Bought a 2002 Chevy Tracker

[nwjones18]

As a result of spending to much time on Facebook Marketplace I'm now the proud owner of a rusty/previously wrecked Chevy tracker. Plus's are clean title, runs and drives way better than you'd expect and its a real 4wd with hi/low range, and it was $1400. This will end up being a woods buggy mostly to drive around property but may run into town from time to time. It has the 2.5 V6 and is surprisingly quick. Body cladding covers it in this picture, but its a Michigan/Ohio vehicle and rockers are pretty much gone, but frame/floors are fine from what I can tell. I've already changed the oil/filter and done a drain/fill on the transmission (its an automatic with a drain plug). Next is the diffs and the transfer case. It spec's GL-5 80w-90 for front rear diff and GL-4 75w-90 for the transfer case. My question is would just using GL-5 80w-90 in the t-case as well hurt anything? I was looking at super tech 80w-90 and its says its fine for bronze/copper and for refill on manual transmissions..

Robot or human?

Other big projects are torn front CV axle boots (I'm thinking about just waiting until they make noise, quiet for now) and the A/C compressor is locked up and that shares a belt with the PS pump, so I'm going to end up fixing A/C mainly so I can get my power steering back on line.

Anyone know anything else to look out for on these? This one has 170k on it.

 

[IndyIan]

I had an 03 4cyl 5spd, and regret selling it! Pretty solid overall. The oil pan rusted out, and there was a recall for the front subframe rusting out. If there's lot of play at the front diff on the right side CV axle and oil leakage, Suzuki made a bushing/bearing to pop in there with a new seal. We put it in and every other tracker I ever looked at had a leak on the right side of the front diff.
Front diff case is aluminum so can't take landing from jumps with power on with oversize tires, it splits the case. It's good fun to rip around but does have a pretty high CoG, and I had it on two wheels a couple times in the field....

 

[JavierH19]

These were always neat. for 1700 it looks good. If you say 4 speed it's got to have the aisin seiki unit instead of the gm 3 speed. If you want you can swap a quart for atf type f to tighten it a little which is a little mod people do with success. I actually did this to the Silverado i once had and it shifted better. Swapped another quart and it got a little quicker in the upshift at temp and left it there.

 

[nwjones18]

I had an 03 4cyl 5spd, and regret selling it! Pretty solid overall. The oil pan rusted out, and there was a recall for the front subframe rusting out. If there's lot of play at the front diff on the right side CV axle and oil leakage, Suzuki made a bushing/bearing to pop in there with a new seal. We put it in and every other tracker I ever looked at had a leak on the right side of the front diff.
Front diff case is aluminum so can't take landing from jumps with power on with oversize tires, it splits the case. It's good fun to rip around but does have a pretty high CoG, and I had it on two wheels a couple times in the field....

I don't know how its possible, but this thing is pretty much dry as a bone underneath, so maybe its been done... My crystal ball says someone cared about this thing until it was wrecked or the a/c died within the past few years and then it was neglected to this point. I know the front end isn't as tough as my Samurai, but I think it will do. I've got my eye on a set of cheap 215/57r15 mud tires that will fit with no lift or mods.

 

[nwjones18]

These were always neat. for 1700 it looks good. If you say 4 speed it's got to have the aisin seiki unit instead of the gm 3 speed. If you want you can swap a quart for atf type f to tighten it a little which is a little mod people do with success. I actually did this to the Silverado i once had and it shifted better. Swapped another quart and it got a little quicker in the upshift at temp and left it there.

Yeah its the aisin 4spd. It shifted fine when I got it, but fluid was brown/burnt smelling on dipstick. I got about 2.5qts out with the drain plug and put back in standard dex/merc. Figure I'll do that again at next oil change and it should be good to go. I'm really surprised at how much more of a 'normal' car this is compared to the Samurai. Not that I don't love the Samurai, but its a piece of agricultural equipment compared to the tracker as far as ride/power is concerned.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Always wanted one of these. Unfortunately they all rusted out years ago.

Looks like you got a good one!

 

[michaelluscher]

Looks good, especially the price

 

[andyd]

BIL had a 90 something Tracker with I-4/3speed AT. Daily drove it into Boston and as a beach buggy. Went just as well on beach as a CJ-7. Rust took it and BIL sold it to a guy who was gonna use the axles in a Mini Moke

 

[LenZee]

The V6 had timing chain tensioner issues if oil not changed on time, Check front crossmember for rust!!!
I'm always looking for a Tracker with the 2.0l 4 cylinder/4wd/auto.

 

[michaelluscher]

If it didn't come with a keyfob, Jump pins 8 and 4 at the OBD2 port, if the door locks cycle you have factory RKE

The fobs are like 2 for $20 online

 

[Audiman]

I would replace the front CV axle boots now while the joints are quiet rather than letting them get worn out then you need new joints which may be of lesser quality than the originals.