Geo Tracker help ?? Tracker owners?

[Nerys]

Ok I want to get a geo tracker. I sat in one in the pick and pull and was AMAZING how comfortable it is compared to my Geo Metro.

I understand its essentially a suzuki sidekick like my metro is a swift??

I am look at a 4wd 4cyl AUTO (drat)

I am pretty decent at squeezing mpg's out of my cars. I can squeeze 60mpg daily out of my xfi on E10 even with the trailer attached.

I was able to ring 25.5mpg out of my pops 8cyl towncar and this included 3 trips into center city philadelphia. (or I would have gotten 26.5 27mpg i think)

My typical commute is 54miles one way few stops average max speed around 45mph (yes I drive slow to save gas) the only time I do 50mph (the PSL) is when someone is behind me and they can not pass (I don't like to be rude)

so you tracker owners. what do you estimate i might be able to wring out of this tracker at those figures? basically the plan is Metro spring and fall and winter. the Tracker when there is snow or when its JUST too hot to be without AC.

do you think I can best 30mpg? tickle 35mpg?

Next question

How difficult would a 5speed swap be? its not "too" bad in a metro. how hard in a tracker? (I have never done either)

how about a 3cyl swap? ie put a metro 3cyl engine into the tracker?

Why the auto? well around here trackers might as well be made of freaking GOLD for the going price of them.

I found one 4wd auto for $900 so it peaked my interest.

[trooper Tdiesel]

i have one well two, my runner was 2wd when i got it. i got one for parts that was 4wd.

ALL 4WD PARTS WHERE BOLT ON, NO WELDING AT ALL
so a 4wd can be changed to a 2wd just as easy as i went from 2wd to 4wd.
that is as long as your doner auto has the same trans and engine to keep gearing the same.

4wd springs are about 1\2" taller giving the 2wds a gvw rating of 100lbs less than the 4wd.
also there about 3,000LBs
the 1.6L 16V makes about 60hp per L of displacement quite good for its 1992.

there's a massive amount of room for improvement in the aro area in the rear of the auto. the back window gets dirty on a rock road VERY FAST.
this is somthing i have yet to even play with

gearing for them ranges from 4.30s with the 3speed auto trans common in the 2 doors.
to 5.833 gears in very rare 88\89 models


as far as my mpg it ranges from 22 when it was running on three pistons, too 33mpg going all out for mpg with E0 gas. with a few 3 to 5.5K mountain passes mixed in....
epa highway is 26 under the old rating system.



i got 24 mpg once pulling a 2,500LB U-hall trailer running it as a 4sp, when i used 5th as top gear in flat land i got 22mpg
mine has the 5sp with 5.125 gears.

Tracker and Sidekick Gear ratios
Models listed oldest to newest, per ratio.
Vitara, Grand Vitara, and XL-7 ratios will be listed elsewhere to simplify this chart
4.30X:1 Non overdrive 2 dr auto 1.6L 16v
4.625:1 2dr auto 1.6L 8v
4.88X:1 Listed elsewhere in the Vitara section
5.125:1 Most all 4dr's (Non Vitara) * Most all 5-speed Track Kick's * Most all Autos
with overdrive
5.38X:1 Early model 1.6L 8v 4dr 5-spd Track Kick's (RARE)
5.63X:1 The early 1988-1989 1.3L powered Track Kick (RARE)

skyhiranger:
I have seen several posts asking about what a certain year combo would have, so I made up this list. Hopefully, it is easy to interpret.

This list is for finding the factory axle ratio in North American (US and Canada) 89-98 Trackicks, based on year, body style, engine and tranny combo. As far as I know it is 99.99999999% accurate. There may be some oddball combos out there, and there may be variations to this list in non-North American models, but the list is correct, to the best of my knowledge, for all North American models.

89-98 Trackick gear ratios
Years....2 or 4 door...Engine type...Transmission...Axle ratio
89 2 1.3L carb. 5 speed man. 5.625
89-95 2 1.6L TBI 5 speed man. 5.125
89-95 2 1.6L TBI 3 speed auto 4.625
91 4 1.6L TBI 5 speed man. 5.375
91 4 1.6L TBI 3 speed auto 4.625
92-98 4 1.6L MPFI 5 speed man. 5.125
92-98 4 1.6L MPFI 3 speed auto 4.30
92-98 4 1.6L MPFI 4 speed auto 5.125
94-98 2 1.6L MPFI 5 speed man. 5.125
94-98 2 1.6L MPFI 3 speed auto 4.30
94-98 2 1.6L MPFI 4 speed auto 5.125
96-98 X90 1.6L MPFI auto or man. 4.625

4.30 gears have a 10/43 tooth count
4.625 gears have an 8/37 tooth count
5.125 gears have an 8/41 tooth count
5.375 gears have an 8/43 tooth count
5.625 gears have an 8/45 tooth count

I have personally verified (removed and counted) every combo on the list, except for the 89, 2 door, 1.3L, 5 speed, 5.62 combo and the 91, 4 door, 8V, auto, 8V, 4.625 ratio......but they have been verified by people who have actually removed the ratio from the listed combo.
cj:
FYI in case you come across or are looking for the following and want to confirm them
4.875 gears have a 8/39 tooth count
5.833 gears have a 6/35 tooth count (Calmini)

[trooper Tdiesel]

looking at different autos on the road, i think the early kia suv would do much better in regards to aro, compared to the sidekick. but ive never driven one so ive not had the chance to find out the LBs of one....or what kind of mpg they get.
difference is the kia has a 2.0L engine versus the TBI 8V or EFI 16V 1.6L or in real early ones TBI 8V 1.3L in the sidekick

the kias 4wd hubs work on vac to engage, where the sidekick uses true old school auto hubs or manuals. after 15 years its easier just to change to manuals then deal with the VAC ones.

bolth use a rear drive, front engine lay out, just like a truck. makes working on it very easy. compared to front drive. granted my runner is stock with no A\C

also its not that bad to drive with the P\S belt off being a lighter auto
but man with 50psi it rides like a dang buck board. but i just live with it....

[trooper Tdiesel]

im guessing you did'ent get it or....?

[bandit86]

I had a 93. 4 inch body lift and 2 inch suspension lift. 33x12.5 tires on 15x10 ford f150 rims. 5.13 gears. 5 speed. If cruising around town it's a beautiful drive. The bigger tires, if you learnto drive with make the truck more comfortable and the engine rev lower. The drivetrain is unkillable. Auto hubs are awesome despite some fans claiming they are weak, I never broke one. Mpg... Not bad for an offroad truck. Had to draft 18 wheelers on the highway, Or else it was pedal to the metal. Literarily, just to keep up with traffic. Had a snore at the top of windshield, I think it helped. Compared to my v8 TransAm at the same time mileage was good even with big tires. In three years I only busted the front axle housing once. My fault. The front was really really stuck and I applied full power.

If you want to Eco mod it slap on some tall skinny tires you'll do alright. The 33 inch mud tires i ran at 16 psi Somehing skin y you could run at higher pressure the truck would like it I once got 30 mpg out of a stock 95 16valve 5speed truck racing home from2 hours away.

[trooper Tdiesel]

i think there's a lot to gane in the aro of sidekicks.
the back end is very un aro.

small narrow tires, clutch fan deletion, with the gears from a auto the 4.60 or the 4.30s
behind the 25% O\D manual trans, i think one would push near 40 mpg.

convert one to 2wd and you will shed about 150\200LBs
use the 2wd springs and lower the ride a 1\2"

[Nerys]

wow. old thread. I FINALLY got one. 1989 non vert 4x4 with ac and 5 speed.



First tank 28.60mpg second tank 31.72mpg and I have a bad exhaust and its winter blend below freezing temps.

I am going to have a TON of fun with this critter :-)

[trooper Tdiesel]

wow hard top 2 door "very rare"..

i think there about 2,600lbs or there abouts. 4 doors are about 3,000lbs


so is it the
1.3 8V carb
1.6 8V TBI
or has it been swapped to the EFI 1.6L 16V that came out in 1992?

for the most part the 8 valves where rated about 2 more mpg then the 16V

i think a geo 1.0L engine would fit the trans if it is in need of a new engine.
that would be about 1/2~ the hp of the EFI 1.6L 16V

so far my best is 35mpg in a 4 door 4wd 5sp (no aro mods at all).
in a two door you should beat that with ease....

[Nerys]

boy I wish their was a 1.3 TBI. it is definately FI so must be the 1.6 8v or 16v I hope its the 8v. probably is got it from the original 1989 owner and the engine was not replaced.

geo engine will fit but not "mate" right to the tranny. (top bolt will made need custom drilling to mate the other 2) from what I understand.

but I think a G10 would be too weak for this. that's what my XFI is for :-)

I am very pleased to be hitting near 32mpg in winter on winter blend sub freezing with a goofy exhaust and probably needing valves or a valve adjustment.

very please. I think your right beating 35 should be very doable once its warmer especially the way I drive (45mph everywhere :-)

[trooper Tdiesel]

watch for a 2 door with the 3sp auto there the ones with the 4.30 gears.
a 4 door with 4speed auto is the 4.62 most of the time.
the 5speeds in 1989 are any where from 5.12 to 5.88s gears

im about 3,000rpms or a smite less at 60 in top gear with bald 215/75/15LT i figure it has the 5.12s being a 1993


only the 1.6 16V is EFI it has the trade mark (pane in the rear) 5" deep spark plug holes sence 92 was its first year you dont have it....

the 1.6L 8V has the spark plugs on the side of the head, its TBI
about 80hp for the 8V and 95 for the 16V that's some staggering numbers for a 1.6L N\A engine in 1992 if you think about it.
thats just under 60hp per L of displacement for the 16V
50hp for the 8V

only the 1.3L is true carb, its more common in the Sammy then the track/kick