Suzuki Club UK

As V8 transit van is an awesome idea fitting an engine and trans that weighs nearly half as much as an Sj into an SJ is just pointless their biggest benefit is their light weight.

No other specialists knocking about then gents.......i'm probably 20 years too late for them eh lol

I think most people who want a diesel either give up on the idea and go with the 1.6, or do it themselves. However, I haven't actually heard a single SJ diesel owner say good things about their own vehicle - as Scottie says, the gearing is too low for a derv, and almost all of the SJ diesel owners I've spoken to have said that the weight of the diesel engine ruins the SJ's handling offroad (and some say on the road too).

Mad idea, but could you get a very efficient petrol engine? For example, an old Suzuki Alto 1.1, 61hp, 57mpg. It's got almost as much HP as the 1.3 from an SJ413, but it's got diesel levels of mpg's. In the Alto, it does 57mpg, although you can cut 20% off that for an SJ, I'm sure. But it'll probably still equal a diesel SJ for fuel consumption, that is - about 45mpg...?

Alto's are 400 quid all day long with 60,000 miles on the clock, if you get a crash damaged one, you're probably buying it for £peanuts.

The engine is a Zuki F10D, should bolt up to the SJ410 gearbox I *think* (Scottie will know) - or should adapt to the 413 gearbox fairly easily.

Here's a question though - I get 35mpg in my SJ after a colourtune. I've never heard of a Diesel SJ conversion getting more than 45. Are you really going to save anything in the long run? You might be getting 25-30% better fuel economy, but is that worth the time and money?

I'd jump at a diesel for offroading torque if it was a light enough engine and didn't ruin the offroad handling. But honestly, there's a reason why everyone just drops the 1.6 in...

Good points mate thanks, i'll do some research on those engines

One thing to remember for me with regards fuel. Mine will be off road business use running on bulk bought red diesel
its basically used as a cheap, comfortable, weather proof john deer gator

You could probably get it on LPG dual fuel for a few hundred quid. If you buy all the parts used its really not that expensive, assuming you can get a mixer to fit the carb.
Tank, hoses, vapouriser (plumbs into engine water system), couple of solenoids and a mixer (attaches before the carb) is the majority of what you need...
If you made it using a regular LPG tanks (like a bbq/patio heater type) you could swap them out quite easily, and its cheap cos there's minimal tax
Would definitely require research, but might be worth it!

Current engine is pretty tired dude. I don't really want to put any more money or work into it.
LPG is a good shout and calor type cylinders would be very practical, but would take up precious loadspace.....Plus i really do just prefer oil burners

There used to be a sj with a kubota diesel in it, little 3 cyclinder job.

The peugeot xud to an ldv gearbox used to be a common one aswell if i remember right.

andyrew wrote:The peugeot xud to an ldv gearbox used to be a common one aswell if i remember right.

In other parts of the world, Suzuki fitted the XUD9 into Sammies, didn't they?

And that's what is in the UK spec (non-grand) diesel Vitaras... I think...???

In other parts of the world, Suzuki fitted the XUD9 into Sammies, didn't they?

They did in the later spanish ones

I have a 1.9 xud9t engine in my sj. Was done badly so iv had to redo quite alot. Very very good from an agricultural point of view. Noisy and vibrates everything from a car point of view.
I wouldnt take it out for a petrol engine nor would i go to the effort of swapping a vitara 1.6engine for one. Mine kills rear leafs because of the torque. It is tuned up though, has alot of power for offroading. Which is all mine mainly does nowadays. I wouldnt have a diesel engine for the road.