The metro is having a few problems.
 

Couple of problems with it. Both are recurring. I dont really have a clue what is wrong with it but I was hoping some of you guys could help me figure it out.

I was driving down the road today, and next thing I know, bluish gray smoke is pouring out the back of the car. It smelled horrible. Also heard a small ticking from the car, it sounded like when you run a manual at too low of speed in X gear. This car is automatic though. I pulled over to the side, turned it off, and waiting a minute or two. Then pulled out and all was well. Problem is the car does this every few weeks.

A second problem the car has is that it gets stuck shifting between gears. Recently it has been working fine, but for the past couple of months excluding the last few weeks, it would require manual shifting from L to D. Not sure why it does that, could be why it was junked.

It has a few problems, but it runs fine aside from the ones above. I guess you can't complain when you get a free car that you can drive right out of the junkyard and home.

Sounds like some of the tranny fluld is getting sucked into the engine and burned - there sometimes is a vacuum line the runs to the transmission to regulate the shifting that is supposed to be connected to a diafram keeping the vacuum and oil separate - would have to consult a book on it. Maybe check for vacuum lines and see if they fill with tanny fluid when the problem occurs.

Check your pcv at the intake manifold. Do you have lots oil in the air cleaner? If so clean it out then run a compression check. Trans could just need flushing. This can be a two edged sword. Most likely a sticking valve. If you change it you could have problems with clutch plate delam. Not common but does happen. There a simple trans to work on, ran lots of diff. test years ago. Everyone seems to be afraid of them and charges accordingly! Are you loosing antifrezze? If so check your plugs and see if you have one that looks like new. If so you have a bad headgasket or something cracked head or block. JanGeo has a good point check it out too. Hope this helps

I vote for a busted vacuum modulator on the transmission :) But then again I have no idea if a metro automatic trans uses a vacuum modulator but if it does then that is probably what is causing it. Transmission fluid doesn't smell like any other fluid when it burns. Antifreeze and oil are pretty easy to tell they are burning by the smell.

Easiest thing would be look for a vacuum line going from the engine to the transmission and check and see if there are traces of fluid in it. The modulator should be able to be changed without pulling the trans hopefully.

When the car doesn't want to shift, if you hold it to the floor will it shift at the wide open throttle shift points fine or will it just hit the rev limiter and not actually go up into another gear?

It won't go into another gear if you don't do it manually. Once you get it to 3rd it won't go back to second for extra power even if you put it to the floor. It won't shift upwards on its own either. 0 - 20 is a 10 second affair unless you shift manually from L to D

Perhaps the downshift cable needs adjusting? I used Cottman transmission to do a transmission flush for $25 or so, and is about a 75% fluid exchange. Most of the other are over $100.

transmission-throttle downshift cable
 

I'm also leaning towards the throttle cable -- I experimented with mine and it acted similarly when it was loose/disconnected.

RH77

It could likely be the throttle cable considering that all the hoses were cut, and a lot of wires were disconnected when my dad found this car. It was at the junkyard, waiting to be crushed. He just reattached the hoses, hooked a battery to it, and it cranked right up. He drove it off the lot for free and we've never had a problem with it starting up ever since.