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sidekicks

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sidekicks
« on: January 20, 2011, 11:32:50 AM »
im thinking about getting a sidekick,1990-1995 4 door,after a little research i found out that some were built in japan,some in canada,just wondering if anyone out there has an opinion on which one is better or worse.

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Offline Zukipilot

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Re: sidekicks
« Reply #1 on: January 20, 2011, 12:30:39 PM »
Most of the US and Canada will be the Canada built Kicks and Trackers.... The only difference I have found in my 17 years of Suzuki ownership is a different crossmember and different guts to early model T-cases... For quality of build, either will be fine..

Zig

damn.. really... 17 years already???..... Time flys when your having fun  ;D
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Offline bentparts

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Re: sidekicks
« Reply #2 on: January 20, 2011, 04:15:32 PM »
Either way you can't go wrong. I've got one of each, a Canadian built 95 2 door TT, and a Japan built ( at least it says so under the hood? ) 93 4 door. Try and find the 95 if you can, all the upgrades but still OBD1.
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Offline Skyhiranger

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Re: sidekicks
« Reply #3 on: January 24, 2011, 03:46:22 PM »
im thinking about getting a sidekick,1990-1995 4 door,after a little research i found out that some were built in japan,some in canada,just wondering if anyone out there has an opinion on which one is better or worse.

The canada and japan built ones are basically identical.  So one is no better than the other, IMO.
You will want to find a 92-95 four door, since they all had the 16V engine in them.  The 91 four doors had the 8V.  There is really no difference between the 92-95 four doors.  They added a couple of sensors to the later ones, but nothing that made them any better, IMO.
Easy way to tell if it is a canadian built or a japanese built trackick........if the VIN starts with a 2 it is canadian, if it starts with a J it is japanese.
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Re: sidekicks
« Reply #4 on: January 25, 2011, 05:35:14 AM »
OK thanks for the info,but what is obd1,also i had a guy tell me one time to avoid the 16v cause when the timing chain or belt goes the motors cooked,he said 8v is the way to go.I had a 98 2 door 16v and it was awsome,it just got to small for my ever growing family.

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Offline Skyhiranger

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Re: sidekicks
« Reply #5 on: January 25, 2011, 05:40:22 AM »
Well, unless you are buying a 91 4 door, you don't have the option of getting an 8V in a 4 door.  That is, unless you swap one in.
Timing belts rarely break.  And if they do, trackick 16Vs are non-interference engines, so no valve damage will occur.  At least that has been the experience of the people on here, that have tested to see if the trackick 16Vs are interference engines.  If you are worried about it, change out the timing belt, at the recommended intervals, then you won't have to worry about it.
OBD1 and OBD2 are different types of systems found in vehicles, depending on what year they are.  I don't recall the year OBD1 was initiated, but it ran through 1995.  1996 and up vehicles have OBD2.  The main differences between them on trackicks are OBD2 trackicks have an extra O2 sensor, they have the coil built into the distributor and they have a crank sensor at the front of the engine.  With an OBD2 system, you have to use a code reader to get the error codes from the ECM, where as on the OBD1s you just put a jumper in one of the plugs and the check engine light will flash the codes to you.  Personally, I prefer the OBD1 trackicks....just a little simplier/easier to work on and not quite as much stuff to go wrong.

Here is some more info, in greater detail, if you really want to know....
http://www.auto-facts.org/OBD-2.html
« Last Edit: January 25, 2011, 05:46:44 AM by Skyhiranger »
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Re: sidekicks
« Reply #6 on: January 25, 2011, 05:53:10 AM »
thanks,i liked the idea of the 16v anyway,plus finding a doner with a good motor and bad body is pretty easy around here,the one person had mentioned obd1,thats the computer isnt it?did they change to ones you want to avoid?

Re: sidekicks
« Reply #7 on: January 25, 2011, 05:59:44 AM »
awsome im sure ill have more silly questions to come.

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Offline bentparts

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Re: sidekicks
« Reply #8 on: January 25, 2011, 01:39:58 PM »
thanks,i liked the idea of the 16v anyway,plus finding a doner with a good motor and bad body is pretty easy around here,the one person had mentioned obd1,thats the computer isnt it?did they change to ones you want to avoid?
As long as it's 95 or older it's OBD 1. OBD = On board diagnostics, simply a way to read engine and transmission codes.
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Re: sidekicks
« Reply #9 on: January 25, 2011, 08:13:50 PM »
cool thanks

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Offline jawman

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Re: sidekicks
« Reply #10 on: January 27, 2011, 12:12:05 AM »
I know an 8valve is a non interference motor, but I am almost certain the 16valve is an interference motor. some pople say yes and some say no, but I say it is and hope to never find out. besides most the time a 16 valve gets work out and stops working then breaking timing belts.
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Offline bentparts

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Re: sidekicks
« Reply #11 on: January 27, 2011, 01:09:11 PM »
I am positive the 16v is a non interference motor, from personal experience.
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Offline jawman

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Re: sidekicks
« Reply #12 on: January 27, 2011, 06:14:08 PM »
maybe you got lucky or something, but I know the chiltons manual says it is, but what do they know. when I did my first water pump on my first kick I called TT because I didnt have a service book to get the timing marks right, and I think they said it was an interference motor.
Zuki addict. I have five zuks right now and not even thinking about stopping.
87 Sami tin top
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93 4 door
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95 Geo 2dr V6
keep them coming

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Offline bentparts

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Re: sidekicks
« Reply #13 on: January 27, 2011, 08:30:43 PM »
I have a Factory Service Manual and no where does it state it's an interference type motor, but I've heard plenty of argument on the subject in this and other forums and the proofs in the pudding as they say. I've spun my engine under power with the starter motor and by hand, with the timing of the cam off 180 and never did anything hit. But I never dropped a belt at 6000 rpm either, so I guess I can't say what would happen under those circumstances. BTW, Chiltons has got many incorrect statements including their method of timing the cam and ignition.
The usual stuff, and 2nd generation Air to liquid intercooled TURBOCHARGER

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Offline Bobzooki

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Re: sidekicks
« Reply #14 on: January 28, 2011, 10:03:35 AM »
I've logged over a half million miles in various Kicks, 91-95, and never had a timing belt break.

If you're concerned about it, when you get one, just replace the timing belt.  Be sure to replace the timing belt tensioner, and the water pump, while you're in there.
Bob

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