Forum:
Since we bought the Cuore, we have changed air filter, oil (5w30 full synthetic) and lots of running about with the A/C on, mostly city. Figured out the gas milage from the first fill up and 400 kilometers later, was 6.7liters per 100kilometer and still no smoke except when in first gear revving up, there is some blue-black puff and some oil consumption.
I'm wondering if this is normal consumption for 2002 Cuore?
I know there is some things on the lil'l bugger that needs to be fixed, like the fan , since it wobbles and makes a horrible sound when the A/C is on or when the temp is high, also, I want to change the spark plugs on it, and timing belt should be next... and the transmission fluid... just to be safe...
That's a little on the poor
That's a little on the poor side, But not horrendous..42mpg I work that out to be.
You should be able to get 50mpg average from a Cuore under mixed driving conditions, Or around 60mpg on a steady highway drive.
So you want to be be aiming for consumption of 5-6 litres per 100km
Regarding the smoke and oil
Regarding the smoke and oil consumption...
The EJ-DE engine in the Cuore and Sirion is quite prone to having sticking/gummed up oil control rings on the pistons, caused by infrequent oil changes or poor quality oil.
I would suggest you keep changing the oil often, every few hundred km, the detergency in the oil should soon help by cleaning up and free up the oil control rings.
You can also use a engine oil flushing product before you change the oil, pour in and idle the car for 10-15 mins, then drain the oil.
The more you keep changing the oil the better, and with a bit of luck you will soon have a clean healthy engine!
And of course, once the pistons/oil control rings are cleaned up, and continuing to use a quality 5w30, the problem won't come back.
I think the problem is for the most part caused by the tiny oil capacity of just over 2 litres. With such a small amount of oil it becomes contaminated and dirty much sooner compared to engines that typically have 3.5-4 litres of oil.
Another tip for a engine
Another tip for a engine internal cleanup, You can switch to using diesel engine oil for a little while, such as Shell Rotella.
They contain much more detergents.
Before the better anti-sludge oils appeared in the late 1980's, We used to use diesel oil on the old NSU wankel rotary engines as it would really help keep the critical rotor apex seals from carbon deposits (as well as a healthy dose of Redex petrol treatment in each tankful!)
Cuore
I agree with pocketrocket. I've done over 70,000 miles in mine and it's always had fresh oil and filter after 5-6000 miles, and the guy who had it before me changed it every 3000 miles up to 28,000 (handbook says every 10,000) and she's never smoked at all and never missed a beat - she's even getting more economical as the miles rack up and she gets a little looser. It's only the base model, so no p/steering etc, and the brakes aren't brilliant, but overall the best £1000 I ever spent (plus one new clutch 1 cam-belt, and 2 new exhausts)!
Like the comments about detergents - very interesting.
Weary
As a matter of interest, How
As a matter of interest, How many miles did you get out of the clutch before it was changed?
I've only had my Cuore a month, It's done 53k and the clutch still feels pretty OK. Biting point not too high.
Mine is also boggy basic spec, a 1999 3 door with no power steering or electric windows.
Car seems fine so far, Apart from a slight induction air "whistle" sound at idle/very light throttle that seems to be coming from inside the throttle body/plenum. I've checked for any external vacuum leak around the inlet manifold and can't find any. It's the sort of noise that's minor enough not to worry too much, can't hear it with the radio on!
Idle speed seems correct at about 800-900rpm and it drives great, Quite pokey infact in the 1st/2nd/3rd gears! Copes really well in the higher gears at lower speeds. More than happy in 5th by about 40mph on flat ground.
Got a few interior rattles to fix! Quite typical of Daihatsu's! It's worse when the interior is cold at night. The centre surround rattles against the lower console. I think some sticky foam wedge between them will do the trick!
I will upload a few photos of mine. I have removed the standard wheel trims and fitted some retro Chrome outer "rings". Looks quite good I think.
I have my eye on a set of -30mm lowering springs, Plus also have a rare sporty front bumper with fog lights to spray and fit.
Cuore
I think it was about 80,000 miles. The plates still had quite a bit of life in them, but one of the rivets holding the pressure plate broke. The lock for the back seats was squeeking so I wrapped a bit of insulating tape around the pin - that helped. Brakes are a bit poor but I expect the avanzato ones would fit -they're miles better! Decent front tyres are a must or you'll find yourself locking up and skidding a lot in the wet - just ask the large deer that I hit head-on on my way to work!!
My daughter's just taken mine off to Uni, otherwise I was going to have a free-flow stainless system made up and a free-flow air filter - perhaps just the element from the Sirion Rally 2 which looks like the same airbox. Overtaking in 3rd is surprisingly good- just ask the kiddy I work with who used to race me home in his 1.6 Focus! He had the edge through the twisty bits 'cos he had more grip, but he was surprised by how I could keep up with him to about 85mph down the country roads!! He's now bought an X-reg Cuore himself.
Good luck with it, I look forward to seeing it lowered and with the new front end.
Weary
Great thanks for the
Great thanks for the reply.
My brakes seem OK, I've not stamped on them but the feel is nice and sharp.
Handbrake is good as it requires little effort to pull it up yet is still holding the car on hills. Useful for my learners, some of the girls struggle with tight handbrakes.
I'm looking forward to fitting 4 decent brand new tyres, the ones on it at the moment are old worn budget chinese ones. Must get this done ASAP.
Although I am yet to fit the dual controls, and actually use it for instructing!
Have a few pupils ready and waiting to try it out. Instructor insurance policy is sorted. Might not be their favourite car in the world! But it will cost me peanuts to teach with. Cant see the point anymore driving around in a brand new car (on finance or leased) for instructing.
Oil Consumption and....
Thank you everyone for all your replies
Few more questions? Went on a 2 hour drive to a friends house out in the country and a few things has happened. 
The little bugger has gone through a quart of oil(5/30 full synthetic) since last oil change 2 weeks a go, and while driving up hills and shifting down and shifting down or up, a nice puff of black comes out.
Temperature ran even fan kicks on and off good but still drains the power from the car, which leads me to another question, is there a difference if fans? will a fan from an automatic with no a/c work or does it have to come from a donor car that has a/c (both L701) both compatible?
Rides nice and kinda quiet, is there something to help reduce some road noise?
Not done the gas consumption yet. (will put new plugs in Sunday)
Could their be a possibility of having some restrictions in the exhaust ie: build up of gunk? the car has been a short distance granny car (53K) and I doubt if it has ever been used on the highway past Vienna until today
One more thing, has anyone put speakers in the rear of the car besides the deck-lid?
Thanks every one.
Eddie
http://s1069.photobucket.com/albums/u479/ecoonce23/
Road noise does seem a
Road noise does seem a problem with them.
I have put some of it down to my cheap old chinese tyres which I will be replacing soon with some quality rubber.
But I think the main problem is the lack of soundproofing.
Fitting more insulation under carpet will help, but of course you are then adding more weight which is the reason for the Cuore's economy/performance for only 1.0 engine size.
wobbly fan
I don't know the Cuore, but as a general point I'd say if your A/c fan is wobbling and making a horrid sound you should investigate/fix/replace it sharpish.
My first car was a 40 quid Lada with a radiator cooling 4-blade fan with a blade missing.
I should of course have replaced it at once, or at least cut the opposing blade off to make it a balanced 2-blade fan, but I never got around to it, until the off-centre load on its shaft destroyed the water pump and the loose spinning blades chewed through the radiator, while my girlfriend was driving it, alone, on the motorway.
She managed to limp it off the motorway without seizing the engine, so it could have been worse, but it could also have been completely avoided.