Baleno Motor (With build up pics)

[Spike_Sierra]

hey pj, looks like someone is getting onboard air

also, no PS pump?

[Gwagensteve]

Not with that setup you won't... the airconditioning pump will almost foul the chassis and the pulley definitely fouls the radiator support.

Steve.

[suzukiboy]

How many people on here have completed Baleno 1.6 swap/upgrades.
Just intrested in some photos of the engine fitted into the engine bay.

Has anyone used the Baleno 1.8 for a engine upgrade?

[BlueSuzy]

I went to my usual wreckers today, picked up a baleno speedo cluster to adapt it to suzy today, looks bit fiddly,i should b right. Gwagensteve, wats ur link 4 the adaptation pics? cant find them again...also found heaps of swift speedos but forgot which ones have the vss. Doh. Mite go back tomorrow. Also with many engine conversions, people always say, most of the wiring you will through it out, which is true, but alot of the wiring i reused for extensions of the harness which go into the firewall and behind the glovebox where my ecu is now placed(on little bracket with sierra control unit thing, moved that,drilled some new holes in bracket and wella, perfect spot) And suzuki boy, the 1.8 is a different series of engine, which have heard its harder to fit, but if u went j18, y not go bigger in that series engine? j20L and bigger etc..There is alot of stuff in american forums but never really looked.

[Gwagensteve]

You'll struggle with the Baleno cluster - it doesn't have the VSS - the VSS is in the gearbox.

Probably better with the swift one for the VSS.

I've put a Baleno Tach into a sierra cluster, and that was a fair bit of work too.

Steve.

PS - the 1.8 Baleno motor is a J series engine and is harder to fit. If you were going for that series go straight to the 2.0 from the Vitara/GV.

[BlueSuzy]

yeah i knew the electronic baleno speedo would be no good, just mite use the black and whiteface to match the tacho once i get it in if i can. got the whole cluster for $10 so it worth a try, if its no good, doesnt matter.

[PJ.zook]

hey pj, looks like someone is getting onboard air

also, no PS pump?

Yeh im gonna have onboard air with another aircon compressor in place of the power steer pump. I dont need power steering, its light and nimble as is.

[suzimad]

im nearing the end of a baleno install (well the worst parts are over anyway) spent about 3 hours modifying the sump yesterday . spent about 2 days stripping out the loom. made brackets for coils and an awesome custom airbox that looks like it come from suzuki (cause it does off another suzuki) fun parts to come drilling big holes in nice firewall (i love this stuff) , finish off a small amount of wiring and installing the harness . Still got a bit to do but id say the worst of it is over..

[PJ.zook]

Seems like there is a few of us doing this conversion at the moment.

Small update, 1.6 is now on a bench at work, removed all the unnecessary bracketry and mounts and did a bit of cleaning on the engine. Also got my new extractors for a vitara too, i think theyre wildcat brand. I fitted them up with the engine mounts bolted to engine and they just touch the corner of the mount, so im gonna just cut into the mount to clear it, im going to wait to trial fit engine before i do incase i have to move mount or make a new one still.
Had to modify the other engine mount too, the cast holes in the block are slightly more spaced out then the G13's, a teeny bit of die grinding on the mount, ovalling the holes made it fit nice.

[BlueSuzy]

ah yes, the wild cat extractors, i was told they fit perfect, not so. i had to cut 2&3 ports and save the collecters to the bottom as mine hit the chassis! re welded them to the right angles and then all was perfect....

[PJ.zook]

ah yes, the wild cat extractors, i was told they fit perfect, not so. i had to cut 2&3 ports and save the collecters to the bottom as mine hit the chassis! re welded them to the right angles and then all was perfect....

Yeh its the tubes from ports 2 n 3 thats my problem also. I think if i cut them a few cm out from the flange, then cut them at the lower Y collector, bend 1 n 2 inwards, then reweld it all back on, is that what you did?

[Gwagensteve]

On the one I just finished has wildcat extractors. I had a small amount of contact between the engine mount and the extractors. Trimming the flange on the engine mount was all that was required.

There was no need to cut the extractors to clear the chassis, but there is some variation in the orientation of the motors across conversions - I know of another where these same extractors hit the chassis hard.

Jimny extractors are a better fit around the mount/chassis but don't align as nicely under the car - they aim under the gearbox a bit.

Check the thread on your 02 sensor too - we had to change the boss on the extractors to fit a Baleno one wire 02 sensor, it's not the same as the vitara one.

Steve.

[nicbeer]

same here with the wildcat extractors. slight cutting of mount.

there are also two different ones to suit the vit also. but sounds like you got the right one.

[BlueSuzy]

yep, cut 2&3 off completely, cut a bit out of the 90 bends so they come in closer, then worked the piping so they sit bout the right angle, 10mm off the other collecter. i put a 10mm block or something just to space them apart and tack them together, then removed the 10mm block to weld. I had to add a bit of stright pipe also cos my angles might be different to urs, u may be able to get away with just using the extractors tubing, i couldnt... I also cut the engine mount abit just to make sure, all is fine now but, i think more top end power...havent driven another with a baleno engine

[PJ.zook]

Well the engine and gearbox is now out of zook. Note to self, first dont remove engine and gearbox at same time, and try to remember the bloody gearstick...oops
Anyway yeh i thought i should only have to chop the mount a little, i measured it up rough and it does seem like it will clear chassis easily.

[Gwagensteve]

PJ - if you haven't done it already, pull the front clip off. IT makes the whole job a gazillion times easier.

i tend to think it's actually worth pulling the body off the chassis too...

Steve.

[t_e_z_a]

Hello,
new to suzukis and this forum

Loads of great info on here

Are you able to put up pictures of your completed conversion (showing modified parts such as thermo housing)?

What model/year did the baleno goto the distribuless version?

Cheers Terrence

[PJ.zook]

Hello,
new to suzukis and this forum

Loads of great info on here

Are you able to put up pictures of your completed conversion (showing modified parts such as thermo housing)?

What model/year did the baleno goto the distribuless version?

Cheers Terrence

I will try and post pics of anything i modded.
Baleno's came out with distributorless ignition 99 and onwards.

[PJ.zook]

Using either the adapter plate or the welding tabs to bellhousing, did anyone make an adapter for the locating dowels to go from the large dowelled G16 to the small doweled sierra gearbox? Do you need dowels really?

[nicbeer]

i used the adapter plate and did not mod anything.

if you use BenTs adapter kit it includes custom bolts int here

[PJ.zook]

Im making my own adapter plate is all and was wondering if i should lathe up some dowel adapters. Gonna use mates plasma cutter to cut out template after i make it.

[BlueSuzy]

the dowels on the gearbox, i think i just made the adaptor plate to suit, cant remember if i drilled the engine or the gbox to suit, but i didnt make up new dowels. Also i used countersunk bolts for the gbox so the are flat for the other bolts, if u get my drift. but u probably done that already

[PJ.zook]

I might just buy benT's adapter kit, i just looked at his pic of whats included, looks like he has already thought of the dowel adapters. Its too much effort really when the kit is already there.

[BlueSuzy]

not when ur on a budget extra 200.... my whole build cost me 2k. and thats including f100 wide wheels with h/t tyres

[PJ.zook]

So did you make an adapter plate Bluesuzy?

[BlueSuzy]

yes, adapter plate, and modified orignal engine mounts (drilled holes out of cast side). Cut edge off the passenger side for extractors. The drivers side, (the bend plate mount) i flattend half of it so i could re bend and redrill it 20mm back i think. hard to explain.
I might try and work out how to put pics up..so much easier

[PJ.zook]

How did you make it, just cut it out rough then smoothed with angle grinder?

[11_evl]

i made my own adaptor plae and after doing it i think the extra $200 would of been well spent. i used an oxy to do mine. it has worked and didnt really take that long to do but i did have to modify the BLOCK a bit to make it all work and yes the bolts were a bit tricky/ dodgy to make work as well.
yes i think id rather hand over $200 for a no mod, bolt on, easy as kit from benT.

[BlueSuzy]

yep, cut rough should be ok, the grind smooth and clean up, gottta watch for the starter motor circle, i made a cardboard cut out 1st and used the shim plate as a guide too. Also watch for the little plate on the back of the engine... My engine was out adaptors made and back in, in a week, with adaptors made by me, how long will the postage take? Also if u can make a thermo housing for the back of the baleno motor..u can make an adaptor plate for the motor... may as well. Thats if u have free time at work too...

If you can make it, do it. If u can afford it, buy it.

[PJ.zook]

Well ive just finished making a template out of thin cardboard, im gonna do my best to get round to mates place and plasma cut it out of 5mm steel.
Yeh that shim plate was extremely helpful in making a template.