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Suzuki carry / daihatsu hijet engine swap and entire vehicle-mods

Discussion in 'Performance' started by Jeremy47, Mar 22, 2017.

  1. Jeremy47

    Jeremy47 New Member

    Hello everyone, Im new to this forum and Mini-Trucks in general, But i'll get right to the point.
    Currently I do not own a mini-truck for myself, but am currently looking at purchasing one. (currently looking at a '88 4wd daihatsu hijet 547cc 3cylinder 4stroke, But if I can find one I'd rather get the suzuki carry '92/91 4wd 657cc) I only found out about mini trucks from my passion in UTV's,I wanted a strong 4wd UTV with over 30hp and atleast 600lbs of towing capacity, Now the only downside to that is my options were well over 5,000$,and that was just for a 24hp ATV,not a full-UTV, a website reccomended to the public that if they wanted a strong offroad and on-road equivalent of a ATV/UTV to just get a mini-truck. the only downside's I can see to any mini-truck that is availible for import to usa within my budget (800-1200 USD max) is a 1992 and older,and either the daihatsu hijet or the suzuki carry,as the honda acty doesnt feature full lockable and selectable speed diff+transfer cases [i digress] is the lack of engine power.
    So I was thinking, I've seen video's of it being done,people swapping the engines out of these vehicles for a 1.6l g16b suzuki engine for more acceleration and slightly more top-gear speed. So that got me thinking, is it not too far off to put one of those and a twin-turbo setup of small turbo's (small enough to keep minimal boost at 1200rpm but big enough to still keep good boost at full throttle,say twin turbo's each meant for 450-500cc motorcycle engines @ 12k rpm),and the small turbo's would be used becuase I dont want alot of top end power,thats not too relevant to me,I could just switch gears accordingly for the speed side of things. What im chasing is torque. and to keep around 4psi at 2800rpm and around 8 at ~4700rpm. I want the towing capacity to be upped to around 1,500lbs achievable in 3rd gear.
    Obviously i'll need to do suspension overhauls and braking overhauls obviously but thats a slightly bigger fish to fry atleast for the moment.

    TL;DR i want a g16b with twin turbo's in a daihatsu hijet or a suzuki carry, is it possible and ifnot how can i make it possible?
     
  2. KCCats

    KCCats Active Member

    Welcome!
    I just got my 91 Cary in Dec!
    I believe it will already do everything you are asking!
    There are a few tips on here to get the HP up!
    I agree I wish there was more torque!
    I am in the process of comparing the 660 Suzuki Cary motor to the same (similar) 660 Suzuki from the Arctic Cat Snowmobile!
    I am a Moderator on the Snowmobile Forum.com, and am aware of the snowmobile that Cat put the motor into!
    The first one in around 05 was 80HP!, Then they put a turbo on it (stock) and it makes 124hp!
     
  3. Jeremy47

    Jeremy47 New Member

    Thanks KCCats for the welcome.
    nice on the carry,how does it handle for you (dont be afraid to send me a paragraph if you want,or even just a sentance. im interested in knowing how they handle on highway's in rain/wind, snow,wet offroad, and how it handles attempting to tow somethign thats way outside of its spec (say if its rated to tow 700kg and trying to tow 2200kg) would it just spin the tires or would it give it its all (1st gear,4-low,towing something that will move,like say fallen tree's or maybe a downed vehicle)
    124hp hp isnt bad. arent most snowmobiles belt-driven though?
    and do you really think the 547cc would be able to tow 1500lbs in 3rd gear ? with 4wd in high,not low. (so as to take some weight from point A to B on-road @ about 35-40mph)
    if you say it will do everything that i would ask of it already, then all it really could use is a turbo for better on-road acceleration (still gotta be a speed-demon sometime haha)
    Not really chasing HP, more-so torque. but since hp and torque come hand-in-hand then i suppose im also chasing HP,but not much the same way i'd chase it on a different kind of vehicle...haha!
    Thanks!
     
  4. KCCats

    KCCats Active Member

    They handle the road fine, no problems!
    Well except a head wind!
    But no torque, they turn like 8000 rpm and only make like 40 hp!
    I have towed trailers already no issue!
    Rain and snow no problem at all!
    Off road now that is another story!
    Off road is REALY where they Shine!
    I plan on reworking my intake and exhaust to try to get my top end up, doubt it will give me any more torque!
    But basically I take off in 3rd gear even with bigger 13" tires!
    I am planning a 2" lift (Body lift or drive line drop)
    Running 14" truck tires on road and 26 X 12 X 12 ATV on back and 26 X 8 x 12 on front(already have had the ATV tires on (look at my Avatar pic)
    But if I end up buying a set of off road tires I may go as big as 30" tall 8" wide all the way around?
    Off road I never get out of second gear!
    And in 4X4 there is even an Extra Low gear for crawling down cliffs! (been there done that!)
     
  5. KCCats

    KCCats Active Member

    Mine is street legal but I also had to give $5k for a 25 year old truck with 38,000 miles on it!
     
  6. Jeremy47

    Jeremy47 New Member

    haha,yeah where i live its very very windy. about 30mph wind through 60% of the day so i'd need alot of torque to counter that wind.
    8k???? jeez,that'll gain alot of power from the turbo i was planning. its designed for roughly 6psi from a 600c engine at 3600rpm... you think the engine could handle about 10psi? (i'd have a computer limit the boost to about 6psi,maybe 7max if i really needed some strong power)
    the one i want is a 4speed+reverse and 4hi/low/neutral. no EL or 5/6th gears.
    30" tall? jesus thats insane,i love it.
    5k?$?$?$? im going to get mine anywhere form 900-1300$. http://www.beforward.jp (use code 207292 for 15$ off) only can export 25+ year old but still its a great value site from japan direct.
    i was qouted 1088$ [​IMG][​IMG][​IMG]

    8450 miles for an 1988 4wd.
     
  7. Jeremy47

    Jeremy47 New Member

    (ive done fact checking and background info on that site quite a few times, and a few people who've reccomended these vehicles to me even said they used the site)
     
  8. ttc

    ttc Active Member

    8000 miles that is bs as the 80s trucks didn't go to 100k they go back to 0 so that truck would have 108,000k on it
     
  9. ttc

    ttc Active Member

    I have a 95 110 and I can fill the box as high as the cab all the way back almost and still do 90kph in 5th on the flat. Hills put me down into 3rd at 50kph.
     
  10. ttc

    ttc Active Member

    They do have turbo version of them factory If you really search.
     
  11. Jeremy47

    Jeremy47 New Member

    thats still better than my other 4wd offroading option for the same price - my moms 1998 lincoln navigator with somewhere north of 200k miles and pretty pathetic offroad capability. too much power,it just spins the tires. 5.4l -v8

    90kph only? i'd be needing to go atleast 105kph on highway with overloaded capacity (full bed + trailer). have my drag racing lawn mower in bed and on trailer my offroad gokart+ space for work stuff like chopped logs or steel weights.
     
  12. Jeremy47

    Jeremy47 New Member

    Yeah i know their is a turbo version,but that turbo only added 1hp and like 2lb-ft of torque, nothing special at all. and is only availbe in units that are well outside my budget.
    either way i like to do things custom, i know my work is good quality and if it goes out i already know how to fix it,not like having to figure out wtf the oem's were thinking when they paired a small engine with 1300lbs of weight haha.
     
  13. KCCats

    KCCats Active Member

    Have you confirmed the cost of the Duties and taxes and tariffs?
    I know there is an issue with titles too!
    There is a few places that you can get 6 or 7 trucks in a cargo box for $7k delivered!
     
  14. ttc

    ttc Active Member

    EF-XS has 61hp and 63ftlbs
     
  15. ttc

    ttc Active Member

    the oems did what they had to stay in the rules for kei jidōsha. the american mentality of bigger is better doesnt always work. sounds like you need a f250 not a micro truck.
     
  16. Jeremy47

    Jeremy47 New Member

    @ttc if i wanted a full size i could easily buy a friends 4.4l v6 S10. it wont fit where i need to take it,plus their alot less unique and alot less thrill is earned when you make something already good and make it better,its much more fun to take something completely unheard of (atleast in my city) and make it amazing. that and most the trucks for sale in my city arent 4wd and if they are they arent pickups,their suv's,like a lincoln navigator/ford explorer.
    @KCCats 7k? that seems amazing could you perhaps swing me a link?
    no,i wasnt even aware of either of those. these costs are starting to add up and now just buying one off ebay for 2200$ all-inclusive price isnt seeming like such a bad idea...
     
  17. KCCats

    KCCats Active Member

    Finding one for sale is hard enough!
    I know of one other for sale here in Illinois, not street legal and wants $7k!
    Yeah try doing a search here, the search doesn't seem to work very well though?
     
  18. Tuskano

    Tuskano Member

    Anything can be possible. If you twin turbo, worse you can do is blow the engine. That'll give you more of a reason to put something else in, or downgrade to a single turbo.

    I have a S110P Hijet which I daily on the roads/highways, and has had the 660cc 4wd engine in it. Lots of low torque, but nothing special of course. While I am on deployment, I am having a local mechanic have at it for a NA 13B rotary swap off of a 88 Rx7. Would give it lots more high end torque. Would make it 2wd though, but I don't off-road often.

    If you are planning on suspension and don't plan on lifting it, a Japanese company called Kei-Zone makes adjustable coilovers, front/rear that stiffen it up very nice for on-road use.
     

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  19. Acerguy

    Acerguy Moderator Staff Member

    I'm curious where you are getting 8450 miles? The picture you show has an ODO reading of around 73,749km....which is 45,825 miles. As mentioned, it could have rolled over too. I would suggest that compared to a typical UTV, the average kei truck is not going to perform nearly as well off road without a LOT of modifications. They are designed as semi-urban farm trucks with somewhat limited wheel travel and McPherson struts up front. There have been some engine swaps on this forum. Perhaps the most extreme was Greg's HiJet from years ago. https://minitrucktalk.com/threads/engine-solid-axle-swap-build.3306/ Needless to say, he has some cash into it.
     
  20. KCCats

    KCCats Active Member

    I am still looking for someone at Suzuki that can answer some questions about the snowmobile engine!
    I am planning on possible making an exh manifold/ header for it and then the EFI?
    I will keep you posted on the performance / MPG differences!
    Im only at 30mpg on the highway!
     
  21. Jeremy47

    Jeremy47 New Member

    Sorry for the dissapearance, i got rather carried away with a apprenticeship program at the college i got my GED at. (hopefully this apprenticeship can lead to some cash flow am i right? haha)
    anyway,i was working on my moms chevy HHR (its a rip-off of the PT-cruiser) and i foundout that its 2L engine (4cyclinder) is 260hp. and thats for the non turbocharged model. which is f**kin crazy IMHO.
    i was thinking that would be a great swap into a truck like this. a friend proposed a small block chevy LS with a blower and a turbo for all range torque,but thats a pretty big (size) investment.
    if possible i want a big engine,but not so big where i lose space to keep the 4wd and stuff of that nature. i dont mind swapping the pickup bed to use as a engine bay. hah that'd be a sight to see!

    let me know your thoughts,thanks!
    sincerely, the dude with a challenger as his profile pic even though his favorite car is the 5000hp DEVEL SIXTEEN.
     
  22. Tuskano

    Tuskano Member

    Damn internet ate my last post...

    That would be a interesting swap, lots of power coming from a 4 cylinder. Does it look like it would fit between the frame? Like you said, might have to sit it higher and loose bed space if it is too big and you are not planning to modify the frame itself. Not sure on the 4wd, as I am unsure if the transfer cases for them can handle that kind of power, but if you get it to all work then good for you. Also not sure if they can match up to your engine, but good if you can. How heavy is the engine? As heavy as the stock engine maybe?
     
  23. Jeremy47

    Jeremy47 New Member

    i could replace the individual systems (replace trans,transfer case,rotors+brakes,drive axle's,stuff like that)
    i was mis-informed. the non turbo model makes 150hp. but thats still pretty good,it makes 162lb-ft of torque and is a DOHC. 2.2l. turbo model is a standard 2l
    and the engine weight is maybe 300-400lbs. its a light lil thing. but im pretty sure im way too high on that number though.
    im pretty decent with a welder and a grinder. if i findout that the stock systems are good enough (Aside from trans,as that probably wont even mount the 2.2l) i'll keep it and build adapters to work.
    i can also take the gears out of say the transfer case and have them measured and CNC milled out of hardened steel,something that would hold up to even a 600hp LS engine. tooling and machining is what i'll be doing at the apprenticeship,and its a pretty big business in rockford, IL.
    now all i have to do is buy the truck,and fully decide what i want to do as far as the engine and power is concerned.
    maybe keep the stock engine but get a centrifigul supercharger+single turbo? that oughta be decent. of course upgrading internals as far as i could.
     
  24. Tuskano

    Tuskano Member

    Good luck if you get it all to work! Would be cool to maybe try turning it into a Awd system or something. I'll be looking forward to build threads if you get to doing any! Like I said in my first post, my truck is undergoing a na 13B rotary swap, so we'll see how everything goes. Using the rotary transmission for it too and deleting the whole 4wd system.
     
  25. Jeremy47

    Jeremy47 New Member

    ive thought about a 13b before. probably small turbocharged though for low end power. you think the 13b would be able to fit and still keep 4wd?
    edit: i really like 4wd lol. helps to go offroad,my city is raining 24/7 in summer and snows 24/7 in winter. no idea how. very muddy,terrible for car guys lol!
    also is awesome especially to do 4wd burnouts haha
     
    Last edited: Apr 27, 2017
  26. mr.mindless

    mr.mindless Member

    2.2 ecotech in the HHR is 143hp.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GM_Ecotec_engine#L61

    I think the only n/a 4 banger with power like that is the Honda S2000's F20C, which held some power records when it was released.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_F20C_engine

    You will have all sorts of clearance problems to sort out with ANY larger motor and trans. If you're asking the question, I don't think you're far enough down the road to be able to know the answer.

    A little realism rain on your parade:
    4x4 requires a tcase, which I think on most of these minis is integrated into the trans.
    you're looking at putting in a front wheel drive motor that's MUCH larger and more powerful. It would probably destroy the stock transmission and tcase in very short order.
    most automotive parts we have stateside are huge by comparison to these things. Maybe Samurai parts could be made to work, but having enough length for drivelines is very difficult. A too-long transmission output on a FOG 5sp curtailed my first engine swap plan (Pinto 2.3). I've been gathering parts for a swap using a transaxle transmission. If I ever get it started I'll be sharing the build here.
     
  27. Jeremy47

    Jeremy47 New Member

    swapping the stock 40hp engine to a 140hp engine either way would be so powerful it'd probably rip the stock trans apart. im HIGHLY doubting it will even be compatile. so i know i'd need to change the systems on that. m now more considering just t-charging or s-charging the stock engine with maybe a really small shot of nitro (like gokart sized)
     
  28. Tuskano

    Tuskano Member

    NA engine here. Full truck should be light enough that with it being more high end it would still be ok. Test drove the RX7 that had the engine all in it and it drove just fine.

    Nope, with me keeping with the Mazda tranny, it is twice as long as stock and has no place for any sort of T-case. I have mostly stuck with the 2wd mode on mine as 95% of the time I am on a paved road anyways. It rains a lot in WA, but not enough for me to worry about loosing my roads.

    4wd burnouts would be pretty crazy. Now... if you wanted to try for something unique, you could always try two motorcycle engines side-by-side but facing different directions. Tuned the same and giving fulltime awd. I had thought that before, although may be harder that other swaps.
     

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  29. mr.mindless

    mr.mindless Member

    That looks like an awesome setup, and just enough driveshaft space.
    I never had thought about a rotory, idea for short overall engine length. I hope you can keep it cool enough, interested to see the longer term results on that.

    I may be picking up my engine donor tonight. Going to test drive a 114hp donor car today. Way more electronics than I was hoping for, I'll have to see how ambitious I'm feeling. I may end up with a full Volkswagen in a Mitsu frame and keep ALL the electronics. I need to decide if the cool factor of early 2000's switch gear is worth the hassle or if I want to do the minimum necessary to get gauges and a running engine. Finding an old 8v or 16v 2.0 hasn't been working out since they're LONG since rusted away to nothing.
     
  30. Tuskano

    Tuskano Member

    I think the mechanic had took the stock driveshaft to a specialty shop to have a shorter one made. Going to have like a foot long drive shaft which is still good. But yes, plans for an external oil cooler and radiator. I think it should be able to stay cool enough. Going to also end up using the wiring harness off from the RX7 and swap the gas tank to a baffled one that can work with fuel injection.

    I know a lot of the electronics that the RX7 would have might end up being deleted once it all goes in the Hijet. The good news we found was the Hijet speedometer fits with the Mazda transmission lol.

    Have fun with the donor car! I know with mine, I am trying to keep with the stock gauges and just put a rpm gauge on the dash or something. But I know with the setup I have been going for, the shift assembly will have to be something custom, being the shift link is all the way in the back. And seats will be higher.
     

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