Finally got a nice warm day when I didn't already have something else planned so I figured it would be a good time to start cleaning up the Fiero to get it ready for a new engine and get it back on the road again.

I put the car in my shop about a year ago and had planned to rebuild the heads since it was using quite a bit of oil, figured the valve seals were shot so I dropped the cradle and pulled the engine. But when I pulled the heads off it was a bit worse than I had hoped. On the cylinder on the drivers side in the back (closest to the trunk) there was this indent that goes all the way around the cylinder up near the top but a little ways below where the lip from normal wear is.

Not sure what caused it, the piston rings in that cylinder were broke as well.

I pulled the oil pan off the engine and removed the pistons, although all of the bearings on the piston rods were there I think only one or two were in the position they were supposed to be in, the rest had worn off the little tabs that lock them in place somehow and were like this


So here is the engine as it sits now, soon to go to the scrap pile.

I am probably going to replace it with a 3400 but keep the stock Fiero heads/intake/etc. like Fierosound and a few others have done. Figure any engine I put in it I would want to rebuild anyways and this way I shouldnt have to do too much custom exaust, wiring, etc. like I would with other swaps. And I'm not looking to get tons of power out of it, just something around stock and from what I have read the 3400 block is built a bit better than the 2.8. Plus I know where I can get a complete 3400 that should have a good block for $100 locally. But thats a project for a bit later......
Anyways, enough back story. I decided to start at the front because it is as good of a place as any and I could pull the steering rack while I was there since it needs to either be rebuilt or replaced anyways.
Removed the hood


Kind of messy in there, not sure exactly what that orange stuff is, I'm guessing its the washer fluid mixed with dirt and junk but its kind of on the wrong side.


First thing I did was remove that heater thinger because I have read horror stories on this forum about leaves in there and although its mostly evergreens where I live we get lots of pine needles instead and there was quite a few below the windshield.

There was a couple more in the little coils but they fell out when I pulled it out. Who wouldn't like to turn their heater on when it is cold outside and get a nice toasty fire :P

The other part that is right up front there that I see people saying to remove and clean is the blower thing because mice like to get in there and make nests, guess it makes a good exercise wheel or something for them? :P
Mine didn't look too bad


Well actually it did, just all the stuff was stuck in the hole behind it instead of packed into the fan, most of it stayed behind when I pulled the fan thing out.


And here is a nice picture of the stuff I pulled out of the hole there sitting on the fan

Isn't it just lovely I think that is there for sound deadening so it makes it quieter inside the car when you turn the fan on.... right?..... :P

After that I removed the spare tire tub to make it both easier to get to the steering rack and to make it easier to clean when I get around to it


Then I jacked the front of the car up, I didn't have my good floor jack so I had to use the poor tiny bottle jack I carry in the Fiero in case I get a flat or something.

Who wants to be the first to crawl under there?

More jack stands to make it less scary


And then I removed the steering rack, its actually quite easy, all the bolts are on the sides that is easiest to get to. The four main bolts holding it in were quite tight however.
The passenger side one on the bottom was the hardest to get to only because the coolant hose was almost in the way.


The bolt holding the steering link or whatever it is in wasn't too bad to get to, just pulled the dust boot thing back and unscrewed it. It may be a pain to get stuff lined up when I go to put it back in. Any ideas on how to make that part of the reinstall easier?





The boot on the passenger side was torn, it let a bunch of cinder rocks and junk in.





Also, I don't think its supposed to look like this


The drivers side wasn't much better




So lots of parts removed today, but not very much actually cleaned like I had planned on doing.... oh well there is always tomorrow :P

And last but not least, credits!
The truck that hauls all the Fiero parts


And more importantly, the helper

[This message has been edited by Blacksheep (edited 05-29-2011).]

Very nice detailed post about all the common stuff we face. The resistor coil fire and fan cleanout is a great reminder for all owners to do yearly! I also had a mice nest in my fan and 3 years later I'm still getting chunks of insulation occasionally blowing through my vents.

As for the rack, are you going to install a new rack or you planning on rebuilding your existing?

I'm not sure about the steering rack yet, I would like to rebuild it but I need to take it apart a bit more I think to figure out if its possible or if its going to need a bit more than to be cleaned/polished, new bushing piece, boots (bellows?), new inner and outer tie rod ends. Looks like the parts from Rodney are about $150 +s/h or so, reconditioned steering racks are a bit more than that, plus from what I've read the parts from Rodney are pretty high quality so I imagine they are probably better than whatever was used in the rebuilt ones.

Thinking these are a few things I should be doing to my fleet of Fieros.

What part of Oregon are you from?

I'm from Central Oregon, a little ways south of Bend.

[This message has been edited by Blacksheep (edited 05-30-2011).]