FWD Engines

[Slowzuki]

Uhm, about the intake / brake booster thing, not a problem in most FWD unless you live in England or Aussie land. Was recently looking at a Z-24 motor that does put the intake on the drivers side if adapted for rwd and got that stuck in my head.

Ken

[Capn_Crunch]

The Thermostat housing on the GTi engine sticks straight out the back when installed in a Samurai. It takes 3 to 4 feet of hose to correct this. The disty also sticks out the back. Supposedly someone in Australia makes them. After countless emails and phonecalls I gave up... You can also supposedly use a dist out of a Mazda...something or other... The rest is simple bolt in stuff.

[rotozuk]

Been there done it.



Not any harder then dropping most other engines in. You will have issues with just about anything under the sun, and being a FWD or RWD does not really play into the mix that much.

As you can see in the photo above, my coolant lines all route to the back of the engine. I could have cured some of this, but decided it was not that big a deal. (Keep in mind some of those lines are for the turbo.) I did have an issue with the brake booster, but that is more a nature of the layout of the intake manifold on my engine. It has very long runners for low end torque. Most engines do not have such a large intake.

Typically the biggest issue with anything different is mating it up to a good driveline. For my swap, it looks like we will develope an affordable adapter plate. I'll keep you posted.

As for a Turbo Miata making 230 hp, that would be a pretty on edge motor.. Mine started off life as a turbo engine, and was 195 hp stock. I figure I am now between 200 and 250 hp, and I could tune for about 300 after upgrading the injectors. But I'll tell you what, I have plenty of power for the low weight. It hauls ass!

As a rule of thumb, I would not plan to put over 150 hp into the Zuk t-case.

I am very happy with the Toyota driveline.. No more Samurai driveline slop!

As far as the rotary goes, it is a good engine to swap. They fit, and they have nice power. Don't listen to anyone that says they have no torque. It has more torque just off idle then a Samurai 1300 ever produces. The 6 port I had was good flat torque across most all of the RPM range. compared to a V6, they do not have much torque, but compared to a 4 banger, they are fine.

-Wayne

[rotozuk]

Oh yeah,

The biggest issue with most motor swaps into the Samurai is the length of the engine. The samurai does not have much room for long motors. That is why some V6 swaps make more sense then the large 4 bangers. Same goes for transmissions and t-cases.

Personally, if you are going to put a lot of HP into a Samurai, i think you should open up the wheel base anyhow. Stretching the front is a great way as you will be messing with EVERYTHING up there anyhow. Move that axle forward about a foot, match your steering to it, and give yourself more room for the engine and drivetrain. Make a nice custom front clip, and you will be much happier. I know I am!

-Wayne

[deepmud]

The Mazda Miata is a de-tuned Turbo to begin with. Some guys are at over 100,000 miles at the 200 plus hp mark, and some nut cases are running 450 hp on the stock bottom end. I still like your motor better, of couse, but really, I like the stock 110 horse Mazda as a Zuk engine 'cause of the diesel-like bottom end with a 7k redline. Kicks butt So as a pulled from a wrecked car option, it's a good thing to consider.

I also REAALLLY like your Mitsu combined with the Toy trans and t-case - you got a NICE FWD conversion goin' on.

PS - the 230 horses were acheived with a turbo KIT from Flyin' Miata - including a reworked computer, programmable access with laptop, and a nice SIX THOUSAND DOLLAR price tag for the turbo, intercooler, etc.

Your engine was about free after the carcass was sold, right? No contest.

[rotozuk]

Originally posted by deepmud
PS - the 230 horses were acheived with a turbo KIT from Flyin' Miata - including a reworked computer, programmable access with laptop, and a nice SIX THOUSAND DOLLAR price tag for the turbo, intercooler, etc.

Your engine was about free after the carcass was sold, right? No contest.

Damn, $6k for a turbo? yikes!

Yep, I think it cost me about $100 or so.. But then you have to add all of the little shit... A motor swap always adds up to more money then you thought.

-Wayne

[dumb]

Originally posted by nozuk

Answer for the swift gti motor...
...
3.samurai header works on it

Wrong... You have to have the flange cut off, a new one made with the correct swift GTi bolt pattern and then weld it back on.

...
6.i don't think so

It does face the fire wall so you need to replace it with another zuk one (can't remember which one though... thank god I'm finally forgetting!) then route a long hose/pipe through the c formed by the intake manifold to the front of the truck.

...
8. not much more work the then a 16v and way more upgrade able

I would take a 16v over a Swift GTi any day of the week. I don't know where you get the upgradeable part from but there isn't a heck of a lot you can do to these motors without busting the bank doing it. I've seen one that did 300HP but he spent so much money on it, it wasn't even funny or cool. Believe me, the torque of the 16v just plain overshadows anything a twin cam can do. I've owned them and swapped more than I'd like to own up to. They just plain aren't worth it. In fact it drove me to swapping in a 4.3L vortec.

They are however easier than most fwd swaps out there which is a definite plus. BTW, you don't need to buy the 90* adapter for the distributor. IF you move the engine a head 1.5" with a couple peices of plate it clears just fine and doesn' upset the "balance" of the zuk, at least not that you'll notice.

[Randy]

I think a 2000ish chevy tracker 2.0L would be a cool engine to run. Light alow engine with a few more cc's.