Just wondering if there have been any really fast 4 bangers around PFF? Seems like it would be worth a shot, to expensive for the little return on investment?

There's been a few people trying to get some HP's out of the 2.5
As to really fast 4 bangers? ....

Don't forget the rest of the drive train. A fast car is more then HP, it's torque and gear ratios. If you want to "get off the line" fast use one ratio and for top speed use another. So, what is the deffinition of a fast 2.5L? My '84 Duke(seat of the pants) seems to get from about 35 or 40 to 70 mph ok but takes forever to go from 0 to 30 mph. I have a new set of outside final drive gears and plan to decress my rocker ratio from 1.75:1 to 1.70:1. That change alone should provide more torque(get up an' go). Remember you can do anything you want with a Fiero as long as you have enough money and time.

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[This message has been edited by fotofrank (edited 11-01-2002).]

I've got a 4spd, the one with the final ratio of 4:10, currently the car has the 5spd manual in it. Cheap way to change final gear ratio is to have a couple extra rims with lower and taller tires. I realize that the current tranny options are the limiting factors as far as all out high torque high hp motors from a standing stop. I want a reasonable 0-60 time and maybe try to get into the low 14's quarter time. Starting with a SD block, head, and crank, 200hp seems to be easily attainable and would be strong enough to take a shot of n2o if you wanted to add a little more. It would be an expensive build but when your looking at over a grand just to get the V8 kit and then finding a decent used motor, wouldn't you want to rebuild it also? Same with the V6 swaps, sure you can find a reasonably priced V6 with the harness fairly easily but you do take a chance if you don't rebuild it before throwing it in. I don't think I've ever just swapped a motor into any vehicle I've ever owned, always go through it and improve it before loading it in. The SD-4 is what won big in the imsa GTU class, it has a great reputation for long term durability in applications pushing the 250hp range. I saw a post a while back where someone had a few of the actual SD motors, anyone know whats going on with him now.

I've looked into it and it can be done but a SD4 will run you 6000+ depending on what you want for "go fast" goodies. You can gat a lot of HP out of the SD4 without the weight of a SBC but at a premium $$$$.

Rob D.

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No motor - Soon to be a bottle fed 383 V8
2.5" Drop
11" Brakes
17" Revolutions
RCC Coilover Suspension
New web site! www.dirtyratracing.org

Oh by the way, I'm not looking for a 1/4 mile drag car, if I was it wouldn't be the Fiero! We were turning low 11's back in the early 80's with less than 5 gand in a car. That's what Pinto's and Vegas are for! In drag racing I will have to say that there truly is no replacement for cubic inches, also helps to have the drivetrain possibilities that can hold up to over 500 horses. I'm looking for a nice, fast, great handling sports car and I think I have two very good candidates in the drive way right now.
V8 master build kit $3250 and $3500 for a 355hp chev 350V8 without the harness and fuel deliver system. Are the V6 and V8's really cheaper than going the 4cyl route? I don't think I would try to work with the stock 2.5 in my car but the SD seems interesting. I would think any major upgade in the powerplant dept would set you back 4 to 5 grand anyway.

[This message has been edited by DRA (edited 11-01-2002).]

For the kind of money you're looking at ... have you ever considered a Quad 4 HO. A good friend of mine has one of these engines with a 5 speed getrag in his 88 coupe.....it hauls a$$

I just sold a complete 91 GTZ with the HO Quad4 and getrag for $500 .... the engine needed rebuilt but it was all there including the wiring harness and ECM.

Someone is allways saying(what good is a two seat car,or what, only a 4cyl! They forgot or don't know that there were some awsome race cars at the Indianapolis 500 years past that had the 4 cyl. Offemhauser(sp?) engines that did over 200 mph.I don't know how good they were off the line,but must of been prettygood to get out of the pits and get up to the speed of the other race cars. RussK

I've pushed mine several times quite successfully.

Into the garage when the clutch broke...

Out of the garage for the tow truck.....

Into garage when the alternator failed...

Out of the garage for the tow to the shop....

AND..back into the garage when the shop told me $700.00 to replace the alternator.

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Little Duce Coupe
"You Don't Know What She Costs"

quote Originally posted by fotofrank: I have a new set of outside final drive gears and plan to decress my rocker ratio from 1.75:1 to 1.70:1. That change alone should provide more torque(get up an' go).

Decreasing your rocker ratio makes valve lift SMALLER. This decreases both horsepower AND torque. In order to increase low-end torque, you would be better off to get a cam program and design your own grind. That way you can increase low-end torque and not lose horsepower. The low-end torque is adjustable by lift AND duration of the exhaust valves. You can also control where the torque curve peaks at. Once you have the grind set, many cam companies will grind it out for you for not much more than standard grind cam. Mine was only $10 more. If you have them design it, the cost is more.

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Happiness isn't around the corner...
Happiness IS the corner.

Hmmm, a 4 banger thread

Well, lets see. As many of you know I happen to have a "few" 4 bangers, and I have pushed a few them to some pretty impressive speeds.
I have had a few of them with the 120 speedo pegged, so based on others I was racing or following or what have you, so as for top end they have been up around 130 to 135mph.
For example, I was following Chester in his sweet black 86GT to the OOB show a few years back in my maroon 87 "Fiero5" 2M4 5 speed and I stuck to his bumper like glue as our 120 speedo's were seriously pegged while we blasted up the Maine turnpike.
Another time I played with a Viper (or more likely he played with me) as we were flying North on the highway. He was obviously casually cruising for a Viper but I was really pushing Fiero5 to stay with him and actually passed him at a guess of about 130mph or so. He smiled and waved to us as we passed which was kinda cool. He isn't a jerk or anything as he owns a local business near us and I saw him sometime after and he said "We were buzzing along at about 135".
My "Fiero1", a white '84 SE 4 speed has been in the 100mph range as I stayed with a friends beefy '79 Trans Am one time.
The 4 speeds are tough on high end as they are geared so low. As for off the line, the best time I have done to date in a 4 banger is a 7 second 0-60 in "Fiero8", a silver '85 5 speed. That thing is quick!

For engines with go fast goodies available, you won't find much for either the 2.5 or the 2.8.
But they are out there if you look hard enough and have the disposable income to afford it.
Fieros no matter what the engine, color body style or modifications are all still Fieros.
Have fun driving whatever Fiero you have

Steve

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[This message has been edited by Fiero5 (edited 11-01-2002).]