Rebuild or Replace?

[mowfixer]

I don't have any experience with the wear on the 3 cyl 1.0L motors. Mine has just hit 240,000 and nothing has been touched on the motor. It still starts and runs great with last tank of gas at 45 mpg.

I figure its days might be numbered and before it quits one day I have been thinking about rebuilding it.

With 240K miles I was wondering if any of you experts think the cylinder wear might be so bad as to require oversized pistons etc? If I had to do all that I might go and find a replacement motor, but I would love to rebuild her if I didn't have to buy pistons.

I have not done a compression test because I really have not felt any loss in performance and it starts, idles and runs great!

So what's the vote: rebuild or replace?

[Greenblurr93]

Its a metro... no offense but a motor would be more than the cars worth.... i would just make sure you take care of it and stay up on the maintenance and youll be surprised how long they can last.... once it goes, i would simply rebuild the motor, itll be cheaper than a new one, and one from a junkyard you never know how it was treated

[Johnny Mullet]

Rebuild what you have. They are surprisingly easy to work on. The best part is that you can do a complete rebuild with the engine in the car

[doug7x]

I agree with greenblur...If it's still running good & not using too much oil, just keep driving it. I'd think about picking up a timing belt & keeping it & some tools (you don't need many) in the car in case the belt goes...you CAN replace it on the side of the road if you have to. Anything else that would go wrong with the engine mechanically will "let you know" before it fails. (look for smoke, fluid leaks, etc, & pay close attention to new or unusual engine noise) My '95 has over 190,000 on it & it runs like a top (timing belt went about 185,000)...just have to weld up the frame this winter. Good luck

[DOCTORBILL]

If it ain't broke, don't "fix" it !

A compression test would tell you about each of the valve's condition.

Adding oil after the compression test will tell you about the rings.

After an oil & filter change, does your new oil get black after 1,000 miles?

If it does, you have ring wear. I did a ring replacement and had the Head Rebuilt,
and my oil doesn't get black even after 4,000 miles. (I have 20,000 on the rebuild).

If your Compression test is within parameters - be happy and sing 'Coom bye Yah' !

If it starts giving problems, you can have the Head Rebuilt and YOU can change the
rings and piston rod bearings right there with the engine still in the vehicle!

Then you can drive it for another 200,000 miles...the body will probably go to
Hell before the rebuild does!

Religiously change the oil and filter every 3,000 miles and they will last forever.

These Geo Metros are one of the neatest little cars ever made!

If Oil continues to go up, it will be worth more than ever!
Become something worth stealing, even...

DoctorBill

[mowfixer]

Thanks all for the help.

I have changed oil/filter every 3000 miles since it was new. I have drove it hard with long high speed road trips and 12 years of running up and down the great smokie mountains. I have put a new timing belt on recently. The car has been great and I hate to junk it if it quits.

I still wonder how much cylinder wear there would be after so many miles.

By the way it uses less than a quart of oil in 3000 miles. I still have the factory clutch and never charged air conditioner and it keeps me cool in the south summer heat. What a great car!

[gatoratoy227]

if its running just leave it if you feel like rebuilding it you can do it while the block is in the car if you want to pull the engine it only weighs some thing like 135 lbs fully assembled
2 people can yank it out of the engine bay