About David Scott Expertise Questions or advice regarding Suzuki 4wd vehicles as regards repair or modifications for offroad use.
Experience Been a professional mechanic over 30 yrs I've owned and modified 2 Sidekicks, and 3 Samurais, one of which I still have, and ocasionally drive, when my kids let me.
Expert: David Scott Date: 6/15/2004 Subject: the timing on a 1987 Samurai
Question The timing is currently set at 10 degrees and it runs like a bag of shit!. Could that be the problem? What degrees should the timing be set at?
Answer I've got an '87 myself, and the timing is set pretty close to ten degrees. The performance issue may be due to other things, like carb/choke adjustment, dirty air cleaner, and a whole lot of other things. You do have to remember that it IS a very small displacement motor, and performance will always be "flat" when compared to anything else.
I've made modifications over the past few years, and have somewhat improved performance. Let me warn you, however, NOT to buy one of the non-mikuni aftermarket carbs if you are going to use it for fairly serious, bumpy off-road four-wheeling. They are junk for rough off-road use. The factory carb is unquestionably the best, unless you can acquire injection from a late samurai.
There are lot of things that can be done .... Go to IZOOK.COM, and check out the links. It's been my experience that rocky road outfitters has the best selection, most options, and if you read everything carefully, they tell the bald truth more often than the other guys.
Mine is in the process of modifications .... 4.16 transfer case gears, will soon get 32x11.50 tires and bigger wheels to match gearing, mild body lift, and slightly taller shackles. Later, I will add the Jp-eater spring over kit, and so on.
The best mods for the engine is a mild cam to increase power in the 2k-4k range, headers, a larger diameter exhaust, and adding a second heat pre-mix valve to the air filter assembly, along with manufacturing a pre-heat stove to pick up hot air as necessary from the headers. It's mandatory for me because I live at 6000 feet in the central colorado rockies where pre-heated air is required to avoid carb icing for 8 months of the year. The rocky road guys can pretty much get you whatever you want(for money, of course). I can't remember the part number, but if you measure carefully, it's possible to modify a universal K&N filter to fit in the stock air cleaner housing. It keeps the noise down, and actually improves general dirveability over going to a non-stock air cleaner.
While the Samurai is SLOW on the highway, it is far better than most everything else on the old, narrow deteriorated mining roads that I so love.(In another month when the snow above 12,000 feet melts, and the 20+ foot snow drifts have melted, I'll be up there again)
Contact me again as necessary, and we'll try to get on the path to a solution.
