engine stops

[willishAYES]

i have a 97metro runs good but when accelerating over 70 when you let off engine shuts down for a few seconds then takes off again. rep;aced fuel pu mp and filter to no avail any suggestions
it must be a fuel problem no misfire

[Crvett69]

are there any error codes stored? also start car and wiggle all the wires under hood and see if it shuts off, might be a broken wire

[Woodie83]

The Fuel Injector is known to clog up in a similar fashion,. Starts off quitting once in a while, moves on to quitting for an hour or two at a time, eventually won't run at all.


If you're driving it over 70 for any appreciable time, you're going to burn it up, that's VERY hard use on a 3 cylinder.

[Metro Mighty Mouse]

Originally Posted by Woodie83

If you're driving it over 70 for any appreciable time, you're going to burn it up, that's VERY hard use on a 3 cylinder.

Ummmmm, bull, unless it's an automatic.

I'm at around 178000 miles on my current engine, runs strong, no issues. I have always driven 70 to 75 on the freeway during my commutes of 30 to 45 minutes. I used to drive this car in Fort Worth, so a freeway commute in the 90s at 75mph for 45min with the AC on. Same car was driven by my wife from Texas, to Michigan to pick up our 2 kids, then to Washington as part of our move. I have also been known to hit 80 or 85 when passing or removing myself from the immediate area of drivers I'm not comfortable around. I have also been up to the mid to high 90s when really feeling my oats. The car does run a small cherry bomb style muffler that made a significant difference in power, but it doesn't change the rpms the engine is running at that speed, and with the gearing of the overdrive, it should be able to run 75 all day long.

MMM

[Woodie83]

Then your single car is an exception, most three cylinders have valve problems around 160K, even if not driven that hard. You're talking about close to 4,000 rpm, no economy car engine is going to stand up to that very well. It's way over the torque peak of 3,300 rpm.

[Metro Mighty Mouse]

This is motor #2, 1st motor died at around 160,000, but only after a crank seal failure led to a complete loss of oil before the vehicle could be gotten somewhere to add oil. It still held up for several months after that before the compression dropped off and shut it down. I'm telling you these motors are more durable than you think and it actually seems to thrive when driven moderately hard. Again, I have a free flowing exhaust that increases the horsepower and it is always the first thing I recommend for improving the driveability of these cars. I have very few issues and don't even have to tune it up very often when I use Bosch platinum plugs. I purchased the car in 2000 and have driven the hell out of it since.

Not trying to be a pain, I am just a big supporter of this vehicle and think a lot of people sell it short.

MMM

[brivers]

Willis, I just had the same problem. It was the fuel injector. Your problem will get worse. FYI, I had to use vise grips on the screws to remove it. They use thread lock at the factory.
Woodie, fuel injectors in these motors don't burn out or wear out any faster just because of rpm.

[Woodie83]

I am also a big supporter of this vehicle, merely truthful about the fact that most of them burn up the exhaust valves around 160K. Funny coincidence that yours quit at 160K from low compression. Did it ever occur to you that maybe you got away with the oil loss event and the demise of your engine was burned valves (which are VERY easily fixed)? I have owned six of these cars, including the very first and very last years, four of which were driven to exhaustion. Plus I've been on all the internet forums for the last ten years and am one of the top contributors to the biggest one, GeoMetroForum, with over 7,800 members. Trust me, G10's burn valves and running them hard burns them faster.

brivers: I didn't mean to imply that the fuel injector was burned up by hard driving, I meant the top end of the engine. There is a lot of opinion holding that the fuel injector doesn't burn up at all, it simply clogs.

[Metro Mighty Mouse]

Boy have we hijacked this thread. Please understand this is not a flame war and I'm not trying to start anything. It was an interesting failure when it shut down. The timing belt broke, made a little bit of a bang, but it wasn't like it blew up. Replaced the belt and it wouldn't start. After much fiddling, it would sputter but not run and after checking compression it was too low to run. I still have the motor but I haven't cracked it to this point, so I can't say for absolute that the valves aren't burnt, but my instincts tell me it's the cylinders. As an interesting aside, if we're making the argument that the valves burn at 160000, and driving 70 is harmful to the engine, then mine should have burned up well before then, especially considering I hit a tick over 100mph a couple of times (the Japanese replacement motor will only hit the 90s).

I think I'll fall back on the argument that the free flowing exhaust makes all the difference. In some of the discussions online it was proposed that the stock exhaust creates too much back pressure and that is what burns the valves.

[Metro Mighty Mouse]

Also on the list of tortures, I've towed a postal jeep at least 3 or 4 times and I'm pretty sure I've used it to pull a couple of other cars home. The sway bar makes a good tow strap point and has a shock absorbing feature (I don't necessarily suggest this activity, but it's nice to know it's capable if you need it). It will also bark the tires in second if you are really on it. Mine had been hit in the rear/ right rear quarter panel before I got it and has now been totaled out twice in the last few years after being rear-ended. It takes it well, but my spare tire well has pretty much had it.

[BarneyGeo]

Hi,
I have had four Metros over the years. I just bought one with 186,000 on it.I did a full plug to rotor button tune up. I still have a rough idle and it will periodically die. Many times when air is turned on. I have read about adjusting idle settings for ac and idle but not really sure how. If I can find our what to adjust I can do it I think.

Again., idle will be fine and then get very irratic and then back in a few seconds.

Also, around 55-65 you feel a periodic cutting back for a few seconds.


Please share your you knowledge and be patient with me. I love this forum,everyone is always so helpful!

I look forward to your responses so I can get to work.

Email if it will faster.

[email protected]

1995 Geo Metro Automatic. 4 cyl.

[Metro Mighty Mouse]

Probably best to have started a new thread, better response that way.

Have you checked compression?
Any possibility you have a head gasket problem?

MMM