This is a good time to mention that our Cappuccino spends 3-4 months of the year parked to avoid winter roads and salt corrosion. Whenever we park the car we always store it with a full tank of fuel with fuel stabilizer. This prevents rust from forming in the tank or inside the pump. You need iron and oxygen to create iron oxide. If the tank is full of gasoline, there is no oxygen available to start rust formation. Our tank looks spotless which proves the effectiveness of this technique.Alright, time to get the pump out. Start by removing the screw securing the bracket at the bottom. Then remove the rubber isolator from the pump.Next, spin the pump and expose the electrical connector so you can unplug it. Then firmly pull on the pump to free the o-ring from the feed tube. The factory fuel pump is a pretty standard Denso 195130 fuel pump. These are really common in Japanese cars of this era. I bet we can find something similar with a lot more fuel flow that just drops right in…AEM 50-1220 is a direct copy of the Denso pump Suzuki originally fitted to the Cappuccino. However unlike the Denso pump, the AEM pump flows 340lph, more than double what the stock pump could flow when new. This should be more than enough to fuel any crazy engine build scheme we could come up with for our 660cc engine. We can also get this pump at nearly any retailer in the US as well so we don’t have to deal with Japanese shipping prices or times.This pump is also rated for any type of ethanol fuel. While we do not plan to run E85 in the car, we do want a pump that is resistant to ethanol since all US gasoline has at least 10% ethanol in it now. Installing a pump that is ethanol resistant should prolong the life of the pump. I have personally had a fuel pump go bad within a year due to E10 gasoline, so spending the extra money on an ethanol rated pump feels like cheap insurance. The AEM fuel pump comes with new o-rings, a new filter sock, and a wiring harness, though the latter items are not needed for our installation.There were a few different ways these pumps were installed in cars and the AEM pump does not include some of the more unique pieces needed to be a perfect replacement in the Cappuccino. One of the unique items are the spacers that seal the o-ring to the feed tube in the hanger. These spacers ensure the o-ring is properly compressed. Without them, the pump will struggle to maintain pressure in the fuel system. Denso does not sell these items separately and after 30 years they are going to be brittle. The best option is to pick up Walbro part number 400-774 which is an installation kit that includes these spacers and the correct pickup sock. It also includes a pre-terminated wiring harness if yours is looking ragged and you don’t trust yourself with crimp connections.
This is a cool project. Getting all the power back is a huge deal at such low numbers lol. I have really considered picking up an AZ-1. Didn’t you make a comparison article where you decided between the Cappucino, AZ-1, and the Beat?
We have not done a full comparison of the ABC cars. I’ve test driven a couple of Beats and ridden in an AZ-1. In our Project intro for the Cappuccino I discussed my reasoning for picking a Cappuccino over a Beat or AZ-1. I think I would quickly summarize them thusly:
AZ-1: Most expensive of the 3 due to its rarity (about double the price of a Cappuccino). Very cramped. No trunk or frunk. But man are they cool. It really is a mini DeLorean: awesome to look at and you’ll get a ton of questions but not the best day to day car. Also the cabin is a glass bubble so they get very hot in the summer.
Beat: Usually the cheapest of the three. Super fun to drive, and they’re great with the top down. But slow as hell. Naturally aspirated 660cc engine just has no torque. Great engines once they’re wound up a bit. Great cruiser especially if you live somewhere you can have the roof down all the time. Great interior too. IIRC, the roomiest of the 3. The trunk is pretty small but the interior has lots of storage. Beware of leaky roofs. I’ve heard they’re not too hard or expensive to replace though.
Cappuccino: Probably the best all rounder. Has a real trunk. Has a decent interior. 3-piece roof is great. Definitely the best for performance and the fastest of the 3 (that’s not saying much though). Lots of aftermarket support even today. I’ve had mine for 7 years now and still love it.
For any of them there are a few things to keep in mind. Not sure where you’re from, but if you’re in the US, you will need to either be a good DIY mechanic, or line up a shop that is willing to work on your car. A lot of shops won’t work on them. The Cappuccino has an English service manual, not sure if the AZ-1 or Beat do. Make sure you inspect your car thoroughly. DIY maintenance on all of these cars is tough. Everything is small and cramped so you have to get creative working on them. All of these cars have a tendency to rust and sometimes it is not obvious. The cheapest route is the DIY import route but it’s the riskiest. Rust will be hard to spot in the port photos and you won’t be able to drive the car until it’s already yours. I’ve heard a number of horror stories from DIY importing. A car that’s already imported, either by a dealer or privately, saves a lot of time and hassle and you can actually drive and inspect the car you want to buy. Finally, remember that these are hard cars to live with. They’re impractical, hard to maintain, and old. But any of the ABC cars is a blast to drive and people ask about them all the time. I highly recommend getting an ABC kei car, just be prepared for what you’re getting into.
That fuel pump was plenty for Project S2000 with the turbo added, so you’ll have all the headroom you need for more power 🙂 While the fuel system wasn’t the root cause of your issue, it was good to upgrade everything on a car that old!
3 comments
This is a cool project. Getting all the power back is a huge deal at such low numbers lol. I have really considered picking up an AZ-1. Didn’t you make a comparison article where you decided between the Cappucino, AZ-1, and the Beat?
Hey James,
We have not done a full comparison of the ABC cars. I’ve test driven a couple of Beats and ridden in an AZ-1. In our Project intro for the Cappuccino I discussed my reasoning for picking a Cappuccino over a Beat or AZ-1. I think I would quickly summarize them thusly:
AZ-1: Most expensive of the 3 due to its rarity (about double the price of a Cappuccino). Very cramped. No trunk or frunk. But man are they cool. It really is a mini DeLorean: awesome to look at and you’ll get a ton of questions but not the best day to day car. Also the cabin is a glass bubble so they get very hot in the summer.
Beat: Usually the cheapest of the three. Super fun to drive, and they’re great with the top down. But slow as hell. Naturally aspirated 660cc engine just has no torque. Great engines once they’re wound up a bit. Great cruiser especially if you live somewhere you can have the roof down all the time. Great interior too. IIRC, the roomiest of the 3. The trunk is pretty small but the interior has lots of storage. Beware of leaky roofs. I’ve heard they’re not too hard or expensive to replace though.
Cappuccino: Probably the best all rounder. Has a real trunk. Has a decent interior. 3-piece roof is great. Definitely the best for performance and the fastest of the 3 (that’s not saying much though). Lots of aftermarket support even today. I’ve had mine for 7 years now and still love it.
For any of them there are a few things to keep in mind. Not sure where you’re from, but if you’re in the US, you will need to either be a good DIY mechanic, or line up a shop that is willing to work on your car. A lot of shops won’t work on them. The Cappuccino has an English service manual, not sure if the AZ-1 or Beat do. Make sure you inspect your car thoroughly. DIY maintenance on all of these cars is tough. Everything is small and cramped so you have to get creative working on them. All of these cars have a tendency to rust and sometimes it is not obvious. The cheapest route is the DIY import route but it’s the riskiest. Rust will be hard to spot in the port photos and you won’t be able to drive the car until it’s already yours. I’ve heard a number of horror stories from DIY importing. A car that’s already imported, either by a dealer or privately, saves a lot of time and hassle and you can actually drive and inspect the car you want to buy. Finally, remember that these are hard cars to live with. They’re impractical, hard to maintain, and old. But any of the ABC cars is a blast to drive and people ask about them all the time. I highly recommend getting an ABC kei car, just be prepared for what you’re getting into.
That fuel pump was plenty for Project S2000 with the turbo added, so you’ll have all the headroom you need for more power 🙂 While the fuel system wasn’t the root cause of your issue, it was good to upgrade everything on a car that old!