Some may recognize this from suzuki-forums... figured I'd post it over here as well!

It's been sitting for around 3 months now, snow is around the corner and I need something back on the road. I also use it once in a while doing some trailing.

1996 Geo Tracker with just over 110k miles, 16 valve, automatic, 4x4.


It started with doing maintenance that is due/soon due. I've had a few CELs over the past 2 years. I passed last year because the tech misread the old mileage as being under 5k miles so I passed with the CEL. This year I have approx 20k miles on it and I need to get it inspected because winter is here.

Smokes blue at startup, idle is inconsistent and stalls, reeks of gas (believe 02 sensor is fouled cause there is a lean code but its running very rich). I only get 22-23mpg at best yet I see people claiming 27-29 mpg. Valve cover is leaking some and the PCV valve is probably gummed up.



Things I've done in the past 1-2 years:

Plugs, air filter, and pulled the MAF and cleaned it with CRC MAF cleaner, EGR valve around 2-3 years ago with one from AutoZone as it was completely clogged and no longer opened/closed freely after cleaning. I have also replaced the MAP/MDP sensor (on the firewall) a few months ago with a new one from Advanced. I pulled the metal tube that runs from near the EGR up to the intake manifold as it was nearly clogged, cleaned it out with some braided wire on a drill low speed, as well as the holes where it bolts on both ends.


Plan on pulling the head and cleaning all the passages good for the EGR system along with the intake manifold.

Stuff I bought:
Oil - high mileage
Oil filter
Spark Plugs
Spark Plug Wires
#1 O2 sensor
2 cans Carb cleaner
PCV Valve
Full upper gasket kit
EGR vacuum control solenoid (x2)
Timing belt & tensioner
Head Bolts
Crown Vic Shocks
Low Range Offroad 2" budget lift kit
Waterpump


I'm hoping after all this I'll get closer to 28mpg, no smoke upon startup, and no CELs along with power and throttle response I know I'm missing from the CEL being on.


How it sits now, painted the hood matte black last week because it started delaminating, unsure if I'll do the entire vehicle.

Ordered some Cragar V-5 15x7 from Summit racing with the 3.75 in. backspacing and found some 30x9.5x15 for a price I was willing to pay and picked them up the other day. Got them for $300 picked up which saved me about $180-$225 over getting them new (after shipping). Two have about 85% and other two have about 80% tread left, I feel it was worth it because of the $ I saved for right now. White letters are going inside.








Blah, taking the head off to clean the EGR passage and ports then get it decked then cleaned. Also cleaning out the intake manifold ports for the EGR and slight port matching. Goal to have it all back together is 2 weeks.

Rear most exhaust runner is cracked where it meets the rest. No carbon deposits tho so IDK what I'm going to do.




4 hours into it.

Basic port cleanup, removed casting seams along sides of ports then blended the steel valve seats into the ports, took around 3 hours. Some of the intake ports were nearly 1/16" off (valve seat being smaller) so this should help some, but I'm not expecting miracles, just figured while I have the head off I might as well clean it up some. Didn't mess with the guides, radius of bend or anything, just basic blending and cleanup.

That is some  nice work on the head.  It will be interesting to see how she looks with the new tires and lift with that black hood.

Head is at the machine shop getting milled .015" per request as well as all seats and valves recut then everything cleaned. Costing me ~$200 for that work. Just making sure everything is up to par before I reassemble because I don't want to have to mess with this setup again.

 I like the flat black hood it looks good with the green. I would paint the small pieces between the hood and the mirrors flat black as well though. But it looks cool!

I like the flat black hood it looks good with the green. I would paint the small pieces between the hood and the mirrors flat black as well though. But it looks cool!

A few people have told me that now... I'll probably end up doing them.


Degreased, glass beaded, cleaned, silver metallic, then sanded paint off the letters to 320 grit for a "brushed" look then cleared over everything.

Coil spacers in and new 91 Crown Vic shocks on. Instead of drilling out the old bushings to reuse the metal spacer, I made a trip to Lowes and got some 1/2"ID, 5/8"OD x 1.5" long steel zinc plated spacers and 2" long 1/2"x13t grade 8 bolts, nuts, and lock washers then drilled out the mounting holes on the axle brackets to 1/2" (hardly larger then stock but enough to require drilling).

Wow!  Nice work on that head and valve cover!  I like the patience and attention to detail.   Makes me want to rebuild a 16 valve motor and replace my old worn out 170k mile 8 valve in the 1991 Tracker.

Keep up the good work!  You won't be disappointed.

Wow!  Nice work on that head and valve cover!  I like the patience and attention to detail.   Makes me want to rebuild a 16 valve motor and replace my old worn out 170k mile 8 valve in the 1991 Tracker.

Keep up the good work!  You won't be disappointed.

Heck, it makes me want to just take off my valve cover and polish it up... 

Heck, it makes me want to just take off my valve cover and polish it up... 

Lol....that too.

White powdery stuff is the chemical they use to clean everything... have to spray something on there to get it off, water doesn't seem to want to take it off.

Cost $216.xx total for grinding all the valves and seats and taking .015" off then cleaning. One of the exhaust valves were over-cut or something so they machined one to spec of the others from a blank which is cool (since they took fault).

Now that everything's clean, the exhaust side has a bit of play so I may have issues in the future but I don't want to drop the coin for new guides and machine work.

Front is currently about 1.25" higher then the rear (measured at wheel arch). Should come down about level when everything is back together. Have to modify the LCA still to fix the camber.




Rear is sitting where it's going to be...

"Future" mod after I get it back together and drive it for a month or two to make sure there aren't any CELs that pop up again.

Pulled it from a Saab, P/N 452083-15, got it for $51. No shaft play, no oil on exhaust side and basically no oil on the compressor side, pulled it apart to clean it up and get a rebuild kit before I put it on. No shaft play, no oil on exhaust side and basically no oil on the compressor side, pulled it apart to clean it up and get a rebuild kit before I put it on. Good for about 17psi and 250 hp max from what I've found. I'm only planning 5 psi to get a little more power but I don't want a bunch of issues with reliability.

Like an idiot I put the head gasket on backwards and trashed the head after a 10-15 mile drive. #3 cap/journal is toasted as well as the rocker/lobe contact areas between #3 and #4... there goes a few hundred. I'll be getting a head from the junkyard this weekend and taking it to the shop the following weekend to get decked and valves worked.


Anyhow, working on the exhaust. SS tubing, Magnaflow muffler, HF cat, and 8" SS flex pipe. Welds are just regular MIG tho :rolleyes:   Found out the tube that runs through the frame to each rear strut plate is more rotted/missing then solid... guess I'll be dropping the tank and cutting it out and welding in a tube.

Stock 1.5" crush bent


SS 2" mandrel bent