quote Originally posted by BobadooFunk: well ive decided im dropping the cradle. that way i can not only change the clutch but i can make sure EVERYTHING is in perfect cond for watkins glen.

Hey, if your going to the glenn do you want to convoy there? My 88 coupe looks like yours but with t-tops :P they would look so cool together

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85 2m4 Sport Coupe
88 Coupe with T-Tops

Western New York Fiero
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/wnyfiero/

[This message has been edited by 85_Fiero_2M4 (edited 04-14-2005).]

yea id love to!!! anyways, cradle is almost ready to drop, gotta disconnect exhaust, and coolant... and shes ready to drop. i dont have to work tomorrow so tomorrow is the day.....she get dropped, checked out, and fixed. no ifs ands or buts.

well i still cant seem to get front 2 cradle bolts out, thats my goal for today..... that would make rest of job a breeze.... gonna grap some misc clamps and syncromesh later as well....
this is how she sits right now....

me trying to get the freakin bolt out.....

i am gonna smell like a car for the rest of my life...

new clutch and rear brake pads....

new underbody LED's, and rear speakers...... (walmart seat covers will have to do till i get $$ to get the upholstered...)

will update later...hope i get bolt out...

Looks like you having a blast. I got my Fiero home yesterday, and changed the oil today.....damn i hate changing the oil on that. I still hope to have my fiero on the road by the 1st so we can convoy to the glen.....lets just try to get a few more fieros to and truly make it a convoy

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85 2m4 Sport Coupe
88 Coupe with T-Tops

Western New York Fiero
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/wnyfiero/

not havin a blast anymore....3 DAYS spent on trying to remove cradle bolts, ruined metal sleeve which is welded to frame so now i dont know WHAT to do... tomorrow will be 4 days spent on the effin cradle bolts. horrible. making me extremely stressed out. i really want her back together for the glen.

I wonder who made you want to buy that Underbody LED set lol.

Looking good man! Hopefully you figure out that metal sleeve thing. When you get some free time check out what i've been doing with my fiero in the "Let's get working" thread. Well good luck!

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1986 Fiero Diablo - L4 2.5 Auto, Daily Driver & Project Car.
1986 Fiero Finale - Being A Parts Car For Now Till I Get A Finale Kit For It & etc.
2002 Firebird Phoenix - Dream Car

quote Originally posted by BobadooFunk: not havin a blast anymore....3 DAYS spent on trying to remove cradle bolts, ruined metal sleeve which is welded to frame so now i dont know WHAT to do... tomorrow will be 4 days spent on the effin cradle bolts. horrible. making me extremely stressed out. i really want her back together for the glen.

Been there...I feel your pain.

well im currently at school (Erie Community College) just wasting time and decided to read my thread, i still have to know, does anyone know a good company to use for interior vinyl paint? also because i broke the window crank, other cars that fit? or would like napa or autozone have those?
so far i have torched cradle bolts, grinded 1/2 of one...air chiseled them both... and they are still there. (still clueles about metal sleeves too...) will try to get pics today...

damn that sucks......cant you pick up a window crank from a junkyard? i had a few extra but i tossed them a while ago (sorry)
good luck with your car

andy

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85 2m4 Sport Coupe
88 Coupe with T-Tops

Western New York Fiero
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/wnyfiero/

Damn... I wish you had called or e-mailed.

1st) You should be able to pivot the engine out of the bay off of the front cradle mounts. Then pull the tranny without ever taking the engine off the cradle. See http://www.mtpisgah.net/Fiero/clutch.htm I know this can be done and it was most likely the method used when the timing gears were changed.

2nd) The cradle bolts. What happens is there are rubber bushings that are mounted in the cradle. There is a metal sleeve that the bolt goes through in the center of this rubber sleeve. (a bolt going through rubber obviously wouldn't last). After time the bolt rusts to the metal sleeve and won't allow it to turn. Hooking up an air wrench just makes the rubber vibrate and won't do you any good. You can usually get the nut off but that doesn't help. There are several solutions.
a) Sometimes you can pound the bolt loose by hitting the end of it and knocking it out of the sleeve (after you get the nut off).
b) Good rust eater can sometimes help loosen it.
c) A large breaker bar (read 2' or greater) on the bolt head and a good solid twist will get the bolt to turn in the sleeve and break it free.
d) Someone with a fine hand and precise torch can slice the bolt and not touch the mounts. The cradle bushings and bolts would need to be replaced.

-clint

Looks like you are having fun I can not wait to start the work on my next fiero. I just hope that I do not mess up.

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88gt build up! https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum1/HTML/047402.html

http://www.iamanascarfan.com/

quote Originally posted by Clint: Damn... I wish you had called or e-mailed. 1st) You should be able to pivot the engine out of the bay off of the front cradle mounts. Then pull the tranny without ever taking the engine off the cradle. See http://www.mtpisgah.net/Fiero/clutch.htm I know this can be done and it was most likely the method used when the timing gears were changed. 2nd) The cradle bolts. What happens is there are rubber bushings that are mounted in the cradle. There is a metal sleeve that the bolt goes through in the center of this rubber sleeve. (a bolt going through rubber obviously wouldn't last). After time the bolt rusts to the metal sleeve and won't allow it to turn. Hooking up an air wrench just makes the rubber vibrate and won't do you any good. You can usually get the nut off but that doesn't help. There are several solutions. a) Sometimes you can pound the bolt loose by hitting the end of it and knocking it out of the sleeve (after you get the nut off). b) Good rust eater can sometimes help loosen it. c) A large breaker bar (read 2' or greater) on the bolt head and a good solid twist will get the bolt to turn in the sleeve and break it free. d) Someone with a fine hand and precise torch can slice the bolt and not touch the mounts. The cradle bushings and bolts would need to be replaced. -clint

na no biggie clint, i bought this car to be a project car. with the amt of $ i already out into her, i coulda bought another running duke.... and i always wanted to drop a cradle.. and i also want to be able to see whole engine and check for anyother unseen problems..

bump so i get my arse to work... goin riiiight now, no now......now? ok NOW!

FINALLY!!!! SOME FREAKIN PROGRESS!!!! The engine will FINALLY be out tomorrow!! (i have to wait for grandfather to wake up so he can move his car, i like to work late...its now 1:10 am and i just got done...) sooo after realizing my previous method was retarded... i devised a newer (and SLIGHTLY less stupid way to raise car.. and it worked... I had to cut e-brake (doesnt work anyways...) and still dont know WHERE or HOW to disconnect air cond hose.. ill probably cut it tomorrow.. After the MAFOA swap meet, i loved seeing all the other RUNNING Fieros, i decided i better get into gear (as much as i can while maintaining 2 jobs and being a full time student)... I also decided , untill my paint job, im gonna use my old decklid w/spoiler. i know its a diff color, but the black looks MUCHO better than the sun faded red for now...but i had to switch locks cause the old one was busted out (plus i want to use the same keys..) works good now.
halfway decent method..

AHH WAKE UP AND MOVE YOUR CAR!!! j/k ill wait..

Where she sits.

2 Decklids

progressing a bit more.... got engine out... took off most of the nuts+bolts (15mm and 18mm respectively)
enough typing...on with the pix!
Finally out....

took out cv shaft.. was quite simple.. popped out with ease

top was 18mm, bottom was 15mm

DEFINATELY not stock.....

as for the heater hose, you should be able to get one at autozone, oreilly's, etc. As for the cleanup, buy some foaming engine degreaser, a few cans of it, spray the engine until you can't see metal anymore, just foam, and leave it alone for about 5-10 minutes, come back with a water hose and wash it off. Repeat until clean. Thats what I did when my duke was out of the car. I tried the non foaming kind and wiping with a rag, but that didn't really work. Wire brushes and scotch-brite also help a lot.

yea but the heater hose has wierd clams at both ends..and and it connects to the one running under the car which is bent pretty bad...
yes, it has wierd clams.....

CLAMPS*

[This message has been edited by BobadooFunk (edited 04-28-2005).]

Good looking alternator you got there!

Seriously, when we drop an engine, we usually unbolt the top of the struts from the strut tower and remove them with the cradle. That way we don't mess up the allignment. Looks like your making good progress and judging from the pics of your room, you have the Fiero disease BAD!

yea its pretty bad, there is alot more stuff too...including a painting i did (the other painting a friend did for me..)

WEEEEEELLLL......its 3:30 am and i just got in from bustin my arse on the car.....quite a bit accomplished, actually i could be still out there close to done, but im not sure everything is in right and want to double check....
popped out other CV..

removed dust shield for flywheel that is connected to starter...

tranny mount bolts out..

AN OPENING!

that hose can be reloaced with regular hose and some brass fittings on each end. nothing special just a coolant hose no high pressures or temps. Gm likes there quick disconnects, while everyone else hates them. a good brass barb fitting and a hose clamp on each end of a rubber hose should suit you fine. Napa can help you with this.

If that throw out bearing is installed correctly, you should not use it, it looks mighty worn, and ask yourself on question punk, do you feel lucky? seriously I doubt you want to be doing this agian 3 months down the road for what could have been solved with a 45 dollar part.

[This message has been edited by p8ntman442 (edited 04-30-2005).]

ha, no thats the NEW throwout bearing......just got a bit dirty from me.... i think it might be upside down tho... well im goin to napa now we'll see wjat they say...

TRANSMISSION IS CONNECTED TO ENGINE AGAIN!!!! YAYYYYYY!!!!

with a bit of help from my friend Rick, got it attatched again... he also did some grinding while i fiddled with other misc. tasks

just waiting for my new alt. pully from MstangsBware... and trying to figure out this quick connect thing... a way to rig it...
will definately have her driving again by the end of the week!!!
WOOoOOOOOooOOOOOooOOOO!!!

Looks like your doing well on the job. Here's a link that may help you in the future if/when you need to get the transmission out again. I did the whole drop the engine thing about 3 times on my 2M4 , but this link sped up the job when I had to pull the transmission out the other 4+ times ( don't ask ) Any ways here you go
http://www.thefierofactory.com/88transaxle.htm

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Sk8rfiero
85 2M4coupe
86 SE 2M6
85 SE 2M6

ya had a printup of that, but decided to drop whole cradle just because, kinda wanted to look it over, clean it up... replace misc things easier... etc.

OK welllll........trannys together+mounts are tight....i DID break 1 of the bolts to the tranny...i let it go for many reasons..... should be ok..... i also have a minor gas leak to fix.... shouldnt be bad though... ready to lower car onto cradle, and make my own "bushings" of sort... since the 88 was hard mounted and i had to cut old sleeves... hopefully pics tomorrow....

Good job. I like fixxy-uppys

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Archie's Choptop conversion #11, #15, Redux & The Stealth

You are doing a good job!

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88gt build up! https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum1/HTML/047402.html

http://www.iamanascarfan.com/

well i WAS going to fabricate metal sleeves...but it seems if i use just grade 8 hardened nuts (har har har) where normally bushings would be, it may work.. at least till i figure out something better....so i might possibly try that today or tomorrow...