Been looking at........

[Dennis the diesel]

Hi all.
Usually post in Defender on here so this is my first post on the Suzuki bit.
having sold one of our 90's, we went out today for a look at a 5 door Vitara.
dont look in bad nick, its on an 'R' plate with around 80,000 on the clock, with the V6 motor.
could do with a good clean and we hope to go back tomorrow for a test drive and a better look over.
Is there anything in particular to look out for?
are there any known problems with the V6? What would swap into the engine bay if the 6 went wrong - will a 4 go in or is the bell housing different?
What m.p.g. would we be looking at?
I guess as it's a V6 it should cope with motorways etc

i await your replies, thanks all

Regards,   Chris

[Lincs niva]

I dont no anything about the V6 Generationx is the man in the no regarding them..

Look out for rot on the inner wings front and rear,also sill's if it has those plastic covers on them...Oh yeh boot floor aswell you never no...

Cheers Gav

[mlines]

Rust, rust and rust

[generation-x]

hi chris
the v6 vitara is a bit of an oddball in the vitara line up
the engine is a mazda derived unit so the gearbox wont fit a suzuki engine plus because its a v6 it use's a 1st gen grand vitara lwb chassis so again the 1600 will fall straight out

known issues with the v6
cam chain if serviced regulay shud be ok
cam chain kit is main stealer part only and is good for about £400 ,sometimes engines do come up for sale on eblag last one i saw was £340 with warenty so cheaper to get another engine (which is wot im going to do)
as above check for rust most likely sills and rear arches because of the plastic body moldings

hope this helps you a bit if you need anymore info let me no

for your enjoyment this is my v6
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=GdPKHBkGrYU

simon

[basher,tong]

as Simon say really cam chains is the weak link on the V6. mate got two scrappers for not a lot off money..(£150 for one of them and £200 for the other!!)so you can pick them up cheap.
one off them had a noise cam, and down on 4 cylindender!!! turned out the cam was broken in haft :shock:
so pulled the engine out off that one and the engine from the other. and was going to replace the noise chain. but as Simon says its £400 from main stealer!!!
but it turned out (and is the case with most off then. that the chain was fine, its the guides that wears.not the chain. and the guides worked out at about £80+vat from main dealer... :dance:easy ish to do with the engine out. but do able with the engine in.
thinks to look out for is,if the chain is noise then it all depends on how bad the guides are.. the noise you can hear is the chain rattling on the inner case.. and water pump!! so if it been rattling for a long time then it rubs through the water pump case and then the pump starts to leak.. at best its going to loss water. at worst it will loss water and the owner want top it up, it over heats and then kill's the head. BOTH off them :doh:

so my advise is. it your look for one buy one with no chain or cam noise!!but if you find a cheap one and its to good to miss then knock down the asking price.to allow for the work to be done on it..
here it is. second engine fitted with rebuilt  timing gear. 12mth ticket on it...and all for £300...can't be bad ;)

[Dennis the diesel]

Hi All
Thank you all for your replies - very useful!

Took the motor in question out for a test drive - certainly went O.K. but with an annoying habit of cutting out at virtually every junction - not good.
Also had a tap tap tap from the engine. Went back a second time with a mate - pro mechanic, really in to his Suzuki's - he reckoned it could be camshaft / chain - if we did the work, a £1200 car has just cost £1600, even more if seller got it done

The upshot is we walked away from it - there'll be something else turn up.

Once again, thanks for all your input,  regards,  Chris