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

[Christ]

I actually usually use a cordless drill with a socket attachment. Is quick, but doesn't hammer the race.

[Wonderboy]

Are you sure the axle nut was tightened adequately? From a quick google search it looks like it should be 180ft*lbs

Bingo! That's exactly what happened. The Geo hub spline is too long, and if put all the way into the spindle, the splines poke out so that even if the axle nut were tightened all the way down, it wouldn't be hugging the bearing, it would just be at it's dead end. When I replaced the bearing the first time I forgot to add my small stack of washers to the back of the bearing. I made sure to do that this time, and tighten the snot out of it with a big breaker bar. I'm very sure I got at least 180 ft lbs on that sucker; I pulled it real hard. I've been driving it around with no sign of bearing failure again.

I've been eliminating minor annoyances like rattling sounds from the muffler and doors. I added a killswitch, successfully employing the coil driver wire method (divert it to a normally closed switch on the shifter knob). Works like a charm, did not use a relay. For safety it might be a good idea though.

Problem of the day is that no matter what gear I'm in, but especially second gear when accelerating away from a stop, at a little over 2k RPM, I get hesitation/jerking sputters. Someone told me to try changing the spark plug gap, as he'd had a similar problem whose remedy was spark plug gap widening. This sounds feasible, as I added singh grooves and the dynamics in the cylinders is definitely gonna be different than OEM. Thoughts? I still haven't gone through and checked all the solderless connections I made, but this problem really does not behave like a faulty wire... it reliably happens every time at that RPM when throttle is applied, no matter how fast or slow acceleration is, no matter if the car is turning or not. On a related note, I don't think my timing is quiiiite right yet either, as in higher speeds/rpms, I'm getting more vibration than I think I should. This could be a 3 cyl thing, but I know what a metro is supposed to feel like. Takes a pretty long time to start up from cold too - often needs a little throttle help to start up, but then won't stay running at idle until I get a solid minute of driving in.

I appreciate everyone's help and insight with this project. Feels great to finally start driving it around and not having to stop and fix something catastrophic every time I take it out for a ride. I'm figuring a lot of this stuff out for myself as I go, but it's nice to get input and document it here. I'm probably going to move a bunch of the content I've made to crxfi.com, which I purchased a while ago. In due time, folks. In due time.

[Christ]

1. I hope we can't attribute the issue to the grooves. Highly unlikely.
2. What have you done so far to remedy the situation?
3. If you use more t throttle than normal, does the problem go away? Get worse? Less throttle?
4. Sounds like an idle bypass problem, if that engine has one.

[robertwb70]

What year is the G10 you have in there?

If it has the vacuum advance dizzy maybe the hoses got switched? it's a long shot but really easy to try it and see.

[Wonderboy]

More updates!
Done a couple more things to remedy, some of which have improved the situation. I fooled around with the timing and I suspect that I may be off a tooth. I've found that the most optimal timing I can get is by retarding the timing way back as far as the dizzy will go back toward the firewall. According to the mark I put on the crank pulley, it's well over 20 degrees btdc... but now I can actually accelerate in 3rd 4th and 5th gear. amazing what timing can do. I'm starting to gain an invaluable sense for what things are supposed to feel like, sound like, drive like. That stuff can't really be taught, you just have to feel it when its wrong to know what's best. Much of the hesitation problem around 2k rpm has disappeared, but still lingers a bit sometimes. I suspect that the timing needs to be retarded slightly more, which is not possible until I actually knock the cam back one tooth. It seems like this will cure that problem. I also gapped my plugs to 1.1mm. That was the first time I'd seen them since the rebuild. They looked gray and had a very slight crusty buildup. Looked all the same and pretty healthy from my experience with spark plugs.

What year is the G10 you have in there?

It's a 92, so no vacuum hoses going to the dizzy.

I can't wait to load the car up pretty heavy once I get my timing sorted out to its optimal setting and go on the highway to see how much power I have with the stock XFi trans. If I feel it's excessive enough, I'll swap in the 3.52FD swift transmission for even longer legs! This car's second long voyage is nearing...

[Christ]

Where you headed on that "long voyage"?

[MetroMPG]

I haven't looked up the numbers yet, but I think the gen 1 Insight may have even taller gearing than the 3.52 f.d. Swift.

What little driving I've done in the Insight has mostly been with the hybrid stuff disabled - meaning 67 hp max power from the 995cc 3-cyl, in a slightly (~50 lbs) heavier car.

OK, looked it up...

3.208 (f.d.) & 0.710 (5th) - Insight

Compared to the Swift transmission...

3.523 (f.d.) & 0.757 (5th)

So both the final and top gears are taller in the Insight than the Swift.

All of which is to say: I think you'll find the 3.52 gearing just fine.

The Insight has made me wish for even taller gearing (than the current 3.52) in the 3-cyl Firefly.

[robertwb70]

Yep, if you have to go to the end of the slot on the timing adjustment you're off a tooth on the timing belt, or the engine is very tired which I doubt since you probably would have a host of other symptoms as well (like massive amounts of blow-by).

I'm on the lookout for a 3.52 trans myself but just about anything would be better than what I have.

[Wonderboy]

More updates and questions!
I moved the camshaft one tooth back to see what it would do (the best setting previously was setting the dizzy ALL the way back, and even then it didn't seem that great). I moved the belt one tooth forward (or set the cam one tooth back, whichever way you look at it). This resulted in the timing being after TDC, so I moved the dizzy back as far as it can go again, which resulted in my own little gouge mark on the crank pulley indicating about 10 deg btdc. Now the low end is pretty different... just usable. I can get along if I rev a little bit before taking off from a complete stop. The top end if beautiful now. Nice and smooth. The acceleration used to be pretty fierce on the bottom end, but it would top out and not be that great on the highway. Tough to strike a balance here... is accomplishing this balance achieved using one of those custom sprockets? Is that whay they're for?

In other news, I was driving to Providence with the Civic and the driver's side front lower ball joint just suddenly sheared off.... luckily there was no major accident. whacked the guardrail a little. No damage to the undercarriage or me. Woohoo! Feels pretty awesome to be alive.

[robertwb70]

Sounds about right, stock G10s don't start to pull well until the RPMs get up there, you can either switch to an XFI cam or get a gear (or drill your own) to advance the stock cam (10 degrees works nicely, one tooth on the pulley is 18 degrees, a bit too much...).

Good to hear you survived what could have been a much worse situation.