How hard is it to stuff a Suzuki Swift GT 1300 engine into a '91 Geo Metro. I know it's pretty much a bolt in, but what about the wiring. Do I need a new harness?
Anybody know where I can get a 1300 Twin Cam and all the other stuff I need?
I just found a '91 Metro station wagon that is just begging for a 1300. I want to build a sleeper. 
I got a lot of information from Team Swift.
http://www.teamswift.net/viewforum.php?f=27
Can you even get the 1300 twin cam engines anymore. I called around and the seem to be unobtanium.
Zomby woof will have all of the answers.
MG Bryan wrote: Zomby woof will have all of the answers.
Does he have a 1300 twincam buried in his backyard? 
I have 6 of them that I know of, maybe more.
They're still out there, but you have to look. You're best off to get a complete car for the swap or ditch the MAF, go MAP and megasquirt. I can't remember where you are, was it Texas?
This was posted on TS today if you're anywhere near.
http://www.teamswift.net/viewtopic.php?f=43&t=53059
I assume you found a 4 door hatch? There never was a wagon.
In reply to Zomby woof:
I guess you would call it the four door hatch but it looks like a wagon to me. I have been wanting to build one of these since I sold my Swift GT challenge car to buy the Miata. I used to haul my huskies around in the Swift. I like a hatchback and I like the twincam motor.
Reno is a little far to go for me to get a parts car. I'm in Dallas. I did call the Japanese motor places but they didn't have low mileage engines for 20 year old cars. I did some searches and did find a few in wrecking yards, some were cheap but none were low mileage. This will be more of a project than I thought at first and probably more of a hunt.
If I do get the motor do I need the harness for the engine compartment as well if I want to go stock?
If you go dohc, you need the harness, and computer. You'll also need the MAF. If you really want a cool project, turbo the 3 cylinder. It'll be cheaper, faster, easier, and way more odball than a stock dohc. There's an excellent tech support group in TS, and I can walk you through any problems.
The 98-01 1.3 16V is pretty widely available. It's lighter than the dohc, multiport injection, and capable of similar power. We have one with very minor tweaks that easily hangs with my sons 02 RSX.
This was a real budget turbo 3 build by one of my customer on a stock Metro motor with only sensor trickery for extra fuel.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJJRhIF3KXE&feature=related
There's another one with better sound, but not as good a run.
I just bought the car last night. The 5 door hatchback with no engine and no tranny. Everything else is there but it has the patina of a cheap Geo Metro. I'm going to leave it like that and just change the motor.
Plenty of room in the back for the huskies to ride.
Make sure you get the correct year motor for it. There were some changes made to the intake, throttle body, distributor and a few other small things. Each version has a few years of production, so it shouldn't be a problem.
Zomby woof wrote: Make sure you get the correct year motor for it. There were some changes made to the intake, throttle body, distributor and a few other small things. Each version has a few years of production, so it shouldn't be a problem.
So basically, engine, harness and computer all have to match and be the same year? or does the engine have to be the same year as the car.
What about the transmission? Does that have to match the motor as well. I heard that the transmissions that went with the 1300 twincams had different ratios that the other 5 speeds.
If you're staying 3 cyl. the motor itself pretty much doesn't matter for that car. 89-01 are basically the same. The differences will be the intake/TBI, the dist (early were vac, later were ECU controlled) and that's about it. Standard trans for that car was 4.10 gear, same as GT, and turbo 3. You can get a 4.4 ratio from the 95+ 3cyl, and a 3.79 or 3.52 from the 4 cyl. non GT cars. The 4.10 works well with the 3. All G series trans bolt up except the G16, which is a bit of an oddball. Harness, computer must match the tbi/int, and dist. As far as I know, you should be good on the other stuff.
to pee in your cheerios a bit, axles are also a bit of a problem if going 4cyl. TheGTi had equal length axles that are kinda hard to find. Bigger at the hub also. I think the mk 3 was a little wider, but not sure. In short, I vote turbo 3, or hayabusa.
It's something like that.
That's why it always makes sense to turbo a 3 cylinder
I'm very challenged on the interwebs, but there's a 1st gen turbo metro on Nashville craigslist dated 2-11-12 Goofy Fun
okay, sprint. $2500
wheelsmithy wrote: to pee in your cheerios a bit, axles are also a bit of a problem if going 4cyl. TheGTi had equal length axles that are kinda hard to find. Bigger at the hub also. I think the mk 3 was a little wider, but not sure. In short, I vote turbo 3, or hayabusa.
Hmmm. These guys have them for $79 a side. My local Auto Zone has them for about the same price.
http://www.autopartswarehouse.com/mmp/suzuki~swift~axle_assembly~parts.html
I'm still going for stock 4 cylinder twincam. I want to build a usable car, not a buzz bomb.
The G13B Swift gti engine? Trust me, find a complete car, get the stub axle, two axles, brakes and hubs. The Gti stuff is special. Either that, or use stock axles from a swift 4cyl. I don't know if they use the stub axle or not, but the hubs are different diameters where they engage the axle from a 3cyl to my 89 gti. Also, the 94-up models have a wider track, and the axles will be too long. All this together makes a parts car a very good bet in my opinion. Hopefully, this doesn't sound snarky-I've been through this, and wanna help.
Snowdoggie wrote: I'm still going for stock 4 cylinder twincam. I want to build a usable car, not a buzz bomb.
Turbo 3 would still be easier, and a better overall daily driver.
wheelsmithy wrote: The G13B Swift gti engine? Trust me, find a complete car, get the stub axle, two axles, brakes and hubs. The Gti stuff is special. Either that, or use stock axles from a swift 4cyl. I don't know if they use the stub axle or not, but the hubs are different diameters where they engage the axle from a 3cyl to my 89 gti. Also, the 94-up models have a wider track, and the axles will be too long. All this together makes a parts car a very good bet in my opinion. Hopefully, this doesn't sound snarky-I've been through this, and wanna help.
No snark intended. A three cylinder would work but I have seen those motorcycle engined Metros on you tube and they seem like buzz bombs to me. To me putting the twincam and the heavier duty drivetrain would be more technically interesting. I have already owned a three cylinder Geo and a Suzuki Swift GT. I just want to do something different this time. Yeah. I want to do it the hard, boneheaded way.
I do realize this is going to be the great parts hunt and I will grab an entire car if I can find one. If I can't It's easier to ship parts than to ship an entire car. All help is appreciated.
What about a frankenmotor? 1.6 or 1.8 tracker bottom end ,16 SOHC head? Zoombywoof is a strong proponent of the Sohc head. Torques would be nice.
wheelsmithy wrote: What about a frankenmotor? 1.6 or 1.8 tracker bottom end ,16 SOHC head? Zoombywoof is a strong proponent of the Sohc head. Torques would be nice.
I think I'm pretty much sold on the DOHC 1.3. I used to have a Suzuki Swift GT with one. It went to the Challenge in 2003. I have always wanted a station wagon version of the car.
wheelsmithy wrote: What about a frankenmotor? 1.6 or 1.8 tracker bottom end ,16 SOHC head? Zoombywoof is a strong proponent of the Sohc head. Torques would be nice.
1.8 is a J series motor, and only dohc. the 16V sohc head is ok, but the GT head is miles better, and what gives that motor it's personality.
Zomby woof wrote: 1.8 is a J series motor, and only dohc. the 16V sohc head is ok, but the GT head is miles better, and what gives that motor it's personality.
I miss shifting my white one at 8500rpm :( I bet it is still sitting in the driveway not too far from where I lived previously... if it hasn't moved, I'll have to buy it back next year :D
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