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| The $350 1992 Metro rebuild; Testbed for MPG mods | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Nov 18 2010, 01:38 AM (9,574 Views) | |
| Jim-Bob | Nov 21 2010, 01:58 AM Post #31 |
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Junkyard Engineer
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I experimented with the Rustoleum thing earlier this year. I wanted to paint my pool enclosure white, so I thinned and sprayed the Rustoleum from a gun. It looked good at the start but has already attracted a lot of mold and started to chalk. If I do it myself, it will likely be with Nason urethane sprayed from my Devilbliss gun in a rented paint booth. I'm cheap, but I usually insist on professional quality results in everything I do. Plus, it will likely only take me 2 quarts of paint to shoot the Metro because it's so tiny. I figure that I can still do the jambs with that little paint due to the size, and would paint the car partially disassembled like I did my pickup truck ( side glass out, weatherstripping and door handles removed, bumpers off and all lights removed as well as the hatch.) The thing is though that it likely won't get done until I am ready for the next phase of construction. Right now, I am just getting it on the road and running with few changes to stock. When I sell off at least one of my current projects, I will start the next phase as that should clear up the garage. Plus, I have never had good luck spraying paint in the winter time so it'll have to wait until spring. I am still fleshing out the logistics and time table for this car, but the next phase will likely involve paint, changing the wheels, tires, brakes, working 134a A/C, tach cluster swap, cruise control and 5 speed swap. What am I doing in this phase? Rebuilding or replacing the engine, fixing the automatic, completing the interior, rebuilding the front brakes, adding sway bars, a new 4 cylinder radiator and any other miscellaneous issues I happen to find. This gives me time to find the right parts car, strip it and recondition the parts I salvage from it before using them. It will probably happen over spring break as I want the car on the road while I am in school ( not 100% sure yet, but probably going to finish my mech. engineering degree in January.) Edited by Jim-Bob, Nov 21 2010, 02:02 AM.
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| Jim-Bob | Nov 22 2010, 12:40 AM Post #32 |
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Junkyard Engineer
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Well, I called on the jury Duty and I don't have to report! Yay! This frees me up to go junkyarding tomorrow. As for Oxy-Clean, it really does work! It didn't get all the ink out of the upholstery but it minimized it to the point that it is far less noticeable. I'm gonna try to find another passenger's seat and a carpet as well as an engine and a spare tomorrow. I will probably use the current passenger's seat cushions for the driver's side if I find a good one tomorrow, but won't do the installation of the new stuff until after the car is mechanically sorted to reduce the chance of getting it dirty. I also made 2 purchases for the car on E-Bay: a 1992 Geo brochure and a factory service manual. Hopefully they will come by the end of the month to help me with the rebuild of the old engine if I don't find a good used one first. I am giving it another week or two to see what comes on the used parts and parts car market in my area before I commit to a full on rebuild. However, even if I do find a good used engine within my budget ( $300 or less) I won't turn in the old one for a core charge. Eventually I want to build a ultra-fuel efficient engine/trans combo for the car and I will just use this engine as the basis for that. I want 50+mpg city with the A/C on if I can make it work. Edited by Jim-Bob, Nov 22 2010, 03:45 AM.
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| Jim-Bob | Nov 22 2010, 01:30 PM Post #33 |
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Junkyard Engineer
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Well, I drove a total of 110 miles trying to find parts at 5 different u pull it yards with no luck. The only 3 cylinder I saw was in a 1990 Metro that looked like it had been Mad Max's commuter car, so I decided it probably wasn't worth pulling. I saw quite a few 95+ Metros with 4 cylinders, and some even had good dashes! The odd thing was that most of them seem to have been purple-I guess it was a popular color at the time. Anyhow, I am going to try calling on an ad on the local Craigslist for a 1992 parts car that states it has a good engine. It's an old ad though so I won't hold my breath. If he'll take $200 for the engine, great. I'll buy it. Much more than that though and I'm better off rebuilding what I have.
Edited by Jim-Bob, Nov 22 2010, 01:30 PM.
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| Jim-Bob | Nov 23 2010, 04:17 PM Post #34 |
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Junkyard Engineer
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Today's boring update: I went to a junkyard that was advertising it's G10 on Craigslist today. Sadly though, the car was not as nice as had been portrayed on the phone and for $250 I passed on the engine. Instead, I went to talk to the old guy who owns the machine shop I use to talk about rebuilding the head. He told me that the valve guides are usually a big problem with them and that I should source some OEM GM guides as the aftermarket ones are typically too loose. I was quoted around $200 for labor, + parts. So, I will have to get stainless exhaust valves at $45 plus guides. Now I am stuck between going with him and getting one of 3tech's fuel economy heads for $395. The 3 tech comes with a cam and a 10 degree advance cam sprocket, so i may end up just getting that instead. The bottom end rebuild will be done at home with a dingle ball hone, rings and bearings. Anyhow, I gotta go flip the car around to get ready to start taking out the engine and trans tonight. |
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| Jim-Bob | Nov 27 2010, 05:26 PM Post #35 |
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Junkyard Engineer
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I figured I would add a picture of all my car's documentation. I just got an original brochure in the mail toady and I think it was $7. The factory service manual was $27 with shipping, and the owner's manual set came with the car when I got it.![]() As far as actual progress goes, I will see about that on Monday. I have put the whole thing on hold until I get a clear title in my name. If it works out the engine/trans will be getting pulled on Monday or Tuesday and the head will be shipped out to 3Tech for one of their fuel economy builds. If not, and I can't resolve the title issue I am back to square one and will be searching for another car. the white one will, sadly become just a parts car. Edited by Jim-Bob, Nov 27 2010, 06:07 PM.
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| Woodie | Nov 28 2010, 06:40 AM Post #36 |
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Hey Jim-Bob. Any chance you could scan that 92 brochure and e-mail it to me? 89, 92, and 01 are the only years I don't have. Just the Metro portion unless all four models are intertwined. Either PDF or TIF would be fine, maybe have Kinkos do it and I'll pay you whatever they charge? |
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| Jim-Bob | Nov 28 2010, 09:55 AM Post #37 |
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Junkyard Engineer
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I found it online for you. Try this link: http://geometroforum.com/topic/1774952/1/ Unfortunately, I don't have the ability to make PDFs or TIFs and I don't have access to a scanner either. Edited by Jim-Bob, Nov 28 2010, 09:57 AM.
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| Woodie | Nov 28 2010, 02:51 PM Post #38 |
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Thanks, I'm even mouthing off in that thread, you'd think I would have known that. What I have must be the product specifications sheet that was sent to the dealers or salesmen, it's got like three times that many pages. |
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| Jim-Bob | Nov 28 2010, 03:45 PM Post #39 |
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Junkyard Engineer
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No problem. Hey, if you have that big spec sheet for a 1993-94 would you mind posting it on here somewhere? I would love to have a look at it. |
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| Jim-Bob | Nov 29 2010, 06:19 PM Post #40 |
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Junkyard Engineer
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Today's minor update: I got the title! Cost me enough ( just shy of $100), but at least I am now ready to start the build tomorrow. I also went out and got two 4x8 sheets of OSB to put the car on top of for the engine/trans pull tomorrow afternoon. I have never done it in the back yard before, so I am hoping that the light weight of the G10 will let me pull it without too much trouble using a borrowed cherry picker. After that I will be pressure washing the two of them together before giving the pressure washer back to my parents. Here's hoping the tear down goes well and that the engine is salvageable. I'll find out tomorrow and post pics when it happens. |
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| bogs | Nov 29 2010, 09:51 PM Post #41 |
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Duct tape heals all wounds
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Oh, I think you will have no problems at all ![]()
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| Jim-Bob | Nov 29 2010, 10:56 PM Post #42 |
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Junkyard Engineer
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Late night update: Took out the battery, radiator, exhaust manifold, disconnected all the wires and hoses and the throttle cable and transmission cables as well. Sadly though, I realized too late that I hadn't loosened the right side axle nut so it will have to come down off the jack stand on that side tomorrow so I can break it free. I figure I have another hour or so worth of work left before I can pull the engine and trans out. That and I didn't feel like finding the socket set tonight so I was just doing what I could with my $7.99 Harbor Freight wrench set. I still gotta get the hoist from my neighbor so it can come out, but that shouldn't take long. I hope to have it out and on the bench by tomorrow evening. If I get done early enough I may even go see if any of the junkyards to see if there is a 5 speed car I can strip. If I can find one then the automatic may not be going back into the car.All in all though this car is a dream to work on . All the bolts are clean and rust free and came off easily. I think the car may even be virginal in that it seems like no one else has ever touched it because it is so nice. it even still has the paint dabs on the bolts that were put there by the factory in some places to indicate that they had been torqued. The coolant pipes are all clean and rust free and the car seems to have had regular coolant maintenance before the prior owner's lapse due to a failed water pump. Well.. here's hoping it all looks this peachy when I get done tomorrow. Edited by Jim-Bob, Nov 29 2010, 11:01 PM.
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| MR Bill | Nov 30 2010, 08:46 AM Post #43 |
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Jim-Bob before you take it down, have someone hold the brakes on for you .Then try and see if the axel nut will come loose. If it will you saved some work. Bill |
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| Jim-Bob | Nov 30 2010, 05:05 PM Post #44 |
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Junkyard Engineer
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I didn't get as far as I would have liked today due to drunken roommate drama last night.... However, I did get the engine and trans out today and they are now dangling on the cherry picker while the oil drains out the axle shaft holes. I have taken pictures, but there isn't time to post them just yet as I need to get some degreaser and some gas for the pressure washer so I can finish cleaning it before dark. Expect new pictures around 8 PM at the latest.
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| Jim-Bob | Nov 30 2010, 07:44 PM Post #45 |
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Junkyard Engineer
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![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() It all went pretty well. I did screw up one thing though. I unbolted the trans mount without having rigged the engine hoist properly and that side crashed to the ground. The car was three wheeling and the hoist lifted off it's rear wheels! I fixed it by putting the jack under the trans and setting the chain farther toward the middle than I had previously. Other than that it was pretty uneventful. Tomorrow is round three with degreaser and the pressure washer before I get down to the business of tearing the engine down. I figure that if I am lucky all that is wrong is a blown head gasket. If I am not then the block and head are ruined and I need a new core to build. I think it will be somewhere in the middle and if it is just the head gasket I will also re-ring it and put in new bearings too. |
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However, I did get the engine and trans out today and they are now dangling on the cherry picker while the oil drains out the axle shaft holes. I have taken pictures, but there isn't time to post them just yet as I need to get some degreaser and some gas for the pressure washer so I can finish cleaning it before dark. Expect new pictures around 8 PM at the latest.









7:10 PM Jul 10