Thanks spokerider and boxcar1!
Just wanted to post an update because it's been a while since my last update.
I've got a couple projects going on right now so I've had trouble focusing on my Samurai.
I went to look at a rebuilt engine a couple of weeks ago. This was a really cool find and would have been perfect had it not been an Australian engine. It was the second engine put into a '91 Suzuki Sierra. The guy that owned it was in the military and stationed over there. I walked away because I thought it would have been a bigger project to swap all of my US emissions equipment off my engine on to his. But he had a cool Samurai, right hand drive model. Kind of regretting walking away from that engine but I would have had to get this engine swapped in a weekend and I thought swapping that stuff would take longer and then I'd have no idea if it would run well. I want it done in an afternoon if I'm just swapping 1.3 engines. I'd commit more time for the 1.6L.
Been having a hard time finding time to work on the tire carrier or maybe I'm just lazy.... I still need to figure out the trailer adapter for the tail lights or run individual lights for all the functions. I need to cut strips of flat stock to weld nuts to for mounting the bumper. Need to make the actual tire carrier portion. Basically I started this project with only the most basic plan. Haha.
Also been gearing up for what I hope will be an epic camping trip this summer. I purchased maps for the Colorado portion of the Shadow Of The Rockies Trail from
http://www.transamtrail.com/shadow-of-the-rockies-trail/
I may also purchase maps for the Trans America Trail too. In the process of getting stuff for a camp kitchen. Probably going to integrate fold down table into the tailgate for food prep/tools. Also realized my tent is too small for me, my girlfriend and my daughter so I'm looking for a good 3-person plus tent. Preferably a 4-season tent.
Going to pick up an older dual fuel coleman camp stove this weekend as well as I've been reading some stuff on here in the chef forum about them and I've been finding them really cheaply on craigslist.
I got a roll table from REI today as well. It only weighs 9lbs and it was on sale.
Also, been getting some Samurai parts too. I got new o-rings for the distributor as I think I may be losing oil from it as well.
Picked up a new oil-pressure sensor as I'm tired of the tubing to the gauge leaking too, I might tee it off and run the gauge and the sensor too but I think I'm just going swap in the sensor by itself.
Ordered the Panty liner from ZOR too. For some reason I was initially under the impression that his Snatch cradle eliminated all of the factory t-case mounts.
Have spare throttle and clutch cables coming in too. I've heard of these breaking and the worst possible times so I'd like to keep some spares on hand.
Going to change the fluid in the diffs soon too. Probably way over due.
I guess I'll end this post by saying that my initial plans to swap the engine have fizzled (might have one last ray of hope but we'll see) and that I'm going to put more attention into prolonging the life of this current engine.