THE PHOENIX Lives AGAIN ! - It's Alive, It's Alive !

[Johnny Mullet]

Screw the re-torquing idea, make sure the timing is advanced to 8-10 degrees, change the oil regularly, and enjoy the MPG's

You stated the engine is "noisy" in the past. Is this a rotational noise like a bad pulley or a tapping or knocking noise? Bad lifters can make a Geo Metro engine make a rattling noise because they do not pump up properly and can contribute to burnt valves.

[Metro Mighty Mouse]

I have no clue what their break point would be, and yes, you would likely strip out the block threads before breaking them. You would also likely warp the head and possibly break out the area around the bolt holes in the head. As for how to re-torque the head, yes, I would set it to spec and follow the normal pattern, but I wouldn't turn more than 15 degrees at a time, (it really should not be that loose regardless).

[DOCTORBILL]

The Distributor area was oil-free.

I wiped it with a paper towel - came away clean.

Drove a couple of miles to the Post Office, came back - wiped again.
Again clean....no oil seal O-Ring leak.

No leaking around the Valve Cover Pan - that gray Permatex RTV worked well.

Probably from the oil pan seal. Will check that.

Hate to go under any car anymore ! Too old and stiff and crotchety !

DoctorBill

[SchlockRod]

Congratulations on your repairs, Dr. Bill.
A couple things I note about your account:
1. You said you torqued the cam pulley to 96 ft-lb. I'm pretty sure that is way tight and it's no wonder it was hard to do. I think you read an adjacent line in your (Haynes?) manual, which called for 96 in-lb for some other component. Many of the smaller fasteners call for 96 in-lb, but the cam pulley goes to 44 ft-lb, according to Haynes.
2. Bleeding the cooling system is a pain, but far less so if you use the factory (Suzuki part, also sold by GM dealers) thermostat, which has a hole with a "jiggle pin" to allow air to escape into the top radiator hose. The factory 'stat also has the correct (92 C) temperature. Cooler stats from the auto parts store probably reduce the fuel efficiency of the engine. In lieu of the jiggle pin, you can remove the temp gauge sending unit from the stat housing during initial fill, until coolant comes out. That will make bleeding a bit faster.
PS: Cross-sectional diameter of an O-ring can be derived when you know only the ID and OD.

[DOCTORBILL]

"You said you torqued the cam pulley to 96 ft-lb.
I'm pretty sure that is way tight and it's no wonder it was hard to do.
I think you read an adjacent line in your (Haynes?) manual, which
called for 96 in-lb for some other component." SchlockRod

Nope....



I don't believe it is going to come loose.....

DoctorBill

[Crvett69]

section you highlighted is all talking about the crankshaft bolt, he is talking about the camshaft pulley bolt

[DOCTORBILL]

Ahhh...so....I be wrong then !

Next page has it and it is at 44 ft lbs.

Camshaft Timing Sprocket !

You were right SchlockRod and I was wrong.

What a pecker head I am !

Oh well - it won't come off, will it ?!

I will highlight the item on page 3-15 so that if this ever
happens again, I will not be so blind.

I saw "...Timing Pulley" and just moved on !

Assign it to "getting old and half blind and...."

So far, everything is working fine.

I still have that oil leak and will tighten the pan bolts someday.

I'd like to have the underside STEAM CLEANED up on a lift so
that I could tell where the leak is coming from.
Metros are so close to the ground !

DoctorBill

[DOCTORBILL]

Went thru my first tank of gas - filled it today.

44.1 mpg in 28 to 55° F weather.

Not bad !

One Butt Load better than 18 mpg I was getting on my Nissan pathfinder !

I suppose it is about time to re-torque the Head Bolts.

DoctorBill