Finally got around to hooking up the lights in the door handle bezel - it shines a red light down onto the door handle controls (since the Fiebird switch are not backlit themselves), not as bright as I hoped for, but they are done...
The best I could get for a picture with my camera...
[This message has been edited by Mickey_Moose (edited 08-17-2007).]
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01:41 PM
F-I-E-R-O Member
Posts: 8410 From: Endwell, NY Registered: Jan 2005
Are you using the stock light in the stock hole? I don't remember them being that bright in the firebird. And they are certainly not bright in my car when I just shoved a a random light in the hole. I have the stock lights now and I haven't got around to hooking them up.
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02:10 PM
jscott1 Member
Posts: 21676 From: Houston, TX , USA Registered: Dec 2001
Back to the question of what clusters would work in a Fiero. I did some research and came upon a list of Clusters I know WON'T work in a Fiero. These are all serial bus clusters and are not going to work without some serious hacking. Please avoid these unless you are a electrical genius...
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04:53 PM
1986GTV8 Member
Posts: 1259 From: Orlando,FL,USA Registered: Mar 2002
Is the ECM from the Fiero an ablsoute must? I am doing a V8 install & do not need the ECM with my carb so I was going to eliminate it.
Will I need it for the Fierbird speedo to work?
John
I need more info...
It depends on your engine and transmission. A carbed V8 probably has a distributor? That can drive the tach. Your transmission is a Fiero transmission? If so then the Firebird speedometer is going to need a speed buffer. You don't need the ECM, since the speed buffer is in the Fiero speedometer.
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10:39 PM
Aug 18th, 2007
Mickey_Moose Member
Posts: 7543 From: Edmonton, AB, Canada Registered: May 2001
Originally posted by jscott1: Are you using the stock light in the stock hole? I don't remember them being that bright in the firebird. And they are certainly not bright in my car when I just shoved a a random light in the hole. I have the stock lights now and I haven't got around to hooking them up.
Using the stock bulb, not very bright - had to leave the shutter open a fairly long time to get that picture...
quote
Originally posted by 1986GTV8: Is the ECM from the Fiero an ablsoute must? I am doing a V8 install & do not need the ECM with my carb so I was going to eliminate it.
Will I need it for the Fierbird speedo to work?
John
No, the ECM does not supply the speedo signal. ALSO note, you will have to do my tach mod as well (posted someplace earlier in this thread), the Firebird tach does not play nice with HEI distributors...
[This message has been edited by Mickey_Moose (edited 08-18-2007).]
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04:03 PM
Aug 26th, 2007
1986GTV8 Member
Posts: 1259 From: Orlando,FL,USA Registered: Mar 2002
Thanks for the ECM info. I was reaading the quote below in the middle of page 22 which made me beleive that I needed the ECM on my Chevy 350 carbed enginge with a manual 4spd. Please see below.
“It's true the Fiero VSS is a 4,000 Pulse Per Mile generator, but it is a sine wave, (or even triangular wave) that increases in amplitude with speed. At low speeds your speedometer is going to be very erratic. The buffer circuit in the Fiero Stock circuit buffers that wave into a square wave. It also has a divide by two circuits to send 2,000 PPM to the ECM and the Cruise control, (if you have it.). Without a VSS signal the Fiero ECM will set a code. I don't know about the 3.4, but I'm guessing it will as well.
So yes you can connect the VSS directly up to the Camaro/Firebird cluster but it's not going to work as well, if at all.”
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08:21 PM
jscott1 Member
Posts: 21676 From: Houston, TX , USA Registered: Dec 2001
Thanks for the ECM info. I was reaading the quote below in the middle of page 22 which made me beleive that I needed the ECM on my Chevy 350 carbed enginge with a manual 4spd. Please see below.
“It's true the Fiero VSS is a 4,000 Pulse Per Mile generator, but it is a sine wave, (or even triangular wave) that increases in amplitude with speed. At low speeds your speedometer is going to be very erratic. The buffer circuit in the Fiero Stock circuit buffers that wave into a square wave. It also has a divide by two circuits to send 2,000 PPM to the ECM and the Cruise control, (if you have it.). Without a VSS signal the Fiero ECM will set a code. I don't know about the 3.4, but I'm guessing it will as well.
So yes you can connect the VSS directly up to the Camaro/Firebird cluster but it's not going to work as well, if at all.”
You don't need the ECM for the tach or speedometer signal. But all of what I said is still true for the Speedometer signal. Without a speed buffer you are going to have issues driving the Firebird speedometer. The speed buffer is in the Fiero speedometer, not in the ECM.
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09:03 PM
Riceburner98 Member
Posts: 2179 From: Natick, Ma, USA Registered: Apr 2002
Back to the question of what clusters would work in a Fiero. I did some research and came upon a list of Clusters I know WON'T work in a Fiero. These are all serial bus clusters and are not going to work without some serious hacking. Please avoid these unless you are a electrical genius...
Not a genious by any means, but if someone has a new-ish (serial data driven) cluster just lying around that they can't use for anything and wants to send it to me for experimenting, I'll make an attempt at getting it functional. If it works and the circuitry can be used with other clusters, I'll do it for free and consider it "R&D". 1 only though, don't want 50 people sending clusters for free work. LOL Prefer to try the later model Corvette cluster as I'll be working on that (hopefully) for someone at some point... If I can't get it working I'll send it back un-molested. Promise.
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09:43 PM
Aug 30th, 2007
1986GTV8 Member
Posts: 1259 From: Orlando,FL,USA Registered: Mar 2002
Once I moved the window switches to the doors, the hardest part for me was making the right side window work with two switches instead of just one. With your help, I was finally able to make it work. Did you post that diagram, yet?
Roy
Finally had a chance to make that drawing for the window switches, and adding the right side switch.
[This message has been edited by jscott1 (edited 09-23-2007).]
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01:34 PM
jscott1 Member
Posts: 21676 From: Houston, TX , USA Registered: Dec 2001
I haven't actually tried this, so proceed at your own risk, but if you want driver's side window express down, the F Body box is real simple to add. It's mounted up under the dash near the accelerator and only requires one wire to be cut. The boxes are still available new from GM if you are not a junkyard junkie.
I've got a bunch of little black boxes laying around, I will try it someday.
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07:17 PM
Oct 3rd, 2007
madcurl Member
Posts: 21401 From: In a Van down by the Kern River Registered: Jul 2003
So here is a short and quick update. My bracket with the motors and arms mounted:
mounted and all hooked up - turns out the cable that operates the vent/foot door (green end) was too long and it would bind, so I cut the cable shorter and now it works just fine:
The temp control cable had to be Mickey Moused as the Firebird control rotates vs the Fiero's slider. The Firebird's cable was too short to reach the air box, so I just mergered the 2 cables together - hey it works, beats me pulling the dash all out to mount a motor, etc.
All together - still need to find a plug that will fit the rear defrost on the panel, it works, but it is just hooked up using spade connectors till I come across an actual plug - jscott1, can you help me out with one?? Yea I know - I need to do something about the radio mount now...
[This message has been edited by Mickey_Moose (edited 10-03-2007).]
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04:42 PM
jscott1 Member
Posts: 21676 From: Houston, TX , USA Registered: Dec 2001
Madcurl >> thanks for the info - will have to check it out
------
anyways, I finally got around to installing the Firebird HVAC controls into my car (no AC) so that it actually works (yay):
Very clever, using two actuators to work the non-A/C system. I would like to see how you made that arm that interfaces with the actuator and the cable.
I am still trying to find time to build the one actuator version. I'll take a look for the defrost connector. I can't remember off the top of my head what it looks like, but I have about three hacked up firebird harnesses laying around. I must have one somewhere.
[This message has been edited by jscott1 (edited 10-03-2007).]
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06:05 PM
PFF
System Bot
Oct 4th, 2007
Mickey_Moose Member
Posts: 7543 From: Edmonton, AB, Canada Registered: May 2001
All together - still need to find a plug that will fit the rear defrost on the panel, it works, but it is just hooked up using spade connectors till I come across an actual plug - jscott1, can you help me out with one??
I have the connector and I'll get it to you shortly.
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02:11 PM
Nov 6th, 2007
Mickey_Moose Member
Posts: 7543 From: Edmonton, AB, Canada Registered: May 2001
1 only though, don't want 50 people sending clusters for free work. LOL Prefer to try the later model Corvette cluster as I'll be working on that (hopefully) for someone at some point... If I can't get it working I'll send it back un-molested. Promise. 
beats me pulling the dash all out to mount a motor, etc.
