TeamSwift

Ok the back story on this is i have a 93 Geo Metro 1.0L that i had picked up from out of state where there was no emission's requirements. I get it here run it through the Emissions test and find my hydro carbons in the 2800 range where they need to be below 220.

Things i did to pass Emissions

$Free Timing advanced to 10 degree's
Dropped it to around 2500.
$70us(cat)+$60us to have it welded in, New cat installed dropped to about 600

$25ish Changed the Oil (it was BLACK and thin)
*question i used chevron 5w-30 can i run say 10w-30 safely? the compression isn't all that good, and i have to replace the rings some time in the future so i was thinking the heaver weight oil might help for the in the mean time*
$7ishPut new NGK plugs in
$Free cleaned out the EGR passage (it wasn't completely clogged up like i have seen and heard about on here but there was a good amount of crap built up. the exhaust side of the EGR valve itself had about a 1mm hole in it with the amount of crud in there)

Those 3 things dropped me down to 174 HC and .5 CO2
and cost about $160us to do.

The engine had 156,000 HARD miles on it, it was a teens first car and they did not take care of it.

It might be because i was looking at the information but i seemed to see a lot of people asking about getting through emissions.

Thanks to everyone on this board who posted up information on the emission's systems and problems found with these cars, Phil-and-ed stands out in my mind as being a great source.

now i just need to redo the head and rings, rebuild the tranny, modify the brakes, and suspension, pound out a large dent.. you know the usual o_O.

Good job.
People can learn from your approach. Simple things often get the job done.

You can run just about any oil in that motor.

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Contact 3tech: [email protected]

Wow a sticky, didn't expect that.

Glad you found the information useful.

Another thing i would like to add here. From what i've been able to learn about my car and how its doing, I know my 3rd cylinder has lower compression, with probably a burnt exhaust valve and the rings are going.

This was meant as a quick and dirty I HAVE TO GET THROUGH EMISSIONS NOW! type fix. But because i'm burning oil i honestly don't expect to be able to pass next time, if i don't get the head and rings squared away. when the car is burning oil it will clog up a cat fairly quick, Plus if you are just dumping oil into the combustion chamber with bad rings even all of this might not even work.

i am currently sitting on an set of exhaust valves, head bolts (thanks to superf1y), head set, rod barrings and rings. banking on the need to do a head job in the future, its always best to take care of the problem before it gets to the point where 'ITS NEEDED RIGHT NOW!'.

Like everything it all boils down to keeping the system in good health as a whole.

uhh... no O2 sensor? most cars call for 50k service intervals on that puppy. At $30-$50 for our particular sensor, it can cost less than an oil change. I know the goal was just to pass but if you O2 sensor is 100k plus, it might have been enough to skip the CAT... well at least a REAL CAT. I'm sure they did a visual inspection too.

O2 sensor would probably throw a code, this car's codes where clear except for the TPS but that was adjusted when i first got the car.

That was an account of what i did, nit pick or no that is what it took for me to get it through, with a roughly 1900 HC drop with a new cat i would say that was the problem.

Everyone's car is different, in how it was maintained and how it was driven. as cars age they end up developing problems that are separate from every other car. Mine is burning oil, a fairly common problem with these cars. when motor oil is burned in the combustion chamber it develops more carbon buildup then normal. that in turn clogs the cat, and as you pointed out probably the O2 sensor as well.

I don't have a very large budget for automotive repair. so i went with the most likely culprits of the problem and worked my way up the chain. i even omitted things i did that made no real change. to start replacing parts on a whim is the worst kind of automotive troubleshooting and just ends up costing you more then you needed to spend, sometimes by hundred's or even thousands of dollars.

Oxygen sensors wear out over time.
http://www.oxygensensorsplus.com/bosch.wws
You'd see increase in HC and CO.

http://wbo2.com/lsu/oxygen13-17.pdf
There's a few really good articles about the O2 sensor, but someone else can chime in with their links.

O2 sensors lose their ability to quickly switch between voltages and 'slow down' (like me ) as they age.
Because they are still hooked into the system, most times they won't show a 'code' when defective.
You will see the effects as lowered gas mileage, for example.

A new one will cost you $20 or so.

No need to bore you with all the details, but suppose it doesn't work right and you have a 'rich condition'.
If you swap a new one in you will recover your $20 in fuel savings over the course of the next few months.
So it really didn't cost you a cent, overall.

Bottom line, though?
You are on the right track with the engine rebuild (new rings, bearings, seals).
Once that is done, it should last a good 10 years without much new needed.
(Except a new O2 sensor every few years, eh?)

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DIY Broken Bolt Removal: viewtopic.php?f=22&t=41042
DIY Clutch Adjustment: viewtopic.php?f=9&t=48281
DIY Wheel Bearings: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=29003
DIY Shocks: viewtopic.php?f=10&t=45483
DIY Wheel Align: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=42479
Once you get the cars dialed-in (compression, leaks, bearings, alignment, brakes) swap in new rubber and glass, you've got something which should last for years!

Just a bit of an Update since my last post the car was running but never all that well.

That all changed last week when it wouldn't start, had fuel, had spark, so it was time to do the job i had been wanting to do for the last year.

Pulled the head to find exhaust valves 1 and 3 missing bit's *probably about a 1/8" on etch where basically broken off*, and valve 2 had a decently sized crack in it.

Replaced all the exhaust valves with superf1y's stainless one's put new rings and rod barrings on the piston's and even added some shims to the valve springs i don't know what the new redline is but i was able to hit close to 50 in second gear without hearing the valves float.

Didn't take any pictures but this whole process is described well in detail on here and geo metro forum

as a side note the O2 sensor wire just popped off of the crappy butt connector the previous owner had put on lord know for how long it had barely been making connection if it was making it at all.

so that was a major check off of my to do list, that just leaves...

Clutch
Gear oil
(far future) Transmission rebuild
CV axels
breaks

also may be looking for a some spruce up piece's like seats/steering wheel/ sway bars/ strut bars/ lower suspension braces etc. Hell a Tach would be a nice step.

ETA after rereading my old post's, so the car currently has 162700 miles on it, so that shows how long i was able to drive on it with burnt out valves and bad rings (your mileage may vary)

Hey Superf1y i take it making this post sort of my repair/build log is ok?

a thread which details your work is greatly appreciated. it not only adds to the data base for symptom descriptions and repair work, it keeps everything nice and neat.

after replacing the valves you must think you have a new car. the worse the valves get, the lower the compression gets, and they can be really gutless running on one cylinder.

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1991 Blue Geo Metro Convertible highly modified 1.0L Turbo3 5 spd. - 1991 Red Geo Metro Convertible customized with a Twincam 5 spd.

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no kidding i think one of the valves had broken off like a week earlier me and my wife where driving and there was a bit of a popping sound like a seal giving way. after that i just had almost no power and figured that the time had come. especially when i started having massive flooding issue's after the fact

BTW T3 whenever one of my friends brings up the thought of Turboing a G10 i point them at your car and explain the cost and work involved in doing it right. Did you ever get your car on a Dyno? i've just been wondering what kind of numbers your setup pulls.

If i wasn't going for gas mileage i would probably go for more mod's the thought of doing Bike carbs kind of appeals to me. i just don't think i would want to put the time money in to go whole hog on it. the money IMHO would be better spent on a Nice RWD sportscar like my old RX-7 or a old Z

Anyway I'm Rambling I'll defiantly keep this thread as my Build Log then I'm not going for anything too special just a Solid Reliable daily driver with gas mileage that i can kind of thumb my nose at prius owners with.

love it!!

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1993 GEO METRO 1.0 lsi (xfi swap)
1995 Eddie Bauer Exploder
1983 CHEVY C-10--the gas guzzler
1997 VW GTI VR6 Turbo--dead as a door nail
1994 GEO METRO 1.0 xfi (retired and parted out)
1989 Suzuki Swift GTi (sold)

And don't forget to pump up the tires.sounds nuts but if the tires are low the extra power required to overcome that when there sitting in the valley between the two rollers can mean the difference.

I have a 94 with bad compression also. Need to get it inspected soon. I'm going to try some of what you listed. But will also clean Pcv valve. Already did plugs wires and oil. Think I have an exhaust leak that needs to be addressed. Hopefully I can get it to pass. I've already put a lot of work into it. Axle, lights, and some hard to find stuff. Think I am going to just replace motor instead of a rering

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1987 Chevy Sprint base 1.0 3cyl 993cc (R.I.P.)
1986 Chevy Sprint base 1.0 3cyl 993cc (Totaled)
1994 Geo Metro base 1.0 3cyl 993cc (Had to sell)
1996 Geo Tracker 1.6l 16v 4cyl 1590cc (Daily)

Blame it on the catalytic converter. I guess that is a bandaid approach. They put one on mine to get through emissions (but only small excess) but in my case I was convinced the converter was NG. The mechanic spotted the termperature at input and output. The temp must be higher at output than in, it being an after burner of sorts.
One thing you got wrong was the oil grades. 5w is lighter, not heavier. Your plan might call for 20-40 in some engines but not with hydraulic valves. Or two cans of STP, but again not good with hydraulic valves.
With my car, I think the IAC does not work. I was hoping they could fix that. The guy seemed like he knew all about it. But then the boss took over the job and slapped in the converter. So once smogged I went back to do-it-yourself. I own but have not installed a used ECM; though, in brain surgery, it is still possible to install a bad brain.

My 93 with the 1.0 and 3spd A/T (rebuilt in February at 198k) has 204K now and it's consuming oil and antifreeze, at least partly due to the head gasket. Next year around March is the last time it has to go through emissions. I'm hoping I can get it to pass. At least they have a law where if you pay at least $150 toward trying to make it pass, then you get an exemption. When it's topped up with fluids it runs ok so I see no point in forking over for a new engine until it gets to the point that it's no longer viable for short trips city driving. Highway driving, tends to do bursts of oil burning at times, but city driving? Not so much.

Seeing as how I just took it on a 4,500+ mile trip in this condition at 75-80mph in places (yes, the legal speed limit...) I see no point in a new engine when it can still haul ass, considering it's only a 3cyl with high miles!

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