1988 Coolant Pipe Pinched (Page 1/1)
Wacko1Jacko12 JUL 31, 10:06 PM
Hi everyone,

I have a problem where I can start up my car just fine and drive it around for while, park it somewhere/ turn it off, try to run it again and it will go up to 600RPM and drop down and die. After a wait about 30 minutes I can drive it again. I am still looking into the suggestions the forum has already gave me on this. All vacuum lines should be fixed and icm module has been checked, still looking at all the other suggestions. When looking into the suggestions I found out just yesterday that one of my coolant lines on the passenger side (from the radiator to the water pump?) has been pinched. I believe a shop I took it to jacked it up and damaged the pipe. Seems like ever since I got my car back from the shop I had the issue listed above. Either way I am going to fix it, but I wonder if this damage could cause the issue above? cause it to overheat?
82-T/A [At Work] AUG 01, 08:02 AM

quote
Originally posted by Wacko1Jacko12:

Hi everyone,

I have a problem where I can start up my car just fine and drive it around for while, park it somewhere/ turn it off, try to run it again and it will go up to 600RPM and drop down and die. After a wait about 30 minutes I can drive it again. I am still looking into the suggestions the forum has already gave me on this. All vacuum lines should be fixed and icm module has been checked, still looking at all the other suggestions. When looking into the suggestions I found out just yesterday that one of my coolant lines on the passenger side (from the radiator to the water pump?) has been pinched. I believe a shop I took it to jacked it up and damaged the pipe. Seems like ever since I got my car back from the shop I had the issue listed above. Either way I am going to fix it, but I wonder if this damage could cause the issue above? cause it to overheat?




Ugh... not even really sure how to respond to this, because it really infuriates me to no end. I've had this same thing happened to me with my 87 Fiero back in the day. I went to get new tires installed, and they completely bent my cooling pipe. Literally jacked the car up on the cooling pipe, and then it collapsed on the jack (they did it in the rear) and then because I was a stupid 19 year old... they basically gave me half-off one of the tires and told me there was nothing they could do. I was so angry for having been taken advantage of... that the next time a shop broke something on my Fiero (accidentally tore the catalytic converter off when they drove it onto a ramp), I ended up calling the police on them, who forced them to use their shop insurance.

From that moment on, I have never asked a shop to do literally anything on my Fiero, ever again. Every single thing, with the exception of machine work, and a transmission rebuild... I do on Fieros completely myself. Even for the machine work, we'll strip down the engine and take it to the machine shop, and remove the transmission and take it to them. I just cannot stand the incompetence, poor work ethic, and incompetence of these shops.


I guess what I'd say is... unfortunately, you will need to learn how to do all of this yourself, or you need to find a shop that can actually work on Fieros. Basically, would you take a 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB to Bob's Automotive and Liquors for repair? If the answer is no... then you don't want to take your Fiero there either. Sure, the parts are more expensive... but otherwise, the same logic applies. It just sucks. But we're here to help. Everyone here has done everything there is to be done to a Fiero. Everything from building one completely from parts, to cutting one up, to even one person who built a Fiero using anything but Fiero parts (???). So the knowledge is here.


A crimped (or totally bent) cooling tube will absolutely cause overheating. It's restricting the flow of coolant which is literally driven solely by the blocky impeller of the water pump, which I'm not even sure is a good design to begin with. The fact that it moves coolant as well as it does is impressive enough, let alone having to go through obstructions. You will definitely want to get that fixed.


As for your low idle and stalling out when in park... it sounds to me like your Idle Air Control valve. When you start the car cold... it typically allows much more air into it via the idle air control valve... in the same way that a choke would be wide open in the old 70s / carbureted cars. As it warms up, the "cold start" programming goes away, and two things happen (someone correct me if I'm wrong)...
- The Cold Start Injector is no longer being used (which means slightly less fuel)
- The Idle Air Control valve's programming adjusts to let in a little bit less air than it would if you'd just started it stone cold after sitting.

It's less a cold start issue, because that's only in the first... I dunno... 30 seconds or so of idling when cold? But the Idle Air Control (IAC) valve passage could be blocked. I don't see your original thread (too lazy to search for it), but typically because of the Exhaust Gas Recirculation system, it tends to have soot and carbon build-up throughout that whole area of the throttle body. Unscrew the IAC and spray carburetor cleaner into the hole, as well as on the IAC valve itself. That should loosen up and clean up any carbon deposits.

Your IAC should also have a little washer that maintains the correct gap and air flow once installed... so make sure you put that back as well.
1985 Fiero GT AUG 01, 08:28 AM

quote
Originally posted by 82-T/A [At Work]:
I guess what I'd say is... unfortunately, you will need to learn how to do all of this yourself, or you need to find a shop that can actually work on Fieros.

As it warms up, the "cold start" programming goes away, and two things happen (someone correct me if I'm wrong)...
- The Cold Start Injector is no longer being used (which means slightly less fuel)



Yeah, I to don't trust shops haha, I've only taken my Fiero into a shop to be inspected, have the front bushings done (literally a week after buying the car, there was no chance of being able to do that) and an alignment after I did the rear bushings, other than inspections and alignments, I'm too the point where I don't need a garage to do anything, even so, the shop I take it to, I also work at seasonally, and I know the mechanic, he's knows Fieros, and his work is good, but still, I prefer to do the work myself. Even when I need new tires, I install them on my lunch break, when I'm working, cheaper than paying for it, and then I use stick on weights instead of the ugly clip on ones.

The cold start injector is only powered when the key is in the "start" position, while the engine is cranking, even then, it turns off very quickly, as it works entirely off of temperature, and anytime it is powered on, it has a heater element built into the temp sensor for it, which heats up and switches off the injector very quickly
Vintage-Nut AUG 01, 09:01 AM
BTW - Good used '88 coolant pipes can be found; however the shipping cost will be expensive. {Sent a PM to Larry Hubbert}

The 'best' option is to fix the damaged area......

DIY Repair
Repairing Fiero Coolant Tubes by Steven Snyder
https://steventsnyder.com/r...fiero-coolant-tubes/

Coolant Tube Repair by KennyG
https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum2/HTML/144820.html

Repair Section Kit - Rodney Dickman
https://rodneydickman.com/p....php?products_id=495


------------------
Original Owner of a Silver '88 GT
Under 'Production Refurbishment' @ 136k Miles

[This message has been edited by Vintage-Nut (edited 08-01-2024).]

Mike in Sydney AUG 01, 09:03 PM
Before you remove, cut, and patch the pipe with hoses, try using a body shop dent puller to pull the dents out and remove most of the retriction. I'm talking about the ones where a small stud is spot welded to the surface and a slide hammer is used to "tease" out the dent If done correctly, it shoudn't damage the pipe and you can do it on the car on a lift. From looking at the pictures you've posted, I think there is a good chance you could do it. Just make sure you disconnect your battery and I would suggest pulling the ECU connector too to eliminate the possibility of "frying" it from the current when the studs are spot welded on.
Wacko1Jacko12 AUG 01, 09:31 PM
Thank you all for your quick response, the links will help a lot! I have learned my lesson about taking it to a shop! I will make sure to clean for carbon deposits as well for the IAC location. That is true I never even thought about a body shop dent puller, worth a shot!