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Total noob needing help; '98 manual 3-cyl
Topic Started: Jul 11 2011, 02:55 PM (5,136 Views)
Woodie
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Shorting the jumper takes the computer advance out of it. The factory setting is usually about midway in the slot. If you turn it clockwise (top toward the driver's seat), you're advancing the timing and improving the mileage and performance. The only downside is engine knock or ping, as long as you don't hear the engine making rattling noises under mild acceleration, you're cool about halfway between the center and the end of the slot, kinda 75%.


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Bad Bent
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Facetious Educated Donkey

GoCanucksGo
Aug 27 2011, 02:51 AM
Question: we used a timing light today but we didn't short out those two fuses that you're supposed to (the guide on this forum says to use a paper clip, why do we need to do this?) and we weren't able to get it to the 5" BTDC.
Because you won't be able to get it to the 5" BTDC. :-/

Sorry, had to. :smackface Woodie's answer is great. Setting it by ear is advancing the timing until it pings then backing it off. It is done because a lot of factors influence engines including elevation and humidity.

You know about the paper clip and you didn't use it? Shame. :lol No, seriously, the G10 is pretty tough so a dy or so should not affect it. So the setting by ear could go up to 10-15 BTDC but we have found that 8o is a really goo point for reducing some carbon build-up and getting a little "power." :evillol
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GoCanucksGo
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Bad Bent
Aug 27 2011, 01:13 PM
GoCanucksGo
Aug 27 2011, 02:51 AM
Question: we used a timing light today but we didn't short out those two fuses that you're supposed to (the guide on this forum says to use a paper clip, why do we need to do this?) and we weren't able to get it to the 5" BTDC.
Because you won't be able to get it to the 5" BTDC. :-/


haha that actually made laugh. Today we hit up Canadian Tire and picked up a universal tail pipe sleeve. After cutting off some of the banged up ends on the exhaust pipes, we slipped on the sleeve and, after a ton of swearing and ample use of hammers and channel locks, we managed to get the brackets on to crimp it in place. It works great!! So now the engine's running good, my exhaust sounds great so I just have to deal with my check engine light and should hopefully be golden!

How do I check to see if my catalytic convertor is no longer working? We took a look at it with a mirror and it actually seemed to be in decent shape, a few rust spots on the brackets but the cat itself looked good. Any suggestions for brands that I should use to replace the exhaust and cat? I've heard cherry bomb glasspacks are good, anything else?
Edited by GoCanucksGo, Aug 28 2011, 02:11 AM.
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Scoobs
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:D

I got a glasspack on my metro, strait pipes, no cat, just strait pipe into glass pack... its fine, but sounds like a rice burner
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GoCanucksGo
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Steved82971
Aug 28 2011, 02:28 AM
I got a glasspack on my metro, strait pipes, no cat, just strait pipe into glass pack... its fine, but sounds like a rice burner
don't you need the catalytic converter in order to pass emissions testing though?
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Scoobs
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:D

No emissions, no inspection here in arkansas :D
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GoCanucksGo
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damn, well for those who are uninformed, in British Columbia we have an emissions program called Air Care aka "money grabber" that your vehicle must pass in order to get insurance through ICBC, which unlike the american system, is not privatized so there is no competition and therefore everyone living here gets penalized for everyone else's shitty driving and our fees are through the roof! The frustrating part too is that if your check engine light is on, you automatically fail Air Care and you can't get your car insured. I'm told they know how to test for those who have unplugged the wire leading to the "check engine light" so I can't just cheat that way either.

It's not that big of a deal for the geo because it's relatively cheap but my Subaru WRX costs me an arm and a leg for parts, insurance, and gas. Luckily there's nothing wrong with it but if I were to run into emission problems it will literally cost me thousands to fix!
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Bad Bent
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Facetious Educated Donkey

Thanks. ;)

Yep, there's good and bad in every form of government.

The check engine light can be read with a common OBDII reader. I paid $35US for one and they cost $22.50C and up on eBay.ca: http://www.ebay.ca/obdII+reader and mine looks like the U380.

The Catalytic converter test is mainly for "constipation" ie if it's suspected to be clogged you can remove the #1 O2 sensor at the exhaust manifold or loosen the Cat. pipe at the manifold and the engine should run better.

Depending on what you failed the test for, it may be a failed Cat. and the CEL may be the EGR or an O2 sensor.

What did you fail the test for?

I have a $25US Jones glasspack and Catco Catalytic converter. The Cat. (with pipe) shipped was $125US and my Wife has a Magnaflow Cat. I got the Jones glasspack after listening to a lot of videos on YouTube of various exhausts. See what you can get and see if someone on YouTube has posted a video of their exhaust. Even a 4 cylinder Honda will be an OK example, especially if you use it to compare Jones and Cherry Bomb. BTW, my '91 video: http://s404.photobucket.com/albums/pp123/BadBent/?action=view&current=GeoUnderLoad.mp4
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GoCanucksGo
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wow $22.50 for a scan reader! I think I called alder auto and they were selling theirs for around $125! Buying such a cheap scanner though makes me wonder if I can rely on it...

I haven't failed anything yet as the car is currently Air Cared but when I renew my insurance (not until february) I will have to get it Air Cared again, which I will likely not pass. I got my car scanned before I did the rebuild and I've posted it on one of the earlier pages but I can't remember off the top of my head. One was for the EGR and the other was a "O2 slow-circuit response". I've since cleaned my EGR thoroughly and I've replaced the front O2 sensor. I haven't run a scan yet to see if it's the same problems but I'm assuming it is. I've read that if the CAT is clogged it'll turn cherry red, I doubt this is happening so are there other ways to check if your CAT is on the fritz?

I've actually already seen your video Bad Bent, I think you posted it on another thread but ya, I definitely like the sound. My only concern though is that my Geo has like 55 HP so wouldn't I be overdoing it by putting on that type of muffler? Oh and this might seem like a stupid question but I've noticed that everyone either gets a Cherry bomb or a Jones glass pack system. What exactly does glass pack mean and is there a reason why the other members stick to glass packs and not a regular exhaust system i.e. Stainless or other steels?
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Bad Bent
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Facetious Educated Donkey

Well, consider that you use the scanner to check and clear the code. You should then fix the problem and the code should not come back. :lol However if it does, you will use it again and again like I did until it is fixed. Actually, between the O2 sensor and catalytic converter on the Wife's '96 I have used the scanner maybe a dozen times. Now it sits on the shelf.

If it's still the EGR then you probably will have to remove the EGR and the exhaust manifold and clean the carbon in the port between the two, going through the engine. And you are sure it is hooked up properly with no leaks.

"My only concern though is that my Geo has like 55 HP so wouldn't I be overdoing it by putting on that type of muffler?"
What's your point? IMHO, any performance mod is overdoing it in a Geo. :D And that is precisely why we do it. Because we can. :evillol OK, I did it because I wanted the car to behave like a well tuned 4 cylinder. Like I was able to run with the logging truck this afternoon so as not to make him too mad at me for slowing traffic. That and playing with Beemers on the highway. :drivin

Two things on the exhaust. One is less back pressure or (my favorite term) constipation. It "frees-up" the horses: you get a little better throttle response. Old school stuff. Number 2 is "With great power comes great decibels." The glasspack is free-flowing and while it baffles sound a little it is designed for a deeper hot rod sound.

Quote:
 
I've read that if the CAT is clogged it'll turn cherry red, I doubt this is happening so are there other ways to check if your CAT is on the fritz?
Fail a smog test?
I live these questions. ;) It may make some tinging/cracking noise as it cools down. :dunno Anybody else know of a way to check a Catalytic converter?
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GoCanucksGo
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Bad Bent
Aug 30 2011, 12:25 AM
"My only concern though is that my Geo has like 55 HP so wouldn't I be overdoing it by putting on that type of muffler?"
What's your point?


haha best answer ever!

I'm positive my EGR has been cleaned out properly, I'll test to see if it's functioning properly tomorrow. Just to clarify, if I push the diaphragm in, the engine should stall correct? Therefore if it doesn't stall then it's broken?
Edited by GoCanucksGo, Aug 30 2011, 03:41 AM.
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Bad Bent
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Facetious Educated Donkey

I just had a flashback to Tim Horton donuts. :-/ We still have the travel mugs.

I am going to be cleaning the EGR this weekend. I listened with a stethoscope and detected some kind of knocking there on my Wife's '96. I pressed on the diaphragm for maybe 10 seconds and it almost died.

However, like almost every other EGR issue I am pretty sure the ports through the engine will be clogged or there may be something obstructing them or the EGR. Either way I am looking at a few hours of sheer fun. :banghead

Oh, that OBDII? I checked the timing on the Wife's '96 and used the paper clip. I then proceeded to drive it to werk and forgot about the clip. So when I got home I had to pull the scanner and reset the code. :smackface :lol
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GoCanucksGo
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I noticed yesterday that my oil light is on, granted the rebuilt engine is due for an oil change but any suggestions as to why the oil light would come on if my oil level is full? A guy at work suggested that my fan isn't kicking in and the oil is overheating, causing the light to come on but my temperature gauge is reading normal...
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Woodie
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Is it on all the time or only at an idle? And have you driven the car since it came on? If you're oil pressure is really low enough to light that light, then driving it more than about one mile will be the end of it. More likely the sensor failed or the wire fell off. If it's on at an idle and goes off when you give it gas, then changing your oil MIGHT help, but you probably need an oil pump.
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starscream5000
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Got 70 MPG?

Or the mechanic left the clearances too wide when putting in new bearings. Some aftermarket bearings have a wider oil galley and this can cause lower oil pressure as well.
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