The White Gnat (1999 Suzuki Swift 1.3L manual)

[MetroMPG]

Too bad you don't live close to me... I've got a working DOHC 1.3L in a Swift GT I don't need:



Technically I'm supposed to sell that engine for its owner. Probably for a fraction of your impending bill though... but then it won't be as freshened up as yours. Or as efficient!

[wmjinman]

Oh, man!!! I wonder what shipping would have been, though? Too late now, I guess.

I didn't have them do anything to the "bottom end" (shortblock). Left it in the car & just had the head done. Hope I don't regret it - just couldn't afford it at the moment. The oil gets really dirty, so I assume that's from stuff getting by the rings. Although the machine shop said the valve guides were loose enough they were out of tolerance, so maybe the "black" was getting into the oil that way? Anyway, hope to have my "mileage machine" on the road soon & start getting that 50 mpg again.

[wmjinman]

Pooh!!!!

They were supposed to have it ready by today (yesterday), and said they'd stay late to finish it - to expect it to be done by about 6:30-ish. At 6:30 they called with "good news and bad news":

The good news is they got the engine all back together and it runs GREAT - really smooth, really quiet, all the cylinders are firing, valves are adjusted "nuts-on"....

The "bad news" is it developed a crack in a part between the back of the block (or head - can't remember which) and the thermostat housing. Now, coolant sprays out when it runs. So ...... I can't have it back until they find a replacement for that part, or someone who can TIG weld that crack.

So the wait continues.....

[wmjinman]

Got to hear the Gnat run today. Nice & smooth now. The broken part for the water outlet is now on order. Gotta wait for it to come in from Sacramento. ---- grrrr. Can't wait to start driving it & see what kinds of improvements is has in the way it runs.

[wmjinman]

In anticipation of finally getting my Gnat back in a couple of days, I'm trying to gather my thoughts and figure out where to start in modding. My goal: become another one of the Metros/Swifts to be registering in the 60+ mpg realm. I want to start doing things that will make a difference, as I can. But after the new alternator, battery, and head work, my budget's about gone for awhile, so I need to start with the free/cheap stuff. This is my first attempt to "list" them, more-or-less in order:

1) Air up the tires to? 155-80/13 Can they handle 60, I wonder?
2) Front grille block with black duct tape - nicer one later
3) Fuel injector kill switch for better EOC-ing
4) Hand throttle control, so I can drive long distances easier
5) Rear wheel/4-wheel alignment. Outsides of rear tires are wearing badly
6) Engine/oil pan heater. Not super-cheap, but it's winter & I want MPGs!
7) Rear fender skirts - cardboard first for A-B-A testing, then nicer - maybe
8) Full belly pan
9) Front & maybe rear wheel covers and/or fairings/spats
10) Kamm-back/partial boattail
11) At some point by about now, I'll need new tires - will try to find LRR
12) When the next oil change is due, go to Mobil-1, 0w20

Suggestions? Should I change the order of this list? Some things found to be "not really worth it" by other Metro/Swift owners?
Thanks

PS: In looking through the list, it looks like there are no FOUR cylinder Metros/Swifts in the top of the MPG ratings..... Looks like I've got my challenge - gotta change that!!!!

[MetroMPG]

60 MPG is a piece of cake (in decent weather) with this car in sub/urban driving, with lots of EOC (engine off coasting), and pulse & glide.

I'd move the kill switch up to position #3.

Also: where in the list is instrumentation? I'd put that near the top too.

FYI, I tested (not very well) grille blocking + rear wheel skirts on this body style: Testing grille blocking & wheel skirts: +5.7% improvement - MetroMPG.com

[wmjinman]

Thanks MetroMPG. I already have a ScanGauge - didn't mention it - sorry. Are you talking about something more?

I have never tried P & G. I suppose it's WAY easier with an engine kill switch. A new learning opportunity, I guess. :-)

Thanks again - very helpful as usual.
Bill

[MetroMPG]

Not a problem.

ScanGauge is A-OK. You don't need anything more than that.

[wmjinman]

Crap!! They "lost" the new head!!! Looks like oil starvation to part of the cam, resulting in non-fixable damage to the cam AND some of the journals in the head.

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

Too bad you don't live close to me... I've got a working DOHC 1.3L in a Swift GT I don't need:



Technically I'm supposed to sell that engine for its owner. Probably for a fraction of your impending bill though... but then it won't be as freshened up as yours. Or as efficient!

The machine shop isn't admitting the head repair could be their fault, so it looks like my mechanic is going to be "stuck" with correcting the problem. He's looking for another used head in local junkyards, but all options are on the table, including an entire running engine.

So tell me more about your deal. Year model and miles on engine? Why do you say it wouldn't be as efficient? Is that because the DOHC versions are less efficient than the SOHC ones?

Another question was whether an 8-valve head would be a simple "bolt-on" for me if they found one of those? Seems I saw a thread where there was some disagreement on whether it would be a simple bolt-on, or if a bunch of other stuff would need to be replaced, too. ???

Anyone know of anything available on the WEST side of the continent?

[MetroMPG]

It's probably an early 90's car - 91, let's say. No idea on miles, but probably a lot, and they aren't gentle ones!

The DOHC cars are less efficient because they're more powerful - 100 hp vs. ~70 hp for the SOHC. I'm honestly not sure what else is different to get that power boost. Maybe multipoint fuel injection? I really have no idea. I just got the car for the GT body pieces.