XFI vs METRO vs LSI

odie13 · 09-26-2003, 08:01 AM

What is the difference between the XFI, plain "METRO" and the LSI? I am going to look at a 93 Metro XFI.

I've done a little research and it seems the XFI and standard METRO have the same I3 engine but the XFI has about 10 horsepower less but that rating is also at 1000rpm lower than the standard METRO. The XFI is also rated at about 10mpg more than the standard METRO.

Since the engines appear to be the same, why the difference in power in mileage? Is it just a different computer/chip? Different camshaft? Different fuel injectors?

What about tire size? 12, 13, 14?

Are the LSI Metros all I4 engines?

geozukigti · 09-28-2003, 11:08 PM

The 89-94 metros all had G10 engines (I-3). There were 2 different versions tho, the XFI, and the standard/lsi motor. The xfi was about 10 hp shy of the lsi engine, because of a different cam, and a different program in the ecu. It pulls about 12-15 more mpg though. The xfi was not built for the freeway tho, the 5 speed had a more tight 4.11 differential, vs the lsi and convertible's 3.89 gears. Select convertibles could be found with a 4.39 final drive tho, which are highly coveted for Swift GT racers. The LSi also came with a/c as an option, the XFi didn't even have cloth on the doors. The XFi is a high gas mileage, in-town (hence the name Metro) driving basic transportation with no bells or whistles. The basic model has better seats, cloth doors, a tachometer on the 5-speed, and 12" rims, like the XFi. The LSi has optional 13" rims, optional a/c, seperate adjustable head rests on the seats, cloth door covers, more sound dampening, Macpherson struts, and a larger front sway bar, and larger front brakes. The 95-97 had the regular i-3, and LSi's had a 1.3L SOHC 4 cylinder, with optional a/c and power steering, and an additional rear swaybar. 98 on up only came with the dual coil pack (no distributor) 1.3L SOHC 4cyl. Same options, less MPG. The 98 on up models topped out at about 32-35mpg, while the older xfi's could pull up to 58mpg.

odie13 · 09-30-2003, 08:59 AM

The XFI I'm looked at has a broken timing belt. I'm told these cars have an interferrence engine, the valves and pistons overlap. Supposedly the valves are bent. I've seen some rebuilt heads on ebay, but I'm guessing they all have the standard camshaft.

I wounder what would happen is I used a rebuilt head with a "standard" cam with the XFI computer? Gain HP and loose MPG? Or are they not compatible and both HP and MPG would go down?

odie13 · 09-30-2003, 10:59 AM

I did a little research on Carparts.com

It seems that they list the same camshaft part number for the XFI and LSI for all the 1.0 Metros.

The ECU/ECM was a little harder to track down. The 1990/91 XFI & LSI list the same ECU and distributor/ignition module parts numbers. The 1994 XFI & LSI share the same part numbers as well but are different than the 91 and earlier cars. Carparts.com didn't list any ECUs for the 1992/93 metros so I don't know what year the change was.

I'm getting the 93 XFI anyway. I am still curious as to what the engine difference is. Are there different chips that plugs into the ECU that may be different for the XFI and LSI?

geozukigti · 10-02-2003, 08:22 AM

well, the cars are 10 years old. Replacement parts are gonna be universal now, cause how many people are actually gonna want to buy an OEM spec XFi cam. It wouldn't be worth the tooling cost to make any. If you stuck a replacement cam in there, it would probably feel a bit more lively. Also, a LSi computer would wake it up a bit too. Both would reduce the gas mileage a little tho. If ya see any more XFi's around, let me know, i'm lookin for a winter car

odie13 · 10-02-2003, 09:02 AM

Hopefully the XFI cam is still good and all I need to do is replace the bent valves. I bought the car as a work commuter, 100 miles round trip, so the higher the MPG the better.

I can get rebuilt heads all day on ebay but I bet they have LSI camshafts.

I wonder how this combo would compare...
XFI-cam & LSI-ECU verses LSI-cam & XFI-ECU

Is it possible to replace the camshaft while the head is still on the engine? Some cars you can, some you can't.

geozukigti · 10-07-2003, 05:09 PM

The ECU shouldn't affect the ECU at all, because the only part of the cam that the ECU has to do with is the postition notch at the end of it. All it will do is advance or retard the valve timing, duration, and lift. You can pull the cam while the head is still on the engine too, just take off the timing belt, and unbolt the valve cover and cam journal caps, and she'll come right out.

1992GEOMETROXFI · 01-02-2006, 03:32 AM

XFi is the best, I've owned all three and the xfi is not only the best on gas but it was also the fastest the xfi not only has a different ECM, but it also has a different exaust system if you found one for sale BUY IT!!!! and if you don't, tell me where I can buy it!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by odie13

What is the difference between the XFI, plain "METRO" and the LSI? I am going to look at a 93 Metro XFI.

I've done a little research and it seems the XFI and standard METRO have the same I3 engine but the XFI has about 10 horsepower less but that rating is also at 1000rpm lower than the standard METRO. The XFI is also rated at about 10mpg more than the standard METRO.

Since the engines appear to be the same, why the difference in power in mileage? Is it just a different computer/chip? Different camshaft? Different fuel injectors?

What about tire size? 12, 13, 14?

Are the LSI Metros all I4 engines?

frets14 · 01-02-2006, 01:46 PM

Odie, one thing that the others didn't correct you on... the 1.0 engine is a non-interference engine. Just slap a new timing belt on it and you're good to go! Trust me on this one. Been there, done that!

metroXFI · 01-23-2006, 06:19 AM

check this out http://gtkgeo.50megs.com/

abcsmog · 10-27-2010, 09:00 PM

i know that this is a late comment to the post but here is my take.
i have a GEO METRO XFI and when my timing belt broke on .the freeway
i was driving "65" mph (no need to incriminate my self) i had no problems with the valves touching the pistons. there was no harm done to the motor and yes its is 1.0 L ( XFI )
i know that there are some differances with the 3 different ones and i know that the gear ratios are not the same and the cam is not the same.
i was under the impressions that the XFi was the better of the bunch and i thought it was geard more for the hwy use rather than city since it got better MPG's .
the one i have now has lots of power (for a 3 cylinder) compared to some of the ones i have driven. i know of 2 other ones that are lacking in power compared to the one i have dont know what is wrong with them.
well thank you for you time
i hope i was not ranting.

91 ragtop · 10-27-2010, 09:53 PM

There seems to be a bit of misinformation on here about the differences between the XFI, LSI and base model Metro. This is about the 89-94 5 spd. models. XFI gear atio is 3.79, LSI and base Metro is 4.10. The convertibles all came with 4.39 which is the lowest gear ratio on these years but also came with 13'' tires. The XFI cam gives it more bottom end torque to help driveabilty problems with the higher gear ratio. As far as sway bars I've had 18 Metros in these years and none came with a sway bar (not even the verts). There are holes in the unibody to bolt on the front one though. Ken......

Crvett69 · 10-29-2010, 10:42 PM

only the convertibles had the option of front sway bar in 89-92. a tach was not standard on any of the metros except the convertible but it could be ordered as a option. the xfi engine has only 2 rings per piston instead of 3 and the higher geared 3.79 ratio transmission for better freeway cruising. the 89-94 suzuki swift had a lot more options like a 4 door trunk model and the swift GT(i) came with a 100hp 4 cyl, special interior, 4 wheel discs 14" wheels and front and rear sway bars. i guess in canada you could get a 3cyl swift but all the swifts i have seen in the states are a 1.3 4 cyl, the standard model got the sohc and the gt got the dohc

abcsmog · 10-31-2010, 11:00 AM

i think there are lots of vefiations on the roads now .
since they are older and things wear and people replace motors and transmissions so one can have an xfi on the out side but have something different under the hood. the one i have has over 306K and i have changed the the manual 5 speed trans. it feels very different now that it did when i first pought the car a few years ago.
i found out that the bumpers is very different on the xfi compared to the regular metro. has a figerblass and not metal bumper (lighter)
go figure.

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