newbe queries on poorly Jimny

Hi,
My partners quite old T registered (one former keeper) Suzuki Jimny has just had a health check from the local main Suzuki dealer because the four wheel drive was not working when checked before winter arrives. She’s had the car since it was three years old and it’s only done 32,000 miles from new and at first look appears in excellent condition It’s even got nearly new tyres and a recent battery. Unfortunately the feedback from the dealer shows that it’s not the case when it comes to the mechanicals and underside. It does not get used a lot (it's a second car with my own car used as the daily driver) but she loves it and to date it has not really cost us much. It’s fantastic in the snow and so invaluable on the steep hill where we live. It’s never been off road and we've no desire to modify it - though I'd like seats from a later model as the ones in it are terrible for my back (I'm tall).

The dealer reported the following:

There was an occasional clunk on the rear end and it was found that the bolts in the rear trailing arms are incorrect and need changing – replaced when new rear trailing arms and bushes were fitted by an independent (classic car) garage last year - our first foray into non dealer garages. It should be an easy fix to replace the bolts, pushing the old ones out with the new?

The bushes in the front arms are now going and need replacing.

The exhaust has just started blowing – they wanted £800 for the parts! (whole system). It’s less than three years old, hardly done any mileage but is rusty. I was aware of the rusting and had considered stainless steel. But with all of the other work full replacement is unlikely at this time.

Most significantly, the vacuum system pipes (solid and flexible) to the front hubs have perished, suggested as being the first place to find why the four wheel drive is not working. There had been no illuminated light on the dashboard when selected. Is the solid steel pipe something special or can it be replaced by copper brake pipe? Or are premade pipes available from somewhere and if so where, and where's the best palce to get the flexible pipes? It has the manual four wheel drive selection stick on the gearbox tunnel rather than the electrical switch I believe was fitted to later models.

There is rust in the front to back brake pipe - some others were replaced last year (along with flexible hoses, disks and pads).

There is an oil leak on the gearbox. Last year's MoT reported a slight leak on the propshaft but I think they meant transfer box. I may have to live with this unless it's a known problem and an easy repair.

There is a coolant leak on the back of the engine, with a puddle seen on the top of the gearbox. Radweld might help but iIs there a core plug on the back of the block and is it replaceable, or is this an engine out job?

There is corrosion on the back of both sills – other bits of the underside have had rust converter and paint applied in the past so I must have missed those bits. I suspect that I might be able to get a local classic car dealer weld patches on them if I go down that route.

Essentially we have to make the decision whether to spend money on it or scrap it as the cost of repairs would be more than it’s worth. Not that we have to do all of them immediately – its’ got 5 months MoT. One thought is that we could replace the rear trailing arm bolts with the correct ones, renew the rusty brake pipe, and renew the vacuum pipes to the front hubs to get the four wheel drive working again for the winter. That and the minimum needed to the exhaust might get the car through the winter to the next MOT. We could then take stock again on whether to spend more money or scrap it.

And, is anyone aware of any independent garages in the north east (Tyne and Wear / Durham / Northumberland) that work on Jimny’s. While I can do some jobs it sits outside and it’s not the best time of year to do this sort of stuff so I’d rather a garage do the work.

And when I tried to find a workshop manual I found that there were early and late G13BB SOHC engine models. I assume that’s the one I have but how would I tell whether its early or late?

Any help or guidance would be appreciated.

Paul

Exhaust from eBay £150 perhaps less
Fit manual hubs and just leave them locked for the mileage you do
Get the brake pipe done
A bit of welding
Gearbox rear oil seal fairly easy and cheap
Water leak could be the blanking plate under the cam sensor housing. 2 x 12mm bolts a new o ring and some sealant. I wouldn't use rad weld personally.

Yours is the early g13bb

I second that sounds like a lot of work but broken down its not that much really, I had same problem with leak from back of head and toke me ages to find it but take about 2 mins to fix two bolts undone new oring and bolt it back up, nothings to hard on a jimny

j999pre wrote: Exhaust from eBay £150 perhaps less
Fit manual hubs and just leave them locked for the mileage you do
Get the brake pipe done
A bit of welding
Gearbox rear oil seal fairly easy and cheap
Water leak could be the blanking plate under the cam sensor housing. 2 x 12mm bolts a new o ring and some sealant. I wouldn't use rad weld personally.

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Take this advice. Also, never step anywhere near the Service Dept of a Suzuki dealer again and never take it past the car park. It will only end in you leaving feeling like your car is worth scrap.

Suspension bolts are a few quid off the Bigjimny shop. Click on big banner at the top of this site.

I bet no welding is really needed. Ask an Mot tester for their opinion. Assuming you can find what they are on about.

An independent small exhaust place or small garage can fit a cheap exhaust. Look at the price for the parts on Eurocarparts website and wonder how kwikfit charge so much when the eurocarparts van leaves them! Only replace the part that needs it. Where's the blow?

If the oil leak is just a weep that's accumulated into a big stain with no regular drips, wipe it clean and top up whatever is leaking and don't worry. I guess the Suzuki techs have never worked for Land Rover! They shower in Ep90 in their workshops!

It sounds like you're vacuum system for the front hubs for 4wd would need alot of work. Hence manual or fixed hubs are suggested. You need a spacer ring kit to convert to manual hubs which are available on the Jimny Bits website. Fixed hubs maybe available from KAP Suzuki. You'll need to speak to Darren there. It's the cheapest option. Have a look at my thread on My Jimny (link in my signature) for blocking off the vacuum system to prevent water being sucked in.

The brake pipe happens to them all and a small local garage with do it.

Kirkynut

no advice has been offered on the incorrect bolts in the trailing arms so here's mine. the trailing arm holes have a habit of elongating causing the clunk you mentioned. it is fixable at little cost but you do need to make sure whether this is the case before just buying new bolts.
as said in previous comments, most of this is diy stuff and i'd be looking for advice from an mot tester rather than a suzuki dealer. the only reason i'd visit a dealer is for a part not available elsewhere.
good luck