88 Mighty Max - Looking for motor

[MightyMax88]

Well I bought an 88 MM to be a DD beater since my 01 Trooper took a dump, the motor is done in it (meh, can't really complain on a 600 dollar truck) and I've decided to do a 4G63T motor swap. I already know everything that's involved, I know I need a 6 bolt 1G motor and I know it'll already bolt right up to the 5 spd (which will need some beefing up).

I still have a couple questions though, where could I find a reasonable donor motor? Most I find online are either fully built long blocks but don't come with anything else (wiring harness, ECU, turbo, etc...). I'm not too keen @ digging through junk yards to find one (I have no idea what I need to look out for on the 1G DSMs... Or any DSM for that matter). Do you guys know of any decent online companies or companies in the SoCal area that have a complete drop in motor? I haven't had much luck on craigs, I'm trying to keep it a budget build seeing as it's going into a 600 dollar truck, so I have a ~3k limit (would like to spend less obviously...).

Thanks!

 

[BeatupVR4]

Hey there's nothing wrong with a cheap truck! Here's my $500 MM

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That being said the best option is to find a bone stock 1G that's been in an accident. You can take everything you need off it and part the rest out. If you can't do something like that you're just going to have to find all the parts separately and pay a little more.

 

[tallywacker]

Used Japanese 4G63 Motor and Trans Searching

Check this site for a JDM 6 bolt. I got one from one of those importers(don't remember which) and it lasted me for a long time.

 

[MightyMax88]

Hey there's nothing wrong with a cheap truck! Here's my $500 MM

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That being said the best option is to find a bone stock 1G that's been in an accident. You can take everything you need off it and part the rest out. If you can't do something like that you're just going to have to find all the parts separately and pay a little more.

Nice MM!

Love the little MM, the 2.0L in it is gutless as hell but couldn't beat the price. Got tired of driving my car too much, and plus needed a truck for the bikes.

I've been looking around for wrecks, no luck. Went to a couple pick and pulls, only found one 1G and it was gutted. I've found 1Gs for sale locally, however they are beat to hell. Really, really beat to hell (100k+ miles, smoking / knocking like mad, etc...) and the people won't back down from stupid high prices (2500+ usually...).

Used Japanese 4G63 Motor and Trans Searching

Check this site for a JDM 6 bolt. I got one from one of those importers(don't remember which) and it lasted me for a long time.

I'll check them out, thanks!

 

[tallywacker]

The best thing for you is you could drive to one of these importers and pick out a motor and load it in your own truck or a buddies and drive it home. Shipping cost is what really puts cost through the roof. I live all the way across the country so i didn't have much of a choice.

 

[MightyMax88]

The best thing for you is you could drive to one of these importers and pick out a motor and load it in your own truck or a buddies and drive it home. Shipping cost is what really puts cost through the roof. I live all the way across the country so i didn't have much of a choice.

Yeah that's the plan. Looking to get this started soon.

What are the stock motors good up to? What are the good basic mods to be done to this motor?

 

[tallywacker]

Yeah that's the plan. Looking to get this started soon.

What are the stock motors good up to? What are the good basic mods to be done to this motor?

I would just try to get it in and running first. The would be the most important one.

 

[MightyMax88]

I would just try to get it in and running first. The would be the most important one.

Haha of course, but I've always wondered about the 1Gs. Seems most of the companies on that link you sent all point to squatted domains. Shame, got one request into a company here in Southern California so hopefully I can just drive down there and pick one up.

Guess I'll also keep an eye out for donor cars so I can grab as much off of them as I can.

Thanks again!

 

[tallywacker]

Haha of course, but I've always wondered about the 1Gs. Seems most of the companies on that link you sent all point to squatted domains. Shame, got one request into a company here in Southern California so hopefully I can just drive down there and pick one up.

Guess I'll also keep an eye out for donor cars so I can grab as much off of them as I can.

Thanks again!

Yeah that website is rather old but I'm glad one worked for you. I'm sure you can do a google search for some other importers as well since you know what your looking for now. Also try the phone numbers on the ones that don't have websites.

 

[BeatupVR4]

Yeah that's the plan. Looking to get this started soon.

What are the stock motors good up to? What are the good basic mods to be done to this motor?

I'm with just getting it running right. The Carb'd 2.0 makes 90 hp and 106 torque so it REALLY not worth doing anything to. I totally sympathize about the complete lack of power. Remember that you have a 6 bolt G63B (4G63) so the block (minus oil squirters) , crank and rods are gonna be the same from a turbo unit. It might be feaseable to just find a DOHC head and rebuild the motor you have.

 

[MightyMax88]

I'm with just getting it running right. The Carb'd 2.0 makes 90 hp and 106 torque so it REALLY not worth doing anything to. I totally sympathize about the complete lack of power. Remember that you have a 6 bolt G63B (4G63) so the block (minus oil squirters) , crank and rods are gonna be the same from a turbo unit. It might be feaseable to just find a DOHC head and rebuild the motor you have.

This is true, however I rather just grab a donor motor and drop in. I did find a shop here in Ontario, CA that has rebuilt 4G63Ts and they mentioned they would like to get my G63B so I might end up using it as a core for a rebuilt 4G63T.

 

[MightyMax88]

Ok, finally found a donar vehicle. (Wow took long enough, but I was kind of half assing my search for one).

Found a 1992 Plymouth Laser AWD (build date August 1991), 180k on the clock for a whopping 500 dollars yesterday. I initially wanted to do the MM swap, but have since decided to rebuild this car.

The bad:

Fuel pump is dead (at least thats what the PO said), broken half shaft (which one? Not sure haven't looked), horrible body kit with an equally horrible primer job, some half assed IC piping that looks like a 5 year old did it, a pacesetter header, leaking radiator, and I'm sure some other issues I'll find along the way.

Well here, I'll just post a pic:

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Super awesome wiring?

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The good:

Nice FMIC, interior isn't perfect, but it's not lost, and it's a 6 bolt. Oh, and apparently all recalls have been done (or so say the stickers under the hood ).

So, right now the car will not start (at least not for a long time, if I spray it with starter fluid it'll run and then die. Followed some stuff on vfaq and I can't hear the fuel pump (but can hear the injector noise, and get spark). So, I put a WB 255 on order, and a new (external) fuel line filter.

Also in trying to kick it over, the check engine light will come on every so often (usually when whatever these are in the picture below start clicking like crazy)

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What are they exactly? They'll sometimes click a couple times after trying to start it, or they'll click like mad for a good 30 seconds or so and then stop. (The lines and what they go to, not the fuse box)

Anyhow, at least I have a car to start on now, might still do the swap but probably not. I need to order some new IC piping (I still can't get over the shitty job, but hey for 500 dollars its not too bad).

No one? Would like to know why those lines are clicking like crazy (what do they do? Is it normal? Could a voltage issue be at fault here?).

Anyhow, starting the tear down process today (tearing out that half assed IC setup and going with a custom short route, also replacing all the wear items (plugs, belts, etc...). Also looking for a bigger turbo, no idea why the 13G is on this car (guess the old one died, or PO did a motor swap).

 

[jroddsm]

Hey did you change you hubs over to 5 lug or did it come that way??? My MM have 6 lugs and its hard to find nice wheels for it...

Hey there's nothing wrong with a cheap truck! Here's my $500 MM

You must be logged in to view this image or video.

That being said the best option is to find a bone stock 1G that's been in an accident. You can take everything you need off it and part the rest out. If you can't do something like that you're just going to have to find all the parts separately and pay a little more.

Hey did you change you hubs over to 5 lug or did it come that way??? My MM have 6 lugs and its hard to find nice wheels for it...