Outer Limits 4x4 Board

First off, here's one that is bugging me.

97 Surf model, 1.3gba engine...

I like to keep my engine bay pretty clean so I can easily see if there are any problems with my zook, but after a week or two of driving, there is always a light coating of oil on the top of the bellhousing. I was always thinking that it was the rocker cover gasket, and so when i last changed it, i sealed it up nicely with a flange sealent. No more leaks from there...
I just pulled my extractors off to clean them, and now I know where the oil is coming from! On the last bottom stud for the exhaust, there is a hole at 2 o'clock from that stud, and oil weeps from there. With the extractors installed, the hole is covered over, but not sealed (the bracket hides it)
What is this hole for? should it be sealed up by something? (no threads inside)

Next;

Since i have most of the engine bay currently pulled apart, I was thinking of replacing the standard fan with a thermo job, but I want to know if it's really worth it. The standard fan has a viscous fan clutch on it already, and they are supposed to stop the fan from sucking the power from the engine...?

I'm not an expert with power steering, except that I know when the pumps not working, steering is a pain in a car so equiped. What i need to know is, if i fit up a power steering box, but not the pump (finances...) for now, will i damage anything, and will the steering be worse than stock, or the same without that pump?

Last of all for now...
I've spent the last week and a half trying to find replacement tie rod ends for my zook, but no one has them, and when they do, they are $130 each! TE693's are what is needed for my model (SJ80) I'm not paying that much for 4 rod ends, so I was going to make a new tie rod bar and drag rod, and use something common like ford falcon rod ends that are $10. Has anyone made new bars, and got some advice for me?

Please help, thanks!

Firstly love to see some pics where the leak was... As for the fan I decided seeming the temp for the zook was always low why bother.for the hp gain I dont think its worth it. As for the tie rods shceech you'd think they are made from gold............Hopefuilly one of the senior posters will steer you in the right direction...... Love to see some pics of your zook

Leak: is it engine or gear oil? it could be either the oil cap or the o ring/gasket behind the dizzy housing.

if gear oil check around the switches or the breather on top of the box.

cheers

Arcadion wrote:

I've spent the last week and a half trying to find replacement tie rod ends for my zook, but no one has them, and when they do, they are $130 each! TE693's are what is needed for my model (SJ80) I'm not paying that much for 4 rod ends, so I was going to make a new tie rod bar and drag rod, and use something common like ford falcon rod ends that are $10. Has anyone made new bars, and got some advice for me?

Please help, thanks!

have you looked into using Jimny tie rod ends, these will be easily found second hand (and in good condition, should be a $$ saving) and the tie rod is the same width as an SJ80.


Mitch

Hi i use to live in mackay so i Kknow how hard some parts r and the geniune guys are crap.

Is the hole in the bell housing, ??? with a round grommet in it . other wise is the oil temp in a zook 1.3 on that side. Not sure some one else here knows and will correct me.

You will find that viscous fan wont save you that much power, and changing to a thermo, while it will save you a bit more it just an extra to go wrong. So i would stick with what you have. Run better fuel in it, and slighlty advance the timing a little will help with some power.

Best Suzi mechanic, in mackay , is in malcolm street at the lights near the caravan park / indoor cricket center (only mechanic that managed to get my zook running right when i was on 1.3 l )

Power steering, can befitted to a zook , look at a jimmy set up and borrow parts. other wise look in the forums , christover did one recently and looks good.

Ps , you could also check out mackay4wdclub.com.au I use to be in there and learnt heaps, and accessed great 4wding in mackay area i didn't know existed.

bj

Part wise for your tie rod ends, you could try sarina wreckers, or repco in victoria street. both seem okay for a local source. other wise i use to order my parts from suziworx, and get em freighted in .

its malcolmson st.
sarina wreckers - ask for barb or kenny.. old family friends, they used to own the wreckers at bakers ck right at the end of the road the school is on. it was called 'misty autos' back in the day when they used to do a lot of custom body/paint. lalalaa, i'll stop ranting and let the thread get back to doing some real work now.

Ok, here's a picture of the spot i'm talking about (sorry 'bout the quality)
Jimny tie rod ends are the same price (if not the same part) as the one's I am chasing. They are an inner rod, part# TE693. The surf (SJ80) seems to be an odd one out for model comparisons, everything seems to be so similar, and yet so different. I'm going to leave the old tie rod ends on for now, and make new bars later...

Ben! How are ya, long time no see.. It's Travis, btw. Patrick says hi. Yeah, i know grant (the mech in malcomson st) I'm ok for all things mechanical and electrical with this thing of mine. It's just this weird oil leak that has me baffled. It's not even really a leak, since i don't lose any oil, it just seems to appear one day, and then stay.

I'm moving down to toowoomba within the month, so i'm going to try and get in to some of the zook shops down that way. I really want to get in to see suziworx and see what I can do to this thing. I can't go too extreme with it though as it is the daily driver, and the wife will be using it in toowoomba. I have a Willy's CJ3b Jeep that is my 4wd rig, but i want to take the zook out more often, so i'm starting to make some changes.

Anyways, have a look at the pic and tell me what you think it is