T3 ECU Caps. (T3 part 3)

From all my reading I "know" the OEM Rubycon, high failure rate caps should be replaced. I opened my ECU. It looked to be original and unmolested. There were three Rubycon caps, two black and one blue.

I ordered replacement caps but kept reading.

In my reading, I came across a note that there are UPDATED Rubycon caps with an X or  K on the top.  They seem to say these Caps are fine. 

I am going to ask on the forum.

Stay tuned.

---- update 10/28/2016 ----

Advice from the forum:

"Even with updated caps, any electrolytic capacitor has a finite lifespan. As these are 20+ years old, they are due for replacement. I replace them in any new-to-me Sidekick/Tracker immediately, because I like to fix things on my terms rather than have a failure on a trail far from home. "

Thanks for the advice, I already have caps ordered, I need to practice up my soldering skills.  I haven't done PCB repairs in quite some time.... maybe 25 years?

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T3 engine and drive train removal (T3 part 2)

More inspection of the drive train on T3 shows even more issues.

The front drive shaft would not rotate.  The drive train was VERY greasy so it could use new gaskets and seals.  The clutch inspection plate is missing and it is very greasy and dirty in that area.

It needs to come out to do this right.

Draining the transfer case brought up another issue... there was no lube and not only would the front drive shaft would not rotate, it would not come out either. I had to pull the drive train with the drive shaft wired up.

Missing clutch inspection plate.

Pressure washed the engine bay and the underside.

Also pressure washed the engine/transmission.

more on separate posts.

My Third Tracker (AKA "T3") Intro (part 1 of many)

I am behind on documenting my projects.

When I bought my #2 and #3 Trackers as a package deal, I was more interested in the white 1994 Tracker "T2".  The plan was to do a quick "fix" of the Black 1993 "T3" and sell it off to finance the higher quality rebuild on T2.

White Tracker on the trailer is "T2"

The black Tracker is "T3" as bought.

The more I looked at both of them, the harder T2 looks to fix properly.  I am starting with T3 while I think about how to attack T2.

While T3 ran and drove, I even drove it home but it ran very poorly.  While I have been doing little things to T3.  Changed the left front fender, left outside door handle the door panels and the grille, but I do not have pictures of these "small things."

But it pretty much sat for 6 months before I ran a compression check.  I ended up with ZERO in #1 and around 150 in #2,3,4.  (cold).  I used an inspection camera to see the top of the piston... it looked OK, but the mirror to look at the valves would not fit so I could not see the valves.

I pulled the head and found this:

Burnt exhaust valve in #1 cylinder.

Knowing it would be a while before the other Tracker needed a head,  (I was told it has a rod knock)  I did a compression check on T2.  It was good in #1,2,3 but #4 had messed up threads for the spark plug... I could not get a good reading.  Figuring it was good enough, I pulled the head, cleaned it up and fixed the threads in the spark plug holes.

Almost ready for use.  It still needs a new front seal and O-rings for the distributor.

A few pictures for the TracKick forum

Pictures for the TracKick forum.  Seems I accidentally deleted a few pictures.

--- resetting airbag warning light ---

For more information on your specific vehicle, please visit the website : codes.rennacs.com

---- temp warning system ----

---- OBD2 bluetooth scanner ----

----------- Roof Rack ----------------------
My 1992 when I bought it had a roof rack

I did not need it and it made quite a bit of wind noise.

The six feet were not very strong

Each foot was screwed to the pinch weld with one or two screws.  I know there wasn't more than ten  little screws.

another pic for the forum, this is a valve cover on a Suzuki Swift.  I would like to know if it will work on a G16 8v motor.

here is the current cover. (head and intake removed from the motor.)

----------- 11/1/2018 added info:

Here is a picture of when I added a IAT sensor to my 1992 Sidekick to make the 1994 ECU happy.   The red arrow at the bottom is where I drilled a hole in the air filter case for the probe.  The green arrow points to the green speaker wire routed to the ECU.  (I need to find the pin numbers)  If I did this again, I would be sure and follow the same harness as the other wires going to the ECU... just in case I needed to pull the harness in the future.

I haven't found the pictures for CODE 51 due to not having a EGR temp probe (EGRT), But from a post on the forum in 2013 and it from memory:

"My 1992 four door Sidekick came to me with a computer labelled: 33920-58B00. Near as I figure it should have been a 33920-58B40. (That is what I had been looking for.)

Nether the engine that was in the car, (not original) or the JDM motor I replaced it with had a EGR temp probe (EGRT), but had the wiring. (The plug is on top the motor near the rear.... right above the EGR valve.)

After I had installed the JDM motor, with its WORKING EGR valve, I could reset the code 51, but it would return after about 5 minutes of DRIVING. It didn't seem to "pop" when just idling.

I found a chart in the FSM with the testing values for the EGRT, and picked a resistance value from the middle of the chart In a local electronics store I picked up a pack of resisters close to that middle value.  Bending the leads on the resistor, I stuck it directly into the empty EGRT plug, taped it up and no more code 51!

I stopped looking for a new computer."

I haven't been able to find what I used, but looking at FSM Figure C1-23 - REGTS Characteristic, I would select a 100K ohm resister. But it looks like anything from 125K to about 40K should work.

EGR -------------------------

parts shelf

Auto Trans check from Sidekick FSM

Horn wiring diagram

this is for someone on the TracKick forum http://www.suzuki-forums.com/suzuki-sidekick-escudo-vitara-geo-x/

Horn wiring diagram from the 94/95 wiring manual.

TracKick Projector Headlights

I have never been impressed with the headlights on our TracKicks.  Even new they were not very good.  Age has effected the reflector material inside, so they just do not do the job as they should.

A while back I ordered a pair of Nilight® 2.5" Mini HID Bixenon Projector Headlight modules to see if there was something that could be done.

One of my Trackers came to me with very poor headlights.  Rather than toss them, I figured on using these for experimenting.

You can see the black berry vines/leaves INSIDE these lights. I had already replaced them with some from my parts rig. (Even the "new" ones had a rock chip hole in one of them.)  These were in my scrap pile.

I tossed them in the oven at 180 degrees F.  After a while (longer is better) the glue/sealant is so soft the cover will come off with very little prying.  (Both were already broken and the first one shattered when prying after only 30 min in the oven.)

 The light guide/bulb shield needs removed.

Then, after cleaning, the projector can be installed.

They say the module is water proof.... but I can not see how it could be.  I need to figure out some kind of cover for the light. It isn't quite as easy as it would seem.

The projector is longer than the housing, but the stock glass cover/lens looks like it would cover them. The problem is, the stock lens has the lines that bend and distort the light... Yes, the stock bulb needs them to put the light where it is needed, but they are not needed for the projectors.  If fact it would likely scatter the light and cause glare to on-coming traffic.

I need to find something clear that would come close to the stock lens in height.  If plastic, I might even need more distance from the projector due to heat.

I may or not worry about duplicating the stock sealing surface.

Leaving the cover to think about, I wanted to see the pattern the projectors produce.  They say that these will work with "H1" bulbs or an HID H1 kit.

As this is just testing, I picked up a single H1 bulb. --> it did not fit the housing.

As I was tired at the time, I put it all on the shelf and will work on it later.

There is lots of room around the projector for angel/devil eye, LED daytime running lights or other additions.  There is even a reflector section (near the blinker end) that is un-used on North American Market TracKicks but are used in other markets. 

Comments, suggestions or ideas?

I'll get back to this... someday. ;-)

10/26/2016 -- update ----

I found my jewelers file set and filled out the projectors so the "rated" H1 bulb would fit.   When I went to power the bulb, I noticed there is not any ground connection on the projectors.   (An H1 bulb is very simple with only a single spade connection on the bulb itself.)   Even though they claim these are H1 projectors, I suspect they are pretty much meant to have "H1 HID" upgrades installed.

After rigging a ground I got it lit up.  I found that I had it installed upside down.   (High/Low beam "flapper" device actually goes on the bottom.)  When I got it straight,  and just testing in a darkened kitchen with a regular H1 bulb, it seemed like it had a "pretty good pattern" with a good cut off.

I also picked up some LED modules the might make good DRL's inside the housings.

When I have more time, I will take some pictures while I figure out some kind of clear cover to replace the stock lenses.

stickers on the underside of the hood

have not posted in a while.

Here are a few pics requested by "friends" on the forum.

This are the stickers on the underside of the hood, 1989 8v auto trans, US market.

I will be posting more project related things soon as my schedule has changed and I should have more time.