Welcome to the all new Geo Metro Forum. We hope you enjoy your visit.You're currently viewing our forum as a guest. This means you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are features you can't use and images you can't see. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free. If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features: Join our community! |
- Pages:
- 1
- 2
| Spark? Compression? Something... | |
|---|---|
| Tweet Topic Started: Sep 19 2011, 01:58 PM (1,434 Views) | |
| RobotsAteMyArms | Sep 19 2011, 01:58 PM Post #1 |
|
Space Junkie
![]()
|
Yeah, it's me again. Seems every time I solve one problem, a couple more arise. Over the last couple days my car's been sputtering and trying to stall while driving. It started the same day the cold weather started so I assumed I just needed to start giving it time to warm up as about 3 minutes into the drive, it would drive normally again. It started to do it more frequently yesterday and I could tell it wasnt just from needing to warm up. I'd be driving for 20 minutes and it would still being doing it. This morning, I went to warm it up. Turned the engine over (it starts right up, no problem), got out and as I was walking to the house to grab some stuff, I heard it shut off. I went back, turned it over again and kept my foot on the clutch this time, still stalled about 4 or 5 seconds after starting up. So, I can't get it out of the drive way at this point in time. I'm in need of new spark plugs and wires and a distributor cap and rotor anyhow, so I ran by Advance to pick those up. On the way back home I was thinking about how the engine oil was over full for a while and how I needed to drain it and THAT got me thinking it might be compression related. So now I've got to find someone with a compression gauge so I can check that while I'm in there for the spark stuff. What's the compression supposed to be at for a Metro (1.0L, 3cyl)? I searched "engine compression" earlier, but couldn't find it on the forums. I'm sure there's a section somewhere... What would timing belt problems look like? Could it be that? Anywho, I'm REALLY hoping it's not compression or engine related, because I can't even afford my bills at this point, let alone car repairs. Let me know what you guys think and what PSI the compression's supposed to be. EDIT: I forgot to mention that I'm also going to be changing the fuel injector because I was having problems in recent months with it clogging. So that covers: fuel, spark and compression. The only other thing the engine really needs to go is air, but I don't think that's my issue. Edited by RobotsAteMyArms, Sep 19 2011, 02:00 PM.
|
![]() |
|
| Hugothegrunt | Sep 19 2011, 02:17 PM Post #2 |
|
Uncle Sam's Metro Club
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
RAMA, Here is the How-To on Compression testing, It's in the how-to section. JM says no less then 156 psi on all cylinders. http://geometroforum.com/topic/2574993/1/ It sounds alot like the symptoms some others are having that they have found to be a fuel system problem. I'm thinking that it may be a clogged fuel filter or your pump my be going. enginedoctorgeo has a good test that is simple to rule out this. http://geometroforum.com/topic/4464045/4/ On page 5 he shows how to test your fuel injector as well, if you have access to a DVOM it will only take a few minutes to rule out (or confirm) if you have a bad pump or FI. He also has a thread on how to make your own FI cleaning system that you do on the car, but I'm having trouble finding it. Good luck. Edited by Hugothegrunt, Sep 19 2011, 02:38 PM.
|
![]() |
|
| Johnny Mullet | Sep 19 2011, 03:13 PM Post #3 |
|
Fear the Mullet
![]()
|
Even if the compression is lower than 156 (but no less than 90) the car should run unless you have other issues (fuel, spark, etc) Put the tune-up stuff on and report back. |
![]() |
|
| RobotsAteMyArms | Sep 19 2011, 10:23 PM Post #4 |
|
Space Junkie
![]()
|
Okay. I checked my compression. It was 210, 190, 210. So I'm not too low on that. I changed my spark plugs and wires and the distributor cap and rotor. I'm getting spark. The car's still doing the same thing which leads me to believe it's fuel related. If you let it sit for a while, it turns over and stays alive for about 5 or 6 seconds. If you turn it right back over it lasts for about 3. If you try to start it again (immediately after the first two times) it won't turn over. I didn't get a chance to change the injector yet but it definitely seems like there's some clogging somewhere... |
![]() |
|
| Coche Blanco | Sep 19 2011, 10:33 PM Post #5 |
|
Troll Certified
![]()
|
190+ is near perfect fwiw |
![]() |
|
| RobotsAteMyArms | Sep 19 2011, 11:20 PM Post #6 |
|
Space Junkie
![]()
|
Oh! I nearly forgot. There's excessive amounts of oil in the plastic casing of my air filter. I pulled the filter out and there was enough oil in the plastic beneath it to be poured out. I'm pretty sure that's not normal either, but I don't know that it'd be the cause of this problem. |
![]() |
|
| allmountain40 | Sep 19 2011, 11:37 PM Post #7 |
![]()
|
How overfull is you oil? The oil going in to your air cleaner could foul your plugs. How did the ones you took out look? Were they black and wet at the electrodes? If you have so much oil that it can't drain back, this might explain the excess oil in the aircleaner. You might also pull out your PCV valve and clean it at least, or replace it, because this may be the cause of the oil in the aircleaner also. The most common reason for oil in the aircleaner is excess blowby wich is caused by bad rings, but based on your compression numbers, that is not your problem. As for your fuel delivery issue, I would look at changing your fuel filter. I had a similar problem 10 years ago on a metro. It started out intermittently, and continually got worse untill I was stranded on the side of the road. It was a fuel pump going bad. Hopefully this is not your problem, but if you know somebody who has a fuel pressure tester, I would see if I could borrow it and check your pressure because, if you change your filter and still have an issue, that will tell you if your pump is going south. If I wasn't on the other side of the country I'd let you use mine. Hopefully somebody who is closer has one to lend. But you need to drain the excess oil from your pan. Too much oil is a bad thing. It can cause all sorts of problems. |
![]() |
|
| RobotsAteMyArms | Sep 19 2011, 11:40 PM Post #8 |
|
Space Junkie
![]()
|
Well I drained the excess a couple days back. My levels are normal now. I cleaned out the oil from the air cleaner area and I meant to check the PCV valve actually, but forgot. I'll do that tomorrow when I go back to try to get at the fuel injector again. But yeah, I guess for now I'm just going to keep replacing fuel parts until it works again. |
![]() |
|
| allmountain40 | Sep 19 2011, 11:47 PM Post #9 |
![]()
|
How did the old plugs look? I would seriously start with a new fuel filter. Its cheep. If that doesn't work, you need to check the pressure to the throttle body before you buy anything else. Is there a local rental place where you could rent a fuel pressure tester? |
![]() |
|
| RobotsAteMyArms | Sep 19 2011, 11:51 PM Post #10 |
|
Space Junkie
![]()
|
Oh right, the plugs. No, the old ones actually weren't that bad. They were pretty clean. Also, we might have a tester at Advance Auto I could use. We rent out a ton of tools, it MIGHT be one of them. I'll have to check. |
![]() |
|
| allmountain40 | Sep 19 2011, 11:57 PM Post #11 |
![]()
|
Well if plugs were clean, then plug fouling from the oil is not your problem, so we are back to the fuel system. So, step 1. replace fuel filter. If problem persists, step 2. check fuel pressure, and report results here. |
![]() |
|
| Bigshane90 | Sep 20 2011, 12:52 AM Post #12 |
![]()
|
Why wouldn't you check you fuel pressure first? If it's no good then check the filter to see if it's clean. If not change it. then if it's still not up to par check into the pump. The fuel pump will go intermitantly like that. Most likely if it was an electrical problem it would have just went all at once. Don't just throw parts at it if you don't have the money to do that. |
![]() |
|
| allmountain40 | Sep 20 2011, 12:57 AM Post #13 |
![]()
|
Changing the filter is cheep. Since she doesnt have a pressure tester Might as well hit the low hanging fruit first before she rents a tester. Plus she stated earlier that she has been having trouble with her injector clogging so she needs to replace it anyway and it may fix her problem.
Edited by allmountain40, Sep 20 2011, 01:05 AM.
|
![]() |
|
| bogs | Sep 20 2011, 01:19 AM Post #14 |
|
Duct tape heals all wounds
![]()
|
Glad to see you back Robots, but sorry to hear your cars having problems. I agree with the general opinion above, whack the filter first. Dropping the tank to verify the lines aren't shot is also not a bad idea. Pressure testing will have to be done eventually if the first two don't resolve it. Nice compression numbers btw
|
![]() |
|
| RobotsAteMyArms | Sep 22 2011, 09:52 PM Post #15 |
|
Space Junkie
![]()
|
So, I found that even after draining some oil last week, I still had a good quart and a half more than I needed. I drained that and took the air filter out and sprayed a crap load of carb clean through every angle of the throttle body and took it apart and cleaned all in there and low and behold, the car is working fine. Now I can return the fuel filter I bought! |
![]() |
|
| 1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous) | |
| Go to Next Page | |
| « Previous Topic · Engine Tech & Diagnostics · Next Topic » |
- Pages:
- 1
- 2


Welcome to the all new Geo Metro Forum. We hope you enjoy your visit.






![]](http://z3.ifrm.com/static/1/pip_r.png)


7:24 PM Jul 10