Since late last December I have been working on a 90k mile V6 that I bought from a friend to swap into my car. I don't have the cash to spend on a bigger engine swap, and I decided the easiest way to get rid of my tired old 4 was to put a regular Fiero V6 in there.
So, here are some before and after pics! In two weeks I am going to start the swap, and hopefully will have it all done within the week.
Shot before putting it on engine stand:
On stand, all dirty, ready to be taken apart:
Another shot of the grossness of this engine, check out the valve cover!
Next step was cleaning and painting block. This is as far down as I tore it to. No, I didn't rebuild it. The engine is a very strong runner (drove car it was in before it was taken out) and I didnt have the extra cash to spend on a rebuild.
Another shot:
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10:18 PM
PFF
System Bot
FieroJoe Member
Posts: 2314 From: Southfield, MI Registered: Nov 2000
Originally posted by FieroJoe: I don't have the cash to spend on a bigger engine swap...
Good job Joe! I would have atleast swapped in a new oil pump and timing chain. I hope you did replace some internal stuff.
Can you do us ALL a favor and take close-up digital photos of the sensors in relation to their locations? I am really needing a snapshot of the coolant temp fan switch which is supposed to be near the battery somewhere.
Originally posted by RedGTFieroKCMO: Good job Joe! I would have atleast swapped in a new oil pump and timing chain. I hope you did replace some internal stuff.
Timing chain and water pump are brand new. Oil pump no, but possible while engine is still in car.
The fan switch and coolant temp sensor for ECM are in the areas circled here; the yellow circle is for the fan switch and the connector you can see plugged into something just next to it is the coolant temp for the ECM. The coolant temp for the gauge is right below the coil on the head.
------------------ TRiAD Motorsports ~ Performance Tuning of European, Japanese and Domestic Automobiles Project MR1 / Let the modding begin! ~ triadtuning@hotmail.com * AIM ~ Michael Blue 72 Only the dead have seen the end of war. ~ Plato
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10:55 PM
rodmcneill Member
Posts: 1616 From: Indiana USA Registered: Oct 2000
Looking *great!* That's probally the best looking 2.8 I've *ever* seen!
Good call on an upgrade, it's probally the most cost-effective choice you could have made.
rattle-can-rebuilds rock, I'm giving my 20k Northstar one now
Best! Ben.
------------------ Ben Cannon 88 Formula, T-top, Metalic Red. "Every Man Dies, not every man really Lives" 88 Formula, Northstar, Silver, In-Progreess. -Mel Gibson, "Braveheart"
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11:10 PM
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FieroJoe Member
Posts: 2314 From: Southfield, MI Registered: Nov 2000
Originally posted by artherd: rattle-can-rebuilds rock, I'm giving my 20k Northstar one now
Cool! All the stuff that was painted was with rattle can except the plenum and valve covers, which were epoxy primered and then shot with basecoat/clearcoat acrylic enamel. Hopefully it keeps its luster for some time.
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11:12 PM
My7Fieros Member
Posts: 3357 From: Germantown, TN Registered: Jun 2000
WOW that looks fantastic! I really like that blue. What paint/color is that exactly? That looks SUPER! You did it right buddy, you cleaned EVERYTHING! Major Kudos! BTW I forgot to ask, how did you get the acc brackets so clean? Are they new or painted or just cleaned?
[This message has been edited by My7Fieros (edited 02-21-2002).]
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11:43 PM
Spyhunter Member
Posts: 1254 From: San Francisco, CA Registered: Feb 2002
Can I just clarify some of these sensor locations... I want to change my fan switch to a lower temp one, but got a bit confused with the sensor placements...
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11:58 PM
DR650SE Member
Posts: 1793 From: Cleveland, Oh Registered: Oct 2001
Originally posted by Spyhunter: Can I just clarify some of these sensor locations... I want to change my fan switch to a lower temp one, but got a bit confused with the sensor placements...
The one you have circled is one of the coolant temp sensors. Im not sure what one that is for. The fan switch is as marked, and then right there above it to the right in the same size hole is a spot for ANOTHER coolant temp sensor. There are a total of 4 sensors/switches related to coolant on this engine!
My7Fieros: Block is painted with high temp Duplicolor engine paint, and then clear coated with same stuff. Its rated at 1200 degrees, we shall see how it holds up. The brackets took a lot of cleaning with kerosene, degreaser, acetone, anything that I could get my hands on. I then blasted them and primed/painted them with Aluminum engine enamel (same brand)
FieroMGDriver: Yes, they are Rodney's steel lines, just painted with above aluminum paint. I got the steel ones ($79), and they fit great and I won't worry about breaking lines when I pull the plenum off anymore. Would recommend to everybody.
mindscape Timing set (old one is pictured) is from autozone and is made by dynagear. $21 with lifetime warranty.
bHooper: Manifolds are stock (ported) ones with high heat paint on them. Manifold heat shields, the ones around the coil and the ones for the front manifold are painted in same paint.
Thing is, once this engine gets up to temp, all that high heat paint on the exhaust is going to burn off a little bit as part of its curing process! Going to be kinda scary, watching the smoke billow out.
Eventually I will invest in heat coated headers. Eventually means in a long long time
[This message has been edited by FieroJoe (edited 02-22-2002).]
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10:14 AM
BlackCat Member
Posts: 102 From: Edmonton, Canada Registered: Feb 2002
I'll be doing the same swap this spring, but first I have to make my Z engine look and act like a fiero engine. Everything is identical from the intake manifold down, engine wise. I'm not to sure about mounting, but I know I will need exhaust, plenum, vac lines, intake, ecm and harness. I was going to hit the junkyards today but it's cold and snowing.
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12:25 PM
StuGood Member
Posts: 3172 From: Wichita, KS, USA Registered: Jun 2000
Beautiful! Almost a shame you won't be able to see as much of that gorgeous blue, after it's in the car. Funny, I would never have dreamed that color scheme could look so good.
Hope the installation goes smoothly. Good luck !
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02:20 PM
StansGT Member
Posts: 914 From: Schoolcraft MI, USA Registered: Jul 2001
Originally posted by FieroJoe: Plenum and valve covers repainted:
looks really nice, makes me wanna go buy a fiero GT with a blown engine and re-build it myself...hmmm. I always wanted to know, how do you guys piant these¿? Like how do you cover up the silver parts to spray the red without ruining it¿?
------------------ Adam J. B. The search for a GT will never end! IM AOL: GTFiero & Rumpdetective (dont ask)
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09:00 PM
Dumba$$ Member
Posts: 1679 From: Sioux Falls SD Registered: Jan 2001
Originally posted by GTFiero1: looks really nice, makes me wanna go buy a fiero GT with a blown engine and re-build it myself...hmmm. I always wanted to know, how do you guys piant these¿? Like how do you cover up the silver parts to spray the red without ruining it¿?
you just paint all of it, then take a sanding block to it and go to town!!
------------------ Rich Sioux Falls SD Gold 86 SE 98 acura cl 3.0 92 BMW 325i
I drive excitment!!!! whell, kind of.
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09:08 PM
Feb 23rd, 2002
FieroJoe Member
Posts: 2314 From: Southfield, MI Registered: Nov 2000
Originally posted by Dumba$$: you just paint all of it, then take a sanding block to it and go to town!!
Nope. Not how I did my plenums and covers. I sand the aluminum up to 400 grit, and then polish it on the high speed buffer until they shine, and then tape it off and then spray it. I have tried spraying all of it and then sanding it and then polishing, but the problem with that is you can either scratch up the paint with the sanding or burn it with the buffer if it catches on the letters (which is does frequently) and then throws the plenum in a way that you don't want it to.
Yes, taping is a PITA, but it is better than having to repaint all of it.
Here is a set of covers taped off I did in silver with the polished bars for Black86SE
The EASY way is to prep the parts, valve covers and plenum - polish the aluminum. To keep paint off of the unwanted areas, coat them with grease or petroleum jelly - not a lot just a little. After the paint cures for a few days or more, wipe off, and repolish the aluminum.
Looks Great Joe!!
Good job 
