Piece of Junk

My piece of junk won't start.

It is a 1996 3 cyl metro. I just rebuilt the motor for the second time chasing the same problem. The timing belt is good. The head has been totally rebuilt. The motor has been bored and honed, new bearings, pistons, polished the crank, new distributor cap, new wires, new fuel pump, new battery, new plugs. It is getting spark. I set the timing and I set adjusted the idle. Was running great, drove it six or seven miles, came home, it cooled down and it wouldn't start. No engine codes on the computer.

The first time I went through all this I took it to a chevrolet dealership and he said the compression was to low to start cold which is why I rebuilt the motor. They gave me no other prognosis like bad ECM or anything...anyway the piston rings are within specifications...

It is hard to start cold. It will wear the battery down to nothing, you gotta gas it out and finally when it runs it sputters until it warms up a little bit then it runs like a champ. Purrs like a kitten. Then you go out and try to start in a couple hours and nothin' but an expensive piece of junk. Yard art.

Thanks for your help.
Sean

Personally, I have no faith in dealership garages and their opinions. I would say the first thing you need to do is check the compression yourself. The guage is about $30 and well worth having around. After the full rebuild, you should be getting over 170 lbs on each cylinder.

Did you tested the fuel pump or fuel pressure? Even a rebuild head may have a valve witch maynot seal properly and looses compression.

My piece of junk won't start.

It is a 1996 3 cyl metro. I just rebuilt the motor for the second time chasing the same problem. The timing belt is good. The head has been totally rebuilt. The motor has been bored and honed, new bearings, pistons, polished the crank, new distributor cap, new wires, new fuel pump, new battery, new plugs. It is getting spark. I set the timing and I set adjusted the idle. Was running great, drove it six or seven miles, came home, it cooled down and it wouldn't start. No engine codes on the computer.

The first time I went through all this I took it to a chevrolet dealership and he said the compression was to low to start cold which is why I rebuilt the motor. They gave me no other prognosis like bad ECM or anything...anyway the piston rings are within specifications...

It is hard to start cold. It will wear the battery down to nothing, you gotta gas it out and finally when it runs it sputters until it warms up a little bit then it runs like a champ. Purrs like a kitten. Then you go out and try to start in a couple hours and nothin' but an expensive piece of junk. Yard art.

Thanks for your help.
Sean

Hello,

Hard to start but runs well warm... do you see fuel spaying? If you poured a little fuel into the throttle body does it start and run?

If you answer yes to both I would recommend that you replace the ECU temp. sensor. If this sensor has failed its possible that your engine always things its hot and never goes into "choke" mode.

Blake

Hey Blake -

What is an ECU and where do I find it??

Hello,

Hard to start but runs well warm... do you see fuel spaying? If you poured a little fuel into the throttle body does it start and run?

If you answer yes to both I would recommend that you replace the ECU temp. sensor. If this sensor has failed its possible that your engine always things its hot and never goes into "choke" mode.

Blake

yes, compression tested fine. What do you think next??

Hey Blake -

What is an ECU and where do I find it??

Hello,

Hard to start but runs well warm... do you see fuel spaying? If you poured a little fuel into the throttle body does it start and run?

If you answer yes to both I would recommend that you replace the ECU temp. sensor. If this sensor has failed its possible that your engine always things its hot and never goes into "choke" mode.

Blake

Well the PCM is located behind the glove box. If you were to remove the glovebox you would spot the PCM immediately.

But before you go replacing that I would remove the distributor and -
1.) Check the air-gap between the reluctor the camshaft pick-up.
2.) Perform an operational check of the camshaft pickup. (Camshaft position sensor.

Blake

if it was the air gap the check engine light would come on


Well the PCM is located behind the glove box. If you were to remove the glovebox you would spot the PCM immediately.

But before you go replacing that I would remove the distributor and -
1.) Check the air-gap between the reluctor the camshaft pick-up.
2.) Perform an operational check of the camshaft pickup. (Camshaft position sensor.

Blake

yes, compression tested fine. What do you think next??
Lesson to be learned here.

The Metro is actually a pretty decent car; and I've had four.

It's SOLD by people who have the business ethics of a grave robber; and the competence of the Three Stooges. Yep...that's the Chevy stealership network.

Ten years ago I wanted to buy one new from the local Chevy outlet...and the moronic salesman spent 15 minutes, together with his boss, to "show" me that "for the same money" I could have a Cavalier or another piece of American underengineered JUNK. I told him I was there to buy a Metro; he could sell it to me or not.

He wouldn't budge on the price and didn't have one in stock. Neither did the two other dealerships in my town. I gave up; until five years later I got a good deal on the first of my used.

Moral? This was a good car that was KILLED by the GM dealer network, even as these same thieves HOSE guys like you.