J20A engine: characteristics, resource, repair, reviews. Suzuki Grand Vitara

2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:42

A fairly common crossover "Suzuki Vitara" and "Grand Vitara" began to be produced since the end of 1996. Various four- and six-cylinder engines were used to complete the machine. The most common was the two-liter engine J20A.

General data

The J20A four-cylinder gasoline was used on various versions of the Suzuki Vitara produced during the periods:

• Vitara Cabrio (ET, TA) - December 1996 to March 1999
• "Vitara" (ET, TA) - from December 1996 to March 1998
• Grand Vitara (FT) - March 1998 to July 2003
• Grand Vitara (JT) - October 2005 to February 2015
• Grand Vitara Cabrio (GT) - March 1998 to July 2003

The engine has vertically aligned cylinders with a displacement of 1,995 liters. Depending on the type of firmware of the electronic control unit, the motor develops power from 128 to 146 forces. Built-in development potentialThe performance of the J20A engine has kept it in production for almost 20 years.

Shared device

The main body parts - the head and cylinder block - are made of aluminum alloy. The valve drive of the first generation of motors has hydraulic gap compensators, which greatly simplifies maintenance. On later engines, from about 2003, there are shims in the valve drive. Two chains are used to drive the gas distribution mechanism. Each of them has its own tensioner and its vibration damper. On the front of the J20A Grand Vitara engine there is a V-ribbed belt for driving various auxiliary units.

Variants

There were several modifications of the J20A engine with different characteristics:

• A variant used on the second version of the Suzuki Escudo and the Mazda Levante. This variant developed 140 hp with Euro-0 emission standard.
• The first Suzuki Grand Vitara used a weaker version of the engine, developing only 128 horsepower.
• Version for Suzuki SX4 (GY), which is designed for transverse mounting.

Benefits

Vitara cars were equipped with a variety of engines with a displacement of 1.6 to 3.2 liters. But the most popular was the J20A engine, which provided the most favorable ratio of dynamics and fuel consumption. In general, the power unit has established itself as quite reliable andunpretentious knot. A big plus of the motor is the possibility of using A92 gasoline.

The resource of the J20A engine largely depends on the attitude of the owner to the car and on the regularity of maintenance using quality materials. There are cases when cars with such an engine have traveled more than 270 thousand km without repair. Separate copies of cars with the J20A engine, according to the owners, drove up to 400 thousand km.

Almost all engine errors can be read on the instrument cluster. To do this, the driver must perform a self-diagnosis procedure by closing two terminals on the diagnostic connector. Received error codes must be decoded according to the tables.

Maintenance

Caring for a Suzuki Grand Vitara engine consists of regular maintenance with oil, filter and spark plug changes. The plant recommends changing the oil in the J20A engine after 15 thousand km. But taking into account the operating conditions of cars in Russia, it is recommended to reduce the frequency of oil changes to 10 thousand km.

According to the instructions, it is necessary to use Suzuki Motor Oil with parameters 0W-20 for the motor. As an alternative, many owners use synthetic oils that meet the 5W-30 standard. The capacity of the oil system is 4.5 liters, but when replacing the old oil, the old oil is not completely removed, so 4.2-4.3 liters are poured into the crankcase.

One of the important points of engine maintenance is the replacement of camshaft drive chains. According to the regulations, such a procedure must be carried out after 200 thousand km. Replacement should not be neglected.because there are cases of unexpected circuit breaks. At the same time, there were no symptoms in the operation of the engine warning the owner of the critical condition of the part.

Problems and malfunctions

The main problem with the engine is the camshaft drive chains. The first problems with increased noise of the drive start from 140-150 thousand km. Usually the cause lies in the hydraulic chain tensioner. A number of owners change only the tensioner, leaving the old chain. But such a solution, although it saves money, can result in an expensive repair of the J20A engine. The old chain may already show signs of stretch and the new tensioner will not be able to fully compensate for it. In this case, the chain slips over the teeth of the gears of the shafts or simply breaks, which shifts the valve timing. The result will be a collision of pistons with valves, which will lead to an inoperative state of the engine. Repairing such damage will cover the cost of chains many times over. Therefore, many services recommend replacing the chains immediately when replacing the tensioner.

Another problem with the J20A engine can be oil burnout, especially with a dynamic driving style. Many owners have experienced increased oil consumption during the initial engine break-in period. But then the flow returned to normal. During operation, one must remember about such a “sore” of the motor and monitor the level. Neglecting this point can lead to the engine running in a lack of lubrication mode. In this case, the J20A engine will need to be repaired with at least the replacement of the crankshaft liners. For replacement, there are liners of two repair sizes. In the worst cases, both the shaft and the piston group and the gas distribution mechanism will receive damage.

A number of owners have a problem with a sudden loss of engine power. When this happens, the vibration starts and the motor stalls. In some cases, after 15-20 minutes, it starts up, works for a while and stalls. Exhaust gases contain smoke and vapors of unburned gasoline. The reason for this behavior is a faulty crankshaft position sensor.

It is worth noting another malfunction that several owners of 2-liter Vitars have already encountered. Over time, the coolant pump shaft sinks deep into the housing. At a certain point, the impeller blades begin to touch the housing. In this case, the motor makes extraneous sounds during operation. If the pump is not replaced in time, the blades will wear out and the intensity of the coolant supply will decrease. Because of this, the thermally loaded block and head overheat, which leads to scuffing and engine failure.

Materials for replacing chains

One of the most difficult procedures when repairing a J20A engine will be replacing the chains. When replacing, materials will be needed:

• Chain tensioner (P/N 12831-77E02).
• Chain tensioner (P/N 12832-77E00).
• Chain small top (number 12762-77E00).
• Large lower chain (ref. 12761-77E11).
• Sedative (part number 12771-77E00).
• Sedative (number12772-77E01).
• Backing under tensioner (P/N 12811-77E00).
• Tensioner Gasket (P/N 12835-77E00).
• Front crankshaft oil seal (P/N 09283-45012).
• Valve cover gasket (P/N 11189-65J00).
• Valve cover seals (part number 11188-85FA0) - 6 pcs
• Spark plug seal (P/N 11179-81402) - 4 pcs

Chain drive gears do not normally require replacement.

Tools and materials

• Set of wrenches and sockets.
• Torque wrench up to 150-200 N/m.
• Sealant for windshield.
• Cloth for wiping.

Sequence of work

Put the car in the pit

• Remove expansion tank and plastic cover on motor.
• Remove the dipstick to measure the oil level.
• Remove the coils from the spark plugs.
• Disconnect the ventilation hoses from the cover on the head of the unit.
• Remove the head by unscrewing six nuts.
• The cover design has two bushings installed at the back. It is better to take them off and put them separately.
• Rotate the crankshaft by the pulley mounting nut to align the marks. One mark is on the pulley, the second on the crankcase.
• Remove accessory drive belt.
• Unscrew the nut and remove the crankshaft pulley.
• Remove the pump and tensioner rollers.
• Remove the 15 windshield bolts.
• Remove the engine shield and unscrew two more boltscover attachment.
• Remove air conditioner compressor.
• Disconnect the coolant hose at the front of the engine. The hose must be plugged with a wooden wedge or bolt.
• Remove the cover from the motor. The cover is centered on the block with two guide pins.

• Check the valve timing on the old chain. The keyway of the main shaft must match the mark on the crankcase, the mark on the double idler gear must be directed upwards. In this case, the marks on the gears of the camshafts must match the marks on the head casting.
• Remove chain tensioners.

• Remove the camshaft gear bolts. To fix them from rotation, there is a special flat with a turnkey hexagon.
• Remove gears and top chain.

• Remove the intermediate gear and main chain, and the gear from the crankshaft toe.
• Install the new lower chain and drive gears back. At the same time, there are blue and yellow links on the chain. The blue link should be opposite the mark on the double gear, and the yellow link should be opposite the mark on the main shaft of the J20A motor.
• Install a new lower tensioner.
• Mount the camshaft gears and upper chain. The yellow mark on this chain should align with the mark on the double gear and the blue marks on the shafts.

• Install a new upper tensioner.
• Lubricate the entire mechanism with engine oil.
• Replace the shaft seal in the front cover and the spark plug rings in the valve cover.
• Install the front cover on the new sealant.
• Install a new gasket on the valve cover and mount it on the head.
• Install all removed parts. If the cap nut seals are damaged or missing, replace them with new ones.