Starting to Mod my Xfi

[Johnny Mullet]

Man, that exhaust leak is pretty bad. When my cat started leaking at the main down-pipe, my mileage took a pretty bad hit of like 6-8MPG. My car idles very similar to yours, but maybe a tad smoother. Are you sure the timing is not too far advanced? Does the car "ping" on a hard load like going up a hill in high gear?

Fix that exhaust first so you can hear the damn thing. The timing belt tensioner is noisy like mine is starting to get.

[bbjsw10]

Originally Posted by Johnny Mullet

Man, that exhaust leak is pretty bad. When my cat started leaking at the main down-pipe,

Dude you are good!! I went out and checked it like "What exhaust leak?" and only way I could find it was by having my wife hold a clothe over end of exhaust and sure enough front seam on cat leaking. I am gonna replace it. It is original I'm sure.

I can get these at Advance Auto
Magnaflow Catalytic Conv.
While we find your parts, please enter your ZIP Code at PartsAmerica.com

Resonator & pipe
While we find your parts, please enter your ZIP Code at PartsAmerica.com

Muffler
While we find your parts, please enter your ZIP Code at PartsAmerica.com

Timing belt tensioner
While we find your parts, please enter your ZIP Code at PartsAmerica.com

I guess I will see if the My boss will let me charge it to our account at Advance Auto and take payments out of check. Crossing fingers.

[Johnny Mullet]

Actually, my boss let me charge the replacement trans, clutch and fluid, seals, etc when my Metro broke down. It was really nice of him to do that for me and I had it paid off in 6 weeks.

Let us know how it goes! I am sure after the engine is quieter, you will then be able to tell if the timing is too far advanced because you will be able to hear the engine under load. I had the same issue when timing mine. I could not really hear the "pinging" over the exhaust and found I was too far advanced at first.

[Roman]

Wow.. you can hear that from a simple video... I'll will also make one. I have a new exhaust end but the middle pipe is stil the original one. Maybe there is also somthing because of the noise.

What would removing the Catalisator doing for MPG.

[cfg83]

b(o)bjsw10 -

Originally Posted by bbjsw10

Hello everyone, I would like to first introduce myself. My name is Bob, and I recently purchased a 91 Metro Xfi. I was doing work for a customer, and I noticed he had a Metro 5 dr. I asked him if he knew of any for sale he told me "Yes I saw one today on way home from doctor's office, but I don't know if he is selling it." So I found out where it was and went to check it out.

...

Since then I have been very busy on it.
I changed the oil to 5w30 synthetic, plugs, wires, airfilter, tranny synthetic, set timing @ 7 degs.

I also fixed dent in hood kinda, I am no body man. But can spray paint and Rhino linings. Which is where I work at a combination of Rhino Linings, RV dealership, Ambulance remounting, all in the same building. Also do all the wiring on the vehicles that come in. I am the shop manager so I stay busy, and spray some of the best Rhino there can be (not bragging a lot of experience in it 7 yrs.)

...

Planned mods:
Rear wheel skirts just looking for free materials still, yea I am a cheapskate.
Front wheels skirts? maybe like Basjoos but different.
Air dam
wiper cowl
antenna delete I listen to cd's anyways
undertray/ diffuser
Some ideas?? suggestions I am a big boy I can take em.

Welcome to EM! I like the momentary off-switch. Good stuff.

I have a hypothetical question. Let's say you gutted the interior to reduce weight. Now you have a sharp/noisy/metallic interior. What if you Rhino-lined the interior? I think you would definitely reduce the risk of getting cut on sharp parts. Mayyyyybe the noisy rattles would also be reduced. But, would the Rhino liner add as much weight as you removed?

CarloSW2

[Roman]

I don't think removing the interior will improve. Atleast not mine. It's all plastic and when i remove all it would like only 1 kilo (2.2 lbs). It would be like the same as not eating before driving

[Johnny Mullet]

Originally Posted by Roman

What would removing the Catalisator doing for MPG.

It actually raised my MPG when removing it, but the original and replacement I got were both melted down. I have not cat at the moment........



Since my car had advanced OBDII being a 1998, the check engine light is on, but no effect on the way it runs.

[Roman]

Ok. so i will look for a cat replacement (without cat). An test is also. Lot's to do :P

[bbjsw10]

Originally Posted by cfg83

b(o)bjsw10 -


What if you Rhino-lined the interior? I think you would definitely reduce the risk of getting cut on sharp parts. Mayyyyybe the noisy rattles would also be reduced. But, would the Rhino liner add as much weight as you removed?

CarloSW2

Glad you liked the switch. Thanks.

Rhino Linings weighs about 11-12 lbs/gallon. It would take roughly about 2 gallons to spray interior, it comes out fast and is alot thicker than paint. So it would weigh approx. about 20-25 lbs more with Rhino. More than the plastics I would think.

But the Rhino would really protect more against rust and deaden the noise. It is a non-porous substance so will not let moisture get to metal.

Where I work is actually a Ziebart dealer too. So I can get rustproofing for cost. There is 4 businesses in one building all ran through my shop. Gets kinda crazy sometimes.

Ambulance remounts, RV dealership, Rhino Linings, and Ziebart we also do any automotive accessory you could think of, probably why I am bald.

[bbjsw10]

Well I ordered my parts today. $396.35 I only paid $440 for the whole car. I guess this is one of the reasons. Atleast I will be back to stock on exhaust. I wanted to replace with as close to original as possible. I didn't want to remove catalytic converter kinda goes against the whole ECOmodder part.

The parts will be in Saturday morning, I order the muffler, cat, resonator, expansion pipe, gaskets, and a new timing belt tensioner. When I replace the tensioner I think I am going to pull cam and lifters. And clean the lifters to see if I can get rid of that rattle while I am at it. Here is a how-to on that, I didn't write this one though. TeamSwift • View topic - Getting rid of lifter noise. Lifter Disassembly and Cleaning