Ecomodding my winter beater: a unicorn no-rust (*) 2000 Chevrolet Metro 1.0 5-spd

[Shaneajanderson]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

^ You know about the Metro's rust-related Achilles Heel, right? The front control arm mounts rot from the inside out owing to water getting inside the structure.

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I re-packed the CV joint with grease (there wasn't much left in there) and covered the boot with gorilla tape and zip ties. That's what it's come to!


I wish I'd kept the spare axles when we made the ForkenSwift.


Anyway, the joint is quieter -- I could only cause it to make noise in one tight turn, though I didn't exactly punish test it. We'll see how long the "repair" lasts... someone on GMF said their gorilla-taped-up boot lasted many thousands of miles. Considering I put about 4k km / 2500 miles a year on this car, I'd be perty happy if the tape-boot lasted that long.

Yes I'm aware of the control arm mount issue, but again that is repairable with a little metal fab skill.

Ultimately the fact that a car as cheap as these has even lasted 30 years is impressive to begin with, but if they only have one major longevity flaw (2 if you count the second gear synchros), that's downright incredible.

Originally Posted by Xist

People replace rusted panels with new sheet metal, right?

What if it is really dented?

Just a good excuse to straighten out the dented panels, if you have to weld and paint them anyway, might as well tac some studs on to straighten the rest out.

[Xist]

Everyone told me to pretend it isn't there: https://ecomodder.com/forum/showthre...oof-36374.html

[MetroMPG]

(Not my CV joint)

Good news/bad news!


I've put about 500 km on the car since re-packing the CV joint with grease and taping up the boot. I am happy to report the axle is quiet - no more clicking!

So, note to others: if your joint starts making noise, it may be possible to save it if you deal with it ASAP.

However, the gorilla tape boot didn't last - it already split and spewed grease. I wonder if I over-stuffed it. I'm going to tidy it up and try once more.

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I also found someone selling a slightly used clutch kit which I may pick up when I'm in their neck of the woods next month. The Metro's clutch has been broken garbage from day one.

That said, soon I won't be driving this heap. In the next week or so, I'm going to park it until winter.

[Xist]

When I bought my first car, a 1987 Honda Prelude Si, it had split CV boots. I took it to two mechanics and neither caught that, but each said they only had time for a quick inspection, although both said that they would not be afraid of it. Then I finally had a mechanic do a full inspection and my $2,500 car required $4,000 in repairs.

I wish that I had kept that list and compared it to the repairs that it actually received, although those were often a result of learning experiences.

I am not sure if it was the good people in that shop that told me about kits like this: https://www.amazon.com/Dorman-614-53.../dp/B000C0YACC

No, not that kit, that one is for a Geo Metro, but ones like it. For $25 [each] I should have been able to more or less fix the problem. The problem was they then continued "You don't have a problem until you hear clicking when you turn" and somehow I thought that I did not need to worry about it until I heard clicking instead of deciding to fix it before it started clicking.

I do not have any idea if I paid to have the half shafts replaced in 2004. I just know that I wish that I replaced the boots in 2000.

I think that my Civic has ripped boots.
Put it on the list!

[mpg_numbers_guy]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

That said, soon I won't be driving this heap. In the next week or so, I'm going to park it until winter.

Getting Blackfly back on the road?

[MetroMPG]

Yeah, I'd like to drive it for a couple of months before the MPGiata comes out.



Have to iron it out with my insurance co -- they're giving me a hard time because I didn't drive it (Firefly) at all last year. Because of its age they say it needs a mechanical inspection before they'll re-insure it. Pain in the butt.

[MetroMPG]

For the first time since re-packing the CV joint with grease, I heard some clicking on a tight, up-hill turn yesterday. So I decided further inspection of the CV boot "repair" was warranted.

The gorilla tape is completely gone, except for a ribbon underneath the zip ties on either end.

Geometroforum, I fell for your ruse!

[Xist]

Foiled again!

[mpg_numbers_guy]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

Yeah, I'd like to drive it for a couple of months before the MPGiata comes out.

Have to iron it out with my insurance co -- they're giving me a hard time because I didn't drive it (Firefly) at all last year. Because of its age they say it needs a mechanical inspection before they'll re-insure it. Pain in the butt.

Do you not have annual vehicle inspections anyway?

[MetroMPG]

Inspections only when changing ownership. (Or if ordered by police.)

We used to have semi-annual emissions tests, but the new gov't cancelled them.