| 1987 Suzuki Samurai Engine Buildup |
Well, one of the biggest problems that has plagued the Suzuki Samurai is the appauling lack of power that the SOHC 1.3L 4
cylinder engine has. From the factory in 1987 my Samurai had 64hp and 65ft/lbs of torque; that's anemic even when the vehicle
is in stock form. Lift it a few inches, throw on a set of oversized tires, and add some mileage to the engine and you have a
problem. This is the problem I've been facing with my Samurai ever since I got it, even when I had first purchased it the top
speed was only around 70mph. Throw in a strong headwind or having the doors off and you're lucky if you can hold 60mph with
it, and that's not using overdrive.
The engine was also beginning to lose power and burn oil in 2004, so I decided the time had come to start doing something
about it. I bought a 1988 Samurai for parts from Rich in the spring of 2005, and the block from which served as the platform for
my new build. Between an aftermarket head, cam, and carburator, along with fresh build and overbore I'm hoping to put out
significantly more power than the stock 64hp/65tq.
As things stand currently (April 19, 2006) I have all of the parts with the exception of the carburator, head, and the high
compression pistons which are another $900 combined. I should have the engine finished and swapped in sometime in the
Summer, so I'll add pictures as progress is made, and possibly a dyno sheet or two. I was hoping to get 80hp out of this build
minimum on stock compression, but since I'll be running 9.6:1 compression now, I'm figuring 90 (and possibly even 100)
should be within reach. I haven't seen dyno sheets on any Samurai builds so I'm not sure on exact numbers, but those are
ballpark guesstimates from some software.
Parts list
-Petroworks Engine Rebuild Kit
- .020 overbore pistons and rings (stock 8.9:1 compression WILL NOT BE USED)
- .010 under crank and rod bearings
- high volume oil pump
- all seals and gaskets
-SUMO 9.6:1 compression pistons (.040 overbore)
-Petroworks cylinder head
- larger valves
- 3 angle porting
-Weber DGAV32/36M carburator
- 2 barrel
- manual choke
-Iskenderian T-110 Torquer Cam
- Hydraulic flat tappe
- 260/260 advertised duration
- .330/.330 lift
-Napa fuel pump
-Napa water pump
-Hedman Header (already on the current engine)
cylinder engine has. From the factory in 1987 my Samurai had 64hp and 65ft/lbs of torque; that's anemic even when the vehicle
is in stock form. Lift it a few inches, throw on a set of oversized tires, and add some mileage to the engine and you have a
problem. This is the problem I've been facing with my Samurai ever since I got it, even when I had first purchased it the top
speed was only around 70mph. Throw in a strong headwind or having the doors off and you're lucky if you can hold 60mph with
it, and that's not using overdrive.
The engine was also beginning to lose power and burn oil in 2004, so I decided the time had come to start doing something
about it. I bought a 1988 Samurai for parts from Rich in the spring of 2005, and the block from which served as the platform for
my new build. Between an aftermarket head, cam, and carburator, along with fresh build and overbore I'm hoping to put out
significantly more power than the stock 64hp/65tq.
As things stand currently (April 19, 2006) I have all of the parts with the exception of the carburator, head, and the high
compression pistons which are another $900 combined. I should have the engine finished and swapped in sometime in the
Summer, so I'll add pictures as progress is made, and possibly a dyno sheet or two. I was hoping to get 80hp out of this build
minimum on stock compression, but since I'll be running 9.6:1 compression now, I'm figuring 90 (and possibly even 100)
should be within reach. I haven't seen dyno sheets on any Samurai builds so I'm not sure on exact numbers, but those are
ballpark guesstimates from some software.
Parts list
-Petroworks Engine Rebuild Kit
- .020 overbore pistons and rings (stock 8.9:1 compression WILL NOT BE USED)
- .010 under crank and rod bearings
- high volume oil pump
- all seals and gaskets
-SUMO 9.6:1 compression pistons (.040 overbore)
-Petroworks cylinder head
- larger valves
- 3 angle porting
-Weber DGAV32/36M carburator
- 2 barrel
- manual choke
-Iskenderian T-110 Torquer Cam
- Hydraulic flat tappe
- 260/260 advertised duration
- .330/.330 lift
-Napa fuel pump
-Napa water pump
-Hedman Header (already on the current engine)
Pictures
Build engine being pulled from the 88(April 2005)