1988 Samurai Build Thread

Hello folks, I recently purchased a 1988 Suzuki samurai (rust free but heavily patina). Fortunately, the samurai already has a 1.6NA VW diesel in it. This engine is loud, low on power and lacking compression. I have a 1.9 ALH cylinder head and short block, vnt-15, and 11mm inj pump. Which leads me to the creation of this thread. My goal for the samurai is to have around 110 horsepower- I want it to have some giddy up! I want the engine to be purely mechanical. You can argue with me until the cows come home about how much better they run electronically, the fact of the matter is I don't care. I want it mechanical and I have my reasons.

So here are my questions. What accessory bracket do I need? What pump bolts up and runs easiest? What alternator configuration is needed? What clutch will this swap need? I assume I can get motor mounts from acme.

If anyone has more information regarding the swap, I would be glad to hear it and I will post pictures as I go throughout.

trekbikedude said:

So here are my questions. What accessory bracket do I need? What pump bolts up and runs easiest? What alternator configuration is needed? What clutch will this swap need? I assume I can get motor mounts from acme.

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Acme does not make mounts for the alh block so you are on your own makong those. You will be hard pressed to find a sami clutch that will hold your power goals let alone the zuks transmission. I would recommend selling your current acme kit and picking up at least a trackkick trans adapter if not the toyota. I cant offer any advice on the mtdi stuff.

Hey there. I'm mechanical so I can help you a little bit, although I'm running an ahu not an alh. What brand adapter is currently in it? Is it acme, or rocky road? To run a vnt with a mechanical pump, you will need to create some way to control the boost since it's variable vane. It has been done, and I have read up on it, but it confuses me, and I still don't quite understand it. The easiest thing to do would be to sell your alh stuff and buy a 1z or ahu long block or complete motor. The current motor mounts will work directly, no modifications. If you have an alternator setup on your 1.6 now, it will swap directly over to a 1.9 block using all the pulleys off the 1.6. There is a mtdi pump on vwdiesel.net right now for $600, was built by tintin. I am running a 2.8 lt pump I scored from a guy overseas for cheap.

And the sami clutch will hold up fine if you don't put huge tires and ride the clutch super hard. If you are wanting to go for power, definitely swap to a toyota plate and transmission. I know plenty of guys running samurai transmissions with no issues, but they are mostly using 1.6 or 1.9 td motors that don't have a real high output.

And one more post by me, I would suggest joining this link here: http://bbs.zuwharrie.com/content?board=48.0 it is the suzuki diesel section on a samurai forum. Loads of great info there, and plenty of extremely knowledgeable people willing to help with anything they can.

And when do we get pix of this samurai??

Here is the sammy

Sorry, was busy rebuilding a dodge trans and doing glowplugs on a 7.3. Anyway here is a picture of the ole girl. I love this little thing. Had to buy a proportioning valve, expensive little bugger. Anyhow, the current kit in the samurai is a Acme adapter. I really want to use this ALH as I already have it, sitting on the floor. For the right price, I guess an AHU would just flat out make more sense.

Well that is great news most of my stuff will swap over. I think I am going to go with an upgraded clutch as the sachs in it currently doesn't like a lot of torque. The VNT I have- has already been set up to run off of boost pressure-Using a conventional wastegate actuator. I guess it will be time to machine the block and order some BEW pistons soon. I just need an injection pump to run solely mechanically.

exciting news

I found a forum member thanks to previous post that has a mtdi (fiat base) pump for sale. He also has an accessory bracket, turbochargers, 205 nozzles and oil filter housing/ oil cooler.just the stuff I need to get this project going!!!!

Do you have an account on vwdiesel.net? A guy on there is selling a ready to run mtdi pump built by tintin. He wants $600

yes

Yes, I do that is where I found the pump, thank you for the heads up.

Wait a second, are you mulboost on instagram?

Edit: I now see that you are. I am just a slow learner I guess.