Hey whats up.
I saw this for sale in the area.
Unfortunately it has good/bad.
And Im not especially savvy in this area.
What would you do!

1991 Geo Tracker
4x4
1.6L fuel injected
5-speed manual
soft top
101k miles

The Good
newer clutch under 3k
newer starter under 3k
brand new ECU (engine computer)
replaced throttle position sensor
replaced coolant temperature sensor
transmission good
transfer case good
4x4 good
new fuel filter
new plugs
good paint

The Bad
I did all I could do myself to get this thing running right and I finally broke down and took it to a mechanic which is where it is at right now. It is running very rich and the mechanic took a compression test and says that the cylinders are only getting 80-100 compression. This means that it probably needs new piston rings and a valve job. I am out of money, I am taking a major loss on this thing but I have no choice because my mechanical expertise does not involve putting in piston rings. A full engine rebuild kit is 420 dollars and the rings by themselves are a lot cheaper. I am just not going to pay the couple hundred dollar labor to have it done. It is in pretty good shape otherwise. The interior needs cleaned and the back window of the soft top need put back on track. It does run but it is not really driveable because it is running so rich it stalls out and you have to keep it at about 2500 rpms which is not really safe to be driving it like that.

Ive talked with him but havent looked at it YET
hes selling it for $600

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I want to swap my bolt
pattern from 5x139 to 5x114.

If anyone has any input,
please let me know!

Also, I get a lot of people who
want to buy my UNIQUE Tracker.
(so if youre SERIOUS and got the $$$)
contact me and we can talk.

RyouBakua|removethispart|@Hotmail.com[/size]

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He also said that he thinks the guy that
sold it to him cut the check engine light.
Which is why he didnt see the problems before buying it.

What should I also check for?

Brakes/Master Cylinder
Tires
Any Electrical



I mean its a BONE STOCK Tracker already at the MECHANICS.
This could be a great opportunity to get
EVERYTHING...... DONE AT ONCE...... THE RIGHT WAY!
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Just dont forget its a used car..... with high miles.....

Its going to cost money no matter how careful you are.

I have learned many times that people like us who dont do their own work should not invest in more than one older 'toy'

Just dont forget its a used car..... with high miles.....
Its going to cost money no matter how careful you are.
I have learned many times that people like us who dont do
their own work should not invest in more than one older 'toy'

Riiiiiight... 



But seriously, the point I was trying to make was...

That its going to need an engine rebuild anyway. 
So while its having work done is there anything to add or modify?

Now I would tinker it in my own garage but look at the picture.
(Thats the garage!)
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hey, get a baleno engine.

a friend of mine once told me: it's easyer to swap a BIG part thanit is to find/sort out many small problems. baleno enginer are also inexpensive.

and also look for rust, theese cars are usually very rusty (in norway) but you might have a better climate than we hawe here up north.

tryed to post a "rusty" picture but was out of luck

hey, get a baleno engine.
a friend of mine once told me: it's easyer to swap a BIG part thanit is to find/sort out many small problems. baleno enginer are also inexpensive.
and also look for rust, theese cars are usually very rusty (in norway) but you might have a better climate than we hawe here up north.
tryed to post a "rusty" picture but was out of luck

yeah... I pretty much got the whole "BUYING A USED CAR" thing
(I've actually been doing it for a few years)

I was speaking OFFROAD SUZUKI SIDEKICK wise
(mbadsss if I wasnt clear on that)
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that's what i thougt, the baleno 1,6 engine is the same as the vitara sidekick.
i think it's easyer to swap engine than restore it, in most caces you will save $ on it as well.
it takes a long time to restore an engine.

that's what i thougt, the baleno 1,6 engine is the same as the vitara sidekick.
i think it's easyer to swap engine than restore it, in most caces you will save $ on it as well.
it takes a long time to restore an engine.

well... from the information Ive gathered
it will be about 700 (parts/labor) to overhaul the engine
and about 1000 to swap it + the cost of a donor engine.

If I had my way, Id toss a totally different engine in there just for the hell of it.
But I have neither the time nor the money for such endeavors.
 
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i see, the parts are a lot cheeper than what i am used to.

if i should do the same on a vitara i whould "just" swap it.

That doesnt make sense. To properly overhaul the engine you need to pull it out. It is also much more work that just swaping one.

 Buy one of the service manuals and build it yourself, I pulled the engine out of mine by hand ( with the help of a buddy) just remove the head and as much of the accessories, the whole thing is aluminum. You could build it in your basement/ closet if space is tight

 The last time I rebuilt an engine I was 15, seems like yesterday ( sorry, memory lane) that was 15 years ago, anyways with the book, a few phone calls and help from this awsome site my truck is running great and only cost me the parts, little bit of machine work and a little skin off my knuckles

 Total cost $ 900.00 CDN & 2 weekends + coronas

Just my opinion
Steve.

That doesnt make sense. To properly overhaul the engine you need to pull it out. It is also much more work that just swaping one.

my thoughts exactly
I have to check with a few mechanics on that one.
Thanks PD.  I would LOVE to tackle something like that.
But I really dont have the space or resources.

Well anyway,
back to the original subject

Since the engine is going to be out.  What can be altered OFF-ROAD-wise?
(street im alright, but offroad I get a little lost from time to time)

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more Horse power is newer wrong, new camshaft? http://www.puresuzuki.com/camshaft1.htm

K&N air filter?

well the next one i have on the chopping block is getting the buttom end built to hold boost, and the heads will get oversized valves and its getting a t4 turbo, one should thing building a turbo motor to run say  7 to 9 psi boost ------  would have more then a little bit of get up and scoot, not to mention, lighten the fly wheel, advance the timing polish the heads junk the stock intake and make a shortram, atleast if your not going turbo, headers 2" or 2.5" exhause to a turbo muffler and some 29 MTRs and you would have a good little starting point

OH and if it is going to the machien shop, and you are NOT  going turbo, have them Doc the block
that will give you a bit more aswell