Starting to Mod my Xfi

[bbjsw10]

Originally Posted by Johnny Mullet

The tint looks sweet!

I would have to say that you came a long way with that car, but the fuel mileage technically should be high fifties or more with an aeromodded XFi. I wonder if your car is actually running up to par? Have you performed a compression test on that thing yet?

I have been thinking same thing on mileage, should be higher. Compression was 1:205 2:190 3:205 so that seems to be good I may do it again just to make sure the #'s are right almost seem too good. (Which I may do yet tonight maybe, or tomorrow.)

I have a slight knocking I believe it to be a lifter on #1 cylinder from listening to it repeated times. I don't know if maybe the knock sensor is picking this up and en-richening fuel?

I have changed O2 sensor, plugs, wires, oil (engine & tranny), Plug wires, airfilter, ran seafoam in it. Set timing @ 7*btdc

I also cleaned out the egr valve and passages. They were not completely plugged just carboned a little.

I know my wheel bearings are getting slowly worse I heard them squeaking on way to lake the other day, the front 2 and right rear. Don't know on the brakes. Don't sound like dragging though and felt drums/rotors for excessive heat after driving and not too bad.

I am running 40 psi. in 35 psi. tires, all I feel safe with.

The cat does not seem to plugged. I am running out of ideas on what is holding me back. Never built a car for mileage before.

Any suggestions anyone?

[Will]

Are you certain the engine is original? I would almost wonder if something may have happened causing the engine to be replace with a regular non-XFi G10...

By the way... You need to replace those bearings ASAP. I had an XFi during the late 90's. It was only about 2 weeks after the noise started that I had a catastrophic failure on the passenger front end. The poor car was totaled!!! It was horrible.

[bbjsw10]

Originally Posted by Will

Are you certain the engine is original? I would almost wonder if something may have happened causing the engine to be replace with a regular non-XFi G10...

By the way... You need to replace those bearings ASAP. I had an XFi during the late 90's. It was only about 2 weeks after the noise started that I had a catastrophic failure on the passenger front end. The poor car was totaled!!! It was horrible.

I am pretty certain it is, but not for sure. Is there a stamping # for xfi blocks?
Or would I have to check the cam measurement somehow?

On the bearings, Thanks for the headsup I just told the wife what you wrote and she tired of me talking about and working on car all the time. I am going to price them tomorrow, kinda broke right now. That is why I have been doing everything on the cheap so far. Guess I am gonna just have to fork some money out and start buying and replacing some more parts.

If I had it my way I would just get a loan for like $2000 and totally re-do alot of stuff on it. But house, new Civic, bills, kid all add up fast.

[MetroMPG]

Even a little bit of brake or bearing drag will show up at the pump, in my experience. I'd look into that...

[bbjsw10]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

Even a little bit of brake or bearing drag will show up at the pump, in my experience. I'd look into that...

Thanks I am going to pull the wheels tomorrow and see WTF is going on in there.

I also used my dad's high end vacuum gauge tonight, it is running 16 in.hg. at idle and rises and returns correctly under throttle input. Not much jumping in it like my el-cheapo I have mounted on dash. Get what you pay for and mine was free what does that say.

[Johnny Mullet]

How does the car roll? Does it coast for long ways or slow down faster than expected? When at a stop, put it in 1st and slightly move the car and see if it stops right away or keeps rolling.

I noticed when I first got my Metro that it had one bad bearing and all the brake caliper slides and the part where the pads rest were really rusted up and slowing me down. Also be sure the parking brake is not hanging up.

[Will]

Lucky here, with 80 miles per day round trip my wife noticed the gas savings over my old Buick right away. She still makes fun of the little car, but loves the results.

There are always problems buying a car that old. Just be patient. You will get it dialed in. You are making great progress with it. I think Johnny might be on to something. I noticed that my "rolling" got a lot better with my recent alignment.

[Johnny Mullet]

Originally Posted by bbjsw10

I also used my dad's high end vacuum gauge tonight, it is running 16 in.hg. at idle and rises and returns correctly under throttle input.

18-22 is ideal at idle and yours seems a little low. Start looking for any vacuum leaks even if you already have looked before. I know there is a ton of vacuum lines, but start at one point and follow them carefully looking for any cracks or leaks. Even remove the air filter housing so you can see under the trottle linkage where there is a hidden line.

[MetroMPG]

That's good advice, Johnny. My car once developed a cracked vac line (my fault - forced the wrong size line over a tee attachment when I installed the cruise control) that was so bad the car went into closed loop running all the time. But it did not throw a code!

Meanwhile, it was running so rich it was leaving black smoke behind and getting 20 mpg (not kidding) according to the ScanGauge.

bbjsw10 - obviously you'd know if it was that bad, but a little leak could be throwing things off.

[bbjsw10]

Well I did compression test again.
Dry: 1: 200 2: 190 3: 190
Wet: 1: 210 2: 200 3: 195
Seem good to me within 15 psi of one another and was rated at 199 psi in book.

I also testing my coasting high and low speed fine, so no bad dragging.

And rechecked vacuum lines no leaks or cracks, sprayed intake manifold to throttle body, and intake to head with fine mist of water doesn't appear to leaking there. The only question on this though on the carbon canister there are 3 lines 1 to engine 1 to tank and 1 to ?. The one to gas tank is a steel line from front to rear Does this line carry vacuum, if it had a rust hole would that cause any issues?

I checked temp of catalytic converter after 20 minutes driving was 450* F don't know what it is supposed to be someone key in here if that seems too hot. Was testing with infrared thermometer to see if it is plugged.

The only thing I am thinking is I have not changed fuel filter and it looks a little rusty so probably been on there awhile. Could a fuel filter cause bad mileage? It seems to run pretty smooth. Except every once in a while at a light it starts to shake more at idle, not very often maybe 1 out of 20 times if that.

Alignment seems good it glides right down the road does not drift one way or other and coasts good.

I am running out of ideas.