Can I swap bits around

[beachpeach]

Hi,

i am a girl who likes to go and get a little muddy - i have a 1990 Escudo manual 3 door soft-top which has has a blown head gasket and the gear box is tired (still goes, special stuff in the radiator). The car has body kit lift, suspension things, manual hubs bla bla... Question is do you think I can put those trick bits on a 1994 Vitara manual 3 door soft top? This new car is automatic, are they shite in the sand? Is a manual 4x4 the only option?

thanks - I know I sound ignorant... cause I just am about these things, your advice is appreciated... cheers

[Sadam_Husain]

Welcome to the forum beachpeach, I only know stuff about Cruisers but I'm sure all the zuk guys on here will say you can swap all the bits over ok? Tara13's just done a swap over of parts engines etc with his escudos so he'd probably have a pretty good idea

[Denby]

There is a lot of debate on which is best off road manual or auto. In a nutshell, a manual can loose momentum when you change gear and are in the sticky stuff where an auto doesn't, however an auto can waste several horsepower driving its own internals (but not having to change gear can be a blessing while you are trying to keep it on the high bits and not fall into a hole). It does look like the auto Vitara has the better diff rations for playing in the mud.
http://www.offroadexpress.co.nz/Forums/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=10706 vitara auto to manual????
http://www.offroadexpress.co.nz/Forums/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=10293 Trials Truck - Auto or Manual

So I suppose the question you have to ask yourself before doing the parts swap is what do you (cause it is all about you at the end of the day) prefer to drive, manual or auto?
I have an automatic Jimny, not 100% by choice but it was the right price when I was looking for a car a few years back. I initially had some reservations about it off road but now I actually like the idea of putting it in 1st and leaving it there. Admittedly the 1300cc engine is a little underpowered in some of the deeper mud or steeper hills but a bolt-in engine swap from a 1600 Vitara or 1500 Baleno/Cultus/Crescent is on the to-do list.

As for swapping parts, I can't see why they wouldn't fit when the vehicles are only a couple years different in age (are they both the 1600cc version?). I had a look at the web sites of Calmini http://www.puresuzuki.com and they only list one part number for all the Vitaras from 1989 to 98.

Have fun.

[wjw]

If you do alot of sand driving you'll need an external cooler for the auto as it will get hot...

[Heath]

Pretty sure that the shape etc of the two vitara's is the same so I am guessing all your current bits will swap over easily enough. Wasn't until later that the wide body vitara's came out that bits changed. The body lift kit should be a case of just swapping over as they are just blocks and are generic. The suspension lift kit should just swap over also. Hubs I think will just transfer over also (I'm 95% sure but there are others here who will give a definitive answer on that).

As for the Manual vs Auto debate... that still goes on (thats like asking if wide or narrow tyres are best or cruiser vs patrol ). for select-ability the auto is king. you are always in the right gear and don't loose momentum when changing down. You can lock in the maximum gear you want (like a manual) by just selecting L,2,3 or D (if a 4 speed, if 3 speed just remove '3'), sure you will start in the gear lower down but that isn't a problem. Hard driving in sand or mud will require a decent oil cooler for the transmission. If it has one in the radiator add another one in line as well or replace the original radiator with a manual one and run a separate cooler (bigger water volume in the manual) with a small electric fan if you want to get techy.

Of course the manual doesn't loose any engine output (and lets face it we all want more get up and go) getting drive to the wheels, any gear you select for down hills etc will be the gear you remain in. Down hills are easier in a manual because the engine breaking is there without having to do anything else. Up hills are easier in an auto as the gear is always right. River crossings etc where you have to change gear in a manual means a possibility of clutch slippage due to water ingress between the friction surfaces, where an auto you can change as much as you like (this goes for sloppy mud also).

There is the possibility to use the auto slippage to get a lower drive ratio by riding the brakes (left foot braking) and driving with the auto. Good for down hills where you dint want to run away (lower engine braking - traditionally an autos achilles heel). The beauty of left foot braking is you can use it to stop wheel spin in almost any situation. Just load up the brakes and the engine then use the brake pressure to control speed. This will of course cause the auto fluid to heat up so a bigger than factory cooler will be needed.

I have a manual vitara toy for playing with but it was only because that is what came with the deal I couldn't turn down. I still haven't decided which would be best for what I want to do either. A large percentage of the trials trucks I see (okay they are modified a little) have autos so there must be something to them.

Get the new one swap the bits over, do the head gasket in the old one and flick it off. Worst case scenario - sell it as parts and what ever dosent sell take to a scrappy.

Heath

Oh Yeah and welcome.

[beachpeach]

There is a lot of debate on which is best off road manual or auto. In a nutshell, a manual can loose momentum when you change gear and are in the sticky stuff where an auto doesn't, however an auto can waste several horsepower driving its own internals (but not having to change gear can be a blessing while you are trying to keep it on the high bits and not fall into a hole). It does look like the auto Vitara has the better diff rations for playing in the mud.
http://www.offroadexpress.co.nz/Forums/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=10706 vitara auto to manual????
http://www.offroadexpress.co.nz/Forums/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=10293 Trials Truck - Auto or Manual

So I suppose the question you have to ask yourself before doing the parts swap is what do you (cause it is all about you at the end of the day) prefer to drive, manual or auto?
I have an automatic Jimny, not 100% by choice but it was the right price when I was looking for a car a few years back. I initially had some reservations about it off road but now I actually like the idea of putting it in 1st and leaving it there. Admittedly the 1300cc engine is a little underpowered in some of the deeper mud or steeper hills but a bolt-in engine swap from a 1600 Vitara or 1500 Baleno/Cultus/Crescent is on the to-do list.

As for swapping parts, I can't see why they wouldn't fit when the vehicles are only a couple years different in age (are they both the 1600cc version?). I had a look at the web sites of Calmini http://www.puresuzuki.com and they only list one part number for all the Vitaras from 1989 to 98.

Have fun.

Invaluable - thanks so much - Auto sounds OK by me. I was getting stuck chucking the manual down. They are both 16 V. Your a gem, cheers

[beachpeach]

If you do alot of sand driving you'll need an external cooler for the auto as it will get hot...

HI ya, the external cooler? is that an extractor? I have one of those plus a newish exhaust....

[beachpeach]

Pretty sure that the shape etc of the two vitara's is the same so I am guessing all your current bits will swap over easily enough. Wasn't until later that the wide body vitara's came out that bits changed. The body lift kit should be a case of just swapping over as they are just blocks and are generic. The suspension lift kit should just swap over also. Hubs I think will just transfer over also (I'm 95% sure but there are others here who will give a definitive answer on that).

As for the Manual vs Auto debate... that still goes on (thats like asking if wide or narrow tyres are best or cruiser vs patrol ). for select-ability the auto is king. you are always in the right gear and don't loose momentum when changing down. You can lock in the maximum gear you want (like a manual) by just selecting L,2,3 or D (if a 4 speed, if 3 speed just remove '3'), sure you will start in the gear lower down but that isn't a problem. Hard driving in sand or mud will require a decent oil cooler for the transmission. If it has one in the radiator add another one in line as well or replace the original radiator with a manual one and run a separate cooler (bigger water volume in the manual) with a small electric fan if you want to get techy.

Of course the manual doesn't loose any engine output (and lets face it we all want more get up and go) getting drive to the wheels, any gear you select for down hills etc will be the gear you remain in. Down hills are easier in a manual because the engine breaking is there without having to do anything else. Up hills are easier in an auto as the gear is always right. River crossings etc where you have to change gear in a manual means a possibility of clutch slippage due to water ingress between the friction surfaces, where an auto you can change as much as you like (this goes for sloppy mud also).

There is the possibility to use the auto slippage to get a lower drive ratio by riding the brakes (left foot braking) and driving with the auto. Good for down hills where you dint want to run away (lower engine braking - traditionally an autos achilles heel). The beauty of left foot braking is you can use it to stop wheel spin in almost any situation. Just load up the brakes and the engine then use the brake pressure to control speed. This will of course cause the auto fluid to heat up so a bigger than factory cooler will be needed.

I have a manual vitara toy for playing with but it was only because that is what came with the deal I couldn't turn down. I still haven't decided which would be best for what I want to do either. A large percentage of the trials trucks I see (okay they are modified a little) have autos so there must be something to them.

Get the new one swap the bits over, do the head gasket in the old one and flick it off. Worst case scenario - sell it as parts and what ever dosent sell take to a scrappy.

Heath

Oh Yeah and welcome.

Outrageous advice - brilliant!! This left foot braking business sounds fun. Seems like I'll buy the 94, its lookin like a sweet deal. Thanks so much for your help, I'll look into the clever coolant for the transmission. cheers!

[Weemsy]

hya beachpeach & welcome.

all the bits will swap over no problems. the autohubs should be a straight swap. im 99% sure that the 26 spline front axles are fitted from 1996 onwards, so wont affect your swap over.

as for the auto debate......

ive got a 1992 escudo auto and its a 5 door (heavier). ive had no problems with over-heating the gearbox and its had quite a hard-time off road as far as deep mud and long uphills. i found it much easier than a manual

get the auto and just enjoy it for now. if you decide you like it and are going to keep it for a while, and do plenty of off-roading, then think about a transmission cooler. dont worry about it just yet.

hope this helps

weemsy

[Heath]

Maybe fitting a temp guage to the auto for now as a indicator. If it stays in the normal range then sweet, if it goes up then think about the cooler or drive a little easier ... nah get a cooler and go hard.

[beachpeach]

hya beachpeach & welcome.

all the bits will swap over no problems. the autohubs should be a straight swap. im 99% sure that the 26 spline front axles are fitted from 1996 onwards, so wont affect your swap over.

as for the auto debate......

ive got a 1992 escudo auto and its a 5 door (heavier). ive had no problems with over-heating the gearbox and its had quite a hard-time off road as far as deep mud and long uphills. i found it much easier than a manual

get the auto and just enjoy it for now. if you decide you like it and are going to keep it for a while, and do plenty of off-roading, then think about a transmission cooler. dont worry about it just yet.

hope this helps

weemsy

Thanks, sound advice. Your all quite lovely on this site. Appreciate all the advice and top tips. I spent ages trying to research everything. Done in a flash here... Thank you !