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| Metro's been sitting - what to do?; Just bought it - not driven much in about 3 - 4 years | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Feb 5 2012, 04:53 AM (1,550 Views) | |
| JDs96Metro | Feb 5 2012, 04:53 AM Post #1 |
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Hello everyone, New to the site! So, far, I've already gotten a bunch of great info from here. What an awesome site. I recently bought a 96 hatch (3/5) with 125,000 miles on it. The elderly gentleman I bought it from has not driven it that often in the last 3 - 4 years. It needs a good detail job, inside and out, that's for sure. I figured I'd ask for suggestions on what mechanical things I should do since it's new to me and hasn't been driven much the last few years. It seems to run good - a little 'vibration' at idle but my old 98 did that too. I do have a check engine light on - code was P0400 (EGR not function/blocked). I found the threads on cleaning the EGR ports and will try that when I have time. Found the receipt for a tune up (cap/spark plugs/etc) and the timing belt done at 96k miles in July '06. I have not went through a full tank of gas yet to start checking my gas mileage. I'm assuming I should be getting around 40 city/48 +/- highway. That's what my old 98 Metro 3/5 got.Here is what I have done or was going to do - in the approx. order. let me know what you think and/or if I missed anything. 1) Filled with fresh gas and some STP Fuel injector cleaner (Did that same day I bought it) Will probably run another bottle or two in the next couple tanks. 2) Change the Air Filter and Oil/Oil Filter(Will do these ASAP) Contemplating using an Oil additive like Dura Lube, Lucas or Marvel Mystery Oil. Yes or No on that? Any suggested brand? 3) Clean the EGR valve/ports per the EGR thread on here. (Will do that soon and hope to get rid of the P0400 code) 4) Change Spark Plugs/wires (fairly soon) I may just inspect them?? (Any recommendations on brand?) 5) Flush/Fill the antifreeze (fairly soon) 6) Drain and fill the Manual Tranny fluid (fairly soon) I've noticed a few times it seems like it 'sticks' in gear and doesn't want to shift out of gear? Because of this I'm thinking maybe I should do the tranny flush sooner rather than later and make sure its Synchromesh fluid. 7) New CD player/speakers (not mechanical but should be done first!) Since it's late I'm probably missing a few things so feel free to comment or advise on changing the timing of fixes! As noted above let me know your favorite brands of Spark Plugs/wires, oil additives, etc. Whatever help's to keep the Metro's running well and getting awesome gas mileage! Oh, I might do some aero mods in the future too. Thanks in advance everyone! JD |
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| JDs96Metro | Feb 5 2012, 04:56 AM Post #2 |
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Oh, forgot to add the heater fan only works on HIGH and doesn't 'stop' at the low or medium settings. I'm sure there is a How To thread on here for that so I'll look for it. The car does not have AC. |
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| sphenicie | Feb 5 2012, 05:52 AM Post #3 |
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how much gas was in the tank when you picked it up? sitting that long, YUK! Same for other fluids. were the brakes still free? The old degraded fuel would be my first concern, surprised it ran. the blower switch issue is common, I have found that if it is just one of the 'clips'is bad, you can get by with a cheap little grippy clamp, i've been able to reach in without even pulling much apart, just take the glovebox out. GL |
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| clarkdw | Feb 5 2012, 09:13 AM Post #4 |
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Definitely flush the brake fluid. If plug wires were not done at 96k tune up then change them. If it was me, I would do a short interval oil/filter change using regular dino oil to flush out the nasties from sitting, then put in synthetic. If you want to use your favorite additive to assist with the flush then put it in the first change. Take a compression test and record vacuum readings so you have a baseline to compare later. Check the brake hoses carefully for cracking and the same for the tires. Remove and clean up all the grounding points including the intake manifold, transmission and firewall connections. Not a bad idea to clean all the main electrical connection points I have no particular preference as to part brands. |
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| JDs96Metro | Feb 5 2012, 01:08 PM Post #5 |
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Great info, thanks!! Better start a check list and get to work! |
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| Stiffchezze | Feb 5 2012, 01:18 PM Post #6 |
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Sir Metrologist
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Welcome! Here is how to fix your fan switch. You can also use it to figure out how to change your radio. Link--->How to Fix Fan Speed Selector Fix '95+
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| JDs96Metro | Feb 5 2012, 02:42 PM Post #7 |
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That's great Stiffchezze! I'm wondering if it's my resistor though? I noticed today my Rear window Defogger doesn't work either? I'm going to check fuses and such first, but will use this to fix the switch and change out the radio! Appreciate the input. Thanks. |
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| wizard 03 | Feb 7 2012, 10:08 PM Post #8 |
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Any car I buy {3 years sitting, just used, probably even "brand new off the dealership floor"} I have rules on. First one is to do ALL fluids! Same suggestion. They are degraded, have an amount of moisture collected in them, and are not recommended for any use whatsoever. Secound is anything rubber. Belts, hoses, tires, condoms, they all gotta be changed if they have sat for a few years or more. Now, this one wasn't on your list, but you might check your brake pads. For some dumb reason, I have never bought a car that has been part lawn ornament that didn't need brakes after a week of driveing. Even when supposedly the brake pads was brand new. And of course, the last one. A tune up. As far as a tune up goes, its hard to screw it up as to which brand, or who is better than what. I however, have found a small gift in my "copper" plugs. Dunno which brand name, or manufacturer, but the electrode is copper! At first I capped them to what the old spark plugs was gapped at, because I lost my spark plug gapper. Everything was fine and dandy, but then I found my gapper and decided to do it the right way.....I was over gapped at .50 when the hood sticker recommends .39. So I bumped it down, and the car ran like crap! Poor power, poor torque, just a big red dot all accross the board. Pushed em back up to .50 and left them there. Not sure if its the fact that the plugs are made from copper, or if there is something up with an overpowered ignition coil, but either way I kinda like it like that. It means things are getting burned much more efficently. Which is something else you might do, get a hotter burning aftermarket coil. ![]() As for any additives or such, I wouldn't suggest much. Supposedly seafoam works good on sticky transmissions, marvel mystery oil for gunky engines, and I allways bealived in "water wetter" for coolant systems. ![]() On your gastank however, everyone thinks Im nuts, but a gallon of e-85 = 4 tiny bottles of fuel treatment. And probably contains the same amount of alcohol. The only difference is the $20 you will save. As for the stereo, Pioneer cd player, pioneer 3 way speakers, two 12 inch pioneer subwoofers, 1 custom homemade bandpass subwoofer box with plexiglass window, 1 rocksford fosgate 1.5 farad capacitor, 1 1200 watt sony explode amplifyer, 1 wireing kit, and 1 deep cycle marine 12 volt battery with over 1000 CCA.........It was my best stereo ever!
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| JDs96Metro | Feb 8 2012, 01:44 AM Post #9 |
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Nice, great suggestions Wizard '03! From what I can tell the Alt belt and Timing belt were done at 96K. When I flush the other fluids I'll be sure to check the hoses too. Nice tip on the plugs - anyone else have a similar experience? I bet that stereo sounded AWESOME, especially if it was in a Metro?!? Rock on and thanks for the tips. |
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| Bad Bent | Feb 8 2012, 03:12 PM Post #10 |
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Facetious Educated Donkey
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Welcome to your new forum, JDs96Metro! Most members will recommend the standard NGK BPR6ES-11 or V-Power BPR6EY-11. I went with the Bosch +4s on a friends recommendation. Interference Suppression Resistor, Surface Air Gap Plug, 4 Ground Electrodes, Heat Fused Platinum Center Electrode. The 411 link on: Surface Air Gap Plug. At http://www.sparkplugs.com/ the largest gap is 0.044" on the Denso. But if the larger gap is working then go for it. I run a FlameThrowerII aftermarket coil from http://www.pertronix.com/flame/coils/45000_volt and 8mm plug wires. Then also I added a ground wire kit I got off eBay for $20. http://motors.shop.ebay.com/ground+wires+universal I'd recommend http://www.robietherobot.com/KBmetro3cylWires for wires. Might want to re-grease the wheel bearings or at least check them. Clean your grund connections and basically all electrical connections. |
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| HelterSkelter | Feb 8 2012, 03:52 PM Post #11 |
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#1 Pizza Driver
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if you take the face plate off for the ac controls and radio you will find that the switch for the fan speed has come loose. tie it back down with a zip tie and you will be ok. it's a little piece of plastic that holds the switch down so it can engage the metal. i don't know the proper terminology for these parts but you will know what i am talking about when you see it. |
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| wizard 03 | Feb 8 2012, 10:02 PM Post #12 |
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<< I bet that stereo sounded AWESOME, especially if it was in a Metro?!? Rock on and thanks for the tips. >> Sadly, it was in a 94 merc cougar. Preatty damn good system, and it was "clean" sounding. Not "blow your head apart" bass. I love the crystal clear treble with a mild but solid thump of bass to rattle the seat of your pants, especially since a distorted sound comeing through any speaker results in speaker rattle. This will eventually destroy a speaker. Either from the voice coils beating themselves into scrap against the magnet, or when the rubber suround slowly starts tearing apart. If you going to put something together that is high powered like this, you may want to invest into an after market, high powered alternator. And you might want to figure out how to run a larger belt to the alternator than stock. If not, you might fry the whimpy stock alternator and burn through belts like candy. |
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| JDs96Metro | Feb 9 2012, 01:28 PM Post #13 |
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Thanks gang! Great info. Bad Bent, did you see an increase in power and/or gas mileage with all the ignition mods you've done? I'm assuming with the changes you have you can run a larger plug gap? For now, I will probably just go with stock plugs and new wires to keep things simple and lower cost. However, if you get a big benefit from all the mods I'll look to do those in the future! |
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| Bad Bent | Feb 10 2012, 12:37 AM Post #14 |
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Facetious Educated Donkey
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The Platinum +4s do not have an adjustable gap. The link to robietherobot.com has this statement on the site: "Despite claims made by some wire set manufacturers; no wire set made will increase or add additional horsepower to your engine. Many people have told us that engine performance has increased after they fitted a wire set, however, in reality, performance only increased because the engine's potential power was previously restricted by faulty or warn out ignition wires." So your lower cost wires are a good idea if the old ones are suspect. "an increase in power and/or gas mileage with all the ignition mods" I really can't say. In reality spark is what is important. I will say that all the negativity towards my +4s hasn't changed my mind. Twice I've read something that sounds like they are evil and when I take them out they look perfect. They cost twice as much ($9 extra) and have been in the car since 2008 IIRC. When my distributor took a dump I thought it might be the plugs so I put the NGKs in and lost throttle response. My engine did not like it.My reasoning is that the current flow is unhindered, so to speak - it has 4 plug ground electrode choices then the block is grounded in 3 places, the tranny and intake manifold twice and alt. and dist. have separate grounds. On the positive side I like the coil and the 8mm plug wires. For FE, the engine runs great! It runs clean. I use Seafoam occasionally and non-ethanol gas. By all rights with the street/race cam, header, roof scoop and occasional trips to 5,000 rpm and 80 mph I should probably not be getting over 50 mpg but I do. My thinking is to upgrade to anything aftermarket and "performance" when I can. Granted it has a good reputation. Hope that helps. |
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| Woodie | Feb 10 2012, 07:12 AM Post #15 |
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This is entirely true and very refreshing to hear someone be so honest about a product that they are trying to sell. What he didn't include is that the exact same facts apply to the ENTIRE IGNITION SYSTEM. There are no plugs, wires, coils, or gap adjustments that are going to make any appreciable difference on a stock engine, unless they are replacing a component that had some sort of problem. Modern day ignition systems and fuel management are very well suited straight from the factory, nothing to be gained here unless your engine has a problem or has been heavily modified. |
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to start checking my gas mileage. I'm assuming I should be getting around 40 city/48 +/- highway. That's what my old 98 Metro 3/5 got.








3:35 AM Jul 11