Poll - Metro peculiarities - the 1 Lt Engine

[DOCTORBILL]

I'd like to start a series of "Polls" about Geo Metro peculiarities.

How about the 1.0 3 cylinder engine on this one....

My '93 Metro 2 door hatchback has a few peculiarities.

1. Before it gets hot, the engine sounds "noisy".
I don't know how to describe it - it is bangy and clattery.
After it is good and warm (takes quite a while to get there),
it runs smoothly.

Is that because it is basically a motorcycle engine?
Lot of noise being small and 'right out there'....as it were?

2. The timing belt - I think - makes a lot of sound.
Belt noise. Maybe that tensioner wheel that keeps it tight.
Is that tensioning wheel something to keep my eye on?

3. The darned belt that turns the alternator and water pump
squeels a lot in the morning. I haven't driven the car in
winter yet (just bought it this summer) so I am worried that
when I turn on the lights, radio, heater fan and all that, that
the belt will squeel A LOT!

4. My engine stalls out when idling when ANYTHING electrical is
turned on. I am going to have to readjust the idle soon since
darkness is approaching (winter) and this engine will stall.
59 HP just can't handle several hundred watts of electrical load
running at idle.

5. How hard and expensive is the 3 cyl engine to rebuild?
Are the parts hard to obtain?
What should it cost to do it? Anybody?

6. Are used 3 cyl engines hard to find? Or is that just adding
another added problem versus rebuilding the old one?

7. What things should a person be on the lookout for as regards
possible problems? I keep the oil up to the mark.
I rev the little bugger pretty high and downshift to 4th gear
on hills going 55 mph. Seems to be OK. I just wonder if that
isn't over-reving it?

That's all I can think of for now....

DoctorBill

[mtbroadhurst]

3. My belt squealed, at the initial morning startup, too after I had the shop replace it. All I had to do was tighten it. Remove the air cleaner housing, get a prybar or some other lever, Loosen the bolt on the alternator adjustment thingy and pry it ourtwards (toward the firewall, if memory serves). Then, while maintaining tension with your lever, tighten the adjustment bolt. Should take care of the annoying squeal.

4. My 95 2Dr Hb has never had a problem running all the electrical at idle. (Although it runs rough/sluggishly with the AC on at idle. But I never use the AC anyway.) If it's stalling, I think you have other issues to explore -- i.e. ignition system, fuel mixture, timing, etc.

Good luck! Metros are great little tin cans.

Mike


[quote=DOCTORBILL]I'd like to start a series of "Polls" about Geo Metro peculiarities.


3. The darned belt that turns the alternator and water pump
squeels a lot in the morning. I haven't driven the car in
winter yet (just bought it this summer) so I am worried that
when I turn on the lights, radio, heater fan and all that, that
the belt will squeel A LOT!

4. My engine stalls out when idling when ANYTHING electrical is
turned on. I am going to have to readjust the idle soon since
darkness is approaching (winter) and this engine will stall.
59 HP just can't handle several hundred watts of electrical load
running at idle.

[mtbroadhurst]

Actually, the only peculiarity I can think of about the Metro is it's tendency -- once every month or so -- to hit a flat spot on acceleration. Almost feels like it's missing. But it happens only once in a blue moon and I always figured it was a characteristic of the novel 3-cylinder engine.

Otherwise I've never had a problem with this car. It's probably the most reliable I've ever owned. Wish I had a fleet of 'em.

Mike

[Crvett69]

if engine has a lot of noise when cold the pistons and bearings probably have wear and until it warms up it will be noisy. on alt belt you have to tighten it fairly tight or it will make noise, use a good quality belt. for idle adjustment look for a black rubber plug just above where throttle cable goes to tb housing. if plug is there remove it and use a screwdriver to set idle, turn in for slower out for higher, if plug is missing just look for hole with screw slot about 1/2" in. on the motors its a lot cheaper to buy a low mile JDM motor that they ship over from japan, they usually have low miles and can pick them up for $350 or less if you shop around

[DOCTORBILL]

YES! My 3 cylinder Metro is doing that!

It feels like it is missing and if I just keep going, the missing eventually
stops and it is OK until I stop the engine for a few hours, then it
comes back.

It happens lately - raining here in Spokane.

I assumed it was water on the ignition cables that boils off when the
engine is hotter. The damned three ignition cables run side by side
across the front of the engine - a situation ripe for cross sparking.

I was going to take off the distributer cap to see if water is inside
of it.

I have a new distributer cap to replace it with. I get cross sparking
in my two Jeeps every year or so and have to replace the distributor
caps. Humidity I suppose - condensation inside the cap.

I am worried that something is wrong with the engine - but it feels
electrical, if you get my meaning. Years of driving experience....

Does anyone else get this effect?

DoctorBill

[DOCTORBILL]

I am woried that if I tighten the belt any more, I'll cause the water
pump bearing to fail! Happens on Jeep Cherokees. Did on mine 2X....

How about some black belt dressing (comes in a toothpaste tube)?

I am going to adjust the idle but haven't had time when it wasn't
raining here or I had to work... Wish I had a garage that wasn't so
full of crap that I can't even walk into it!

As to "...its a lot cheaper to buy a low mile JDM motor that they ship over
from japan..." - where do you go to find these? I have heard
this before, but don't know where to go.

Can you give me a web site I can go to to find them?

DoctorBill

[serenity]

Just go to eby and enter something like geo metro and it will direct you to ebay motors and you can find motors, transmissions and almost any thing else you want or need for a metro.

[DOCTORBILL]

I quote:

"Actually, the only peculiarity I can think of about the Metro is it's
tendency -- once every month or so -- to hit a flat spot on
acceleration. Almost feels like it's missing. But it happens only once in a
blue moon and I always figured it was a characteristic of the novel
3-cylinder engine.
Mike"

Mike - see my post of today 11-4 about periodic poor performance.

Your fuel filter is probably almost completely plugged up.

If your car is an older one, it probably has a lot of rust on the inside of
the fuel tank which flakes off and plugs fuel filters quite well.

Even if you changed the fuel filter a while ago, try taking it off and
blowing it out backwards into a glass bottle.

You may be surprised to see gobs of rust colored sludge come out!

I had this happen on three cars, a vw rabbit, a honda civic and a jeep.
All were older, used vehicles.

Also, buying gasoline from some station is like having sex with a
stranger. You NEVER KNOW WHAT you'll get! Most likely some crap....

Try changing the fuel filter! Too bad you can't put a condom on your
fuel tank!

DoctorBill

[mtbroadhurst]

Actually, Dr. Bill, I'm fairly certain the fuel filter is fine. I changed it not all that long ago. The car has always had that flat spot characteristic. Before I bought this metro, I test drove several others and noticed the same thing on at least two of them. I think it's a quirk of the 1.0L engine. And as I said it happens once in a blue moon. It's just a momentary thing that feels like it misses on one cylinder. Just a niggling thing to my mind.

[Crvett69]

you can find them on e-bay. if not there are about 4 places in w WA that sell them. try aoneengine.com. you can also look in local free ad paper. they advertise in paper called little nickle here

[DOCTORBILL]

Hi MTBroadHurst - AF Newbie....

I think you are correct. I changed my fuel filter to no noticable
effect. That worked in the past, but now I think I may have valve
problems.

See my new post of 11-5 4:17 PM.

This is new. Up until last thursday or so my Metro ran like a top.
Then the rains came.....dumping like back East for a while.
Could it be water in the gasoline...!!?? I'll add some methanol
to my gas!

Of a sudden, chugging, lack of power, just like a wet distributor or
plugged fuel filter. I did all those changes and STILL it occurs.

It is raining like a cow peeing on a flat rock (midwest talk) here in
south Spokane, so I thought it was wet electrical stuff, but changing
all that did nothing.

A mechanic said I probably have a stuck valve. I assume he was
salivating in the expectation of performing a head rebuild... Who knows?

I hate being ignorant - it always costs me money!

I'll keep you posted on this in the hope it helps SOMEBODY with
their problems.

Us Geo Metro people have to stick together!

DoctorBill