Well you do have a choice a timing chain is cheap so put it on and do a compression check. You'll know in less than a hour what if any damage is done. This happened to my wife's 2000 tracker replaced 2 cam gears,chain and tensioner  and it's been running about a year.


Bill S.

 If you take a spark plug out you should be able to look in the hole with a small bright flashlight and look at the top of the pistons. If it looks like it's a little beat, replace the engine with a 2.0 from a newer Vitara or an Aerio or possibly a 2.3 from a newer Aerio. V6 power from a 4 cyl.!

If you take a spark plug out you should be able to look in the hole with a small bright flashlight and look at the top of the pistons. If it looks like it's a little beat, replace the engine with a 2.0 from a newer Vitara or an Aerio or possibly a 2.3 from a newer Aerio. V6 power from a 4 cyl.!

Any certain info I need on these swaps or are they a direct bolt?  I have been tinkering with Sammys and Tracker/kicks for years now but I have never owned a Kick or Track this new.  I never paid any attention to the 1.8 motors or 2.0 motors.  So I am pretty much a novice to these motors and there swaps.

So seeing that I have a 1.8 motor in this kick and I would entertain putting in a 2.0 or 2.3 motor what would need to change? exaust? tranny adapter? Intake?  Any info or direction would be great!!!