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| Hit A Deer. Done some damage. REALLY need some advice. | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Nov 26 2011, 08:15 PM (2,916 Views) | |
| Reckless | Nov 26 2011, 08:15 PM Post #1 |
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New Member
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Hi guys, could really use some expertise here. My wife and I were just on our way home from the family Thanksgiving dinner when this deer came out of nowhere and we hit it. We pulled over at a store up the road so I could assess the damage. Well my left headlight was busted, the hood was crumbled up pretty good, and my radiator looked to be damaged. There was coolant dripping in various places and I could see where the top of the radiator came apart from where it is attached to the frame. Well the temperature gauge was staying steady at the normal position so I figured I'd carefully drive it on home. Well it was driving fine (the temperature gauge never went up at all) until all of a sudden the cooling fan kicked on and made this loud, terrible sound. So I figured the fan was rubbing against something and I was a little less than a mile from home so I tried to keep going. But once I started going up hill, not even a minute after the cooling fan kicked on, the car COMPLETELY stopped accelerating, but it didn't die. So I pulled over and cut it off and an insane amount of steam/smoke came rolling from under the hood; for like 15-20 minutes. Well I figured it was done for good. So while waiting for a tow, after the care had been off for at least 45 minutes, I cranked it and put it in drive to see what it would do. Well it went in gear and accelerated just fine. I didn't go but a few feet and I cut it back off. When the tow truck came and I got it home; I drove it down my driveway and it drove just fine. I let it run a little bit so I could see what was going on and when I looked under the hood I could see where coolant has sprayed all over the engine (I'm guessing it spewed out of the top). I started looking around the fan and the impact of the deer had pushed it up where the corner of the plate the battery sits on was in the fan's path; that's what it was hitting. It kicked on again and sounded awful so I hurried up and cut it off. I'm sure my radiator is gonna have to be replaced and I've got to get that cooling fan moved back. But what would have caused the car to stop pulling? My uncle, an intermediate mechanic, said the transmission probably got too hot and that caused it to stop pulling. I was afraid it was a blown head gasket or a cracked block but the temperature gauge never went up indicating that the engine itself never got that hot. So the transmission overheating makes the most sense as I have had some trouble with it in the past (it sometimes accelerates really slowly). I drive a '95 btw. So what do you guys think? Thanks in advance for your time. I really appreciate it. |
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| econoboxer | Nov 26 2011, 08:30 PM Post #2 |
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I am the one on the left.
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Did you blow the trans cooler line at the bottom of your radiator? Its possible that in the impact, you damaged it- thus allowing your auto trans to overheat. Could replace radiator, and power flush your auto trans to see what your trans oil looks like. Burnt will be very dark, normal is red. used is still a reddish brown. Sometimes cycling all of your trans fluid out will rejuvenate an auto trans, but if you have worn bands or clutch packs, then its time to rebuild it. Just my two cents. |
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| Johnny Mullet | Nov 26 2011, 08:31 PM Post #3 |
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Fear the Mullet
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I think a new radiator will take care of the running issues, but you will need to straighten everything back out and find body parts. |
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| Memphis metro | Nov 26 2011, 08:34 PM Post #4 |
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Welcome to the forum. You got any pictures? As for the transmission overheating, I assume you have a automatic trans. If you bust a cooler line, the transmission will pump all the fluid out and then your trans will stop pulling from lack of fluid. You probably did not run it long after that to over heat it. Once you repair your busted cooler line and refill the fluid it should pull fine. If that is the case. Econboxxxer is right. (Loss of fluid=loss of transmission pulling) Did you keep the deer? |
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| Reckless | Nov 26 2011, 08:51 PM Post #5 |
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econboxxxer: That's what my uncle told me. He told me to check those trans cooler lines to see if they were damaged. That's the first thing I'm going to check in the morning. I've heard that a good flush might help an inconsistent transmission but after getting an axle replaced awhile back, I told the mechanic about my transmission issues and he experienced them first-hand with the post repair test drive. But he said I shouldn't replace the transmission fluid because the bands MIGHT be worn. He suggested Lucas Transmission Fix which didn't help at all. So I'm not sure what to do there. Johnny Mullet: Thanks for your post. enginedoctorgeo: Thanks for your post. I didn't take any pictures but I can if it would be helpful. We didn't keep the deer although I wish we would have stopped right then to check on it. Feeling really bad. |
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| nerys | Nov 26 2011, 10:17 PM Post #6 |
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Grr
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my guess is when you started SPRAYING you quenched your SPARK. take away a cylinder of two and you just took away 1/3 to 2/3 your power :-) ie you might have gotten REALLY lucky. also likely explains the "steam" (all the coolant sprayed all over your hot engine) get a new radiator (you can get one from the P&P but look it over REALLY carefully) you can take it from ANY metro. some are slightly "off" in size etc.. but they still fit fine as long as the hose connections are right etc.. you might need a new fan depending on if the hub (where the plastic fan mounts to the motor) is damaged. again the P&P is your friend. if the framing is damaged a come along and a tree are your friend gently pull it straight again. replacing the head light hood etc.. are easy jobs rape those parts from the same car you get the radiator or fan from if its looks compatible. once you get it all running again be careful open window a crack listen (the car uses TWO temp sensors many times you can be overheating in such a way that the one that drives your gauge won't show it. if all seems well drive it some more. Check the coolant for oil. Check the oil for coolant. as long as you don't FLAT OUT over heat them these cars are shockingly tolerate to over heating and surprisingly HARD to over heat especially in cool weather if you keep moving. |
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| Reckless | Nov 29 2011, 11:59 AM Post #7 |
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New Member
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UPDATE: My trans cooler lines look fine. I got the cooling fan and radiator moved back into place. Everything looks good except the radiator, the coolant reservoir (busted all the way down), and the headlight assembly. I have had no luck whatsoever finding the headlight or the reservoir tank. Does anybody know where I can order them pretty cheap?? Are any other headlight assemblies or tanks compatible or does it have to be exactly that model? |
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| Bad Bent | Nov 29 2011, 12:47 PM Post #8 |
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Facetious Educated Donkey
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Don't just look for Geo Metro parts. Look for Suzuki Swift, Pontiac Firefly and Chevrolet Metro parts. The reservoir tank would not have to be exactly the same. The 95 headlight bezel is pricey but available on eBay: click here Post a "wanted" ad on here at http://geometroforum.com/forum/420216/ ? |
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| nerys | Nov 29 2011, 12:55 PM Post #9 |
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Grr
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the first one in that link is $28 not bad. but CONFIRM first if its drivers side or passenger side. it shows drivers side but says left side (when people say left right MANY times they mean when looking at the car from the front which would make this passenger side) and they tend to use STOCK pictures so be careful going by the picture. |
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| Reckless | Nov 29 2011, 01:29 PM Post #10 |
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I need the whole headlight assembly. Not just the bezel. The cheapest one on eBay is about 140 bucks. |
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| Reckless | Nov 29 2011, 02:19 PM Post #11 |
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I just found a coolant reservoir but it's for a 1997 Metro; I gotta 1995 Metro. It should fit; right? |
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| Scoobs | Nov 29 2011, 02:19 PM Post #12 |
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:D
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when you going to post pics? :/ |
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| Reckless | Nov 29 2011, 03:19 PM Post #13 |
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New Member
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Also, the headlamp assembly. Does it have to be a '95 or will a different model work? Mine's an LSi. |
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| Reckless | Nov 29 2011, 05:03 PM Post #14 |
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So I ordered this reservoir. Should work; right? http://www.dormanproducts.com/p-7849-603-001.aspx |
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| Scoobs | Nov 29 2011, 06:16 PM Post #15 |
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:D
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with mounting it different yea, it will work fine. |
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