Posted: Sat Mar 08, 2008 10:22 am
Some of the probelms that I have had during the conversion are
1. Izusu diesel fly wheel too big for Suzuki 5speed bell housing
Solution: Use Gemini Gear box
2. Gemini gear box and diesel engine combination too long to fit between radiator and transfer case.
Solution cut out the cross member that the transfer case bolts to and the other transfer mounting brackets and reweld them in 138mm furthur back. (in a LWB the rear tail shaft is 138mm longer than the front one, that why 138mm) swap front and rear tail shafts. cut hold in floor floor for new position of TC lever. Make up new jackshaft between GB and TC out of tails shafts obtained from wrecked petrol geminis. The front and rear unis are literatly botled together to make the shortest shaft possible. (Kind of looks like a double cardan joint, but technically its not because there is no sider plate between them.)
3. Handbrake on back of TC coldes with next Xmember back.
Solution: macnine off the drum from the tailshaft mount. Move hadbrake to rear axle. Plus a little bit of "panel beating" on the guard that protects the brake ond fuel lines that taverse that xmember to give adequate clearance
4. Gear box too big to fit in trasmission tunnel.
Solution: 1" body lift. Plus a small area of "panel beating" about the size of your tumb.
5. Under full suspension compression uni on front diff collides with Bell housing just at the point that the clutch cable mounts. (When this first happened it broke that mounting leaving me with no clutch.)
Solution: SPOA. (I'm just completing this now)
These are just the mojor problems I have had. Anyone who has done an engine conversion before will know there are the usuall things like Accelerator linkages, Clutch linkages, wireing, etc that has to be overcome as well. I don't want to put you off islandvitara, its just you have to be prepared for a lot of probelems, and be imaginative enough to solve them. Good luck if you go ahead.
1. Izusu diesel fly wheel too big for Suzuki 5speed bell housing
Solution: Use Gemini Gear box
2. Gemini gear box and diesel engine combination too long to fit between radiator and transfer case.
Solution cut out the cross member that the transfer case bolts to and the other transfer mounting brackets and reweld them in 138mm furthur back. (in a LWB the rear tail shaft is 138mm longer than the front one, that why 138mm) swap front and rear tail shafts. cut hold in floor floor for new position of TC lever. Make up new jackshaft between GB and TC out of tails shafts obtained from wrecked petrol geminis. The front and rear unis are literatly botled together to make the shortest shaft possible. (Kind of looks like a double cardan joint, but technically its not because there is no sider plate between them.)
3. Handbrake on back of TC coldes with next Xmember back.
Solution: macnine off the drum from the tailshaft mount. Move hadbrake to rear axle. Plus a little bit of "panel beating" on the guard that protects the brake ond fuel lines that taverse that xmember to give adequate clearance
4. Gear box too big to fit in trasmission tunnel.
Solution: 1" body lift. Plus a small area of "panel beating" about the size of your tumb.
5. Under full suspension compression uni on front diff collides with Bell housing just at the point that the clutch cable mounts. (When this first happened it broke that mounting leaving me with no clutch.)
Solution: SPOA. (I'm just completing this now)
These are just the mojor problems I have had. Anyone who has done an engine conversion before will know there are the usuall things like Accelerator linkages, Clutch linkages, wireing, etc that has to be overcome as well. I don't want to put you off islandvitara, its just you have to be prepared for a lot of probelems, and be imaginative enough to solve them. Good luck if you go ahead.