Geo Metro Conversion - Standard to XFI

[SirKeats]

Is it possible to convert a standard geo metro to an XFI metro? What would be involved?

[SVOboy]

It definitely is, but I'm not the expert! I know you'll at least need the xfi cam (or a regrind of yours, which I hear is now only like 50 bucks) and the transmission and ecu, but that's all my honda brain can help.

Welcome to ecomodder!

[SirKeats]

thanks!

if the regrind is 50 bucks... that's awesome. not sure how easy it would be to come by a tranny, though i've just been told by someone who rebuilds the things that simply sticking 13inch wheels and tires on can achieve similar results.

that leaves the ecu. are those easy to come by? aftermarket?

[SVOboy]

I'm sure you can get the ecu out of a junkyard, so it's prolly as easy to come by as any other XFi parts. *shrug* I know people have found these things, so I wouldn't call it impossible, but I don't honestly know.

[Coyote X]

transmission and cam are the two big items to get better mileage.

The others are smaller gains and probably can be made up for with other mods that are easier. The computers are almost identical and there is almost no gain to be had from swapping them. It really is not worth crawling under the dash to swap them even if you had one. The other difference is the xfi has 1 compression ring instead of two so the only way to duplicate that is to tear the engine down and rebuild it but use only the top compression ring. That is a huge amount of work for maybe 1mpg

Best bet is to get the xfi cam either at a junkyard or send in a stock one to get reground. Set the cam advance to whatever matches your driving style, usually a few degrees advanced by drilling a new indexing hole in the sprocket. And finding a better geared transmission. Here are the available ratios and what they came out of:

The available transmission ratios and what they are out of:

* 3.52:1 1.3L SOHC Swift up to mid year ‘95
* 3.79:1 98-01 4 cylinder Metro
* 3.85:1 XFi Metro
* 3.95:1 mid year ‘95 up 1.3L SOHC Swift
* 4.10:1 Swift GT, GTi, 95 and earlier Metro
* 4.39:1 Metro Convertible, 96+ Metro

Find a 3.85 or better and go with 13 inch or 14 inch tires and you will drop the rpms by about 600 at 60mph.

So with the xfi cam and 3.52 gears and taller tires you should be able to beat the xfi mileage.

[Johnny Mullet]

Originally Posted by Coyote X

Set the cam advance to whatever matches your driving style, usually a few degrees advanced by drilling a new indexing hole in the sprocket.

So can you take a "Stock" non XFI metro 1.0L camshaft sprocket and drill another hole at say 185 degrees (in the clockwise direction) and install the sprocket with the new location and get better fuel economy? Or does the cam have be reground also?


Would this work without resetting ignition timing because you changed cam timing?

[Coyote X]

I drilled an extra 3 holes in my sprocket so I could vary the timing a few ways to experiment. The way I did it was to set the ignition timing at 0 with the cam in the stock position then change to one of the other holes and check the timing till I found a combination of holes and belt tooth positions that gave me the advance range I wanted. After that I set the ignition to whatever I was using at the time.

The distributor will always move the same amount advanced or retarded as the cam so if you start with the ignition at 0 then it is easy to see what the cam is doing. You will have to reset the timing when you are done anyway so use it to make sure the cam is where you want it. The xfi has the same cam sprockets as the other metros so there is no need to worry about what one is best.

The best mileage I found was with the xfi cam advanced 4-5 degrees and everyone on teamswift says a standard cam is best at 10 degrees advanced. So 10 degrees is about half a tooth distance, one tooth off on the belt and you are 18 degrees off, so you can pretty much eyeball where the hole needs to be for 10 adv. But if you don't want to try it they are sold on teamswift for like 25 bucks already drilled at 10 degrees.

[Ryland]

I just did a quick search on car-part.com and the most expensive xfi tranny I found was 47 miles away from me at $600 but there were 6 others within 100 miles ranging from $90-$125

[saintg2005]

Does anyone know where I can find an XFI cam or who regrinds them?
PM me if possible thanks. Ive been looking through posts all morning so it'll be hard to remember which one I posted to.

[99metro]

You need to lighten the car by about 150 lbs also to simulate an XFI. Changing the rings isn't THAT hard. Remove the head, remove the oil pan, pop the piston out the top and remove a ring, pop the piston it back in, reassemble. but but but, really not worth the effort IMHO. Just get an economy cam (or XFI cam) from Mike Covington at 3tech and and advanced timing sprocket (8*) and that would be pretty close. Talk to him and see what he can set up for you.

I have an economy cam and 8* sprocket in a box waiting to go in when I get the gumption to wrestle with it. I had a hard time takling off the old-style crank gear, so I just left it and used all the old stuff from the JDM. One day I'll convert to the newer square sprockets.