EagleFreek
New member
Due to recent events in my life, I needed to relocate from co to tn. I previously drove my amc eagle to tn and needed to retrieve the metro. I hadn't driven it much after getting it running but decided to gamble on the 1375 miles trip.
I had to do a couple things to the metro before I left. I installed new taillights and made and installed a new cvr for the gauges using radio shack parts that I found in a how to on the net. I also needed a spare tire. I had 245/75/16's that I had previously scored on craigslist for $40 with wheels. I was skeptical that they would make it. While looking for a spare I found a set of 235/85/16 on wheels for $120. They were in excellent shape and I bought them for $110. I installed them and they made a big difference. I was able to go faster and/or keep my rpms a little lower with the taller tires. On Thursday afternoon I loaded it up and was ready to go.
I left littleton, co Friday at 6:15 am. I was amazed at how well it ran on the highway with the new tires. I actually got it up to 74 mph a few times. When I got to my first gas stop, I was surprised by the amount of oil under it. About a half a quart. It appeared to be gear oil. A buddy of mine said the ice cream truck was leaving a trail of chocolate sauce from co to tn. :d
I checked the engine oil and it was at the full line.
I went across the street to mcdonald's and noticed the right rear axle was leaking.
Luckily it's a full floater axle and all I needed to do was tighten the bolts and it fixed the leak.
Back on the road and it was clear and sunny but cold. The metro is really drafty. I would try to identify leaks and fix them with duct tape. Especially the dime size hole in the windshield.
About halfway between colby and hays, kansas. I noticed a clanking sound on the front right side. I pulled over and found my front right shock mount was loose and held on by one bolt. It originally was held on by rivets but one was broken and the other loose and I had previously fixed it but I guess not good enough. I couldn't get to my box of bolts so I tightened the loose one and decided to fix it in hays.
When I got to hays I bought some gear oil to fill the leaking transmission which had to have lost a couple quarts by now. To my amazement it was full right to the bottom of the fill plug. Oops forgot to fix the shock mount.
About 50 miles to salina, ks, I heard another clanking but it was much worse. When I pulled into salina to get fuel, I noticed the shock mount was broken where the one bolt was holding it. I decided to take the shock off and use the one bolt to hold it on since it also holds the radiator and keeps it from hitting the fan.
At this point I also noticed the clutch was slipping under heavy loads. The stretch of road between salina and topeka has some really steep inclines for bad clutch. I was able to baby it though there by gaining as much speed as I could going downhill to help keep momentum. I also watched the tach to make sure it wasn't slipping.
My goal was to make it half way, which was st louis, mo. When I got there at about 9pm cst, I was wide awake and decided to keep going. After encountering a few drunks on the highway even though I wasn't tired I decided to stop. I pulled into a rest area in wright city, mo, approximately 820 miles from my starting point at 1:15 am. It took me a little while to wind down. It was cold and I bundled up but I was already chilled to the bone from the drive. After tossing and turning in the passenger seat I decided this wasn't gonna work and decided to head back on the road. At that point I looked my phone and realized it was 4 am and I had slept for 3.5 hours. I thought it was 15 minutes.
It was great going through st. Louis at 5 am with no traffic. Illinois was uneventful and I cruised at 70 for about 10 minutes and then back to my 65-68 average. I stopped a couple more times to get fuel and it was using engine oil. So I figured it was leaking out the rear main and the front trans input seal. I stopped in kuttawa, ky for gas and breakfast. I stopped at a huddle house. I gobbled down a mediocre breakfast but absorbed the heat from the restaurant. I also added gear lube to the transmission. It took about a quart and a half.
With only 204 miles to go, I was determined. Stopped in springfield, tn for fuel and had 3 different guys ask me about it the gas station.
Back on the road and on the home stretch. Driving through nashville was also uneventful and I got about 40 minutes from my destination when I came upon on steep grade on I-65. I got about half way and was worried I wasn't going to make it. I had to pull into the emergency lane and by the time I crested the hill I was going 10mph with the clutch slipping bad. I was worried I got so close and was going to complete the adventure in a tow truck. I encountered a few more hills but was able to get over them. I was hungry but didn't want to chance toasting the clutch on one last on ramp.
Off the main highway and about 30 minutes to go.
Victory!!!!!!!!! I rolled in about 1:15pm Saturday.
My Dad had kfc waiting on the table and I tore into it. Hot shower and then bed. I slept for 12 hours and woke up at 2:30am and back to bed at 4:30-10.
There were times going up some of those hills that I thought I shouldn't be able to make up the hill.
The old metro is going to sit until I can get to the oil leaks. It also developed a squeal. Most likely the alternator. It was a blast.
I had to do a couple things to the metro before I left. I installed new taillights and made and installed a new cvr for the gauges using radio shack parts that I found in a how to on the net. I also needed a spare tire. I had 245/75/16's that I had previously scored on craigslist for $40 with wheels. I was skeptical that they would make it. While looking for a spare I found a set of 235/85/16 on wheels for $120. They were in excellent shape and I bought them for $110. I installed them and they made a big difference. I was able to go faster and/or keep my rpms a little lower with the taller tires. On Thursday afternoon I loaded it up and was ready to go.
I left littleton, co Friday at 6:15 am. I was amazed at how well it ran on the highway with the new tires. I actually got it up to 74 mph a few times. When I got to my first gas stop, I was surprised by the amount of oil under it. About a half a quart. It appeared to be gear oil. A buddy of mine said the ice cream truck was leaving a trail of chocolate sauce from co to tn. :d
I checked the engine oil and it was at the full line.
I went across the street to mcdonald's and noticed the right rear axle was leaking.
Luckily it's a full floater axle and all I needed to do was tighten the bolts and it fixed the leak.
Back on the road and it was clear and sunny but cold. The metro is really drafty. I would try to identify leaks and fix them with duct tape. Especially the dime size hole in the windshield.
About halfway between colby and hays, kansas. I noticed a clanking sound on the front right side. I pulled over and found my front right shock mount was loose and held on by one bolt. It originally was held on by rivets but one was broken and the other loose and I had previously fixed it but I guess not good enough. I couldn't get to my box of bolts so I tightened the loose one and decided to fix it in hays.
When I got to hays I bought some gear oil to fill the leaking transmission which had to have lost a couple quarts by now. To my amazement it was full right to the bottom of the fill plug. Oops forgot to fix the shock mount.
About 50 miles to salina, ks, I heard another clanking but it was much worse. When I pulled into salina to get fuel, I noticed the shock mount was broken where the one bolt was holding it. I decided to take the shock off and use the one bolt to hold it on since it also holds the radiator and keeps it from hitting the fan.
At this point I also noticed the clutch was slipping under heavy loads. The stretch of road between salina and topeka has some really steep inclines for bad clutch. I was able to baby it though there by gaining as much speed as I could going downhill to help keep momentum. I also watched the tach to make sure it wasn't slipping.
My goal was to make it half way, which was st louis, mo. When I got there at about 9pm cst, I was wide awake and decided to keep going. After encountering a few drunks on the highway even though I wasn't tired I decided to stop. I pulled into a rest area in wright city, mo, approximately 820 miles from my starting point at 1:15 am. It took me a little while to wind down. It was cold and I bundled up but I was already chilled to the bone from the drive. After tossing and turning in the passenger seat I decided this wasn't gonna work and decided to head back on the road. At that point I looked my phone and realized it was 4 am and I had slept for 3.5 hours. I thought it was 15 minutes.
It was great going through st. Louis at 5 am with no traffic. Illinois was uneventful and I cruised at 70 for about 10 minutes and then back to my 65-68 average. I stopped a couple more times to get fuel and it was using engine oil. So I figured it was leaking out the rear main and the front trans input seal. I stopped in kuttawa, ky for gas and breakfast. I stopped at a huddle house. I gobbled down a mediocre breakfast but absorbed the heat from the restaurant. I also added gear lube to the transmission. It took about a quart and a half.
With only 204 miles to go, I was determined. Stopped in springfield, tn for fuel and had 3 different guys ask me about it the gas station.
Back on the road and on the home stretch. Driving through nashville was also uneventful and I got about 40 minutes from my destination when I came upon on steep grade on I-65. I got about half way and was worried I wasn't going to make it. I had to pull into the emergency lane and by the time I crested the hill I was going 10mph with the clutch slipping bad. I was worried I got so close and was going to complete the adventure in a tow truck. I encountered a few more hills but was able to get over them. I was hungry but didn't want to chance toasting the clutch on one last on ramp.
Off the main highway and about 30 minutes to go.
Victory!!!!!!!!! I rolled in about 1:15pm Saturday.
My Dad had kfc waiting on the table and I tore into it. Hot shower and then bed. I slept for 12 hours and woke up at 2:30am and back to bed at 4:30-10.
There were times going up some of those hills that I thought I shouldn't be able to make up the hill.
The old metro is going to sit until I can get to the oil leaks. It also developed a squeal. Most likely the alternator. It was a blast.
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