Since I bought my car in the spring of 2003 I have had a rattling sound coming from the pulley side the engine that I could not track down... it was always just above idle, like cruising through a parking lot or just before it would settle down to regular idle after warming up... jingle jingle jingle... Not the reason that I wanted people to be looking at my car as I drove by.

I have put 15,000 miles on the Fiero since I purchased it... I found the source of my rattle today... 7 years later. I drove this thing 15,000 miles like this???

About 1 inch of play in the chain...


Both sprockets were fairly worn with chips and grooves in the teeth...


The main attraction was the chain guide or what was left of it...


What remained of the left side...


Right side? What right side...


New tight chain in and ready to go...


Oh and replaced the tranny pan... the original had been jacked in the past...


How is it even possible that the old chain did not jump in 7 years??? LOL Timing gasket kit from Rock Auto had the wrong water pump gasket so I haven't been able to take it for a test drive, but hopefully before the end of the week.

Also, PSA: Don't ever touch your battery positive cable to the oil filter when the battery is not disconnected...

Big thanks to KEV and yellowTee!!!

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EDIT: They are showing now. I guess there was a problem with PIP.

[This message has been edited by Hulki U. My-BFF (edited 05-03-2010).]

quote Originally posted by Hulki U. My-BFF: None of your pictures are showing up.

They are for me!

Wow, you did that with engine in the car.

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Dave

www.ltlfrari.com

Yeah... I didn't... But my good friends, Kev and Marty, did... there was much cursing and gnashing of teeth. Not to mention coolant baths...

I did the tranny pan. LOL.

[This message has been edited by carbon (edited 05-03-2010).]

Yes..such a fun time. I hope to finish it up this week.

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1999 GMC Jimmy 2dr 4x4..V8 swap someday.
1997 Grand Prix GTP 161k miles and going strong.
1987 Fiero Coupe 5spd For sale
1987 Fiero Coupe 5spd,Steel Wheels
1986 Fiero Base Coupe 5spd..Steel Wheels Baby!
1985 Fiero GT 3800 N/A ...3800 S/C being rebuilt now.
1984 Fiero Indy #1098 w/ Centerline Wheels,Hooker Tri-y header and Indy Scoop with Strobe's

Any luck getting the gasket Carbon? Really interested to see if this helps the stutter you had too

HOLY CRAP!

Yeah... it made a difference From where the ignition timing ended up after the new chain was installed, the cam was retarded somewhere around 6-8 degrees because of the stretched chain. The car went from not enough torque to break loose on a gravel road to being able to hang it out sideways a little taking off around a corner on asphalt... its like a whole different car. Awesome.

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[This message has been edited by carbon (edited 05-08-2010).]

Nice that you got it fixed.
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.
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Cool sig! (That is all...)

How is it even possible that the old chain did not jump in 7 years???


Me thinks<---- You drive easy and you got lucky..

If that been strait shift. Not so lucky Easy or not.

Oh I wouldn't say that I am an 'easy' driver... I had beat on it quite often, usually due to the fact that it was severely lacking in power. I wish I had done a video comparison of acceleration before and after... and also at least an audio clip of the metallic jingling that it used to do for future reference... oh well. Time for a tune up this coming weekend to finish the job.

[This message has been edited by carbon (edited 05-10-2010).]

Might have to look into doing this if it helped so much I do have a feeling my 24 y/o chain could use some TLC, how much to rent your handymen?

Just about every 2.8 I take apart has a chain like that.
So I bet most are like that and thus why I went the double roller timing chain, it is pre stretched.

And how/why did you only put 15k in 7 years? You not like driving it?

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"DRIVE IT LIKE A FIERO"
'84 Fiero, engine to be determined
'87Blue GT 3.4L Swap Completed!!!!!!!! Boosted!!!!!!!
^^^^ Now in the Construction Zone^^^^
Las Vegas Fiero Club Parts/Sales/Service/Club
Fiero Road Club Of Northern Nevada

I didn't think I posted the above. I was thinking with my fingers

I only been into one 2.8. Then I just pulled the oil pan
to see why it was knocking. Im not even sure its a 2.8
I could tell it was a fresh rebuild. Somebody didn't get right.

Ya should have heard the chain rattle in the quad 4 Rob was working
on. It made me stand back from the engine.

I think its amazing A engine could run very long like that.

[This message has been edited by billpapps (edited 05-11-2010).]

Engines can do strange things. I drove my New Yorker around all winter with no problems and it ran great. Just discovered the other day the cam was broken in half and looks like its been that way for a long time.

quote Originally posted by sardonyx247: Just about every 2.8 I take apart has a chain like that. So I bet most are like that and thus why I went the double roller timing chain, it is pre stretched. And how/why did you only put 15k in 7 years? You not like driving it?

As you can imagine, a 2.8 with cam timing that retarded doesn't make for a very fun drive. I have taken it to the Dells Run every year but the first that I've owned it, and various club events where Fieros are required, but no, I almost never daily drove it due to the lack of power and its tendancy to stall off idle when trying to get away from a stop sign or light. Kind of disconcerting when trying to pull out into traffic you know? The car does have 130000 miles on it, so it hasn't really been a garage queen.

It does make me wonder how many people just toss the 2.8 instead of digging that deep, with the opinion that it is just a boat anchor, a good running 2.8 really isn't that bad, when it is running good The Carfax shows that my car has had multiple owners who, after failing emissions testing, just threw it back up for sale. It started life in Arizona and eventually ended up being sent to MN to be auctioned off. Some guy up here bought it for too much and suckered me into covering his mistake, honestly, all I saw was a rust free red 88 GT , laid down $4500 and purchased my basket case.

I tell you what... the fact that replacing the timing chain has corrected just about all of my drivability issues has me dang near ecstatic. Now if it would just stop raining I could drive it... the sunroof still has issues.

[This message has been edited by carbon (edited 05-11-2010).]