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
| Geo Metro Winterization?; What to do to the Geo when it's snowing. | |
|---|---|
| Tweet Topic Started: Sep 9 2014, 08:12 PM (1,183 Views) | |
| JimmyStewart | Sep 9 2014, 08:12 PM Post #1 |
|
Elite Member
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
Last night it started getting cold up here in NW Montana. I had some plants outside and nearly all of them almost died. This is the first winter that I have owned the Geo. Is there anything that you all have done to help get these little cars through the winter? I was thinking about putting a set of studded tires on the front wheels. I'd also like to hear from the rest of you, particularly those who have driven Metros in the winter. What is your 2 cents on Geo Metro winter driving?
|
![]() |
|
| Hanuman | Sep 9 2014, 08:48 PM Post #2 |
|
"The Almighty Grounds Cleaner"
![]()
|
define cold? it gets -30 up here. they are great in the snow. studded snow tires on all 4, or not. lots of us in alaska just run all seasons on our cars. |
![]() |
|
| Good bye | Sep 9 2014, 09:48 PM Post #3 |
![]()
|
#1: Make sure your antifreeze is good to -35. #2: defroster and heater work properly. #3: good tires, lights , wipers and brakes. #4: recent oil change?, proper transmission fluid? |
![]() |
|
| Bad Bent | Sep 9 2014, 09:52 PM Post #4 |
|
Facetious Educated Donkey
![]()
|
Naw, I usually just put the studded tires on the front of mine so I can e-brake and drift a little. My Wife likes studded tires on all 4 wheels. We do live on top of a steep road and she has not had any trouble making the turn after dropping 50 feet. I had no trouble climbing up a driveway and then making the same turn she makes. Mine is an outside car now, but neither of us have trouble starting in 0-32F weather and lower when we lived in McCall, ID. We have Katz coolant heaters but The Wife doesn't always use hers. Good battery, clean connections, coolant and compression.
|
![]() |
|
| scooter001 | Sep 9 2014, 09:54 PM Post #5 |
|
New Member
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
1990 metro 3/5 std. I drove from idaho to north Dakota Last winter. Temps varied from 30s and 40s to -30 while I was there for three months. I Almost froze to death after flying in to the airport at minot and hiking about 1/4 mile to my car in a -20 blizzard to find my locks frozen. I finally got the passenger side open after beating my fist on the lock for about 5 minutes. Made sure my locks were well lubricated after that. Make sure your thermostat is working properly. I had to run straight antifreeze (no mix) to get heat in the car. I blocked off the radiator as well. I found that I had to really let it warm up before going anywhere or my tbi would ice up a bit (maybe I needed fuel stabilizer?). Oh and studded tires on the front makes for better confidence when driving on icy roads. |
![]() |
|
| 1DCGUY | Sep 9 2014, 10:31 PM Post #6 |
|
Don't be a "Richard"
![]()
|
Scooter, I rarely comment on things on this forum, but this part that you posted is absolutely false!! Straight antifreeze will NOT, I repeat, NOT get you more heat in your car, in fact it does exactly the opposite of what you stated. I have witnessed it first hand, that straight antifreeze in -20F to -30F will in fact gel up, and will not produce any heat. I have lived in Minnesota, and Wisconsin my entire life, seen -30F many times, and have never had a problem with a 50/50 mix, and have never used a block on my radiator. If you are not getting heat out of your Metro with a 50/50 mix, you have something wrong with your car. I have 3 Metro's in my fleet that are on the road at this time, and all 3 of them will roast you out of the car at -10F. I would be more than happy to help you find the problem with your heat, so let me know if I can help. |
![]() |
|
| ZXTjato | Sep 10 2014, 01:25 AM Post #7 |
|
bass heads
![]()
|
Cold?? Locals round here say cold is around 70s 65 better grab the parka. Winterisation? Hmm remove sun shade from window turn off AC and roll a window down
|
![]() |
|
| Freeman | Sep 10 2014, 05:39 AM Post #8 |
|
The Family Man
![]()
|
I think I'd cut a whole in the roof. Reposition the passenger seat to stick the passenger out of said hole. Then mount a large caliber automatic rifle on the front of the roof. If it's snowing enough down here for me to winterize my Metro, we got bigger problems. I know a lot of people that love Metros because they are so good in the snow. Didn't know many people stored them actually. |
![]() |
|
| perfesser | Sep 10 2014, 09:25 AM Post #9 |
|
Elite Member - Former Metro owner
![]()
|
![]() Jeff, you beat me to it! There's a reason 50/50 is recommended for cold protection. One thing you left out though is that full-strength anti-freeze has been known to eat aluminum parts, like heater cores and radiators. Saturn's first recall was because of this just after they launched. |
![]() |
|
| scooter001 | Sep 10 2014, 05:37 PM Post #10 |
|
New Member
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
Well I guess I should clarify myself and offer a mea culpa if I have mislead anyone. I should have said that I "topped it off" with about 1/2 jug of straight antifreeze when I changed the t stat that was in fact stuck open. The fact remains that before I made this change I was getting very poor heat in the-30 temps, which are common here in c. Idaho in winter as well. I am open to the possibility that straight antifreeze can damage aluminum parts so I guess that means that 50/50 also can, but takes twice as long. Sound about right? |
![]() |
|
| Murf 59 | Sep 10 2014, 05:47 PM Post #11 |
![]()
|
Here its lower the air pressure in my tires. I normally run them at 40psi. Make sure the wiper blades are in good shape and fill the sprayer bottle. |
![]() |
|
| perfesser | Sep 10 2014, 07:17 PM Post #12 |
|
Elite Member - Former Metro owner
![]()
|
I had a thermostat stick open once while driving through central Utah in late December. We were scraping frost off the inside of the glass! Lots of air, no heat. 50/50 is below the critical level, and is not a problem. 100% is strong stuff!! Saturn was expanding their lines due to the early success of the car's launch. During the construction, their coolant mixer was down, so they asked Texaco to deliver the coolant pre-mixed until they got it back up. It came in in 55-gallon drums labelled "pre-mix". Several months later, they noticed a spike in warranty claims for radiators and heater cores. As they investigated, they found that all of them were made while they were buying pre-mix from Texaco. They got samples from the affected cars and determined that it was 100% straight anti-freeze, not the 50/50 they had requested. 1800 cars were built in that time frame. 1800 Saturn owners got a card in the mail that said, in effect, "Dear Saturn owner, we have discovered a potential problem with your car. Will you please bring it back to your dealer and pick out a new one?" Texaco ate $18 million for the recall costs, and they shredded the cars they recalled. |
![]() |
|
| JimmyStewart | Sep 10 2014, 11:19 PM Post #13 |
|
Elite Member
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]()
|
Well, Here it is. Last night it snowed in some of the higher elevations. Thank you everyone for your advice. One thing I haven't heard about is possibly protecting some of the underside components from rusting. They use a lot of salt on the roads around here. I think that I'm also going to opt for studs in front, as I am on a budget. -Cheers to you.
|
![]() |
|
| Cobrajet25 | Sep 11 2014, 02:02 AM Post #14 |
![]()
|
If you are preparing for cold temps, make sure you have a "hot" thermostat installed. One that is rated to about 195-197 degrees. With a 180-ish thermostat, which is the most common replacement, your heater won't work worth shit in cold weather. Metro engines don't produce much heat. Check antifreeze-to-water ratio, not just coolant level. Antifreeze is designed to be mixed with water, and a ratio that is too high or too low will result in a lower capacity for cooling or can freeze over. Check wiper blades. Empty out all of the bug wash from your washer tank and replace with de-icer. Bug wash will freeze. Snow tires are a good idea. I don't put mine on until snow actually falls, and around here it seldom does. Metros are EXCELLENT in the snow. Edited by Cobrajet25, Sep 11 2014, 02:06 AM.
|
![]() |
|
| Bad Bent | Sep 11 2014, 02:09 AM Post #15 |
|
Facetious Educated Donkey
![]()
|
Another item might be to spray a lubricant on the frame horns? My passenger frame horn was coated with engine oil from when the cam seal blew out. I've since used a spray lube on the driver's side. Granted they do rust from the inside.
|
![]() |
|
| 1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous) | |
| Go to Next Page | |
| « Previous Topic · The Geo Metro Lounge · 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)









9:25 AM Jul 11