WYO Fiero build (Page 1/1)
Copterdocc MAR 16, 12:40 PM
I picked this up a while ago starting to rebuild. I bought it from the original owner, 1987 with 138000 miles. Will do a total teardown, repaint, and install a SC3800.
I don't think there is anything that isn't covered in this Forum. It's a great place for information.



I noticed this aluminum tube from the front of the trunk going to the distributor and one going to the alternator. They look like their for cooling.
Did they actually work?
sanderson231 MAR 16, 12:46 PM
There's a blower that feeds those tubes. Whether the blower was necessary or not is up in the air. 88's don't have the blower.

------------------
formerly known as sanderson
1984 Quad 4
1886 SE 2.8L
1988 4.9L Cadillac
1988 3800 Supercharged

Patrick MAR 16, 04:11 PM

quote
Originally posted by sanderson231:

Whether the blower was necessary or not is up in the air. 88's don't have the blower.



88's with the 2.8 don't require the blower due to several changes made for that model year (which have been documented here repeatedly over the decades). Implying that the blower may not be required for the '85-'87 model years due to the '88 not having a blower is... well, I'll be honest... I believe it's being a little irresponsible. I don't feel that new Fiero owners should be potentially misled in this manner (not that I suspect you purposely wish to mislead anyone).

Copterdocc, welcome to the forum. That blower should come on whenever the rad fan comes on. It's to help keep cool the ICM/ignition coil and the alternator.


quote
Originally posted by Patrick Here:

On '85-'87 2.8 Fieros, the trunk blower fan comes on anytime the radiator fan does, which is either triggered by a temperature sensitive fan switch or whenever the A/C is activated. The trunk blower tubes direct cooler air (drawn from outside the engine compartment) onto the alternator and also towards the ICM (in the base of the distributor) and the ignition coil.

In '88, improvements were made which rendered the trunk blower fan unnecessary. The alternator was changed to the newer CS style which has improved internal cooling. And instead of an insulated cap like the one attached to the end of the earlier style alternator, a heat shield was installed on the right side of the rear exhaust manifold to help keep heat away from the alternator.

The other improvement, which is often overlooked, is the extensive insulated exhaust wrap added to the '88 Y-pipe. This replaced the comparatively less effective metal heat shields of the earlier Y-pipes. The exhaust wrap helps to bring down temperatures considerably in the region of the ignition coil and ICM, which along with the newer style alternator, eliminated the need of a trunk blower fan.


[This message has been edited by Patrick (edited 03-16-2023).]

Copterdocc MAR 16, 07:27 PM
Thanks for the information and Patrick thanks for the welcome. It's great to be a part of this forum. Already learning new things. Have not started pulling anything off yet so did not realize there is a blower connected to the tubes. I'm going back in with a SC 3800 so I don't imagine I will need to reinstall them.
Have a maintenace manual coming so I will become more familiar with the car.
olejoedad MAR 17, 11:27 AM
The 2.8/5 speed combo is a great driver.

Spend some time enjoying it before you tear it apart.

[This message has been edited by olejoedad (edited 03-17-2023).]

Copterdocc MAR 17, 05:08 PM
Thanks olejoedad. I did have a chance to drive it before winter set in, and it was fun. It had been awhile since I had driven anything with a manual trans. But the 138000 miles must have all been on dirt roads.
I would get it up to 80 and the front end would get loose and seem to float. As with all the car I will be rebuilding the front end. Like you said it has been a great driver. Can hardly wait to get it back in like new condition and drive it then.