CRXFi Build Thread (Geo Metro XFi drivetrain in Honda CRX)

[Christ]

Originally Posted by Wonderboy

Incriminating evidence

If I remember correctly, and I probably don't, the gushing happens after the thermostat starts opening. You should have the climate control all the way to hot, and the fan on full to minimize the gushing effect. It's basically going to keep happening until the engine's temp stabilizes, for the most part. It will still happen after that, because the stat is never just "open" or "closed". It's constantly opening and closing, if it's working properly.

IF you can borrow an IR thermometer, check the temp of the hoses after a warmup cycle... they should not be any hotter than ~220* under no load, and even that's fairly high. If you can't get one, get a couple meat thermometers and duct tape one to each hose, then stick one through the radiator fins so the tip is near one of the end tanks (go too far, thermometer stops reading... only the tip should be touching where you want to read temp from.)

The temps at idle should be pretty close to the same with each other, except when the fan turns on. If the fan comes on, the temps at one hose will drop by several degrees, and, depending on where your radiator probe is, that one may also drop slightly.

Still, get yourself some type of temp gauge, even a cheap one from autozone, and hook it up for safety's sake. No good reason to blow up an engine when you're this far into the game...

PS - I have some rear interior pieces you can have, the side panels, but they've been outside for, well, ever... you'd probably have to paint/dye them. They're yours if you want them. They're blue (faded) currently.

I also have one rear speaker bucket mount, and maybe a console cover laying around. Also all yours, if you want them. I'll have to dig around in my barn later today (Saturday) while I'm there. I'll probably call you later.

[Wonderboy]

You should have the climate control all the way to hot, and the fan on full to minimize the gushing effect.

I bypassed the climate control for the sake of getting it done, but I can probably do that now. I also have a block heater to put in there, but I have to get a special tee for it to mount it real low.

...except when the fan turns on. If the fan comes on, the temps at one hose will drop by several degrees, and, depending on where your radiator probe is, that one may also drop slightly.

I have not seen that fan move yet. It may be just because I'm not exceeding temps prescribed by the temp sensor, or temps are indeed too high, but the fan is not getting that message properly. I'm confident enough in myself to figure that one out. Thanks for the help Topher. Time to zonk out.

[Christ]

Originally Posted by Wonderboy

Time to zonk out.

!

[Wonderboy]

She survived her maiden voyage on real live roads! I pressed a thermometer into the fins for a quick and dirty temp reading, and it only got up to about 160, which would seem reasonable for a normal car and a trip as short as the one I took... it probably only could've gotten up to 180 given the margin for error with just pressing a thermometer probe up to the rad fins. It started off a bit shakey and actually stlled once - I was afraid it seized, but that didn't make sense because it was right off the bat, so I started it up again and pressed on, and I could almost feel it progressively getting smoother on lower end torque. It's still rough, but better than it was when I first set out. Hopefully those rings are setting!

[Christ]

It's critical at this point that you take the MPG hit and don't allow the engine to pull under full load. In other words, don't keep the RPM's as low as you normally might. Drive like a "normal" person, I guess. Shifting at 2500-2800 ish, gentle, but deliberate acceleration, etc.

If you want to stop the oil smoking immediately, do some mild engine braking (keep it under 2500 RPM). The vacuum on the top end will pull the rings out toward the cylinder walls and scrape the oil away so they can seat a bit faster.

With a little patience and proper technique, you'll have yourself a winner!

[Wonderboy]

Whoa, I just lucked out in a pretty big way. On the way back from the maiden voyage (I guess the route back is still the maiden voyage), I broke the pipe sheath weld on my axle in the middle of traffic with just enough momentum to get to the turn only lane where I was headed. When the light turned green, I had to creep through the intersection. Luckily there was no one behind me and I managed to make it to the curb on the road I was going to without any near collisions or angry honking. Minutes earlier I had been working with a friend who just so happened to be driving a SUV towing an empty trailer. I called him up, we threw 'er on the trailer, and drove the ~5 blocks of shame back to my house (also luckily VERY close to where this transpired). Wheew! I'm going to have to get a machine shop to make my next axle or see if another type of axle happens to fit, and hope that I can swap the transmission side knuckle from the XFi. Never done that before, so that could be interesting...
Guess this sets back engine break in a little while. That axle will be a VERY critical piece of this car... probably should get a spare made while I'm at it.

Shifting at 2500-2800 ish, gentle, but deliberate acceleration, etc.

This kind of became evident as I drove it around. Starting off from 1st gear sounded pretty ugly, like it was painful for the engine. I also started driving it like I'd normally drive, and sometimes that didn't sound very good either. I can tell driving "normal" is a very valuable suggestion here.

[Wonderboy]

I spend 1.5 hours NOT recovering an axle from a newer gen metro at the junkyard.

So aggravating when threads strip and bolt heads get all f%*@ed up, then the yard closes and threatens to release the dogs. They aren't kidding about closing at 4pm. Could someone here (Darin?) with a Mk3 measure the distance between CV boots? I'll probably find specs somewhere, but just as a backup I'd appreciate the heck out of that. I had an inkling of hope that there might be a stock axle out there that would fit my situation without modification.

Edit: This thread reinforces my hope that there may be some way to get the right length axle for my application. My custom axle is definitely more than 3.3" longer than the 27.5" deanholden from Teamswift claims the stock pass. side length is. Mine is ~34" in total length, and 16 1/4" from boot to boot. There is absolutely no way I increased that axle's length by 6"... it was more like 3". I would be so lucky and happy if that axle I was getting at the junkyard (from a newer 4cyl metro sedan - I think it was automatic too) fit my constraints. If that doesn't work, a 4cyl manual may. Does anyone here have (access to) a 1.3l mk3? I really should've just brought some measuring tape instead of potentially wasting that time and headache over removing an axle.

[Christ]

You could have cut a wire to measure it, as well... probably not thinking clearly when you're frustrated, though.

If I were going to be going to PAP anytime soon, I'd check it out for you... I'm not, though, other than to return some parts.

Hey, are there any decent looking lawn tractors or motorcycles at Gary's?

[Wonderboy]

Hey, are there any decent looking lawn tractors or motorcycles at Gary's?

They come and go like the wind, I see 10 tractors one time, 2 the next.Snowmobiles, motorcycles, tractors, push mowers... they all fluctuate dramatically every time I go. At this moment I'd say the tide is a bit low on tractors. That's one cool aspect of garys - they've always got peripheral junk to scavenge. Like PAP, it looks like they've been getting so many new cars lately that the updates on their email list are even less accurate than they usually are, which is not even close.

[Christ]

Originally Posted by Wonderboy

They come and go like the wind, I see 10 tractors one time, 2 the next.Snowmobiles, motorcycles, tractors, push mowers... they all fluctuate dramatically every time I go. At this moment I'd say the tide is a bit low on tractors. That's one cool aspect of garys - they've always got peripheral junk to scavenge. Like PAP, it looks like they've been getting so many new cars lately that the updates on their email list are even less accurate than they usually are, which is not even close.

PAP only has 2 guys on staff that even know how to access the website, as far as I know... of those two, only one apparently can edit anything, and doesn't do a very good job at it even when he does find the time.

Ironically, I believe the same company that controls PAP also controls Gary's, as well as a few other yards in the area. It's odd to think that for the same company to run the yards, prices and availability could vary so much. For instance, Gary's sells engines for $99 several times a year - while PAP does not. Ever.

Anyway, back on topic. If there's anything I can do, let me know. Unfortunately, I don't see myself making it out to Binghamton any time at least in the next 3 weeks. By then, you'll probably already have the car finished, at the rate you're working. I would like to come take a gander, at some point, though. At least I can have that satisfaction, even if I can't actually help.