Alright, I havent bought a Samurai yet but I'm just trying to get some info about them before i make the leap. I'm looking for a super fuel efficient offroad capable vehicle, super utilitarian, as long as its got heat I'm happy, but anyways. I was wondering what the best mileage anybody has gotten with the stock engine, with the sidekick engine, or with the 1.6NA vw diesel. seems most will tell you mid 20's with the suzuki motors or around 40 with the diesel. I won't be doing anything to crazy, 31-32" tires, as narrow as I can get them, 3 or so inch lift and maybe a bit lower gearing depending on the motor.
I'm kind of leaning toward the vw so I could burn vegetable oil, but the cost is a bit more initially compared to the sidekick motor.

So anyways, What kind of mileage do you guys get out of your samurai's with the 16v FI sidekick engine?

just go wheelin.  who cares about mileage when your having fun

I have a 87 sammy w/1.3     33 stock gears  and i get 25mpg if i keep it at 55mph or less
i would like a web site for diesel swap

the diesels are neat, but... diesel costs more than premium gas, and most of the vw motors (like the 1.6 and early 1.9) make less power than the 1.6 8 valve motor (I think the 1.6 diesel makes 48 hp =miserable slow on freeway) The TDI motors are better for power, but are very expensive and somewhat hard to find.

SJ-410, I can go trail wheeling for 24 hours straight on close to a tank of gas with 33" tires.  We put 6 gallons in just in case, but I don't think I needed it.

Diesel would be fun.  Less HP, but torque for days.  It would be hard to give up my skinny pedal though...

ACME adapters sells a diesel conversion. You can buy a lot of gas for what it will cost you though.

48hp is lots for me, the speed limit is 100km/h here, i usually will only do 90 on there, most the roads I travel are limited to 80, i usually do 65-70. I figure it would cost me around 2000 to swap in a diesel, less whatever i can get for the stocker. I'd rather give my money to acme and junk yards than oil companies, and it seems it'd cost about the same to put in a 1.6 FI, but then you get worse mileage. So I'm not to concerned about power, would rather have great fuel economy. Diesel costs about the same as regular here, and I could set up a two tank system and run it on vegetable oil.

48hp is lots for me, the speed limit is 100km/h here, i usually will only do 90 on there, most the roads I travel are limited to 80, i usually do 65-70. I figure it would cost me around 2000 to swap in a diesel, less whatever i can get for the stocker. I'd rather give my money to acme and junk yards than oil companies, and it seems it'd cost about the same to put in a 1.6 FI, but then you get worse mileage. So I'm not to concerned about power, would rather have great fuel economy. Diesel costs about the same as regular here, and I could set up a two tank system and run it on vegetable oil.

ive toyed with that idea too

do a google search

eventually it will turn up a tutorial

Mines a 1.3 stock suspenision 215\75r15 on 15x8 I get around 25 to 32 depending on speed at 70mph=25 55mph=32

34x10.5 LTB's, 4.10 R&p, 6.5:1 T-case, with a stock 1.3...... I get about 15 to 16 mpg!
I think some wires and vac lines fell off...


Amilla

91 Geo.   8 valve 1.6 liter.  5 Speed trans.   30" All Terrains....

I get about 20mpg no matter how I drive it.   Wish I was getting more though....the track even has fresh oil and new spark plugs/wires.   

87 sammy 1.6 16v 6-1 t case and 30's. I get around 22-25 if I drive nice, witch I never do because the power is so fun. I paid 1000.00 for my motor and it still cost me a lot less than 2 grand to put it in. I looked at the diesel swap for a long time but, it was going to be too much time and trouble to find a good donor. It may be different where you live though.

Stock 96 tracker - 16v 1.6 - currently getting between 28 and 32 mpg.

I'm adding 2" coil spacers, and 2" body lift, and 31" tires.  Hoping it doesn't change my mileage too drastically.

96 tracker - 16v 1.6

8-9 inch lift with 32-11.5MTR's.  5.83 R&P = 22 mpg

I love it.  We'll go out wheeling with big V8 Jeeps, go everywhere they do and still have 3/4 a tank of gas compaired to their empty ones.

Mooch, your only getting 20mpg? I feel grateful and lucky even when I average 20/21 with the turbo, which naturally uses more fuel than a normally asperated. Hegemon, be prepared to loose some fuel mileage with what your planning. Big rubber just adds drag and weight to the rotating mass, making it harder for the engine to acclerate it. Which means your going to use more throttle to get it going, albeit, even slower than normal. Raising your Trackick just makes it more of a "sail" in the wind, creating more drag, and even less milage. If anyone's figured out how to do our most common mods ( lifts and big rubber, etc,) and still get close to stock mileage, PLEASE clue me in. And yes, I'm geared.