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First Long Trip In The Metro; Peter & Paul Concert
Topic Started: Jun 23 2015, 09:47 PM (1,218 Views)
mt999999
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Well, on an impulse, I bought tickets to a Peter Yarrow and Nole Paul Stookey concert a few months ago. Even though Mary isn't there anymore, they were always my favorite band, and I figure that they are about ready to fully retire. They are only doing a few shows a year, so I jumped on it to go see them. I didn't really consider the ramifications of buying 2 non refundable tickets to a concert in Philadelphia. I realized afterward that I have a 6 hour drive ahead of me to a couple hour concert, then another 6 hour drive home. Luckily, the concert is before I start my new job. On top of tickets, I realized I had to rent a room in a cheap hotel on the way home to keep from falling asleep while driving.

Anyway, after that incredibly long backstory, I think the Metro is up for the 6 hour drive. I haven't driven it more than an hour and a half one way, but so far it seems pretty reliable, and it would save me alot over driving another car to Philly and back. At the same time, I don't want to be stuck in eastern PA. What maintenance/precautions or whatever would you guys recommend before starting on such a long journey? Other than bringing a bottle of premixed antifreeze... the radiator has a pretty nasty "leak"... sometimes it is steaming when I pop the hood. Thanks guys!
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Car Nut
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First of all, I wouldn't even consider going that far with a leak. Plastic radiators can go from drip to firehose to blown head gasket at the snap of a finger. I'd make sure I had a new or almost new timing belt & water pump, new radiator hoses & carefully check all others, new alt / water pump belt & carry old ones for spares, check brakes, oil & filter change. Probably new spark plugs, wires, cap & rotor. That's just me at the minimum. Around town, little different story. I still wouldn't drive in town with the radiator issue tho.
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Old Man


radiator like that? use a different car or give the tickets away. either one is cheaper than a tow job in an unfamiliar place.
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mt999999
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Huh... I didn't think the radiator would be that much of an issue. I only have to top off the resoviour about every 2 weeks (goes down to the "min" level). It's never overheated or even gone over halfway on the water temp gauge. Where could one get a cheap radiator...? I heard someone mention an aluminum radiator once, but I can't recall where to find one.
Edited by mt999999, Jun 23 2015, 10:45 PM.
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mt999999
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Does this look like a good one? Not solid aluminum, however.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Replacement-Radiator-For-Geo-Metro-Manual-Transmission-/291463860662?fits=Make%3AGeo%7CModel%3AMetro&hash=item43dc9991b6&vxp=mtr
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nineoneandblue
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This was from your first post.....

"the radiator has a pretty nasty "leak"... sometimes it is steaming when I pop the hood."



This was from your second post....


I only have to top off the resoviour about every 2 weeks (goes down to the "min" level). It's never overheated or even gone over halfway on the water temp gauge. Where could one get a cheap radiator...?


So which is it?........... a pretty " nasty" leak or " I only have to top off the resoviour about every 2 weeks (goes down to the "min" level). It's never overheated or even gone over halfway on the water temp gauge."


Kinda confusing!




















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mt999999
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nineoneandblue
Jun 23 2015, 11:32 PM
This was from your first post.....

"the radiator has a pretty nasty "leak"... sometimes it is steaming when I pop the hood."



This was from your second post....


I only have to top off the resoviour about every 2 weeks (goes down to the "min" level). It's never overheated or even gone over halfway on the water temp gauge. Where could one get a cheap radiator...?


So which is it?........... a pretty " nasty" leak or " I only have to top off the resoviour about every 2 weeks (goes down to the "min" level). It's never overheated or even gone over halfway on the water temp gauge."


Kinda confusing!




















Sorry for the confusion. I can occasionally get whiffs of what smells like coolant when driving the car. The car has never gone above the mid-point on the temp. gauge. Every 1-2 weeks The coolant goes down just below the min level, and I fill it up to just over the max level. Depends on weather I am driving 100 mi. a day 5 days a week, or 10 mi. a day (more recent). I associate it with a nasty leak because I haven't dealt with a radiator leak before, and when I occasionally find a slow, steady stream of steam coming out from under the hood, it is no fun... but it isn't massive. I am not sure how bad the leak truly is. It hasn't gotten worse, and the previous owner said he hardly noticed it.
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Old Man


so the "steam is coming from under the hood"

what kind of a description is that? Where EXACTLY is the "steam" coming from
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mt999999
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Old Man
Jun 24 2015, 12:23 AM
so the "steam is coming from under the hood"

what kind of a description is that? Where EXACTLY is the "steam" coming from
On the drivers side, the right of the radiator, there was a spot that looked like it was covered in tar when I got it. My mechanic told me that it needed a new radiator. I poked the little tar spot, and it flaked off. It looks like there are little pinholes in the radiator... it's hard to tell. Two or three times, out of maybe 2 dozen, I've popped the hood of my car after taking a long drive and parking, (night time) and you can see a some steam coming from around the drivers head light. I would have to assume that it is coming from the spot formerly covered in tar, but I never took a good look while it was dark out... it doesn't last long. Tempted to try JB weld over the area. Below is a picture of the trouble area, and a link to a thread where I previously mentioned my leak. I still need to fix the distributor oil leak.

http://geometroforum.com/topic/5825508/1/#new

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Stubby79
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I tried JB weld for one like that before. It lasted a few days before it started up again. :lol

A few days later, I ordered a new on from RockAuto.com ...after calling the local radiator "wholesale" place. They're hit or miss on prices. I've had radiators from them cheap, and other quoted at twice what I could order one for. RockAuto has a tendency of having one around the $100 mark, whatever the vehicle I am putting it in.
Edited by Stubby79, Jun 24 2015, 04:42 AM.
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myredvert
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myredvert

The other day I replaced the radiator in my GF's daughter's Elantra and got the replacement from AutoZone. For what its worth, the Spectra Premium brand they carry was an absolute perfect fit, while many of the reviews of other store's brands were not so complimentary about fitment.

$132 for the 1994 Metro manual radiator @ Autozone, pn a1182/CU1182. They have a 20% discount going for "ship to home" orders, before shipping.

Rock Auto carries the same radiator (CU1182) for $116 before shipping and the usual 5% discount. Check the price after shipping - when I put my zipcode in it came up as $5 for 3-5 day priority shipping!
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idmetro
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Looks like you've got a week or so before the concert, I'd definitely get that radiator replaced (there's really no fixing the plastic/aluminum ones) check and top off all fluids (oil, brake fluid, coolant, transmission fluid, windshield washer fluid), check the condition of the belts and hoses, check tire condition and inflation and you should be good to go.
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myredvert
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myredvert

:gp And get some miles in locally on any new parts/repairs before straying too far away from home.
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Car Nut
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http://www.ebay.com/itm/RADIATOR-FOR-CHEVY-GEO-SUZUKI-PONTIAC-FITS-METRO-SPRINT-SWIFT-FIREFLY-L4-4CYL-/271346421910?fits=Year%3A1994%7CMake%3AGeo%7CModel%3AMetro&hash=item3f2d81d096&vxp=mtr#vi-ilComp

$39.90 shipped. Says for an automatic only. Also says will fit an XFI. There is a contact phone number to confirm. Usually its no problem to use a radiator off an automatic on a manual trans car. You just can't use a manual style radiator on an automatic car as there's not tank or fittings for the trans fluid.
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myredvert
Jun 24 2015, 08:57 AM
:gp And get some miles in locally on any new parts/repairs before straying too far away from home.
Exactly. :gp
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