Oh No!!!

Nov 18, 2008:

I think I broke my Geo Metro's coupler!!!

Was driving to the grocery store, heard mechanical noise - POP - motor didn't spin the transmission any more.

Cold and dark out. Won't know for sure until morning. Good thing I have that towing setup installed.....

Nov. 19, 2008:

Yep - It's the coupler...
I picked up the car with the S10 and tow bar.

I am getting better at hitching it up that way now.

Once I had the car home, I jacked it up and took a look through the coupler access port on the bottom of the transmission.

It looks like the two halves of the lovejoy coupler have been constantly wearing against each other, ever since installation. I also think the rubber spider was never in there quite right. I installed the motor to the transmission from under the car, by myself, struggling with it the whole way.

The transmission half of the coupler also was forced back to the sleeve covering of the transmission shaft. I think that is superficial damage, but won't know until I take everything apart.

When I fix and re-install this, I am planning on doing the combined motor and transmission, attached to each other, and install them into the car from below.

In this way, the alignment of the motor to the transmission can be checked and made perfect - BEFORE - I put it in the car.

I'll make sure to DO IT RIGHT the second time!

See more photos here:
Coupler Photos