1999 Chevy Metro 1.0L 5spd ecomodding thread

[Daox]

Thanks guys, I'll start working on the replacement. Info on the battery replacement and subsequent alternator delete will be documented here:

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...ete-30363.html

On the commute in, I got a very nice 63.8 mpg in this morning. I was pretty happy with that. It was a bit warmer out which I'm sure helped. Still got nailed at a light or two though, so I know I could have easily had a 65+ commute in the same weather (~40F).

[Daox]

Quick 'mod' once I got home tonight. I removed the rear sway. It was clanking around too much back there. So, yay, ~3lb weight reduction.

Here is how it was.



This is what was holding it from clanking too much. I dunno why this seemed easier than removing two 12mm bolts.

[Xist]

How was it supposed to be secured?

[Daox]

We had a heat wave today, it was 55F out this morning. That made my commute in good for 67 mpg! I also filled up for the first time. 7 whole gallons from almost on E haha. So, thus begins the first full tank on the Metro.

Here is a better image of the rusted mounts. The things on the middle of the bar are supposed to be attached to the chassis where the rust spots are.

[MetroMPG]

67! Nice! Hopefully the SG calibration is close - how long before your next fill up, do you figure?

[Daox]

Well, I had maybe a half tank when I started driving it about a week and a half ago. So, I'd guess 3 weeks roughly.

[Daox]

Just barely eeked out 60 mpg this morning. 35F out today.

Needz moar mods! I have a few on the horizon, just need some time to get them done.

Does anyone have any good examples of how to grill block this thing's funky huge grill?

[MetroMPG]

I have ideas, but none of them are quick. (EG: mine uses a vinyl "bra" that I made specifically for the car.)

Just duct tape some black plastic over it until you get your other mods done. 10 minute task.

You're wastin' fuel every day that you don't! :P

[Daox]

Haha, yeah I'll work on it soon enough.

Oh yeah, I also found out my backup lights aren't working on the Metro last night. I'm not sure what the deal is since they're both out. The rest of the lights are working fine.

[Daox]

I did some research and figured the optimal MAP to accelerate and run the engine at. Since then I've seen a small bump up in fuel economy. On Friday, I had a wonderful 68 mpg commute in despite it being only 29F out. The return home also showed a very nice 58 mpg. I'm not sure its totally due to running the engine a bit more optimally, but I was shocked enough to see such high numbers that I rechecked my scangauge calibration.

In other news, I had a little time to work on the car today. It was oil change day.

I started with the engine oil. I have no idea how many miles are on it since I just bought it, and I figure putting in some synthetic wouldn't hurt either. I had dumped in 1/3rd can of seafoam in when I first got the car, so that hopefully did its job and cleaned some stuff up. It did come out pretty dark.

I replaced it with the same oil I recently put in my Prius, its Valvoline NextGen recycled synthetic 5W-30 oil. This was my left over from doing the Prius, so I also put a little under a quart of generic synthetic 5W-30.





Next up, I went ahead and changed the transmission oil. Metro owners swear that synchromesh is worlds better for the transmission, so I'm putting some in. I haven't driven the car yet, so I have no feedback yet.





The procedure was pretty simple though. First, remove the fill plug (upper right, its removed already in the pic). Then, remove the drain plug (bottom, under the plate). Let it drain out, clean the magnet on the drain plug. Reinstall the drain plug.





Now, remove the bolt shown on the top of the transmission. The fill plug is a bit hard to get to without a funnel and a hose. Some searching online found that this bolt is a through hole, and with the nice tips on the bottles, its easy to fill it up that way.





Just fill it up until it starts to come out of the fill plug on the back of the differential. Lastly, reinstall the bolt and plug and you're done.





I'm looking forward to seeing if this makes the Metro shift a little easier. I've had an instance or two when it wouldn't go into gear quite as easily as I'd like it to.