If it's in the budget, now would be a good time to upgrade the alternator to a CS130 from an 88 GT, smaller, runs cooler, slightly higher output, and much more reliable. I got an AC Delco reman'ed from rockauto fairly cheap.
Also a good time to replace the lower control arm bushings, engine and transmission mounts, cradle mounts, ball joints, and struts. Brakes are pretty much just as easy on the car.
It's nice to see a build thread with a Fiero that looks just like mine
when I went to inquire about a new duke from the junk yard to build up (last week) and the guy looked at me crazy and said " oooo you want a junk 4 not a tech 4" the funny thing was that he was driving a chevy VEGA!!!!!!!!!!!! the worst engine ever in it and he was talkin smack about the duke!! all in all call it IRON MAN!!
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05:41 PM
Mr.PBody Member
Posts: 3172 From: Cincinnati, Ohio, USA Registered: Oct 2006
Dude, this is awesome. I think your Fiero is almost exactly, or maybe even exactly, like mine. I'm doing a complete car overhall. I think I'll have to wait on the engine rebuild till I have a bit more time, but maybe I'll ask for tips cuz it looks like you did it right. Beautiful. Inspiring. And I love the trees.
And for names: have about "Iron Nuke" ? I don't know. It's the first think that came to my head. What about "Ferrous Prince" ? (that's a joke)
so has anyone ever used the alum timing set for the duke from the fiero store???? are they supposed to be a bit noisy or what?????
Not sure which gear set the Fiero store sells but the alloy set on Twig's car didn't appear to be any more noisy. And after have to see a car for $60 because it broke down to far away to tow because of a stripped timing gear I will NEVER use a fiber gear again.
Well, I got the car started today and the engine is good and strong from what we can tell, its running really smooth and sounds great other than a whining noise. We didn't get to run for more than a minute though, I had to head to work. We are pretty sure that the whining is coming from the alloy gears and from other people i have talked to they believe that the gears just need to be worn in a bit. Everything was triple checked and checked again during assembly and the engine was running smooth so we'll see what happens.
so has anyone ever used the alum timing set for the duke from the fiero store???? are they supposed to be a bit noisy or what?????
It's no noisier than anything else in the duke engine bay so I wouldn't worry about it. I put a metal cam gear in my SE last summer and I can't hear any difference.
Today was a true start and tweaking!!!! The whining is calming down, yay! With the new cam and bore, timing is proving difficult to find but i also partially blame the TPS for it not running quite right: there is some hesitation. The TPS was broken yesterday so i have to wait till next payday to get another one. After it is installed, there will be some more tweaking on the timing and it will be truly complete... Exhaust will be coming for christmas
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05:10 PM
solotwo Member
Posts: 5374 From: Grand Rapids, MI. USA Registered: Jun 2002
As a owner of a tech 4 I am watching this. I am curious as to the additional power that you will get. Hopefully you are able to retain the fuel economy, and have a little power. Keep up the good work. When your done, make a list of all the mods that you have done. A lot of us duke/tech 4 owners would like to do something like this but we keep hearing criticism on "why waste your money get a V8" Keep up the good work!
Steve in Michigan Father of Project Manager MSU Formula SAE TEAM Go State Racing!
So yesterday was road test, timing and troubleshooting. TPS was the culprit for our hard times yesterday. I drove it to work today and it runs fantastic!!! The more i drive the more power i feel it find. I can't wait until after break in so I can see what it is really made of. The whining has pretty much ceased but with the cam and custom gears it is a tad noiser than a stock duke. For the most part im sunning stock exhaust, minus a cat and it sounds mean!
[This message has been edited by NeoTristan (edited 12-17-2007).]
Today I will hit 1000 miles on the engine since the rebuild and it continues to run great and this duke feels like it has a nice power increase. Once the money comes in to finish intake and exhaust work I will run it on the dyno. It should hit full break in by then.... I did walk a Z71 the other night btw...
DId you use the stock pushrods?? I have seen after market headers on the mall for the duke,but not to often , you might put a post on the mall for a used header set up, this would greatly assist the other performance options,,The 87 ,88 runs much better than the earlier models and the header style exhaust on the 87,88 is a main reason..coupled with an inexpensive thrush or cherry bomb this will produce better mpg,more hp, better efficientcy from the engine,if you use the dupli color ceramic paint on the header you can also have cooler running,, these modifications increase reliability so they are winners..Do not know how you can bake the ceramic paint(to big to place in home oven) but even just engine heat should help the coating to stick..Coating or wraping exhaust is an inexpensive method to obtain more ponies and cooler engine compartment.. any measure that helps prevent the temperature rise that actuates the fan, common on dukes is most excellent
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12:24 PM
The_Stickman2 Member
Posts: 1030 From: Lehigh Valley Pa. Registered: Sep 2007
The 87 ,88 runs much better than the earlier models and the header style exhaust on the 87,88 is a main reason..
They ALL have the same style exhaust manifold. Look it up. Its not particularly good, either.
The runners are not equal length, the diameter stepping as a result of crush bending is not impressive, the mating of the outer cylinders to the poorly designed center section is not great, the unit is crack prone, and the outlet at the bottom necks down in diameter a great deal at the "doughnut" gasket.
So i think i have a problem.... I'm pushing 2000 miles and i still have smoke and i know the rings have to be set by now. I does NOT smoke while driving, but if im sitting at idle and then give it gas or go to take off i get a large poof of white smoke (there is a small hint of ble smoke afterwards) The longer it sits, the worse it gets. once im drving again it clears up. Anybody have any ideas??????
[This message has been edited by NeoTristan (edited 01-12-2008).]
Did you take it out, once FULLY warmed up, and drop the hammer, coast down, then drop the hammer, at least for a few cycles? The full cyl pressure forces the ring to seat before the crosshatching polishes down, and the coasting down in gear helps pull the bits out of the combustion chamber. There's an emerging school of thought on the break in process that you have a relatively short period of time to get the rings seated completely, to maximize power, minimize blowbow and, and eliminate oil burning. Check it out on Google, its interesting stuff. That said, hopefully you don't have a problem.
Sorry this is my first time looking at your post. Did not read it all just looked at the perdy pictures.. anyway..
What kind of valve work was done to the head or where they new?
I had always heard that smoke after idle could also be valve guides leaking oil. Yes I know valve guides usually smoke at startup and decceleration. What is the oil pressure like. Was the engine all rebuild with new rod bearings and all?
Just a thought..
[This message has been edited by Dodgerunner (edited 01-12-2008).]
If it's mostly white i would be worried it's coolent related. See if the exhaust smells sweet. I had a Duke that exhibited the same problem. Would only smoke when pulling away from a stop. The radiator resivour would bubble. I think it was a cracked head or bad head gasket. Funny thing was car ran fine and got 30mpg, It was just embarrassing to drive.
Yeah, embarrasing is right.... the head is fine, it went through inspection and has not been overheated. Not sure about the head gasket, its brand new and there is no sign of coolant in the oil.
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11:18 AM
pontiacman63383 Member
Posts: 819 From: warrenton, mo Registered: Jun 2007
it sound to me like you glazed the cylinder walls in the break in. but keep an eye on the oil. if you seem to be buring some off already you probaly did glaze the walls.
We got to thinking there was a bit of oil that got into the exhaust system when the engine blew, so we are thinking that it is left over oil slowly burning off. It would kinda make sense, I'm not really using oil, the smoke smells of oil, and the muffler is hotter at idle than it is driving downteh road with air blowing over it. We will find out when the new muffler and tips get put on in a few days.
A duh moment... I dont have cast rings, i have the chrome moly rings... I also found out that those rings take for freaking ever to set. Other than that, the build is complete! Exhaust is on and sounds amazing!
