Looks like a swaybar endlink bushing. I think you can get those at about any auto parts store. Good luck!
--Bryson

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88 Fiero GT Quad4 Turbo =) 396 whp!

quote Originally posted by bryson: Looks like a swaybar endlink bushing. I think you can get those at about any auto parts store. Good luck! --Bryson

Thats what that is, I have never seen one crumble like that but any parts stor will carry new poly ones for about 20 bucks. Have done alot to the car in a short period of time, should be on the road in no time.

Yes, your EGR valves can get plugged up with all sorts of gunk and carbon. I removed mine about a month ago and scraped about 3mm worth of crap from all around the sides of the opening in the bottom. I replace mine every couple of years as routine maintenance...I just bought this Fiero last year around this time and just now got around to tuning it up and replacing everything. She's been thanking me ever since! She runs great!

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my egr valve spring went kaput, and was allowing more than enough exhaust gas past, so i took it off and plugged her up!

i dont care about that engine anyway!

yes, swaybar endlink bushings. might as well buy the polyurethane ones from autozone. they must like you over there by now

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Brandon Edmonds

1996 Taurus SHO (my baby)
1986 Ford EXP (goin bye-bye soon hopefully)
1986 Fiero (to be my street rocket)
1977 yamaha xs750-2D (in pieces right now, doesnt appear that it will be done for summer, unfortunately)

Just got back from AutoZone (again). Got the sway bar bushings, screws for the gasket (I was missing 2), windshield wiper blades and more nitrile gloves.

It's raining. Damn. I need to pull off the gasket cover and check the seal again. Last night after I fired her up, I noticed a slight oil leak in the areas where the 2 screws were missing. I figured I'd take it off, clean everything up and hope that the seal was still okay. If not, I'd just replace it again to make sure everything was cool. Now it's raining and I'm pacing like a nervous cat because I want to get out there and finish this stuff. LOL

I'm going to try to replace the sway bar bushings myself. My mechanic mentor is unavailable today (doctor's appointment) and wasn't supposed to be working on the car past Monday anyway. The Haynes and Chilton's manuals didn't make it look too difficult and as long as I remember how I took everything apart I should be cool, right?

The AutoZone people are getting to know me (and my credit card number) very well. hehe The guys have all been really helpful and are impressed that I'm actually trying to do some of the work myself.

Since it's raining now, I should probably take advantage of the time to catch up on some work that I've blown off for the last 2 days. Good thing about having your own business--you don't have to worry about getting fired when you take "car days" off from work. LOL

Any suggestions on the sway bar bushing replacement job? Guidance would be appreciated and of course, pics will be provided.

--Tress

its a pretty easy job if its anything like it is on a mr2...

------------------
'86 Fiero GT
My Fiero XoticRydz Mid-Rear Madness
I am the signature virus, please put me in your signature so I can spread
Be Excellent To Each Other" - Bill S. Preston Esquire Ted Theadore Logan

Clean as much crap off the threads as you can with a wire brush, then apply some oil to make it easier to get the nuts removed without damaging them. They are deformed-thread lock-nuts and are designed to be fairly hard to remove.

JazzMan

Get a can ot two of PB Blaster if you haven't already, put it on any threaded connectors you need to get apart, it helps if you can do it ahead of time, like the night before, or at least a couple hours before (preferably both) you apply force. It is a very good penetrating oil and can make the difference between snapping off a bolt and unscrewing it.

Keep a wire brush in the tool kit for cleaning off threads and buy a little bottle of Anti-Seize, you put a little dab of that on the threads of any bolt you've taken off and cleaned. It makes it A LOT EASIER if you ever have to take it off again. Anti-Seize lasts for years, it'll save you many headaches (broken bolts or connectors that can be expensive or difficult to replace). One bottle of Anti-Seize will last you years, you only need a little dab on each connector, wear your gloves when using it because it seems to multiply and get everywhere, remember, only a LITTLE dab is needed.

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88 Formula, T-Tops,auto, 3.2 V6, balanced, 9.5 comp ratio, roller chain, roller tip rockers, h260 cam, Darrell Morse throttle body, 19lb injectors, Spintech muffler, K&N , White 16" GTZ wheels

Here's the promised update for yesterday's "The Hottie" adventures. It rained all day today...which was good because otherwise I wouldn't have gotten any work done--again--and therefore would have missed a deadline because I was working on the car. LOL I admit it--I'm hooked. I'd much rather work on "The Hottie" than actually "work". hehe Officially addicted.

Well, where do I start? Yesterday morning we were supposed to get started bright and early and replace the alternator, then change the oil, test everything, clean the engine and we'd be ready to roll. At least that was the plan. My mechanic mentor arrived a bit later than originally planned, but that was cool, 'cause it gave me a chance to send off a couple of emails and do some work-related proposals that I'd been putting off because I'd spent all day Monday working on the car with him. Anyway, I had to go back to AutoZone first (trip #1) because I'd forgotten to pick up the 1" 6 point socket that he needed to remove the oil pan and change the oil. Went over and picked that up, then came back.

To get the car out of the yard the first time, we had to push it out. This time I got in and the battery still had enough juice to back it out. (I managed to scrape the passenger side mirror on the gate, but no problem, I was driving "The Hottie" and lovin' it. LOL) I cruised down the street to take the "scenic route" and turn around so we could face the car the other way and jack it up. Here's a pic of me cruisin' on our street. LOL

I parked it, he jacked it up and then tried to remove the oil pan. Socket didn't fit. Turns out I needed a 15/26" 6 point socket. No big. I had to return the old alternator anyway, so we decided that we'd go ahead and replace the alternator, then I could get the new socket at the same time.

Now we had to figure out exactly how to get at the alternator. We decided to unscrew the flaps in the wheelwell, just in case we had to come at it from the bottom. (Ultimately decided not to go that route, but here's a pic of me doing it anyway. LOL)

Instead, we surveyed the engine from the top to try to figure out the best attack. Here's a pic of the my new dogbone that was newly installed the day before.

After checking things out, we removed the battery so we could have access to the serpentine (sp?) belt--which needed to be replaced (add that to the list of things to get from AutoZone) and get to the alternator. Here's the old belt :

and the battery compartment after I took out the battery and removed the belt.

So with a clear path to the alternator, we removed the bracket, unscrewed the bolt on the bottom and then took out the rest of the bolts holding it in place. I wanted to be more hands on this time, 'cause I was really excited and still on a rush from helping to install the starter the day before. So this time (properly protected with my nitrile gloves) I held the alternator and worked with him to loosen the bolts and remove it. Here are some pics:

the old alternator (absolultely filthy)

the old and new alternators side by side: (BIG difference LOL)

--cont....

quote Originally posted by Miss-Tress007:

The next time you go to AutoZone, I think you'd be smart to buy a new positive battery cable. That one is looking PRETTY bad....

Okay. So I'm back from my AutoZone trip with the new socket and he tries to remove the oil pan. Doesn't budge. We figured it must not have been removed in at least a couple of years (the car hasn't been driven really since '96) so the next plan is to take it to one of those oil change places and let them remove the bolt and change the oil the first time. We figured we'd do everything else and they could take care of that once we're done.

Sounds like a plan. In the meantime, we'll change the air filter, temperature sensor, and put everything back together once the battery is ready and be ready to roll! (At least that was the plan.)

We change the air filter:

here's the old one:

then replace the temperature sensor--here's the old one:

and the new one installed:

By this time the battery is ready, so I go back to AutoZone to pick up the battery (trip #3 or 4 I think) come back, install it and it fires right up! I was sooo thrilled! My mechanic mentor and I hop in the car to take it on a test drive and check everything out.

The car is running smoother than the first time (the dogbone was definitely worth it) and everything lights up and works, so the new alternator is working fine. The fan comes on like it's supposed to so my new temperature sensor is operating, and he guns it and slows down a few times to test the transmission. (it's an automatic, but he wants to make sure the car is moving between gears okay). No problem there, but by the time we make the second right on our way back around the block, I notice white smoke coming from the engine.

Oh, no! (I'm thinking maybe I should have bought the fire extinguisher after all....) By the time we make the last turn back onto our street and pull in front of my house, there's alot of smoke pouring out of the back. We jump out, pop the trunklid and discover the problem---

oil leak. Need a new gasket seal. (Damn. More money)

Here's a pic of the gasket before we took it off. You can see how dirty it is on the sides where the oil had been leaking out.

We had to remove the EGR sensor to get the gasket off, and it's filthy as well. Need another one of those too. So we remove the gasket cover and there's no seal to speak of. There's a pool of oil on the sides, so I'm thinking this is definitely not good.

So, while the engine cools off, I go back to AutoZone (trip#???) and take the gasket cover with me, along with the old EGR sensor to get the new parts.

--cont.---

Back at AutoZone, I pick up the new gasket seal, EGR sensor, some shop towels and a can of Gunk Engine Degreaser (which is what I was supposed to get the first time, not the injector cleaner).

Here are my purchases:

EGR Sensor:

Gasket seal:

Shop towels:

Here's what the gasket looked like before I cleaned it:

Here's the old EGR sensor:

Here's the engine with the gasket cover off:

--cont--

Hi there!

Guess its time I add my couple o' cents worth...

http://www.por15.com/

I know you have been innudated with buy this...and purchase that....but from the looks of the battery tray....this would be something that I would classify as "a need."

This stuff is the best thing for rust I have ever found. All my Fieros have been treated and I have yet to need to actually replace a battery tray...which can be quite involved if you do it correctly! Anyway, you appear to have enough of your tray remaining to make it well worth salvaging. Just get a wire brush and remove as much of the flaking rust that you can followed up by a nylon brush or rag to remove the remaining residue. Then using a disposable hair type brush, apply the Por 15 starting with the underside of the tray as best as you can. It will be messy, but thats ok. Try to make sure you dab that sucker every which way possible from the bottom and sides, then finish up the top side. When the stuff drys, it will not only look 100% better (drys black) but it will be rock hard and the rust on your tray will be stopped in its tracks!

I guarantee you this will be the best $14.95 plus shipping you have spent on your little beast!

Oh yea, and kudos to you for your initiative in learning how to maintain and REPAIR your pride-n-joy!

------------------
Rob White, Atascosa Texas

The Pontiac Fiero, Americas Go-Cart for Grownups....

We cleaned up all of the excess oil in addition to cleaning up all of the old gasket seal before applying the new one and installing the new EGR sensor.

After putting the gasket seal and EGR sensor in, we used the engine degreaser:

there was an extra clamp left over after putting the gasket cover back in---I'm not sure where it went originally:

By this time it's starting to get dark, and I'm getting antsy about finishing this and getting "The Hottie" on the road at least to test drive it. We'd figured out a fix to the headlight problem that I was having (the left headlight assembly had a piece broken off where it's supposed to screw into the harness, so it couldn't go up and down).

We used JB Weld and made a new piece using a handmade mold. The new piece was a bit larger than the original, and it fit snugly into the harness. The next step is to drill a hole into the new piece and insert the screw into the harness to make it operational.

Here's a pic of our "repair job":

So we put the new headlight in and it fit snugly enough to actually move up and down when I turned the lights on and off! Great temporary solution!

Now, we had to wait until the engine dried out to start the car after rinsing the degreaser off. We waited for about 30 minutes, then tried to start it. Tried, but wouldn't turn over. By this time it's dark and we're working with flashlights. We finally get it to turn over and let it run to try to get the engine to dry itself out. While it's running, it's sputtering a bit and is revved kind of high. I'm a bit deflated because I'd looked forward to driving "The Hottie" after doing all of that work, and it looked like I wouldn't be able to until the next day.

To add insult to injury, I had to return the Grand Am that we'd been renting and we didn't have the car completely finished. So we borrowed a car and went out to return the rental. By the time we got back, we tried to start it again. Finally got it to turn over and it ran better, so we decided to take her for a little spin--we've got lights (thanks to our repair job) so we can at least go around the corner and back, right?

Wrong. I pull out and start driving and the front of the car feels like the wheels are about to fall off. I'm thinking it's the headlights or that there's something loose that's rattling around under the hood. I speed up a bit and it gets worse. So I immediately make a turn and start back towards the house. Now I'm getting frustrated. What the hell could be wrong now?!

Well, after investigating a bit, we discover the problem---cracked swaybar bushings. I posted the pics earlier in the thread last night. Did some research online and looked it up in the Haynes manual and discovered that I could get them from--yup, you guessed it--AutoZone for about $20.

So first thing this morning, I was back at AutoZone to pick up the swaybar bushings, more nitrile gloves, windshield wiper blades and screws for the gasket cover. When we reconnected the gasket cover last night, we found out that we were missing 2 screws. Well, when we were running the engine, oil leaked out of the areas where the gasket cover wasn't screwed down, so I'm hoping that I can just insert the screws and apply a little more torque to it and that'll take care of it without my having to replace the seal again.

Here're the swaybar replacements that I picked up this morning:

and the rest of my "supplies"

It rained all day today, so I wasn't able to work on "The Hottie" at all, which is just as well. I'll be refreshed tomorrow and was able to get some direction and instructions on just how to replace the swaybar bushings from the forum, so I should be fine.

I'll keep you guys posted on my progress. I'm hoping this will be it and I actually get to drive "The Hottie" tomorrow when I'm done (if it doesn't rain again).

Oh, I forgot to mention--I started out my day with the arrival of my new title in the mail! Talk about timing! On the day I receive notification that the car is officially, legally, completely mine, I run into so many problems and additional repairs. Hehe Welcome to the world of Fiero ownership! LOL

--Tress

wow this thread feels like deja-vu
https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum1/HTML/050262.html#lastpost

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quote Originally posted by Jake_Dragon: The rest of your life could be today, I picked the Fiero to drive to work

I DID IT! I DID IT! I DID IT!I DID IT! I DID IT! I DID IT!

AND IT WORKS!

Details later. Gotta go get my oil changed.

--Tress

[This message has been edited by Miss-Tress007 (edited 04-07-2005).]

quote Originally posted by Miss-Tress007: I DID IT! I DID IT! I DID IT!I DID IT! I DID IT! I DID IT!

Does this mean we'll get to see you and "Hottie" in San Antonio next week end?

Looks like you got it tuned up. Last owner didnt keep it that way

White 88 coupes are the best build up platforms.
right js1 haha

quote Originally posted by zMacK: White 88 coupes are the best build up platforms. right js1 haha

Word. I feel like Proud-1 and the Hottie are twins separated at birth. Only my previous owner took awesome care of my Car.

Next thing you know Tress will be adding a fastback kit, V8 and a chop top!

[This message has been edited by jscott1 (edited 04-07-2005).]

Get out the popcorn, dudes, this is going to be an eventful post. LOL

Started out today with the goal being to get rid of the pesky oil leak by adding the new screws to the gasket cover and to change out the swaybar bushings on both wheels.

I didn't get started until after 12:30pm--had to revise a piece and get it in to my editor before deadline--so work on "The Hottie" had to wait.

First thing I did was to add the new screws that I bought and torque up the old ones a bit more to see if maybe we could get away with not having to replace the gasket seal again. Since there were two screws missing, when we ran the engine, it leaked oil from the places where the screws were missing. I thought it may have compromised the gasket seal already, but I was hoping for the quick fix.

Anyway, after inserting the new screws, I backed the car out (no scrapes this time!) and parked it outside the yard so we could tackle the swaybar bushings.

These are pics of the original ones before we took them off:

the one on the left:

and the right:

I jacked up the car and removed the tire to start on the left one first (since that one was more damaged than the other) and made sure to apply a generous helping of WD40 to loosen it up.

It took a little elbow grease, but we were finally able to get it off. Here's the old one (or rather what's left of it, hehe)

Here's the wheel without the swaybar bushings:

I was so excited that this was turning out to be an easy job, I couldn't wait to finish. After all, this was the only thing standing between me and being able to drive "The Hottie"! I tried to curb my enthusiasm enough to make sure I didn't screw up such a simple job or have the car drop on my hand or leg or something because I didn't take the time to do it right. So I double-checked the order of the bushings and washers and proceeded to install the brand new ones:

---cont---

/me waits contentedly.... I love this thread...

------------------
88 Fiero GT Auto
01 Prizm 5 Spd.

---cont.---

By this time, I'm LMAO. I can't help it. This is classic. I finally get to take my car out for a test drive and I RUN OUT OF GAS! LOL

We go about maybe ten feet or so and this guy pulls up behind us and offers to push us to the gas station. So my husband gets back in and we get a push from a Ford Taurus. The guy picks up speed and we're flyin'---then I wave him off and we coast into the gas station and stop right in front of the pump! There's a guy in his car who was just starting to pull out when I pulled in. He looks at me and honks for me to back up so he can get out. I look at him and say--nothin' doin'. I'm out of gas, then motion for the car behind him to back up so he can get out. He just shakes his head as he manages to squeeze past my car (and the police car that was parked to my rear right side).

I get out and I'm almost cryin' I'm laughing so hard! This is classic! Not only are people looking at us, trying to figure out what kind of car we're driving--we just got pushed into the station because we're out of gas! How's that for an introduction to the public?

"Yes, here's my little 2-seater, mid-engine. They're really cool cars and fun to drive----if you have gas in them!" LOL

So I put in $10 bucks worth of gas (a half tank) and jump back in to continue our adventure.

Next stop--air in the tires and an oil change.

---cont---

---cont--

So now during the 30 minute wait for the engine to cool down. We formulate our plan. There's a Pep Boys that we can get to (eventually) where we can get a new gasket seal and have the oil changed. Then we'd be done and ready to go (again there's that pesky concept that we'd actually be "ready to go"--we somehow keep getting stuck on that).

The only problem is that the part of New Orleans that we're in has a number of waterways that cut through the city. This means that in order to get from where we were to where we want to go, we'd have to cross a bridge. No way around it. To get to the "promised land of oil changes and gasket seals" at Pep Boys, we have to get the car over the bridge.

Okay. Here's the plan. Let's just make it to the top of the bridge. Then we can just coast down the other side if necessary! Sounds good!

So we set off again. This is the destination: the bridge

As we get closer to the bridge and start going up, I'm talking to "The Hottie" the whole time ---"come on baby" "you can make it" "don't give up now" "I'm pulling for you"---

and it works! We get to the top of the bridge!

I promptly take my foot off of the gas and we start coasting down. Now a '88 Fiero Coupe does not necessarily coast very fast, so there were some drivers who obviously had someplace to go in a bit of a hurry and didn't exactly appreciate the fact that we were holding up traffic, so we were passed by quite a bit

Of course, upon reaching the bottom of the bridge, the temperature gauge went up again and we had to pull into the parking lot of a hotel to let her cool off a bit.

While we're waiting and trying to decide on our next move, I call Pep Boys to see: 1) what time they close; 2) if they did oil changes and how much it would be to do one on a fiero; 3) if they could take us tonight, considering that it was already 6:30pm and they closed at 9pm. After the guy told me that there were 5 cars ahead of us and that there was no guarantee that we'd be serviced if we got there, we decided to formulate plan C.

---cont---

Just curious as to how hot it got? and what color the smoke was since white smoke usually means water/coolant burning and blueish is oil. I blew out a head gasket on my 84 duke one night from overheating (very overheated) coming home from my uncle's place. Didnt realize that it had froze up on me and had to get it back into town since i was 15miles from anywhere with windchills around -60c.

welcome to owning a fiero
wait till they start breaking parts you just replaced

na J/k but your fiero already looks great and has a lot of potential so one thing thou why fix the 4 when archie can give you 8

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its always the ones you dont suspect

Talk about your baptisms of fire !

Man i am exhausted just reading this thread.

Great determination though, stick with it.

quote Originally posted by litespd: The next time you go to AutoZone, I think you'd be smart to buy a new positive battery cable. That one is looking PRETTY bad....

Consider it added to the list! I was thinking the same thing, but kept forgetting to pick one up.

quote Originally posted by JohnF: Does this mean we'll get to see you and "Hottie" in San Antonio next week end?

Unfortunately, more than likely not. There turned out to be more going on with the car than I'd thought (read my last diary entry), so it's not looking good for "The Hottie" making the trip. I still haven't decided if I'll be able to make it or not. I have a few work-related commitments that I'd have to change or postpone and I'm not sure if that'll happen.

Fierosa--I'll check out the website you gave me and look at replacing that battery tray as well. If I need any guidance, I'll be sure to PM you!

BobadooFunk--I guess the clamp wasn't really needed before it fell off, 'cause there aren't really any loose wires (that I can see) that need it that badly. There are a couple of places that it could fit, so I'll just put it where the wires are the loosest. Is it supposed to go in any particular place or can I just wing it?

On top of everything else that happened today, I ended up getting my thumb caught in the door (don't ask me how, 'cause I don't know) and now the nail is slightly bruised (y'know with the black and blue bruising underneath) and the thumb itself is throbbing. I can move it (and type, obviously) but it's starting to hurt a bit, so I guess I'll go put some ice on it or something so I can work on the car tomorrow. Aarrgghh!

--Tress

quote Originally posted by Miss-Tress007: We checked out the old screws and sleeves, and they were in pretty good shape, so we improvised and used them with the new bushings and washers. Screwed everything together....andVoila! Good as new!

Good call on the improv. Get used to that...

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black 85 GT on the road soon... REAL soon....

Hi Miss-Tress007

I am not far from you, I live right outside BR in Walker.
Nice to see someone else owns a Fiero in Louisiana !!!
Sounds like you are really getting into the car and having fun !!!
From what I have seen it looks good !!

quote Originally posted by Miss-Tress007: my husband

That sucks that you have one one them things... Did'nt you know that 'Hottie' Fiero Babes are NOT allowed to have those..??

Seriously... Looking Great Tress!!

------------------

Choptopped WideBody GT 1 of 1

quote Originally posted by NotAFieroAnyLonger: That sucks that you have one one them things... Did'nt you know that 'Hottie' Fiero Babes are NOT allowed to have those..??

Yeah LOL he HATES that word (husband) so instead we'll go with something foreign such as marido (Portuguese) or something that sounds better

quote Originally posted by NotAFieroAnyLonger: Seriously... Looking Great Tress!!

Thanks Smooth. I have a mechanic mentor but I still need a fiberglass mentor

--Tress

Miss Tress,
I took note of that cheap floor jack you have I saw in the pictures. I had one like it too. Be careful with it. Mine worked great on a solid floor but when I tried it on gravel it tilted just ever so slightly and almost folded up! I was changing a tire at the time and was paying attention when it happened. It twisted the jack so I quit using it after that and will not buy another one. Just thought I'd give you a heads up on them. I wouldn't want yall to get hurt around it.

After all you've been through, I thought maybe it would be a good time to re-name your thread.
I was thinking of this: "Dynamic Duo Deals with Detroit's Diabolical Dukester"

What do you think?

Kit (86 GT)

quote Originally posted by Miss-Tress007: On top of everything else that happened today, I ended up getting my thumb caught in the door (don't ask me how, 'cause I don't know) and now the nail is slightly bruised (y'know with the black and blue bruising underneath) and the thumb itself is throbbing. I can move it (and type, obviously) but it's starting to hurt a bit, so I guess I'll go put some ice on it or something so I can work on the car tomorrow. Aarrgghh! --Tress

Hmm..........over-heating, check-wallet light on, and bruises? Yeah, you sound like a "Fiero owner." Although your're the first owner I know of that caught their thumb in a Fiero door? Hang-in there, the "hottie" my have more items for you to check?