I am currently working on a 79 12a into a suzuki samurai.Has anyone here done this I'd like to pick their brains about how to wire it in to the stock samurai wiring and I would also like to know all the exaust stuff i can get rid of with out harming the motor and where to get a header so I can lose the thermo reactor thingamagigi thanks for the help

 

I remember seeing a thread about a week ago that had a rotary samurai for sale. Just search for it and you should be able to find it.

 

yeah it was on ebay, it sold for cheap too, fully functional 4 wheel drive too

 

HINT: if you step back and take a good look, the second gen engine and trans mount similarly to the stock sammi motor and trans. You can get away with minimal fabrication. ...A 12a is another story since the motor mounts to the front cover. The cool thing about the samurai is that it has a divorced transfer case, meaning that the trans looks kinda like an FB tranny, with an 11 inch driveshaft going to the transfer case, as opposed to other 4WD's in which the transmission and the transfer case are one piece, thus ruling out a rotary conversion. If you were to get an FC donor car, you could just drop in the powertrain wiring harness and all, plug and play pretty much. You could even make it smog legal. Again, not easy to do with a 12a since the last FB with a 12a was '85 and the first samurai was '85 1/2.

 

Someone over on mazspeed bought it.

 

sorry ROTARYSUZUKI, i guess this isnt much help to you since you are mid-project but meybe it will help cut a better path for other sammi/rotor hybrid people. and by the way the 6-port owns the 12a on torque, which is key to wheeling.

 

rotarysuzuki, check out pratch's tutorial on removing the emissions related stuff such as air pump and rats nest. This will reduce some wiring headaches for you. If you remove the a/c, cold start assist, hot start assist, and cruise control, this will also substantially reduce your wiring.

Is this going to be an offroad vehicle only? I heard PA just passed a statewide emissions law.

Good luck on the project and post pictures!

 

yeah but I dont go over 5000 miles so no emmisions for me I am also looking for all cheap ways to get horses with out ripping motor apart will a Q-jet carb be to much for the motor I need to be able to run up some sick hill climbs

 

Hello rotarysuzuki,

you can buy a header or a header kit that you weld together at mazdatrix.

http://mazdatrix.com/r-exh-85.htm

Run the two pipes all the way back and collect it right before the rear muffler for most power and widest powerband. Rotary is loud so put a presilencer on each pipe which you can buy above. Ditch the thermo reactor and any other smog equipment, motor will be just fine.

As for carburation, it takes a lotta work to get a holley to work with a rotary. Racing Beat.com has already done the work for you and you can buy it from them.

Or you can buy it here:
http://mazdatrix.com/r-holley.htm

weber system here:
http://mazdatrix.com/r-weber.htm

you will get another 20% by 'streetporting' the motor. of course it has to come apart and then be put back together with a new seal kit.

http://mazdatrix.com/faq/porting.htm

best of luck.
brad

 

Hey, I'm the one who bought the rotary samurai in the other thread. I'm actually down in florida right now trying to get it in good enough shape to drive back to massachusettes. I might be able to stop in PA on the way back if you want to check it out.

The main problem with the swap is the engine and tranny are too long, you have to move the transfer case back so the radiator will still fit in front. The one I bought has a custom front driveshaft because of that, but you should be able to get away with some driveshaft spacers. I dont know much about how the swap was done, but all the stock suzuki gauges work. The header is also definitly aftermarket, though I dont know which brand.

And if anyone can help me here, what should I check on a 12a thats running way too rich?

 

Spark Plugs, Timing, Air Filter..... how rich are we talking? like just bad gas mileage or like barely drivable?

 

Its barely drivable, wont go above 65, makes my eyes water, etc.

rotorysuzuki - Try the suzuki forum on www.pirate4x4.com if you need more help on the swap. The guy who made this page is on it, he knows quite a bit about doing the swap.

http://rz-products.com/WAYNE/UPDATES/updates.html

 

thanks man I read that write up on pirate If your coming thru PA my buddy and I would love to check your zuk out we have 8 off them my phone # is 610 656 6403 my name is james give me a call

 

how hard is it to make the holley work is there a write up on what to do?

 

why is the holley carb so expensive? I can buy a Q-jet from A+A for a 137 bucks what could they possibly do to make it worth 770 Is it platnum?and I wont buy a weber they are junk off road

 

Hey guys new to the forum..... I have read all your posts, but still a lil green. I have build many race cars and choppers, but this a new animal for me... I'm a lil put back on to make the 4x4 still work. If any of you guys might give me some insight on how to make it fit, due to the tranny is much longer than the zuki one. If you guys can tell me any info it would be great......... Also I'm looking at picking up a 13b, good choice ?

 

I remember back in the day those Samurai where EVERYWHERE..

How many where made? (curious).

Also you might find additional luck in the other forums. This really is for 1st gen body and motors. There is a tech forum for "not belonging to other". A lot of frankenstiens around.

 

my buddy has a 13B swamuri, wha you need to know

 

The 13B would be an excellent choice, I would suggest a 84-85 GSL-SE 13B as it has peak torque from 2000rpm on up. As for the 4wd, the samauri transfer case is a divorce style transfer case as mentioned before. As long as the tranny you have is not any longer than about 4 inches longer than the stock samauri tranny, assuming the bellhousing is in the same position latterally in the frame, you can get a custom shaft made to go from the 1st gen tranny to the transfer case.

 

samurize are small as hell my stepmom has one letting itsself go in someones backyard

 

I just wasn't sure if due to the lenght of the rx tranny is much longer than that of the sammi, if the couple of guys that said they had one or built one did anything different with the transfer case. or just went 2w drive. I realize that i'm going to have to move the engine position a lil forward and prob the transfer case back. And make a costum shaft. any of you guys have any pics of the engine bay, that might help give a lil insight ? if so I'll give my email wallyworld072779@yahoo.com