Interesting engine features

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Just got hold of a manual for the Fourtrak and had a bit of a browse through the engine section. Interesting to see it's an overhead valve but the camshaft is driven by a belt rather than gears or chain. Don't understand why they did this but I guess the inscrutable little devils had some good reason. Should be a doddle to maintain and work on, don't need to disturb cambelt to lift the head, easy valve clearance adjustment, I think I'm in love :D. Maybe they were intended for use in third world countries and designed for ease of maintenance ?. Anyone changed a clutch ?, was it hard work ?. Should be easier than in a lot of modern transverse engined cars.

Not so sure how easy the running gear will be to work on as it's my first 4X4 but I guess it's just a matter of getting in there down and dirty.

Do the engines seem to be generally reliable ?, it's a low revving lump (talking diesel here) and doesn't make massive BHP so I guess relatively unstressed, particularly as it's not short of cubes. Do the turbo's tend to hold together ?, they are water cooled so it could help a bit.

Mine has done 127,000 miles but it still starts up a treat with no smoke from the exhaust, do any of you have experience of really high mileage cars ?. This one has not done much off road work by the looks of it, the body is immaculate apart from a couple of small rust bubbles around the rear window.

The later motor camshafts are

The later motor camshafts are belt driven, the earlier ones are gear drive. Look at the front cover on the motor, if its alloy, then its gear driven, if its plastic, then a cambelt is there.
Changing clutches, from my experience, having changed a couple, as well as gearbox/transfer case maintenence jobs, is to totally remove the motor/gearbox/transfer case from the vehicle as one unit, then split them on the ground, unless you have a hoist, and equipped workshop. The reason, weight. The motor weights about 260kg. The gearbox/transfer case probably around 100kg. It is a real PITA to try and lift, and align, an input shaft into the back of a motor from under the vehicle. Even with jacks, as the transfer case is lobsided, to the right, and generally wont lift straight. Even replacing a motor, with a engine jack, or similar, is a pain, trying to align the input.
The motors seem to go on forever, with usual maintenance, as described in another post.
127 000 miles/ 210 000km, isnt really that much. Its starting to get up there, but mine is approaching 300000km, and there are others on here with more than that. The daihatsus are pretty much over engineered, thats one reason some componants weigh so much, and why Daihatsu 2.8 TDi transplants are popular into Landrovers in the UK.
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Growing old is compulsary, growing up isnt.
MUD MAKES EXCELLENT TOOTHPASTE.
I use billion dollar satellites, to find Tupperware.
Please visit http://groups.msn.com/AussieDaihatsuRocky/_whatsnew.msnw
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