Back under the car, we installed the new Grand Vitara fuel filter and plugged all the new fuel lines into place. We also replaced all of the spring clamps with brand new stainless steel fuel line clamps. These will better secure our new fuel lines and are much easier to work with in the future.We finished with the engine bay fuel lines. Again, Suzuki made this really difficult. You can see the feed line (left with the plastic wiring harness protector on it) and the return line on the right (with a second piece of rubber line protecting it against the intake manifold). Both are buried in the engine bay. The fuel rail fittings are underneath the manifold so you will be feeling around blind.To make it a little bit easier, we unbolted the clutch cable from the firewall, removed the vacuum line to the brake booster, unhooked the throttle cable, and unhooked the vacuum line to the EVAP canister for the fuel system. Please note that the EVAP canister and brake booster both have one way check valves in them so their installation is directional.Here you can see the fuel pressure regulator. It is hidden between the intake manifold and the head with some vacuum lines sprinkled above it. Underneath is the return line to the tank. Wrestle with the spring clip and work the line off. The feed line is between the 2nd and 3rd cylinder runners and removing the clip and pulling it off is completely done by feel.Both fuel lines are in poor shape, but the return line is starting to dry rot and split. It’s only a matter of time before it ruptures and could cause a fire. We’re getting to these just in time!The spring clips have permanently deformed the rubber. You can also better see how the return line has oxidized and begun to crack and split. The lines at the rear of the car were in better shape, likely because they don’t see the heat of the engine bay.
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!