Welcome to my Build thread. It has been a long journey and will continue to be so as I continually improve my Fiero. I'm adding this as kind of a "Prologue" to the start of my engine swap. I bought My Fiero In May of 2008, It came from Akron, Ohio, and was in rough mechinal shape.
We fixed it up the best we could, and it ran a whole lot better, but the engine never seemed to run right, even with only 50K miles on the clock. Even so, I drove it until June of 2009 when I decided enough was enough. This is when I decided "The Gold Rush Project" would begin.
Here is the start of my original build thread. I removed the engine cradle from my Fiero this weekend. It wasn't that easy at all I'll say that right now, but fun and exciting! So Friday I start with my friend Alex, i had to work at 5 so we did the most we could. We removed most of the stuff on the top of the engine, jacked the car up, spilled coolant all over the driveway (did that today too :P).
So this is where I started today at about 1pm.
Here I am hard at work. I'm not going to explain everything I did, but it was quite "fun".
[This message has been edited by mattwa (edited 03-31-2010).]
Oh crap i forgot that part. 4t60 swap, port exhaust logs, 7730 computer, lots of cleaning and painting, my cradle is rusting away, powdercoat intake. Bunch of stuff.
Brand new rear suspension pretty much.
[This message has been edited by mattwa (edited 06-22-2009).]
Impressive Matt! Keep up the good work and please make sure she see the road again!
Of course she will! it won't be soon though...maybe 4-6 months. But I'm glad I did it. the 2.8 was getting 18mpg. Timing issues. and the biggest reason is the rust. Cradle is shot, so is my trunk corner, and my battery area. Im going to be moving it up front anyway.
Any one have a idea what I can put in the battery's place? turbo?
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01:14 AM
IVANNATINKLE Member
Posts: 913 From: Kansas United states Registered: Jun 2009
Good job....this is how you build your skills. 2 days isn't terrible for a first timer....it's more important to take your time and do it right than to be fast. It'll be easier and quicker the next time you do it...
Keep us posted on the progress.
[This message has been edited by Frizlefrak (edited 06-22-2009).]
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04:22 AM
BMTFIERO Member
Posts: 1187 From: Beaumont, TX Registered: Dec 2007
For being only 17, you are doing a fine job. Good luck with her, and we will be watching. And feel free to ask questions. We know that you are an allright guy, and many of us will help you along.
You!!! where is your picture of you standing in the engine bay?
Eh, I'll get to it.
quote
Originally posted by Tony Kania:
For being only 17, you are doing a fine job. Good luck with her, and we will be watching. And feel free to ask questions. We know that you are an allright guy, and many of us will help you along.
Thanks! Yes I have a question. How exactly do you separate the engine and the 3-speed auto? I don't know how. With the torque converter and all?
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12:44 PM
Frizlefrak Member
Posts: 2921 From: El Paso, Texas Registered: Aug 2003
Remove the inspection plate from the bottom of the transmission. Remove the three bolts that hold the torque converter to the flexplate (you will have to rotate the converter/flexplate 120 degrees each time.....you can use the bolt on the harmonic balancer on the front of the engine to turn it). Remove the bell housing bolts. ...now the two will go their separate ways....
.....if you don't remove the three bolts, they still come apart. The torque converter stays attached to the flexplate....and you get a bath in copious amounts of transmission fluid. Much neater to separate it from the flexplate and leave it in the transmission.
[This message has been edited by Frizlefrak (edited 06-22-2009).]
wow great job man i hope everything goes realy well for you !!! The people on this site are realy great people and very good at what they do. and they are all pretty nice. if i can help with any ?'s i will but i really don't know anywhere near as much as most. oh and i think you did a great job taking it out in two days. the important thing is that your learning so much about the car right now and you couldn't ask for a better group of people to help along the way !!
,Jason
[This message has been edited by my86fiero (edited 06-22-2009).]
And There is my dad's truck from his work. (V-10 F-350) and the device that lifted the car and cradle, and a pallet to put the cradle on, and the pallet jack! All from my dad's work.
BTW thoes things are badass my friend has one and he took it to the truck pull and totaly anhilated an S10 who tried doing a no tention on the chaine start. lol dident end well for the S10
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06:52 PM
pro street dave Member
Posts: 288 From: ravenna ohio Registered: Dec 2006
BTW thoes things are badass my friend has one and he took it to the truck pull and totaly anhilated an S10 who tried doing a no tention on the chaine start. lol dident end well for the S10
Well yea, a V-10 F-350 dually vs a S10? Who you do think would win? its like a F-350 vs. a Ranger.
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07:15 PM
Tony Kania Member
Posts: 20794 From: The Inland Northwest Registered: Dec 2008
I can't get the lower struts bolts out. I tried air tools, heat with a torch, nothing worked. What can i do besides cutting it?
I am guessing that you are talking about the two large bolts holding the strut to the spindle? I sprayed them with PB Blaster for a couple of hours. That did not work, so I took out a 5lb sledge hammer, and went to town. I had new bolts to install. I actually broke the jaw of my vice beating on the bolt. Just don't put any side force on the spindle. Only hit the bolts.
And don't hit it like I have it in the picture. You want the bolts to take all of the force. Not the spindle or the strut.
[This message has been edited by Tony Kania (edited 06-22-2009).]
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07:27 PM
Frizlefrak Member
Posts: 2921 From: El Paso, Texas Registered: Aug 2003
I can't get the lower struts bolts out. I tried air tools, heat with a torch, nothing worked. What can i do besides cutting it?
Use a 6 point socket (impact sockets are good....Harbor Freight Tools) with a large breaker bar (1/2" drive or better). Use a long piece of pipe as a cheater bar....ie...slip it over the end of your breaker bar so you get extra leverage. Apply even force on the end of your cheater bar.....and one of two things will happen; The bolts will come loose, or they will break. Either way, problem solved. Just use caution so that if it lets go suddenly, you don't take a tumble. Better to sit and pull down on the bar than to push on it.
If I wasn't 2000 miles away, we'd have them off in less than 10 minutes.
[edit] I probably don't have to tell you this, but buy GOOD quality tools. Cheaper tools sound appealing...until one breaks at the worst possible moment. You either damage something or get injured....neither is good. Buy good quality tools and they will last you a lifetime. I'm 45 and still have and use Craftsman tools I bought in high school. Now I mentioned Harbor Freight above....they sell some good impact sockets, but for general sockets I would avoid them. Craftsman, Snap-On, even Kobalt (Lowes) are good tools. They can be your best friend. Good luck.
[This message has been edited by Frizlefrak (edited 06-22-2009).]
I haven't updated in a bit, so here is my progress.
I got my 2.8 down to the long block and on my engine stand. and i have taken everything down to the bare cradle. MRJ (Matt) came up and brought me 2 cradles with suspension parts because the 2 I had are scrap because of rust. Interesting picture don't you think.
I'm going to get a 4T60 and a 7730 computer soon and then i can start over again.
[This message has been edited by mattwa (edited 07-06-2009).]
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11:49 PM
Jul 7th, 2009
RumbleB Member
Posts: 341 From: The Great Lakes! Registered: Aug 2008
Nice work there! Word of caution - be carefully lifting the Fiero up by the deck lid latch. It can bend or worst, it can rip from the car. I have seen it happen. The best way to lift the car is with that black brace, on the front side of the trunk. Use a strap with two hooks and hook it to the holes that are on either end of the brace. If you need a strap, i have one. Let me know and I will bring it over. Oh, if you still need a 7730 computer, I have one.
Nice work there! Word of caution - be carefully lifting the Fiero up by the deck lid latch. It can bend or worst, it can rip from the car. I have seen it happen. The best way to lift the car is with that black brace, on the front side of the trunk. Use a strap with two hooks and hook it to the holes that are on either end of the brace. If you need a strap, i have one. Let me know and I will bring it over. Oh, if you still need a 7730 computer, I have one.
Yea, I'm going to use the black brace next time, the latch didn't look pretty after that.
Today while I was working on modding the 7th injector to make it less visable (7730 computer), i hit it with a hammer to get a piece off and the whole thing went flying. And it landed right into this sump pump thing that goes down below my basement. There's goes that piece, no chance in ever getting it. Now what can I use to plug that hole on the side of the intake?
Edit: Oh and what can i use to plug the coolant fan switch hole too?
[This message has been edited by mattwa (edited 07-07-2009).]