Offroad-Express

Hi all,

I am struggling to find info on the 2l diesels.

Anyone got one or know what they are like with the heads.

How are they for k's, like is 200,000 high or they good for 300,00 plus.

Are the exhaust sensors and issue in NZ at all?

Any feedback on their off-road capabilities.

Drove one today and it was alright for a 2l. A bit of turbo lag but pretty good.

Appreciate feedback as there's not much around

Cheers

Zane

What model are you looking at ?

My first one was a 1995 , so first of what I call gen 2 vitara's . It was a non intercooled version . Not too bad overall , not sporty but fine for what it was . It had about 140km's on the clock when I got it and about 180 when I sold it . No issues with it but I believe the head had been off just prior to me getting it , due to the suzuki dealer doing a cheap timing belt job and it snapping a short time later so dealers cost .
If looking at this era get an intercooled one , ie 1996 + .

About 1998 when the GV came out they went to the ecu controlled version of the same motor , RF Mazda , no experience with these . In 2000 or 2001 they changed from the mazda to the Peugeot diesel .

I sold the 1995 as I got a 2002 GV diesel with the Peugeot RHZ engine . Picked it up with about 120km's and sold it to a mates father (in a moment of poor judgement) with about 210km on it . In that time the only fault's I had were the elec fuel pump died and the harmonic balancer was worn at 200km's , it was replaced when they put new belts and water pumps on the 200 service . It was not cheap , was too lazy to do it myself . Next time I would .

I have repeatedly asked to buy the car back but the new owner will not sell it , I saw it a week or so ago and its up to ~250 km no further issues . The interweb says that the intercooler lets water onto the no 4 glow plug and it can seize in .

I still keep an eye out as if I can find a suitable one I would probably pick it up in a heartbeat , 2001 to 2003 auto . They stopped making autos in 2003 and have I will not have a manual I am stuck there . I did find out that the current mazda diesel in things like the CX-5 etc is a development of the original RF engine . Ie maybe get an earily GV and swap on the latest engine from a wreck , still the new ECU's make this hard .

In short I would get the later engine but in saying that the mazda one I had gave me no trouble . Maybe I was lucky with both of the ones I had . Still got a ecu chip for the GV , never got around to installing it . I would like to say it did not need it but you can never have too much power .

Chris

had a 1st gen pug one massive turbo lag a bit gutless but great for round town 750k on a tank of diesel, parts expensive and not usually in stock, didn't really take offroad

i have heard of a couple of early deisel vitaras doing 400km, but the number of prematurely dead ones far outway the good. The Pug motors in the grand vitara do have issues with water running down through the top mount intercooler and rusting 2 of the INJECTORS, not just the glow plugs into the head, and those injectors need to come out to be able to get at the head bolts, which equals big head aches, big bills, and no gain at the end. when they are going, they go pretty well, when they aren't going, you'll defintily be tempted to throw it over a cliff.

The newer shape (2005 onwards) with the F9Q does has a fair few issues with boost control solenoids, throttle body, wastegate, particulate filter and other things associated with controlling the motor. IMHO Suzuki deisels are something I would never own, What on earth would posses a manufacturer to buy crate motors from someone else and to fit them into their vehicles is beyond me, they just create a head ache for the owners of them once they get towards the 10 years old stage. If you want a deisel vehicle, buy one form a known manufacturer who makes their own deisel engines

strx7 wrote:What on earth would posses a manufacturer to buy crate motors from someone else and to fit them into their vehicles is beyond me, they just create a head ache for the owners of them once they get towards the 10 years old stage.

Must have been a massive headache for all the VL commodore owners then

Stirring hat off I don't disagree with what your saying overall . I would still chance another 01 to 03 Peugeot one , but like I said I was probably luck in that I had no issues bar the elec fuel pump .

Cheers
Chris

Rotazuk wrote:
Must have been a massive headache for all the VL commodore owners then

Best commodore that's ever been produced......