I installed a 1.6L 8V in my samurai this week and took it for a test run yesterday. It pulls great from idle but once it is moving it flat spots. Its not too bad in 1st but as I move through the gear box it gets worse until by 5th I have very little power at all.
Seems to have something to do with the load on the engine. In neutral she revs like a banshee, but as the load increases the problem worsens.
I dont have an air cleaner on it yet and probably wont until Monday. I know that will effect the mixture but should it effect it this much?
Also, I dont have this hooked up yet because I cant find it on the wiring diagram.



Anybody know where it (heated shielded wires with white plug, R/B & B/G)  goes? I think it is a sensor attached to the EGR valve.

I also havent gotten my VSS or  Check engine light installed yet. I need to pull the gauges for the light and I am waiting on parts for the VSS.

I adjusted the timing and installed the air filter and it made a big difference, but I still dont have the power i expected. I still cant maintain 55 on even a 2% grade in 5th. Down hill I can get 70mph tops. 1st-3rd still feel strong but above that it gets weak.
My idle is an indicated 1100 rpm which is a little high so I set the timing a little advanced at 12 DBTC.
How much should the VSS affect the engines performance?

if no vss, you will get  code...but not immediately


you cannot set timing until it is idleing properly

did you jump the connector to eliminate advance before timing?


are you running a complete intake? check for restrictions.

My idle is an indicated 1100 rpm which is a little high so I set the timing a little advanced at 12 DBTC.
How much should the VSS affect the engines performance?

VSS won't affect the engine performance by any noticable amount except during deceleration. I'm pretty sure that 1100RPM is one of the fault settings so you should get the Check Engine Light wired up.

Absolutely agree about the check engine light! I am going on vacation this week and should have the reed switch (and hopefully some tracker brakes) when I get back, Ill do both at the same time.
Turns out my idle issue was a tight throttle cable. I didnt read the literarture and assumed I could set the cable play without sucking the idle diaphram back.
I think I will just drive it as is until I get the light wired up and then hope for a helpfull code. Funny thing is it is continuing to run better every day. If this is a "learning" ECM it is a slow learner. I think maybe the engine just needed to shake off the cobwebs, it did sit for over a year on the floor of Seans shop.

Absolutely agree about the check engine light! I am going on vacation this week and should have the reed switch (and hopefully some tracker brakes) when I get back, Ill do both at the same time.
Turns out my idle issue was a tight throttle cable. I didnt read the literarture and assumed I could set the cable play without sucking the idle diaphram back.
I think I will just drive it as is until I get the light wired up and then hope for a helpfull code. Funny thing is it is continuing to run better every day. If this is a "learning" ECM it is a slow learner. I think maybe the engine just needed to shake off the cobwebs, it did sit for over a year on the floor of Seans shop.

You can actually read codes without having the CEL wired up.  You need a test light.  Hook one end of the test light up to power and the other end gets hooked up to the violet/yellow wire in the ECM plug.  Short the wires together, in the check connector, that make the ECM flash codes and the test light will flash the code sequence, just like a CEL would.

Thanks, I was curious if the ECM put out a ground or positive. I'm wondering why I couldn't use the existing wire from the light to the Sammy ECM?

Thanks, I was curious if the ECM put out a ground or positive. I'm wondering why I couldn't use the existing wire from the light to the Sammy ECM?

You could.  Here is a write up I did on the CEL wiring and VSS, when swapping a 1.6 into a samurai.
http://bbs.zuwharrie.com/content?topic=115835.msg1179246

Thanks, I've been traveling so I haven't had a chance to play, I'll look at it when I get home. I am near a pick your part junkyard, hopefully I will be coming home with brakes from a 4dr tracker too!