Archives

I've owned 4 of these Geo Metros in the last 5 years. A 97 hatchback bought on ebay for $600 and delivered from Pennsylvania to NC for $125, a 96 sedan from a car lot for $1000, two Lsi convertibles, a 92 and 93, both within a Fri-Monday weekend for $600 and $500 respectively. That's $2825 for 4 cars. That is a lot of money saved for gas, taxes or insurance compared to getting a new car with similar f/e. I'm mechanically inclined so I felt this was my way to obtain better mpg.

I crashed the 97 Metro spectacularly because of my old driving style. Always in a rush, not looking far enough ahead, or often enough while also trying to input numbers in my new cell phone. I rearended a stopped Chevy Malibu at about 40mph, nobody hurt, albeit she was stopped in the middle of the road 100s of feet from the next stoplight. It was my fault. Other drivers have the right to stop or slow down. I have the responsibility to be aware of my surroundings especially if I'm moving a 1 ton piece of metal in someone's direction.

I mentioned this because I've been driving for 24 years, that is a lot of road experience, I have Class B CDLs, I've driven a concrete truck, I've been to drivers training through the company that provided my CDLs, I've driven for more than seven years in the military and I've delivered pizzas for the last nine years, over 50,000 deliveries which is a tremendous amount of behind the wheel time and an enormous amount of gasoline used. This experience means that.....

I've practiced both safe and unsafe driving habits for a very long time, I'm lucky to have survived some of the stupid things I've done while behind the wheel on public roads and I have wasted a lot of natural resources and money in order to do it quickly and often times dangerously.

I've known about getting better fuel economy by using a smaller displacement engine for most of my car life, Ieven bought Geos to compensate for my driving habits, I knew that aerodynamics was important. I understood that if I drove slower I could save money. But if I drove really fast, I came to complete stops when at a stop signs (because I'm a good driver, you know) and drove really fast again I would gain seconds on the other guy doing the same miles . So I used a lot of gas, replaced a lot of brakepads, clutches and totalled one complete car.

Only when gas was over $4.00 did it occur to me to change my driving style, I began to hear on the radio, read in the local hip community paper (Creative Loafing), about hypermiling.

It was probably back in June of this year, when I started doing some of my own research on the internet. I joined GasSavers.net, looked on Youtube.com for hypermiling techniques and Googled until 4AM many nights.

Then life happened, I got distracted and forgot about it again. I believe I heard about hypermiling one more time on the Charlotte, NC radio waves, with Wayne Gerdes sometime in late August and I had an epiphany, I should at least try it for one tank of gas. I mean if I doesn't actually work, all I've lost is maybe a few days of slower driving. I'm going to go to this www.cleanmpg.com site and check it out. Thanks Wayne.

So it really took radio more than once and from different people to finally sink it in for me to change these many decades of wasteful driving. DRIVING HABITS ARE BY FAR THE MOST IMPORTANT CHANGE TO INCREASE FUEL ECONOMY!!!

Wayne has allowed a forum for the Geo Metro and I am really excited to be able to participate here. I have to go deliver the pizzas but I'll be back early in the morning with my plans for my 92 Geo Lsi convertible.

Thanks again, Wayne for getting another bad driver off the road and retraining him. - Dale R. :flag:

DRIVING HABITS ARE BY FAR THE MOST IMPORTANT CHANGE TO INCREASE FUEL ECONOMY!!!
Quoted for truth.

Welcome!

Great story.

Welcome.

Hi Dale:

___Thank you for seeing what we have seen and I cannot wait to hear what you and your Metro can put out. If there is a 1990's vehicle to own for FE, the Metro/Swift is one of those vehicles.

___Thanks also for the encouraging story and I hope you provide us all with super tanks you will be talking about for a lifetime :)

___Good Luck

___Wayne

Thanks for the encouragement.

I bought two of these Lsi convertibles, one on a Friday (92) and the other on the following Monday (93) after looking for ONE for over a year. When it rains it pours. I immediately sold the better one (93) to my best friend since his car was broke and he was borrowing my Magnum for work. He also delivers pizza for another company. Sounds like Domiblows.

Here are some of the modifications I've already done and plans I have in the future for my 92 Geo:

As the car is currently: White body, tan top, 13" wheels, no hubcaps, stripped of carpet and interior plastic. I have all the interior trim. I only do city driving with this car. 400 - 500 miles a week. I used to "dog" the car everytime, all the time. I averaged about 31-33 mpg consistantly for the last year and a half. Last week (Sep3rd, 08) I committed myself to try hypermiling. I averaged 38.625 mpg on a partial tank of 7.5 gallons. I will be making some changes to the car as I try to increase my f/e.


Modifications already done:

Installed head with .060" milled off, turned cam lobs to compensate for lower deck height, modified timing belt tensioner for lower head and looser timing belt. This increases compression considerably giving a more efficient combustion while also closing the valves sooner.
Replaced rings (std) at odometer reading of 44100 (probably 244100) currently reading 55500 (Sep 9th, 08)
Removed carpet and interior plastic (top leaks around windows and I don't want to put my new carpet in car until it is water tight. Sadly, it may never go in.)

Cut, spliced and taped clutch pedal safety switch under dash to fix car not wanting to start without first being pushed slightly. (very aggravating when this happens 10+ times a day) And common with older Geos.
Installed missing passenger seat. ( www.pullapart.com , it's a do-it-yourself junkyard)

Planned Modifications
Engine modifications:

Put empty pizza box back in grill to block air to radiator. (Papa Johns medium box, OEM style) Raises water/engine temperature for more efficiency.

Install 195 fahrenheit thermostat. Mine is currently stuck open. I bought a new one today.

Redirect air intake to a warmer source. Allows gas to hit a warmer intake manifold than normal. Warmer intake manifolds cause gas particles to seperate and fill the same combustion chamber with less fuel. Colder intakes pack more fuel into a smaller area, ie. for racing purposes. I used to put a bag of ice on my intake manifold before lining up at the drag strip. It wasn't a Metro.

Change oil back to Mobil 1, this time 0W-30. Less viscosity is easier on centrifugal force of crankshaft. Ya'll knew that already.

Change transmission gear fluid to synthetic. Also less friction. I know obvious.

Wrap fuel tank with engine blanket or attach external block warmer. The warmer gasoline theory, Gas ignites without flame or spark at 536 degrees fahrenheit. My reference: http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/fuels-ignition-temperatures-d_171.html So this would be safe.

A possible heater candidate hooked up to an inverter in the trunk:
http://www.jcwhitney.com/OUR-BEST-UL-APPROVED-MAGNET-MOUNT-ENGINE-BLOCK-HEATER/GP_2000836_N_111+10201+600001648_10101.jcw It produces 250 degrees Fahrenheit

Line underside of hood, firewall and inner fender wells with reflective insulation.

Route fuel line to hot temp source before throttle body, either exhaust manifold or through modified heater core.

Wrap exhaust manifold with insulator wrap to maintain engine temp. allowing a more thorough burn.

Adjust ignition timing to 8* btdc. This seems to be the right amount for my engine.

Adjust cam timing by fabricated/modified cam gear, similar to Spoon cam gears for my old Honda Civic 99 Si (B16A2 engine series or Integra type R B18C5). A link to a Acura/Honda example: http://www.aj-racing.com/catalog/product.php?productid=725

Install diode to limit pulse rate of injectors, thereby decreasing fuel consumption. I don't think this is that simple. OK this might be a bad idea. Because: http://auto.howstuffworks.com/question257.htm So maybe I'll just replace the O2 sensor(s).

Body modifications:

Fabricate rear fender skirts. (any hints or advice from those who have done this?)

Install Moon Racing disc wheel covers on 13" wheels (unless 14" wheels improve f/e, I haven't researched this well enough) Link: http://www.hubcapmike.com/racing_disc_wheelcovers.html

Fabricate front engine shield to redirect/divert underside airflow. (anyone done this yet?) Here is an excellent slideshow: http://autospeed.com/cms/gallery/article.html?a=2456&i=22&count=12&slideshow=0

Here is the how to article and some air flow data for the project car, a Prius: http://autospeed.com/cms/A_2456/article.html


Fabricate underpan plates to smooth underside airflow if drag efficiency to cost/weight is acceptable. This is a good link, although it has only a single picture of a smooth undertray: http://www.autozine.org/technical_school/aero/tech_aero.htm This idea will be hard to realize, maybe even more so than the next one below.

Fabricate enclosed front fenders, best described as a bulging front fender skirt, if looking down on the hood it would resemble a cobra snakes head and would conceal all but the lower 6" of the front tires from the sides. This is not exactly what I envisioned but they have actually created an example so here goes: http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.decorides.com/foosebtss/IMG_2966_nn%2520(Custom).jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.decorides.com/carsforsale_highbouy.htm&h=267&w=400&sz=31&hl=en&start=5&um=1&usg=__MFoiD0092XjafUq-ECLJFCvFtzk=&tbnid=_EltuHJmiApqnM:&tbnh=83&tbnw=124&prev=/images%3Fq%3Denclosed%2Bfront%2Bfenders%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN


Replace drivers mirror with dash mounted side mirror. Remove passenger mirror, cover holes. I know I've seen this either here or at gassavers.net in the last two days, anyway...
Here is a good why and how to: http://www.metrompg.com/posts/mirrors.htm
Suspension modifications:

Replace struts. I just think they need it.

Refurbish engine/transmission mounts. I found a great how to link: http://importnut.net/motormount.htm

Lubricate wheel bearings with synthetic bearing grease. Ya'll know less friction.Now, when I P&G I can hear my right front roar. I wouldn't have heard it otherwise.

Increase tire pressure to 45 psi. Haven't found a comprehensive link to this daunting task but I'll keep looking. This video might help though: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07L4CHYQK0A

I will take pics of my car before and during and after each modification.

Wow, that is alot of work! I look forward to reading more! :)
I am looking around for a geo or chevy metro, unfortunately here in minnesocold, most of them are rusted badly.
I have a 91 mitsubishi that looks similar to a metro, but not nearly as efficient per the epa
and I am still getting into the mid 50s mpg. I think a good metro can get into the 60 or mabye 70s.
MT

MT bucket,

Yes it is. I'll just knock out all the easy stuff first, which always gives me a sense of accomplishment and false confidence. Then while entrenched and over my head I'll take each overwhelming task and break it down into smaller nearly impossible feats of daring and luck. It'll be easy.

Good luck!
I do delivery stuff too and that is really hard on the mpgs! I can get 34 mpg with my van, but doing deliveries keeps me in the mid to upper 20s...

I think a lot of my problem is I'm using a convertible and I've had the top down all but maybe 3 or 4 days of the last ten. I let a friend drive it for about 30 miles on my last tank. I've got some maintenance issues like the stuck thermostat and a wheel bearing needs to be repacked or replaced. These are easy fixes and I should have them done in the next few weeks. I'm really busy right now so I'm not on top of it, yet.

Well, ya gotta have the top down in a convertable! :)
my guess is it would only effect mpg at higher speeds.

35mph is a higher speed for a Geo! My God man, I don't have a deathwish. Seriously, I get passed by parked cars. No really, a turtle zoomed by me pulling a boat anchor and nearly knocked the dust off my car. If my car was any slower it would be a time machine into the past. - Dale

well, then, throw that top down and get that fresh air and sunshine! man I am getting hungry for pizza! ;)

Man, I'd love to have a convertible. You got those for a song. I would have the top down all the time, except for rain and snow. I just noticed this new forum.

I looked for a long time before I found them. Ebay was always too expensive or too far away to fly in and pick up.

Xcel started this forum for us Geo owners. If you have any tips, tricks or questions about the Geos post a new thread. Tell other Geo owners about this forum.

I'm going to take pictures of the repairs and improvements I'm doing to my 92 and post a new thread for each one. Maybe someone can use my projects as a visual guide for their Geo repairs.

If you have any suggestions or just need to know how to fix your Geo this the place.

Like you I love these old Metros. Had a 97 Lsi before trading for an Echo. Now looking for a 3 cylinder MT Metro.

You have a very long and ambitious list. I would encourage you to prioritize the list in a fashion which got to the most promising items first. Assuming you have already mastered the hypermiling techniques, which obviously includes driver behavior, then you can go onto you mod list. The most productive early mods are IMO:
1. Elevated tire pressure,
2. Grill block (particularly in your case where the car may be making multiple starts),
3. Belly pan
4. Rear tire skirts (or reverse 3 and 4 - not sure or order)
5. Other

Well, anyway, you get my line of thinking.

If you have not done so, buy a SCII. The instrument makes it much easier to gauge the results of modifications, and of course we'll all be asking for results numbers;)

I'd go very slow in modifying the fuel injection. There is danger there of burning a piston is the mixture gets too lean. I suspect that Suziki got it pretty much right.

Thanks for sharing your ideas. I always enjoy reading folks "engineering" approach to the FE problem.

Thanks for the encouragement!
I wish I could use a scangauge but my car is OBD1 and will not work with the SG1 or SC2. I have heard of/and seen on another forum a very complicated DIY using electronics that I have no experience with. Sadly no one I am familiar with has made one for the OBD1 cars as an off the shelf product.
Some of the things like impeding the fuel injectors with a diode has been done by someone I know but I am cautious to jump on that wagon until I have a greater knowledge of it's function and real case effects.

14.7:1 air to fuel ratio is not the most efficient, it is the standard, an SAE agreed upon ratio that combines MODERATE fuel economy with MODERATE performance. A higher Lambda number than 1.0 is desireble with awareness of increased heat and it's effects. I'm baby stepping this one.

I am leaning towards more aeromods through this winter as I can see their benefits immediately.
I really like Basjoos boattail and front fender well project on his 92 Honda, unfortunately he and it where in a late night hit and run this past weekend. You can search the forums for his BOAT TAIL for pictures if you haven't seen it. Dale

Reading these posts just makes me want to go out to garage and fabricate something !!!
Good Luck Dale