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Need help analyzing compression test results please; have comp. results.....now what? thanks....
Topic Started: Jul 4 2012, 05:23 PM (2,511 Views)
bgrieves1
Advanced Member
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Ha! I'm a burnout nurse and feel God wants me at home homeschooling my son and caring for my disabled mother (thus why we have such a tight budget)...the idea of working on machinery appeals to me. Kinda along the same line mentally...assessment, diagnosis, etc. Don't know if I'll ever be a "great" mechanic, but at least I can learn the "Geo Metro". We joke that it is our motorcycle with a car body. But it does indeed offer so much more protection than any motorcycle....truly a "smart" car. Sorry ramble on.....Beth
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Johnny Mullet
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Fear the Mullet

These are truly one of the easiest engines to work on. You will do fine! You may have to buy, borrow, or rent a few tools like a valve lapping tool, berry hone, ring compressor, ect. Tons of info here on the site! Good luck!
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bgrieves1
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Thanks so much Johnny. Some people are afraid I will start a chain of problems....but do you think this will help our gas mileage? I guess that is a no brainer....right now it is not good 21mpg.
Hubby has a 130 mile per day commute starting July 31st.

I know it is a risk, but I think we need to do something to up that mpg or we will pay at the pump anyway.

Life is full of risks.....we will just study up and do our best.

The compression test sounded like a big deal, but it was easy as pie.

Thank you again and God bless,
Beth
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Coche Blanco
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Troll Certified

A couple things to be noted. The automatic gets worse gas mileage. I don't know exactly what it will get on his commute, but, you may look at selling your current Metro and buying one with a 5 speed. If it's mostly interstate travel you will almost have to have a 5 speed to get any kind of decent mileage.

If you choose to rebuild your current engine, we can definitely help you out as long as you take your time and post your question on here. :thumb
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bgrieves1
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Thank you Coche Blanco....right now it is 21 mpg. What can you expect on the interstate with an automatic? surely closer to 30mpg. I'd be pretty happy I guess with even 30 mpg.

just watched a you tube of reseating valves. I used to rebuild valves on an assembly line.....the lap tool is just a suction tool...then you have your compound.....
I guess a 3 cyl...6 valve engine has 3 exhaust valve and 3 intake valves.
I should watch you tube about engine parts and basic engine function.

Back to studying.....

beth
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Johnny Mullet
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Lapping Valves.........



Installing valve keepers without compresser.........



An automatic is capable of 40+ MPG if driven easy and with a healthy engine, proper tire inflation, etc. With only a 3 speed, highway speed must be kept at 55-60 or MPG's drop big time.
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bgrieves1
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Later on , can you take out the auto trans and put a manual trans in? 1991 geo metro....?
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bgrieves1
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ok...so auto trans is not that bad...drive 55 to 60....ok that might be one reason for the high mpg. thanks again. Thanks so much for the videos...I will watch them now. Beth
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bgrieves1
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lapping valves and putting in valve keepers looks pretty easy. I guess we will be buying the valve new, then lapping them to seat into the head...then we will buy new valve keepers and push them on with the spark plug socket.

easy!
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econoboxer
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I am the one on the left.

Welcome Beth.
doing a rebuild isn't too bad. Spend a couple dollars at the car wash with a can of engine degreaser. Spray all the buildup with the degreaser and power wash. Be careful not to get your starter, alternator, or distributor wet- or you will be unhappy. A clean engine bay makes the dirty job a little less dirty. Get some clothes out of your closet that you absolutely do not care about. Wear them to work on the car- when you are done, you can toss them.
Using your regular clothes will ruin them- trust me.

Do you have access to tools? There aren't many specialty tools needed, but the ones you do- you do. If you can borrow the hone for your cylinder walls, that can save some $, same with the ring compressor. (Try harbor freight for the latter).

If you already know how to lap in valves, you are ahead of the game.
If your motor has less than 180,000 miles, you can usually get away with using std size rings.
You don't need an engine stand to rebuild the motor- a few guys on here have built a wood cradle that the oil pan sets in as a stand for putting it on your work bench. A couple 2X4's and you re good to go. Don't underestimate the cost of your fluids.
If you are replacing gaskets (EGR,Headgasket, Water pump) you will want to pick up some gasket remover- it softens the gasket making it much easier to scrape off. You will want to be extremely careful removing your old gaskets because it is easy to gauge the aluminum during gasket removal. If that happens it will be very hard to get a good seal on your new gaskets.
I concur with replacing your seals.
Take your time- no rush- you have the whole month.
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Bad Bent
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Facetious Educated Donkey

Oh, yeah, you can hone the engine without removing it or if you wish you can remove it easily...

Hacksaw's engine install...

Posted Image :thumb :thumb

Posted Image I used help and "tools." :lol
C-clamp and borrowed climbing rope.

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Johnny Mullet
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No need to remove engine. Get it on stands and work them knees and back! No need for new keepers or valve springs. Just get what's on the list I posted.
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bgrieves1
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Thank you econboxxxer, bad bent and Johnny mullet:

After much careful consideration and the recommendation to use Geo Glenns products, we have decided to wait until we get the money for a rebuilt engine from Glenn. We can even pay him to install it, his rates are very reasonable.

I've got three strikes against me in the plan to do the valves/rings myself:

1) not much money now and at some point it may be a better investment to just do a total rebuilt engine replacement
2) I'm greener than green...still learning the basics of a car engine. Hubby too.

3) it is an older engine....afraid to bust it open ...afraid it might start a chain reaction of sorts that we don't really have money to deal with

Anyway....I don't see how this plan could be wrong.

I bought this car with the intent to rebuild it.

Thanks so much for the education. I do need a new oil pan and gasket...or maybe just a gasket. This is not part of the engine right? So this is a smaller job I could do myself now?
I know Glenn sells his own oil pan gasket.

I want to continue moving forward in my education...trust me, I know there are smaller projects I can work on as the money is there. For one, all the handles on the car are pretty much broken.

But to heck with cosmetics....I guess one of the next things I could work on myself is the oil pan/oil pan gasket. We are losing some oil. Pep Boys looked at the car before I bought it and said something about replacing the oil pan or oil pan gasket. I bet it just needs a gasket.

What about the fuel filter? That is separate from the engine correct? I bet that needs changed.

And then perhaps a radiator flush....

Not a lot of money though....need to save up too for that rebuilt engine.

Well, I had better go hang out in the lounge as I am just socializing now and rambling on a bit.

God bless. There are still a lot of standup folks.....like Geo Glenn ....in this crazy mixed up country of ours.....

Beth the beginner
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Deleted User
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Keep pouring in the oil, Beth. It's the easiest thing to do. The aftermarket oil pan gaskets don't do so well. I had one installed for exactly 10 seconds before it started leaking. It came right back off.

My old engine was burning a quart a day, had 2 burned exhaust valves and got 25 MPG. It still got me where I was going while I overhauled my new engine.

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Shinrin
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Drain oil, remove pan. Clean the engine and pan where it connects. A nice bead of RTV on it. Tighten it up snug, nice and even, and let it dry overnight. Add oil and go.

That said, our most common oil leak usually isn't the oil pan gasket, but cam/crank seals under the timing belt. It drips down, wind hits it, and it blows the bottom of the motor. Really the only way to locate the leak is to either visually see it, or clean everything up good, run it a little, and catch it before it spreads.
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