90 Tracker - 94 Sidekick

[blackoak]

`I just bought a 1990 Geo Tracker with 168000 mile on it. It has a new exhaust, clutch & pressure plate, new plugs & wires distributor cap, fuel pump and filter installed. It runs pretty good. The frame is getting bad, not so bad as to where it's not safe, but in time it will be. I'm really not looking to do a lot to it. It will be a back roads beat around kind of thing mostly. It is stock as far as I can see. I'm happy with it.
Today I was talking to a guy who has a 94 Suzuki sidekick. It is completely rusted out under side. The frame is shot. cab mounts are gone, but it only has 100000 miles on it and the engine sounds better than my 90 Tracker. He will sell it dirt,dirt cheap. I don't need this rig,,,,,but I want it. Is these two machines pretty well the same? There is a 4 years difference. I checked it out and the interior is slightly different, but that's about all I could tell that was. Would the rust bucket make a good parts machine for my 90 Tracker. I did notice the Sidekick has power steering and had auto locking hubs in the front where my tracker has manual locking and no power steering. Oh and another thing. My Tracker has a cracked wind shield, the Sidekick is good. Are they the same? If so is it a PITA to pull them out and switch them. Thanks for any info. you have

[fixkick]

90 is 8v
94 is 2 engines 8v and 16v, (had choice then.

the 8v are near same. the TBI NOT , the ECU never. The ECU matches, the new TBI.
The 16v head, whole induction, TB MPI is different with Different heads, intake, CPU, mpi injectors.

the 8v block and 16v bock (no head) are the same, but not pistons, so can not be interchanged,
the windshield is RTV glued, it, be impossible to break that bond and and not wreck, it. (ask a windshied shop., some may brag different.... be like an extreme skill topic this)
the autolocks I bet are now JAMMED for ever.
it take me a year to cross all other body parts, using the catalog. some are only cosmetic, so , even have new number for that. or , other odd changes, nobody cares about .

power steering was an option.

[blackoak]

I'm pretty sure the Sidekick has the 8V motor. it looked the same as mine in the 90 Tracker. Valve covers looked the same. Are all 16V motors marked on the cover.
I'm guessing that when the frames on these have rusted away there's not anything one can do to fix them. I have repaired a few Toyota frames, but nothing like what this Sidekick has.

[fetcher]

Take a look at his repair pages, they are very thorough. There are a number of images and diagrams of the 8v and 16v engines.
You can also check the VIN number.
These are full frame cars, the frame rust can be fixed if it is worth it for you to invest the effort.
Where there is a will, there is a way.

[fixkick]

8v has black valve cover 16 silver embossed (cast in place) 16 VALVED on top
the frame is just steel
if now rust , rust can not be welded, nor drilled, or anything its just pure Iron Oxide.
the fix is new frame (or do you mean body) or weld for months to fix all bad rust areas

some frames are so bad there is no good life. any weld shop in town can look and in like 5 min go bla bla.
only seeing allows that. and poking....

For example one does not want this to happen
the 2 front lower A arms to fall off moving or the 2 rear lower front track rods, or that wild wise bone on top of rear axle pig to rust.
nor the tank mounts or top of tank rust outs
rear top spring perches? rust off? one rear lateral track bar.
or any rusty brake lines ever.

[fetcher]

One of my trailing arm mounts (the thin tube coming out of the frame) for the rear axle rusted off while leaving a stoplight.
Fixed with $85.00 Chinese Zeny stick welder. Originally $99.99 but I got a $15.00 refund because somewhere along the way
the box or pallet was dropped and some plastic parts arrived broken. Those parts have been fixed and the welder has been
modified to use thicker cables and I added a twist lock fitting for the power supply to the unit.

Yes that wishbone thing with the ball joint was well rusted. The whole piece new was 29.99 on ebay.
Very difficult to remove old one when the bolts hanging the assembly have rusted into the center of the bushings.

Steel plate and Chinese welder. It's the answer to frame rust issues.

Brake lines are easy, just remember that the end fittings are metric. The black nylon jobs that attach the all the lines to your formerly rusted frame, they are not so easy.

[fixkick]

the whole car is metric.
rust is never easy, best is to avoid cars that have it.
lots of cars with no rust, down South, and endless supply.

[fetcher]

For anyone changing rusted brake lines the 3/16 brake tubing will work, but you need to use metric flare nuts on the ends of the tubes you form. SAE flare nuts will fit, but they are a bit too small and will never seal.