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Which is the most reliable aftermarket engine for Sierra?

Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2008 8:46 pm
by croatian4x4
Hi Guys,

I have searched through the forum and have found out information in regards to the different types of engine conversions there are for the sierra. The main three I have been looking at are the:

1.3 Swift GTi
1.3 Jimny
1.6 Vitara / Baleno

My question is, in your opinions and experiences, out of the above three which would you say is the most reliable. To be direct, I am taking the sierra up the cape next year and want to run into as little amount of dramas as possible. So if you had to travel through remote areas and only a choice of choosing these engines, which would choose?

Thx in advanced,
CW

P.S. The engine will be going into my my 1991 Sierra Hardtop running 4.9s and 31' tyres.

Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2008 8:52 pm
by alien
2 ways of looking at it i suppose - carbies are simple and dont get electrical problems, but EFI are more fuel efficient and powerful...

Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2008 9:00 pm
by croatian4x4
Thats the other debate i have going off in my head atm.... whether to even go efi....

*sigh* this is hard work.. :P

Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2008 9:05 pm
by nicbeer
either

jimmy 1.3 BB

vit 1.6 mpfi

basically bolt in and minor extra mods. fuel system ect

and then only wiring to worry about.

Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2008 10:31 pm
by joeblow
alien wrote:2 ways of looking at it i suppose - carbies are simple and dont get electrical problems, but EFI are more fuel efficient and powerful...
seen waaay more carbies shit themselves than efi systems. my money is on the vit 1.6. had a g13bb, kept falling apart.

Posted: Sat Sep 13, 2008 12:02 am
by ajsr
joeblow wrote:
alien wrote:2 ways of looking at it i suppose - carbies are simple and dont get electrical problems, but EFI are more fuel efficient and powerful...
seen waaay more carbies shit themselves than efi systems. my money is on the vit 1.6. had a g13bb, kept falling apart.
Im with JOE on the 1.6 thing bigger motor dont have to work it as hard.
But im a carb fan you can always dummy up a fuel system if you must on a carb system Pretty hard to dummy up a high pressure fuel pump or a failed ECU .

Posted: Sat Sep 13, 2008 7:07 am
by GRPABT1
joeblow wrote:
alien wrote:2 ways of looking at it i suppose - carbies are simple and dont get electrical problems, but EFI are more fuel efficient and powerful...
seen waaay more carbies shit themselves than efi systems. my money is on the vit 1.6. had a g13bb, kept falling apart.
I was going to say this too, how many threads are there on carby problems? And how many on EFI problems?

I say the G13B GTi motor, I have one and am yet to have a drama with it besides a snapped timing belt. Stupidly I didn't replace it as soon as possible when the motor had unknown km's on it and it snapped, being an interference motor you don't want this to happen. I was lucky and it didn't bend and valves. The GTi motor also has stronger forged internals and will rev it's tits off all day long and love it.

So I say GTi but replace the timing belt to be safe.

Posted: Sat Sep 13, 2008 7:38 am
by RockHopper
Go the mpfi vitara motor. The chances the fuel pump or the ecu are going to shit themselves are about the same as the ignition module or mechanical fuel pump are going to go on a carby model. Either way, if you're out in the bush without a spare, you're screwed. Bottom line is mpfi provides better fuel economy, more power and more reliabilty over a carburettor system.

Posted: Sat Sep 13, 2008 11:27 am
by Goatse.AJ
RockHopper wrote:Go the mpfi vitara motor. The chances the fuel pump or the ecu are going to shit themselves are about the same as the ignition module or mechanical fuel pump are going to go on a carby model. Either way, if you're out in the bush without a spare, you're screwed. Bottom line is mpfi provides better fuel economy, more power and more reliabilty over a carburettor system.
X Eleventy

Posted: Sat Sep 13, 2008 7:26 pm
by zooker
AJFeroza wrote:
RockHopper wrote:Go the mpfi vitara motor. The chances the fuel pump or the ecu are going to shit themselves are about the same as the ignition module or mechanical fuel pump are going to go on a carby model. Either way, if you're out in the bush without a spare, you're screwed. Bottom line is mpfi provides better fuel economy, more power and more reliabilty over a carburettor system.
X Eleventy
X more

take spare fuel pumps if you-re worried, easy to change over if one goes bung

Posted: Sat Sep 13, 2008 9:01 pm
by BlueSuzy
:rofl: Bung!

I have a late model baleno motor. But the problems are you need to be good at modifying bits and pieces, and fabrication for water etc...

EFI Vitara with low km's would be my next best choice.

Posted: Sun Sep 14, 2008 1:39 pm
by spamwell
g13bb easiest conversion by far everything bolt in all hoses line up you just have to use some from jimny some from sierra all you need is jimny exhaust manifold and sierra engine mount brackets.

i'm not aware of the issues other people in this thread have had but mine cops alot of hard work and never misses a beat. sometimes the cam sensors go on them.

sam

Posted: Sun Sep 14, 2008 2:50 pm
by Bluezuki
All 3 will be as reliable as each other, they all have their strengths and weaknesses, best thing you can do is choose the how much grunt you want then find the best motor available then install it properly - don't cut any corners.

Personally I'd back the 1.6 16valve EFI motor, with extractors so you don't crack the head. ;)