I just finished changing the engine in my 95 3 cyl geo metro,

I just finished changing the engine in my 95 3 cyl geo metro, got all the connectors and vacuum lines that I marked back where they belong as far as I could see, but when I cranked it it puts out spark for a few revs then no more spark. I'd like to know what I might have forgotten or missed to cause this, it must be an ignition/computer glitch.

Customer (name blocked for privacy)

Hi Customer (name blocked for privacy)

Is this a replacement motor? did both motors have a crank sensor?

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1995 Geo Metro 3 cyl 5-speed

Already Tried:
Took the coil wire off and watched it spark briefly, looked like maybe a dozen sparks or about 5 - 10 seconds, then nothing. Car would begin to start then nothing with wire attached.

Engine is used, does the engine number tell the year? Mine is 95 I'm told 95 and older does not use a crank sensor, I don't know if the replacement engine had one, but would that matter if the car originally didn't need one? Where would I look on the block for one, or what would the harness have? I didn't see an extra connector.

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no sensor in that area, I remember when I took the old engine out there was no connector. Got a great photo of me standing in the empty engine compartment holding the engine (55 pounds minus manifold and head)

So there is no sensor on either motor...new or old? That's actually good news.

Do you still have access to the old motor? Are you running the distributor that came with the "new" motor or did you swap over with the old one? Also, at the back of the intake there is a multiple ground point under the throttle body. Check that ALL wires are secure. Check your ground under the battery on the trans too if you had it undone.

I had a bunch of swift motors lying around. Nothing like picking those up and walking around.

Let me know about the above and we'll go from there

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I have the distributor which was on the replacement engine still on it. Also, the original EGR unit had two connectors, the replacement engine had only one. Could this be the problem? Should I switch distributors?

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OK, I'm sure about my grounds, I paid close attention to them, so I will do the other things, but first I go to the gym so this thing won't age me prematurely, I will resume this sometime after 10

I will come on later tonight to see if we can get any further with this. Have fun at the gym

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OK, I'm back, don't know if I will do any work on it tonight, but if I change the distributor and the problem persists what would the next step be? I guess I should wait until I do it then scratch my head if I have to.

Try swapping the distributor back then let me know. Check those gorunds, make sure all your connectors are connected and seated fully.

From there we'll have to start testing components.

BTW, why was the motor replaced? Seized, knocking, smoking, dead cylinder?

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Car was purchased rust free with burned valves for $800 on ebay (!!!!) did the valves, installed XFI cam, then it smoked so opened it up to do rings, found cracked piston so changed pistons/rings. Didn't chase block threads or use new head bolts, so not torqued right, blew head gasket, water hit pistons which threw chips and which ground into cylinder, so I said screw it, got an engine with 68,000 mi with everything still attached (alternator, compressor, water pump, intake manifold, even the clutch) for $300, at the same had an Xfi trans. to put in, so I swapped cams again and here I am. Car ran great except for the smoke from rings etc., no sign of computer or other glitches. With 14" tires I am trying to get this close to 60mpg when I'm done.

Sounds like quite the task.

So your timing belt and distributor are installed correctly?

Even with 13"s your car should far exceed 50 mpg. I've got my 1.3 5-speed pushing close to 50 mpg with almost 300 000 kms.

Try swapping that distributor out. If that does not do it, we are going to have to start testing components and retracing your work.

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Car is running well, but now the idle is cycling from high to low almost stalling every 20 seconds. Is this an idle control sensor issue?

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BTW... thank you very much for the bonus. I'm a musclecar guy through and through, but after buying my Swift years ago, I love these cars to death. They are like mini gas sipping go-karts! It's nice to save another one from the scrapyard.

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We don't use the word "retarded" anymore, we say that the timing might be "developmentally disabled" . I doubt that it's timing, car started and ran great until it warmed up, I installed the distributer in exactly the same rotational position as the old one, so it has to be damned close if nor right on. As I recall, there were no open vacuum lines or fixtures but I will double check. Should I check an appropriate sensor?

Cars are like lawnmowers, the model T of the modern age. Was thinking of hooking it up to my combine for next year's corn harvest. Maybe I'll put the air cleaner on, I still think in old carburetor terms as if it will run like that, so let's see

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good riddance as far as daily drivers go. On the other hand, mighty impressive ineed was my '58 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham with the factory tri-power, 365 V-8, stainless steel roof, air ride, suicide rear doors, and automatic electric memory seats (Powered by 1" thick cable bundles and pressure switches in the seat) . Had a real Ghostbusters car too, '59 Superior body hearse, beautiful aircraft canopy style curved glass in the back with chrome around each pane, 390 engine with 4 barrel Carter, 325 horsepower with a 4-speed hydromatic tranny, fire engine red, the surfmobile from hell. Got chased by a lot of small town cops, sued a few for harassment. Thunder Road!

Idle has stabilized, a little rough but I think timing will take care of that, but there are two connectors which I'd like to figure out. One, with wires Green, Orange/Green stripe, Green/black stripe connects to a vacuum line with something like an in line filter then to the manifold. With the previous engine if I plugged it in the engine ran so badly that I couldn't drive it. During idle on this one plugging it in cause slight fluctuation, but if I then unplugged it engine stalled. Don't know about driving it as car is still on stands. What should I do about this? What is this? Other plug I marked with an "X" I think because it didn't have a maye, it is red/blue stripe, and white/black stripe. Thanks. Oh, do you know if aluminum wheels (14") would be lighter, or differ enough over steel to make a mileage difference?
Thanks

Geg

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Both of my Caddys were rusting that's why I sold them before they were gone. The one with green and orange is on the firewall beneath the passenger side wiper, has some kind of filter and vacuum line aattachment. red and white is just beneath air cleaner intake.

ok, I'm going to go run out in the garage and check. One sounds like your map sensor which will have to be plugged in.

Give me a few minutes.

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Well,

The 3 wire connector on the firewall is your MAP sensor as I suspected. That definantly needs to be hooked up.

Remember you said your original EGR had 2 hook-ups? Well those are vacuum switching solenoids. Transfer those off your old motor to the new one. Inspect the location of the vacuum lines before you pull them off so you hook them up the same way on the new motor. Those vacuum sensors are controlled off the MAP readings.....which may explain a few things if the MAP was disconnected.

This should get you pretty darn close. Set that timing so you know for sure that it is correct.

Edited by CDNRobb on November 12 2008 at 8:17 PM

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Good, will do. But why did it make the other engine run like crap when I plugged in the MAP connector? And do you mean I should transfer the entire EGR assembly which has the connectors?

You may have other sensor issues on the original motor.......too many variables to guess at.

You should be able to leave the actual EGR on there, just that metal bracket with the 2 switches, swap that over and hook your lines up. That should account for one extra connector.

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I think I will have to change the vacuum line routing, yes?

That's why I was saying to look at the old motor first before you pull the switches off. The 2 switches will have a slightly different vacuum hook-up then the 1 switch.

Just look at where they attach to the manifold, and which ones to the EGR. You should be able to take the bracket off with the switches and lines intact. Just undo the connectors, then pop the lines of the EGR and intake.

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yes, that's what I planned, should be no prob

Perfect,

You should be good from here on out. Just double check your work (plugged in connectors/vacuum lines) and you should be cruising around the streets in no time!

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Yeah, and I'll be too small for the cops to notice, drive like an old lady, not like that old cop magnet/surfmobile from hell. You should see the photos I have of that beast! It was like driving a submarine with wheels, all 3 tons of it. Thanks again for everything, you're like the two Magliozzi bros in one, except for the insane laughter.

lol.

Hey no problem. That's what we are here for. Glad to help.

Noone may notice you in the little putt-putt, but you're going to love the gas mileage! Less speeding tickets too!

Take care.

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Can you tell me about cleaning the EGR? Is it just opening it up and cleaning out wahtever you see such as deposits?

Greg

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The EGR is the black plastic thing on top, or the metal one attached to the intake?

Also, several of the lines from the canister have been disconnected since I bought the car, and a friend has one which also has them disconnected, is this serious? Never affected the engine as far as I could tell.

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The change seems to be incompatible, unless simply connecting the relay will help. The new engine lacks a vacuum port which the old one has directly beneath the throttle control. Here is what I have, new engine in car: Front of manifold goes to Y fitting on top of blue relay, "P" out of cacuum modulator goes to other fitting on same "Y" . Q out goes directly to top of EGR

On old engine P out goes to bottom of second brown relay, top of that relay is plugged. Q out goes to top of blue relay, bottom of blue relay y fitting goes to vacuum port beneath throttle, and to top of EGR..

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Meanwhile I don't think that should be a huge problem, so I will let it go for now, see about the timing, see how it runs. blue switching valve has the correct connector in place, as I said I could simply connect the brown valve to the plug if that would make the computer happy

Thanks

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Thanks, no worries, the bulk of the work is done, got iridium plugs (they were all out of plutonium) Now to apply POR-15 paint to problem areas underneath, and I'm ready for $10/gal prices or until electric cars start turning up used and in junkyars. Thanks for everything

Not a problem.

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Hello again, Anyone there? Engine runs great, but having trouble shifting the 5 speed. Shifts fine for a few starts and stops, then it gets stuck in 1st and doesn't want to come out, and sometimes in gets stuck in 3rd. Is this a linkage adjustment? I put an Xfi transmission in when I changed the engine. Thanks

Hi,

The bushings in the shifter rods under the car are notorious for going bad. They either wear out and get extremely loose (making the shifter loose) or they seize up (stiff shifter). There are 2 shift rods under the car. Change the bushings on both ends, on the bottom of the shifter and at the trans. Lube the bushings and bolts LIBERALLY before putting the through bolts back in and the nut on. DO NOT over tighten the nut, just snug it up......that will cause the bushing to bind up and you'll end up back were you are with a stiff shifter. Did you really reef the nuts tight when you put the tranny in?

The bushings are still available from Suzuki and reasonably priced.

If the shifter is that stiff, you may have a tough time pulling the through bolt out. Lots of lube and keep twisting it back and forth.

There is no "adjustment" on the shift rods.

Edited by CDNRobb on November 19 2008 at 1:12 AM

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I just finished changing the engine in my 95 3 cyl geo metro,

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