LUVTruck.com

I bought this 79 luv, and the guy told me that it was a 1.9L, instead of a 1.8L. How do I find out, and what is the difference if any?

Thanks for everyone's help

if im not mystaken i believe the code is between the block and the head but im not positive

my 80 has a 1.8l i havn't heard of a 1.9l

It is on the driver's side of the block in fairly big letters, about even with and just a little rear of the alternator. I think just above and in front of the motor mount. Look for G180 or G200 in letters just under an inch high cast in the block. They out bumped out in the casting, not set in so you can feel them. G180 is a stock LUV 1.8L and G200 is a later Isuzu 1.9L

Another good indicator is on the front passenger side of the head. There is a place to bolt on a fuel pump. LUVs will have no hole, though the casting for the mounting is there. If there is a hole through the aluminum of the head, a plate covering it, or a fuel pump mounted there, it is a fair bet you've got a 1.9L. The head also has G180 or G200 cast into the back, but that is pretty tough to see when its installed in the truck.

Oh yeah, there is a code of some sort stamped into the top of the block. It sticks out from under the head on the intake side just in front of the intake manifold. What I don't know is quite how to decode that number. The G180/200 code is a gimmie though.

Thanks for all your help.

I found the G200 on the left side of the block and on the front of the head. The head does not have a hole cut out of the casting for the fuel pump. So from what was stated earlier, this is a 1.9l and it was made for a luv probably a 80 or 81? Anyone have any information on that?

Again, Thanks for all your help.

With all the vehicles that a 1.9L came in, it isn't a big surprise that one of them might have used an electric fuel pump. 1.9L motors were found in the first few years of Chevy S10s and the a bunch of Isuzus:

81-86ish Isuzu PUP pickups
84-85 Isuzu Trooper
Isuzu Impulse up to about 85 I think
Isuzu Imark up to 85ish too.

Some of them probably used an electric pump so the hole wouldn't be needed. LUVs never came stock with anything but the 1.8L or the 2.2L diesel(from 81-82). As for the difference, I'll see if I can find the rated HP of a 1.9L but that would be the only real difference. Just a bit more power.

I appreciate all your help. My first auto was a 76 luv, and from this I know that they have always had a problem with head gaskets go out and head warpage at about 70K miles. Well I noticed that this one is leaking a little, so I assume that I will be changing that this spring. I wonder if I can order the parts under the name as G200 engine.

I do not use it as a daily driver and do not take it out on bad days. The body was gone through but not a expert job of painting. Everything is original except for the carb and engine. I found a step side box and completely rebuilding it. Replacing the floor, remaking the tail gate. Thanks for all your help and I do appreciate all of your help.

Thanks

Reading this thread made me look at the engine in mine closer. I got a replacement long block for my original engine when I put a hole in the block and when we got it, it had a hole in the head for a fuel pump. so I checked the block and it's a G180 block, but appranently with a bigger head. And my compression (175-180 psi) is higher than my manual (140-150) states so... maybe a shaved head???