Difference between revisions of "Martins Test"

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** A common issue on live axle 4x4s. These corrode and wear quickly. It is almost inevitable that you will have to change them at some point.
 
** A common issue on live axle 4x4s. These corrode and wear quickly. It is almost inevitable that you will have to change them at some point.
 
** When buying take that vital test drive and check for steering wobble around 45 - 50 mph. see [[Death_Wobble|Death Wobble]]
 
** When buying take that vital test drive and check for steering wobble around 45 - 50 mph. see [[Death_Wobble|Death Wobble]]
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** Worn Kongpin Bearings are not the end of the world see: [[Kingpin_Bearing_Change| Changing the Kinpin Bearings]]
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** Worn Kingpin Bearings are not the end of the world see: [[Kingpin_Bearing_Change| Changing the Kinpin Bearings]]
 
** Beware of ex-Landrover mechanics, they can insist that the Swivel joint should be filled with oil (Yes for Landrovers, NO for Suzuki)
 
** Beware of ex-Landrover mechanics, they can insist that the Swivel joint should be filled with oil (Yes for Landrovers, NO for Suzuki)
 
* Corroded Balls
 
* Corroded Balls
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* Worn Transfer chains. Be mean to the car on its test drive, dump the clutch at high revs in 1st and listen for a very loud BRRR! noise with no car movement. (Transfer boxes are quite cheap on the scrap market - no point in changing the chain)
 
* Worn Transfer chains. Be mean to the car on its test drive, dump the clutch at high revs in 1st and listen for a very loud BRRR! noise with no car movement. (Transfer boxes are quite cheap on the scrap market - no point in changing the chain)
 
* 4WD - Check it works. Find a loose surface and try engaging it. Listen for loud clicks to confirm hubs have engaged. You cannot drive in 4WD on the road in dry conditions in a Jimny as it is [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four-wheel_drive#Part-time part time 4WD] and damages the car.
 
* 4WD - Check it works. Find a loose surface and try engaging it. Listen for loud clicks to confirm hubs have engaged. You cannot drive in 4WD on the road in dry conditions in a Jimny as it is [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four-wheel_drive#Part-time part time 4WD] and damages the car.
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* Vacuum Hubs (see 4WD above). These fail regularly as they are not used often. A simple clean and service will fix most issues.
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* Worn trailing arm mounts. A clunk from the rear as you pull away in 1st gear. Sometimes it just loose bolts, other times the mounting hole has worn away which will rquire welding.
  
 
=== G13B Specifics ===
 
=== G13B Specifics ===
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<br clear=all>
 
=== M13A Specifics ===
 
=== M13A Specifics ===
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* These have a cam chain which DOES NOT require changing
 
=== M13A VVT Specifics ===
 
=== M13A VVT Specifics ===
 
* VVT Engine is nice and no real issues
 
* VVT Engine is nice and no real issues
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=== Automatic Specifics ===
 
=== Automatic Specifics ===
 
* Make sure they change smoothly and go through all the gears correctly. They love fresh AT Fluid and need changing and topping up otherwise changing is poor and top gear fails to select.
 
* Make sure they change smoothly and go through all the gears correctly. They love fresh AT Fluid and need changing and topping up otherwise changing is poor and top gear fails to select.
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The Jimny is normally 2WD you see and has no Centre Differential like some Land Rovers do. You must only put it in 4WD when the ground is of a slightly lower grip (wet grass, gravel, ice, snow). Otherwise you will suffer what is called transmission wind up, where tension builds in the transmission as the front and rear axles have turned as different speeds from cornering etc.
 
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Both methods of changing from High to Low and 4WD to 2WD appear reliable.
 
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The transfer box has a chain inside which can stretch and start to make vibration noises through wear. To test, drive in second and go on and off the throttle to see if you can hear it vibrate as it goes slack when you take your foot off the throttle. Second hand transfer boxes are easy to get and cheap enough. Replacement is easy. They are divorced from the gearbox, connected with a mini prop and light enough for a single person to bench press up with one arm whilst guiding it with the other. Or use a Jack!
 
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The VVT engine received a new gearbox though. This gearbox on the whole is reliable but being a forum specialising in these cars we hear of all the problems. One of them is that this VVT gearbox does sometimes go wrong and is expensive to repair and next to impossible to find second hand. When you do find one it will be expensive. The symptoms to my understanding are worn bearing like noises but the problem, a transmission specialist new to this site recently posted, is more syncromesh related, hence the expensive repairs. He suggested the oil Suzuki spec is too thin and burns too quickly. No other gearbox can be fitted in its place from older cars. So you have to fix it or find a like replacement.
 
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I believe later models have a new gearbox again that is probably too new to show any issues. When this was introduced I am not sure.
 
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There are many other small issues, such as the bolt holes for the rear radius arm mounts elongating, allowing the bolt to move and clunk. Sometimes they are just loose and need nipping up. I've experienced this twice. I've nipped them up and have not got elongated holes as a result.
 
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The vacuum operated hubs can fail where the vacuum leaks from the rubber seals of the pipework. This can be solved by finding the leak and replacing the parts required or blocking it off and fitting manual hubs / fixed hubs.
 
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I started this thread about converting your vacuum hubs to fixed for free: www.bigjimny.com/index.php/forum?view=topic&catid=7&id=55862
 
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There is school of thought that this is no good for your front diff or transfer box as it is not designed to always have the reverse forces on the gears when you let off the throttle and are in over run. My personal experience is that there is no need to worry and my old SJ had fixed front hubs from the factory. You make your choice. I've run fixed hubs for a long time with no issues on my Jimny.
 
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If you are planning to go off road you will likely want to modify your Jimny. The first things you will want to do are give it a suspension lift and bigger tyres. These are topics in their own right but a point to bear in mind is that the Low ratios in the transfer box are not that Low and you'll find tyres bigger than 215/75/15 will make Low ratio far too High.
 
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We solve this problem the same way as SJ owners do. We use a Rocklobster Transfer Box. This is an SJ transfer box casing with some magic performed inside to give a slight reduction in High Ratio and a much, much lower Low ratio gearset. Richard Wattam from RAM AUTO DESIGN is the main man for this and does a great fitting kit. Jimnybits.co.uk also sell them.
 
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I mention Rocklobsters in this Buyer's Guide as fitting a Rocklobster to a Push Button Transfer Box car is a bit harder than fitting it to a stick shift transfer box car. It is not insurmountable but if you know you will be going down the Rocklobster route with massive modifications at some point, you might just want to make your life easier by buying a stick transfer box car in the first place!
 
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Having said all of this, my personal pick of the bunch from across the years of UK Jimny models is the 2000 model hard top up to the end of February 2011.
 
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My reasons for this are that it has the twin cam engine (no cambelt to change or head gasket issues) in the lower tax bracket and the reliable gearbox with stick shift transfer box. You just have to look out for the rust! After this it is a pre 2005 twin cam, just suffering the little extra tax.
 
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I would personally buy a 2005 on VVT but would change the gearbox oil nearly as often as the Engine Oil - it's not hard! The younger it is the less rust it will have. There are many VVT engine cars that have never had gearbox troubles. So don't think because we are aware of it on a forum that it is a massive issue. Forums are magnets for the problems but don't publicise the hundreds of thousands of cars that never had the issue!
 
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There are other things that go wrong like on any car - blocked and worn out cats, cam and crank sensors. cooling system faults. Nothing more than other cars though.
 
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One last thing to mention is that if you are buying to create an off road monster with massive tyres, the shafts and CV's are not as strong as on the SJ413 or Samurai. They are more akin to the SJ410 in dimensions and strength, yet have more power and torque than any of them before it. You will therefore need to budget for HD front shafts and CV's from one of the several manufacturers selling them now. They are not cheap! This is no different than for Land Rover owners who spend fortunes with Ashcroft Transmissions!
 
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I hope this helps.
 
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Kirktnut
 

Revision as of 18:26, 15 May 2016

Buying a Jimny

Before you buy

  • Take one for a test drive, compared to modern cars even the most recent Jimnys feel primitive.
  • Buy one in the Spring and sell one in the Winter, everyone wants a 4x4 when the snow falls so prices are higher in the winter.

General Points

  • The main issue with Jimnys is rust, depending on the year/model etc some had rust protection but others did not. As the vehicle is chassis based it can pass a UK MOT test with quite a bit of rust unless the rust is around the body and seat mounting points.
    • Try and look behind the front headlamps, underneath the lamps and splashguard, this is a rust point and is near the front body mounts.
    • Lift any carpet in the boot and look into the small pan where the tools/jack are stored, this can rust out, particularly on soft-tops.
    • Check the boot floor in general, this can rust through and is the most common issue. This is a real problem for older Jimnys.
    • Check around the seat belt mounting points for rust.
    • Check around the plastic trim, particularly on the sills as rust hides behind.
    • Check the brackets which connect the arms holding the axle in place, these rust at the axle and at the chassis end.
  • Kingpin bearings
    • A common issue on live axle 4x4s. These corrode and wear quickly. It is almost inevitable that you will have to change them at some point.
    • When buying take that vital test drive and check for steering wobble around 45 - 50 mph. see Death Wobble
    • Worn Kingpin Bearings are not the end of the world see: Changing the Kinpin Bearings
    • Beware of ex-Landrover mechanics, they can insist that the Swivel joint should be filled with oil (Yes for Landrovers, NO for Suzuki)
  • Corroded Balls
    • Again a Landrover issue where the chrome balls are vital. NOT a Suzuki issue, simply fill them smooth and paint.
  • Worn Transfer chains. Be mean to the car on its test drive, dump the clutch at high revs in 1st and listen for a very loud BRRR! noise with no car movement. (Transfer boxes are quite cheap on the scrap market - no point in changing the chain)
  • 4WD - Check it works. Find a loose surface and try engaging it. Listen for loud clicks to confirm hubs have engaged. You cannot drive in 4WD on the road in dry conditions in a Jimny as it is part time 4WD and damages the car.
  • Vacuum Hubs (see 4WD above). These fail regularly as they are not used often. A simple clean and service will fix most issues.
  • Worn trailing arm mounts. A clunk from the rear as you pull away in 1st gear. Sometimes it just loose bolts, other times the mounting hole has worn away which will rquire welding.

G13B Specifics

  • These have a traditional cam-belt, make sure its been changed at the correct intervals.

Soft-top Specifics

  • The Soft-top retained the G13B until the end with some late registrations in 2005
  • There are some M13A engined soft-tops around but these seem to be rare and an anomaly.
  • The soft-top frames suffer considerable corrosion at the front, Suzuki no longer make these parts and getting hold of replacements is extremely difficult
  • New soft tops can be bought from Monsoon in the UK. They have a reputation for good quality.
  • There is a removable hard-top available to replace a soft-top during winter.
Suzuki Jimny Hardtop


M13A Specifics

  • These have a cam chain which DOES NOT require changing

M13A VVT Specifics

  • VVT Engine is nice and no real issues
  • These vehicles had a new style gearbox for a few years which gives issues. Check carefully for a noise in 3rd or 4th Gear. About £700 to repair if an issue occurs.
  • Electronic Transfer box, ok for average users but not liked if you are modifying the Jimny.

K9K Diesel Specifics

Automatic Specifics

  • Make sure they change smoothly and go through all the gears correctly. They love fresh AT Fluid and need changing and topping up otherwise changing is poor and top gear fails to select.
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