Hi there. I have been working on my sambar for a couple months since I got it from Japan. The previous owner seemed like they went senile with repairs and modifications.. I have been correcting things and chopping stuff out. So far, I have: • Chopped the exhaust, installed a yoshimura r3 • chopped my doors and fenders to stuff in 25's on 15's • lifted the front for said tires by 2" • actually bolted down the driver seat and armrest the previous owner had placed in the cab • installed some relays and projector LED headlights • installed an intercooler for the supercharger The intercooler was a total pita. I had to chop up and modify the cast aluminum intake so I could make it work with the aluminum piping I bought at a scrap yard. I used an intercooler a dude was using on his 300sx. It was too small for him so I figured it may work for me. Kinda ranting but everyone else's talks and posts gave me the ideas and tips I needed so I could do what I did. I appreciate everything people post on here. Trying to upload images but am having issues. Any help would be great.
Got fender flares installed. There is a remote start installed in the harness under the steering wheel. I was not able to confirm that I can buy replacement radio fobs; so I will be removing and installing a different remote start. Im gunna *gently* rip out the headliner so I can install some smoked out 80" wide+ roof markers. I also put in an order for a hornblasters conductors special horn set. Should teach di*k bag Prius driver's from brake checking me while I'm merging onto I5 lol. I forgot to mention that my windows on my other subaroos and sambar are all 5%. Windshield included. Keeps people from gawking& leering.
I learned to do work on my own stuff because I am cheap. I don't like having to pay to do something I can educate myself and ¾ass cobble together myself
I am currently running into issues trying to get my boost gauge to read positive pressure. I tryed every vac line I could find to no avail. Next step is to try and tap into the actual s/c charge pipe/ intake. Idk if that's gunna cut it though because there was already a vac line on the intake runner that didn't register squat. Who knows. I'll keep dinging with it and let u know what eventually works.
Nice cupholder! Is that something you 3D printed, bought or made some other way? Would love one for my truck. Nice work!
I found it as well as the gauge pods on thingiverse. I printed them out of pla+. I wanted to buy the factory sambar cupholder; but I was seeing $285+ and not much cheaper. Approximately 35 cents worth of fillament.
I tapped into the hose for the MAP sensor for my boost gauge, and that worked well. I see a max of about 0.6bar peak pressure. (around 8.5 PSI)
Oh man! thank you.. I disconnected that but the vehicle instantly shut off and wouldn't start until I took my tee fitting off. so I kept searching. I'll try it again.. thank you very much
I really like your red valve cover. I might add some razzle dazzle to mine when I get around to do the timing belt& water pump.
The red cover is an OEM part, you can buy them from Amazon Japan. I have links to both single and dual vent versions on the parts spreadsheet in the Sambar References section. Or, you can paint your own whatever color you want
I just got a replacement remote start key fob for the sambar. Now I have functional remote start and the harness isn't diced up by an aftermarket solution. I got my hornblasters conductors special nightmare(all black) installed. The thing is aggressively loud. I popped out a switch plug and ran a momentary switch for button mashing. Looks pretty stock. Also you can't see anything from underneath the truck. All his quite nice under the cab. Now I have 200psi air for tires and a blow nozzle for dusting off after work. Still need to get the boost gauge installed. Also just got my external oil cooler in the mail. So I will be installing that with a larger oil filter and an auxiliary electric fan for the oil cooler and the intercooler.
Got the boost gauge all ironed out. I have some sound deadening materials coming. Im going to start taking down the headliner for the roof lights. I'll wire the boost gauge up at the same time. After that I'll get the deadener installed and start looking for carpet. Meanwhile I need to figure out how to properly bleed coolant for when I do the water pump / timing belt. It's always a pita when I do my other Subarus. I have a vaccum bleeder, but that only helps so much. Any tips on the coolant would be appreciated. I'll keep trolling thu the forum for info.
The roof liner is just some foam backed vinyl that is glued straight to the sheet metal. If you try to remove it, you will just be left with a bunch of yellow open cell foam firmly attached to the metal with no way to re-attach the vinyl... As for bleeding the cooling system, I use a funnel bucket on the radiator fill and elevate the nose of the truck with a couple of ramps. After running it this way until the radiator fan comes on for the second time, remove the stopper from the vent hose (the plugged off hose right above the valve cover on the engine) until it starts flowing without bubbles. Re-plug the hose and then shut the engine off. Let the engine cool with the funnel bucket still attached and then put the cap back on. Top off the overflow bottle under the seat, and call it a day.
Dang. Thank you for the heads up on the headliner. I'm still gunna rip it down, but I will make sure I have a suitable replacement before doing so.
8/10 would not recommend pulling the headliner. I tryed scraping, using alcohol, then a heatgun, then mineral spirits. Ended up using a wire wheel on my die grinder. Horrible mess. Got it all removed, but there is still a adhesive smeared. I'll use some toluline and that will just have to be good enough. I'll get the sound deadener up as soon as it's not 20⁰ out. On a positive note: the new clearance marker lights I installed look pretty nice.
Hey, I warned you . I worked on it for a couple of weeks trying to clean that mess up, and I never really got it 100%. I ended up wedging some corrugated plastic sheet in there to be my new "headliner" and it just sort of covers over the problem now.
When I did the headliner on my truck I used a wire brush, left the goo and then put dynomat on the roof, applied about 4 rolls of double sided tape and finally the headliner. What a huge difference in the noise in the cabin. No more tinny roof. For the intercooler keep the tubing run as short and small as possible. It's after the throttle body so when you close the throttle body the engine has to suck all the air down to vacuum. I had a bad problem with the revs going up 1-2k when I shifted when I tried running an intercooler on the supercharger.
I haven't run into the issue of the throttle pegging while clutching. The intercooler piping is about 4' total from the supercharger to the intake manifold[on mine] I dig the clean re install on your headliner. Mine cracked and tore as it was below freezing while I was yanking on mine; so I most likely will take a trip to the craft store for some funky headliner material. I'll add some pics of the aftermath on mine. I wasn't taking many pictures as I was covered in foam
Also please don't mind the messy electrical lol. I haven't tucked the wire into a loom yet. Also stripped one of the stainless screws and just used a penny as a new backing surface
Also I found an entire zebra hide locally. I have been contemplating a new headliner or dash mat. Undecided.
Nice! Would love to know & see how you installed that yoshi pipe? As im looking to do the same! What about intake? Please share info or pics i would greatly appreciate it!!!
I took the 2 bolts off the factory exauhst system and used my portaband to cut off the factory exauhst flange. I noticed that the factory flex pipe flange had a welded in reducer; so I used my plasma cutter to enlarge the opening of the flange. I then used some mild steel mig wire and just glued the flange to the rs3. 2 simple bolts and a gasket and that's it. Directly bolted to the exhaust manifold. I'll upload a picture to that Google folder later today
Thats dope! Ok got it, did you tune the carb? Do you have to tune the carb? Did you notice any power difference? Lose or gain?
The supercharged models are fuel injection. I did not have any electronic tuning either. Definitely noticed considerable pick up in mid range with the new exauhst. The intercooler didn't seem to make as big of a difference but I try and be nice and don't really give it more than ½ throttle.
Ok i see, kool, yeah its best to be easy with these lil trucks. Would i have to tune carb if i put a motorcycle exhuast & change the intake? Thanx
I didn't need to. The truck only has a pre cat o2 sensor so you can't really trip up the computer I believe.
