LUVTruck.com

Hi,

I've always really like the older styling of trucks and the Chevrolet Luv has recently been of interest for me. Anyways, if I do get one, it would be a daily driver. If I do get one I'll also probably be trying to up the performance on it.

With that said, how hard would it be to swap in an SR20, CA18DET, B18, 2ZZ, or H22 into one of these? It doesn't have to be those specific motors but at least a newer motor that's 4 cylinders. Also, can these things be made to handle well? I don't expect it to outhandle a Porsche 924 or a Mazda Miata but is the aftermarket there to improve the handling?

Thanks!

You'd be surprized how well they handle stock, some good shocks and power steering would make an improvement though.

As far as the engine goes, you can put in anything you want, your limited only by your imagination.

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'80 Luv 4x4, 3" BL, 1.5" SL, 32/36, 2.25" exhaust...and fuzzy dice.
'95 Toyota 4Runner Limited 5-Speed.

How hard would it be to stick those engines? Which do you think would take the least custom work? I'm assuming none of them are drop ins...

to be honest the motor that would require the least amount of work to get in would be a SBC if the Luv you have is a 2wd, Summit has mounting kits to mount them in the Luv, and Hooker sells headers for the swap, they also have a trans mount too.

The only 4-bangers you can but in there with out a crap load of fab work would be the 4ZE1 4-bangers made by Isuzu. The 4ZE1 is a 2.6L MPI putting out about 120hp/150lbs tq stock, but there are a number of upgrades out there that you can add on to get close to 200hp, this motor in theory should bolt right in to the stock motor mounts, you'd be good to grab the 5-speed that came behind that engine, to get that to work you'd have to switch the clutch over to a hydro setup, and have a new driveshaft made. and then there is the job of rewiring the truck to make the MPI work. and having to address the fuel issues, and cooling issues.

the other choice would be a G200 out of a later Isuzu Pup, it's a drop in, in the purest sense. not much of an upgrade though, it only makes about 90hp and 100+-tq, all it is really is a bored out G180. Now what you could do is grab a G200 block and then put a G180 head on it, thus uping you compression ratio, and giving you a bit more power, add a Weber carb on top, and a Pacesetter header, and you'd be in the 120-130hp range, that right there would get the truck out of it's own way, just don't expect to dust any imports off the line. \

If you want to have the most bang for the buck, go with a SBC. They're cheap to build, and cheap to put in, build it mild and you can have an easy 250-300hp, and 300+tq, build it a little hotter and you will be dusting imports left and right without even trying.

Sorry for the long post, but you did ask for info

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'80 Luv 4x4, 3" BL, 1.5" SL, 32/36, 2.25" exhaust...and fuzzy dice.
'95 Toyota 4Runner Limited 5-Speed.

Well, since this is a daily driver, I'm hoping to get as good gas mileage as possible without sacrificing for a motor that would require a massive amount of custom work.

What motor does the 4ZE1 come from? What Isuzu model?

Finally, I had previously thought that the stock motor in the Luv was a V6 but it seems that it's a 4 banger. Can the stock motor be built up at all really?

Oh yeah, I don't mind the long post at all. I love it!

The 4ZE1 came in the following Isuzu's:
'88-91 Isuzu Trooper
'88-95 Isuzu Pup
'89-95 Isuzu Amigo
'91-97 Isuzu Rodeo
Note-in '93 or '94 they changed the design of the Intake manifold, and also the MAF

The stock G180 can be built up a bit, MEPR has done just about everything that you can to this motor outside of forced induction. I believe his motor is making 150-160 hp and 160+tq. as for all the details about what he did to it i'd pm him about it, or he may post here with it.

There are a few things you can do with the stock engine that I do know of.
Weber 32/36 DGEV carb
Delta custom grind cam
Pacesetter Header
Offy Intake manifold (really a hard to find item, But I found that you can order one through Summit racing)
Electronic ignition from a 81<Luv or Pup that had the G180 or G200
Hotter Coil (MSD, or whatever your posion is)
bigger plug wires, and good plugs(NGK, Bosch, Delco...etc)

There's probably some other stuff that I've forgotten but that should get ya started.

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'80 Luv 4x4, 3" BL, 1.5" SL, 32/36, 2.25" exhaust...and fuzzy dice.
'95 Toyota 4Runner Limited 5-Speed.

When you say he's done everything outside of FI, is that because this is not a good motor for boosting? What kind of figures could you make if you boosted the stock motor?

Again, thanks a lot for all the help!

No, not that it's not a good motor for boosting, in fact you put in some forged pistons in there and it would be a pretty good motor for boosting. Its just that no one here in the States builds a turbo kit, However the Aussies are pretty mush the masters of this engine and have done some pretty crazy things with them. There was one guy who had a Gemini (Holden car, built by Isuzu, had the same engine) that was laying down 300+hp at the wheels with this motor(heavily modified of course)

There is a guy over in Australia who makes turbo kits for this engine, full kit is like $800 AU, I don't know what that transfered into USD, but the kit is basicly a full bolt on kit, and provides about 180-200hp. I've been looking into this for my own truck. Still trying to figured out what shipping would be.

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'80 Luv 4x4, 3" BL, 1.5" SL, 32/36, 2.25" exhaust...and fuzzy dice.
'95 Toyota 4Runner Limited 5-Speed.

Quick question, did the stock motor come in any other cars? What was the most recent car with the same motor? Sorry, I just want to get an idea of what kind of gas mileage to expect.

Anyways, I'm really sorry for all the questions. I really appreciate all the help!

I think Isuzu dropped the G180 (stock luv motor) in 84 and kept using the G200 1.9L (externally identical, hard to tell them apart even) up to 87 or so as a carb motor in pickups and such. 87 was also the last year they used that motor as a FI setup in the Isuzu Impulse non-turbo model cars. You can also find G200s in some Chevy S10s, not sure which years but the early ones.

Check out http://www.hotgemini.com for some extreme stuff on the stock motor done by those crazy Aussies.

says hotgemini.com has been hacked. hey rezkid let me know who and how to get in touch with the guy that builds those bolt on boosts. im really interested if it gives you 100-200 more hp then ill buy it for 800. i think for every 100 its like 73 usd so its not to bad the difference will probably pay for the shipping. any other info in this would be great. if i can get in touch with this guy ill get it and put it on in may or so, and let yall know how it does. But if it just bolts on and you dont have to modify anything $800 is good.
thanks
billy

i had a 82 S-10 it had a isuzu motor in it i belive it is 81-84 some of those had that motor in them

thats too bad, because the info i had on the turbo kit came from http://www.hotgeminis.com

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'80 Luv 4x4, 3" BL, 1.5" SL, 32/36, 2.25" exhaust...and fuzzy dice.
'95 Toyota 4Runner Limited 5-Speed.