent from Trail Tough has one.
Go to the "About Trail Tough section"

http://www.trailtough.com/

Originally posted by poppycock
don't you mean use the 1.6 block and the swift head? i think someone on this board had that... pretty sure it was a canadian :D

Oh shit thats the second time in a week Ive stuck the foot in the mouth. Im goin back to lurkin awhile till the head falls back out my ass
:( :( :(

I appreciate the reply. The problems you mentioned are mostly with the GTI twin cam head. This is a SOHC engine. Let me know if you find out anything about this one.

Originally posted by UZI 9mm



how rude of everyone to ignore you! welcome, first posting newbie dude:flipoff2: :flipoff2:

IMHO from what i hear swifts don't make very good swaps as they have less bottom end than is desirable even compared to a Sammy 1.3

also i don't *believe* the distributors will interchange, i heard something about the Swift's angling "back" (towards the firewall) but this was from changing the whole engine, not mixing and matching a Sammy distributor with Swift head:confused:
if it DID interchange, then why would the guys who have done the Swift swap mention that there's interference at the firewall with the distributor? dunno if it's simply a case of engine placement causing the tight squeeze, or specifically because the Swift head/distributor is a weird harold arrangement? i could have this all horribly wrong, and be screwing up:p

sorry, not much help from me:( but if i find out anything before someone else posts, i'll try to let you know:)

The SOHC Swift motor will go into your Sammy. other than what you've mentioned you will need to change the cam shaft in the Swift motor to the Sammy one so the dist can bolt in. other than that you ahouldn't have any problems. I'm currently working on a GTi swap in my '91 with four GSXR carbs so I can get rid of the electronics. HTH

Tha Bear

I did the SOHC swift motor swap. Do what BIG BEAR said and you should be fine. Take it from someone who actually uses the swift swap. ME! You should go ahead with it. I don't know what all the negative hype about the bottom end is but I don't see any negative results. I mean NONE! It does rev up nicer I'll add that.
I ran 6000 rpm in the dunes and what I got was power to get up the dune. Runs the exact same as day one. This is just MY experience though. here it is-

http://tellico.off-road.com/wwwthreads_uploads/799338-motorswift1.3.jpg

:trooper: