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| My machine is running poorly/sporadically | |
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| Topic Started: Mar 11 2010, 02:29 PM (503 Views) | |
| Barachiah | Mar 11 2010, 02:29 PM Post #1 |
New Member
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Gentleman, and ladies of course... I have been reviewing the forum thoroughly for posts that relate to my issues with my mean machine. Alas, I have found nothing that fully pertains to my issue. Therefore, I will briefly explain my dilemma. First off, my car is a 93 Metro with a 1.0 L 3 cyl with a five speed. I picked her up for the wopping sum of $140 from a local car lot because she wasn't too pretty. I've only had her about a week, yet have already reaped the amazing mpg's and i'm hooked. She has 223,000 miles on her. Whilst shoveling her out, I found several receipts in the glove box which indicate that the head had been rebuilt, new clutch pressure plate and throw out bearing installed, new brakes, new exhaust, new radiator. Thats all well and good, but none of those things cause me grief. My issues are as follows: When started, it runs incredibly rough for 10-30 seconds, then smooths out. When it is cold and I let it die, it will not start again without rolling it down the hill and pop starting it. When I first got it, I thought the motor was old and tired, so I used some of my small block chevy thinking and tricks and put 30 weoght motor oil in it. I then found out the motor had been gone through, so I dropped the oil and put in 5 30, but after that the check engine light came on. Anyway, I went out to fire her up this morning to drive the 15 miles into work. She started, ran real rough as usual, started the level out and run okay, then died. Attempted to start again and it just cranked, very apparent that there was no fuel coming in. Didn't try any further as I had to get to work, so I hopped in my super fancy 10 mpg truck and headed to work. Now I am stuck wondering what in the hell is wrong the my new favoritest car ever, but can't do anything until Saturday. Any help is more that much appreciated. Please remember, I've built a handfull of ford and chevy V-8s in my time, but none with fuel injection and even less with front wheel drive. I did a motor swap on a tracker once, I wouldn't recommend that to anyone... 
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| dan | Mar 11 2010, 04:20 PM Post #2 |
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Fresh Fish
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Welcome to the world of the S M all car. Sounds like you're in the same boat I am.. which is repair before driving. Only you've driven yours. I haven't yet. It was driven to my house on Monday, and has been worked on since then. I'm still with the super fancy 10mpg truck. 
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| MEgaTRO | Mar 11 2010, 05:30 PM Post #3 |
autobot
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try checking if your fuel pump is working. the easy way would be to get some carb cleaner or something and while cranking her over see if she kicks. if it has no improvement check for spark. the old screw driver in the spark plug wire hold it close to ground and see if it jumps trick should work just fine. most likely if you think its a fuel problem try the carb cleaner and it should fire up. then try to see if the pump is kicking on some people say you can take the gas cap off and hear the pump turn on while you are cranking. i guess im deaf caus it doesn't work for me. i try the lazy route and just run a wire to the fuel pump plug under the back seat and supply the pump with pos and neg and see if i get fuel then. oh it couldn't hurt to poor a couple gallons into the tank, maybe the gauge is off? if you can here the fuel pump come one and it starts fuel pump relay might be bad. if the pump comes on but still no fuel pressure clogged filter. if you have fuel pressure but no start then the ecu isn't sending a signal which could be for various reasons so my advice is try the carb cleaner, and jump the pump trick and get back with the results? along with whatever advice others give on here. Edited by MEgaTRO, Mar 11 2010, 05:51 PM.
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| starscream5000 | Mar 11 2010, 05:33 PM Post #4 |
AKA 95_G105spd
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Check your compression, it may have some burnt exhaust valves, which are very common on these cars. The rough running issue also leads me to think that you may have a bad battery. Test that as well. |
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| MEgaTRO | Mar 11 2010, 05:51 PM Post #5 |
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autobot
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| Barachiah | Mar 11 2010, 06:38 PM Post #6 |
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New Member
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Roger, thought about the battery thing as well. I just bought a new/used one from Les Schwab, and those guys never sell bad stuff, right?!?! Anyway, I will do the check for fuel thing. Its really strange, I drove it home last night at 55-60 with no issue. But once you turn it off, the problems begin. Doesn't matter if it's warm or cold. Any body know where I can get my hands on a super cheap compression tester, you know, the kind you pump up with a bike pump because you are poor? Also, does anyone know where the fuel filter on this delightful contraption is? |
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| starscream5000 | Mar 11 2010, 06:47 PM Post #7 |
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AKA 95_G105spd
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I think the fuel filter is by the fuel tank on that year, not sure. You may be able to borrow a compression test at a local auto parts store for free. I wouldn't be surprised if it's the battery. It sounds like it's bad and dropping voltage. Once the alternator kicks in though the voltage increases and your spark gets better, so it starts running better. Make sense? Edited by starscream5000, Mar 11 2010, 06:49 PM.
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| Barachiah | Mar 11 2010, 07:51 PM Post #8 |
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New Member
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I'm gonna go make them swap me out the new/used one for a straight up new one and see if that alleviates the problem, thanks Starscream, you are truly a gentleman and a scholar. |
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| Johnny Mullet | Mar 11 2010, 09:12 PM Post #9 |
"Geo Whisperer"
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Do not forget the compression test. And welcome to the forum. |
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| starscream5000 | Mar 11 2010, 09:46 PM Post #10 |
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AKA 95_G105spd
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Hey, just trying to help a brotha' out! Let us know how it goes. |
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| Bad Bent | Mar 12 2010, 01:45 AM Post #11 |
Facetious Educated Donkey
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Welcome to the forum, Barachiah!  All of the above. This is "new to you" so check all the hoses and connections. Mine was easy, I just installed a newer used engine.you could find a loose hose, bad connection, rusted or loose wire, yada, yada, yada. Sitting for so long it may have bad gasoline. Without draining it I'd add Seafoam and give it a general tune up. That way you know the plugs are gapped, in tight, wires good etc. Try $10 Harbor Freight Compression tester Click on 97 metro LSI fuel filter for some pics of the fuel filter location under and behind the driver's seat. The drive home may have clogged the filter. 
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| Barachiah | Mar 12 2010, 04:23 PM Post #12 |
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New Member
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To keep you fellers updated, I haven't been able to tear into the power of three just yet, busy workin'. I tried to start the car again last night, thinkin' maybe it was a fuel filter issue. She fired right up, ran rough for a few seconds, then smoothed right out. Then it sounded like it was running out of gas (there's a clue) then it died again. Thanks to good old Bad Bent, I'm going to find that little booger tomorrow and yank it out of there. I'll keep you fellers posted. Again, you guys rock. |
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| Mr Murf 59 | Mar 13 2010, 03:43 AM Post #13 |
Looking like a lost Irish tourist
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+1 What BB said. Once you get the bugs worked out. Come on out the the GPFW in Reno, Nv. Check the announcement threads Edited by Mr Murf 59, Mar 13 2010, 03:45 AM.
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| Barachiah | Mar 17 2010, 10:28 AM Post #14 |
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New Member
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So, I had the Battery checked and it is solid. I found the fuel filter, but can't get my big head under the little bitty car to change it. Went to use my bottle jack and found out it's a dud. I'll swap out the fuel filter next week, cause I'm working again. Priced a new fuel pump at around $160, hopeully that's not the issue because at that price it's more than I paid for the car!! |
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| Barachiah | Mar 17 2010, 10:29 AM Post #15 |
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New Member
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I'll check out the announcements for the get together, but with three chilluns' it's hard to break away without screams all around... |
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