PFF - Pennock's Fiero Forum, PDA Edition

87 engine into a 84 temp fix (Page 1/2)

Daytonaspeed24

OCT 13, 06:14 PM

hey fellas i picked up a 4cyl engine to swap temoraritly just so i can move my car around and get it ready for paint ( I cant leave it in the space overnight). while i see whats wrong with my rebuilt. my car is a 84, i believe I saw 87 on the other engine .
i picked it up at night so i didnt look at it until i was dropping it off.
it doesnt have a distibutor it has coil packs and a different intake.
if i remove the coil packs can I gain access to the hole for the distributor??
do i have to change the oil pump??
I have another intake and throttle body so im hoping that will fit
i have an extra oil pressure sensor .
The engine didnt come with the computer or wiring it also has 200.000 on the engine but it was running before he swapped it out last year and it was under cover .
This engine is temporary
pic of the coils

any help is appreciated.

Patrick

OCT 13, 07:31 PM

You bought an '87 duke to "temporarily" fill in for an '84 duke? I'm afraid you've probably just caused yourself more grief. It's not a plug and play operation.

theogre

OCT 13, 10:29 PM

quote

Originally posted by Patrick:
You bought an '87 duke to "temporarily" fill in for an '84 duke? I'm afraid you've probably just caused yourself more grief. It's not a plug and play operation.

[This message has been edited by theogre (edited 10-13-2023).]

Daytonaspeed24

OCT 13, 11:50 PM

quote

Originally posted by theogre:

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Patrick:
You bought an '87 duke to "temporarily" fill in for an '84 duke? I'm afraid you've probably just caused yourself more grief. It's not a plug and play operation.

Daytonaspeed24

OCT 14, 12:07 AM

quote

X2

87 & up is a completely different engine that "just" share a few parts in the engine & fit same mounting points to fit the car & transmissions.
Can't even use 84 ECM & engine wiring hardness.

Highlights see https://web.archive.org/web...cast.net/~fierocave/ 4cyl Quick ref in engine section.
[/QUOTE]
well the intake looks like it will fit . i may have to change the oil pump to accept the distributor and I have another oil pressure sender. that should run it. you are right it was dark i didnt notice until i was in the shop unloading it. he left the coil packs on but i didnt notice when I loaded it. I like the serpintine belt better. if nothing else ill have a spare cam if mine is shot from trying to start it over and over then my timing issue. not many folks out here like the 4 cyl and im not putting a 200000 km 3800 sc that 3 18 year olds have driven lol.
thanks for the reply

Daytonaspeed24

OCT 14, 12:51 AM

quote

Originally posted by Daytonaspeed24:

i see what you are talking about other than the camshaft the cranks is different probably runs a chain not the gears with the coil packs probably has a knock sensor i didnt check that far. thanks for the replies . everything i do to this fn thing doesnt work.

[This message has been edited by Daytonaspeed24 (edited 10-14-2023).]

jelly2m8

OCT 14, 05:13 AM

TBH, the 84 is a one year only thing. if you need to move the car with out an engine, leave the engine out, use a big bolt and nut to keep the wheel bearings from falling apart and push / tow it.

84's are the bastard child of Fiero's

82-T/A [At Work]

OCT 14, 08:14 AM

quote

Originally posted by Daytonaspeed24:

hey fellas i picked up a 4cyl engine to swap temoraritly just so i can move my car around and get it ready for paint ( I cant leave it in the space overnight). while i see whats wrong with my rebuilt. my car is a 84, i believe I saw 87 on the other engine .
i picked it up at night so i didnt look at it until i was dropping it off.
any help is appreciated.

Dude, I'm so sorry. Just like everyone else has said, it is absolutely NOT going to help you out.

Among a few really important things:

1 - There is no hole for a distributor (only for a sensor)
2 - There is a crank and cam sensor
3 - The engine uses a completely different pulley set.
4 - The engine uses a completely different ignition system with totally different ECM.
5 - The engine uses a different cyl head, which has a different intake manifold and throttle body than your 84.
6 - The engine uses a different front motor-mount bracket
7 - The engine uses a different alternator, and A/C compressor.
8 - It uses a different pulley system.

With an 84... you can basically use any engine from a 1984-1986. Halfway through 1985 and 1986 it uses a roller cam (which is objectively better, but no available aftermarket cams from what I can see).

You basically do not want to use this, and in my honest opinion, it's not worth the hassle because there are so many other things you'll need to buy.

.

Can I ask how much you paid for it? I'm actually looking for an 87 (non-88) block and cyl head. I would be interested in buying it from you if shipping and everything isn't that bad. On the other hand, if you were willing to go through the effort and work... an 87 block would be an upgrade to your 84 engine. It was the first (Fiero) motor to use a belt tensioner, as well as DIS ignition. There's a lot you would need to do if you wanted to make it work, including buying a lot of parts that you're currently missing... but you could also go with a MicroSquirt ECM and build your own harness and just buy all the new sensors.

Let me know what you plan to do with the motor, even though we're on the other side of the continent. I'd hate to see you junk it...

Thanks!

Mickey_Moose

OCT 14, 10:29 AM

ok,

what is see here is that it shouldn't really be much different than any other engine swap. If it will bolt in it would just be a matter of changing the wiring and ECM - no?

Yes, I know the 84 is a different beast, but I don't see why it can't be done - hell, the first 4.9l swap I helped with was in a 84 - talk about rewiring. lol

Now, yes doing this swap would NOT be temporary without swapping the whole harness (otherwise any changes would have to be undone). I think one would need to decide if they wish to commit to the swap or not.

olejoedad

OCT 14, 12:51 PM

There are several C500 and C203 wiring differences between the 84 and 87, and the C500 is in a different location.

It's going to be an interesting project.