I own page 10!

Jen-U Wine Fierocarparts carpet installed in my coupe today. This is near perfect factory carpet. Steve and I did some swapping of parts yesterday while we were in Dallas for the NTFC monthly meeting, and a Texas Rangers game afterwards.
Drivers side:


Passenger side:



I was also lucky enough to get the tan firewall upholstery piece also. I have to solder the 4 rear speaker wires before I put that piece on the interior firewall. Steve brought me a window motor for my passenger side door.

[This message has been edited by josef644 (edited 04-25-2010).]

And here I thought you were going to Dallas for business..... You just went to play! Carpet looks great Joe.

Pat

quote Originally posted by katatak: And here I thought you were going to Dallas for business..... You just went to play! Carpet looks great Joe. Pat

We had lunch with the North Texas Fiero Club, and swapped parts with Steve.

[This message has been edited by josef644 (edited 04-25-2010).]

Fiero's and Baseball - it don't get any better than that!

Got my FieroAddiction 4T60E shift bracket in the mail for his web store. It is first rate. I now have two working brackets and shift arms. Mine works on the adjustable cable, with the adjustment all the way out. His works with the adjuster all the way in.

I got the 4 rear speaker wires connected this evening, and put the firewall panel back in the car. There hasn't been one in the car since last July. Looks a little different now:

That was a score Joe.

You lucky sob!!! Overheating is simple to fix. There are only so many things it could be. You selling or keeping once you fix it? Will the wife even let you sell it?

I cannot believe you just got a free Caddilac?!
It looks like it has been kept up with real well too.

Glad to have you guys up for lunch... the carpet does look good!

quote Originally posted by blakeinspace: I cannot believe you just got a free Caddilac?! It looks like it has been kept up with real well too. Glad to have you guys up for lunch... the carpet does look good!

Well, not quite free. I'll mow her lawn for free the rest of this year, in the neighborhood of about $400.00 worth of mowing. It takes me about 20 min to cut and edge her place. Close to free!! This car looks as good up close as it does in the 15 foot pictures.

We enjoyed seeing all of the NTFC gang, and the Rangers game too.

[This message has been edited by josef644 (edited 04-27-2010).]

Looking good Joe! You have a PM

Pat

My welder friend is supposed to be here at 9:00am tomorrow. Looks like I will have exhaust system before supper time. My AC compressor head block came today UPS. I had to send the first one back as it had a defect. I am gonna remove the compressor and drain it tomorrow too. Maybe I can get this back in the car this weekend.

[This message has been edited by josef644 (edited 04-28-2010).]

I think that carpet looks better in your car than my F355. Of course, it now has black that I just recently purchased. So how do you spell your last name CrawfordBERG or CrawfordSTEIN?

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Life is just SO much better when you own AND drive a Fiero!

Steve did ya notice that you can see the floor in my garage now? Spent half a day yesterday cleaning up that un-godly mess. Stine'll do fine

Cathy says bring her yellow Fiero , and get this golden ride outta her driveway. The yella one matches her boat.

Joe

Ein Bier Bitte?

[This message has been edited by josef644 (edited 04-28-2010).]

quote Originally posted by josef644: Sorry FEW I didn't see your post. Ok tell me about simple to fix Northstar overheating. I have heard that there isn't any thing cheap about fixing these. We haven't decided yet. She has been in her Elantra since 2002. She is used to 35-37 MPG. Dis aint even gonna get 30 MPG, its the 300 HP Vin 9. Joe

I was referring to overheating in general not specifically the Northstar. Getting more specific...

T-stat opening when it should or at all?
Rad cap good? (wouldn't that just beat all )
CTS reading properly?
Radiator flowing properly?
Cooling fan coming on?
Hose restrictions?
Waterpump?

If all this is good and it still overheats then you may have the dreaded Northstar head gasket problem. Those aren't easy or cheap but everything else is. Wasn't trying to offend you Joe. If all works in your favor that car may have just paid for you 4.9 swap.

How does it run? Smooth with some power?

[This message has been edited by Fieroseverywhere (edited 04-29-2010).]

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I agree with him. Those are the first things I would check. If that car has had Dex-Cool in it since she bought it (and I would lay Vegas odds that it has!)... My suspicion would be a clogged rad. Dex-Cruel tunrs to mud... and makes little orange rocks. Some swear by it... I swear at it... and the class action lawsuits against GM about Dex-Dirt say I am right.

Anyway... if the rad isn't clogged... Dex is notorious for eating intake manifold gaskets... ask anyone that had to pay for a LIM repair on a 3800. Not sure if that problem ever got over into the N* though.

You might also drain a little oil and send it in for analysis... see if there is any antifreeze getting in there. If there is... that will help you know what to do. It only costs about $25... and most places will send you the kit for free. I use blackstone labs.
http://www.blackstone-labs.com/

It would be funny if it was just the dang cap. It is amazing what one that is not holding full pressure will do... it gives annoying and alarming symptoms... and is the easiest of fixes. If it is OEM... it is worth just buying a new one. Stant or Delco will do just fine.

But if you do keep it... Ditch the Dex and go green. (or in my case... yellow. I run Amsoil anti-freeze in all my cars. It looks like lemon-aide and tastes great too! )

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<---- did you buy Cliff a beer?

quote Originally posted by Fieroseverywhere: I was referring to overheating in general not specifically the Northstar. Getting more specific... T-stat opening when it should or at all? Rad cap good? (wouldn't that just beat all ) CTS reading properly? Radiator flowing properly? Cooling fan coming on? Hose restrictions? Waterpump? If all this is good and it still overheats then you may have the dreaded Northstar head gasket problem. Those aren't easy or cheap but everything else is. Wasn't trying to offend you Joe. If all works in your favor that car may have just paid for you 4.9 swap. How does it run? Smooth with some power?

FEW no offence taken. I am gonna get into this Caddie after I get some things on my 4.9 swap finished up. When I removed the filler cap to check the coolant level, there was pressure in the tank. I just drove it one block, so I didn't get to 'fell the power' curve. Engine sounds good, nice and smooth. I haven't driven a Fiero since August last year

Looks great Joe. Hope mine turns out as good! Wish I were closer - I'd come help you stuff it in!

Later

Pat

Today I removed the dash pod and installed the one I have with the modified tach . While it was out of the car I installed a new headlight dimming switch and a set of Rodney's 'brighter' dash bulbs. The old dimmer had a on off switch installed into its wiring bypassing the column mounted switch. I had an old one in my shop. I have to do brakes on the wifes Elantra tomrrow. So maybe I can get some work done on the 88 Sunday.

Did the front brakes on the Elantra today, and did 'Honey Do's" till 3pm. Played with the STS. Filled it with water. Started it up and ended up adding around a full gallon of water. It is 1/2 mile around my block. I drove this half mile and it had overheated as I pulled in my drive way. Upper hose is HOT, pressure was on the filler tank cap, top of the radiator was hot, couldn't get to a the bottom for a feel with out raising up the car for access. I'll do that one day next week. I noticed that the exhaust had an off smell to it. It had 'white' color to it. I am thinking that all the antifreeze is about gone, and I am smelling that in the exhaust. And the white would be steam.

The upper radiator hose is new, still has the NAPA sticker on it. It has a new 'dogbone' on the driver's side. If the water pump is on the drivers side of the engine on the forward head it also appears to be new. I didn't find a thermostat on the engine. I have purchased a 'Haynes' from Amazon.com. It should be here sometime this next week

Oh yes, and it will get up and go pretty danged quick. 300 Hp vin '9'.

Joe

[This message has been edited by josef644 (edited 05-01-2010).]

I removed the AC compressor to drain out the old oil in it. After being upside down for an hour I had '0' oil out of the compressor. I looked inside the two ports and saw that it was nice and clean on the inside. I'll add 4 oz's of PAG and spin it over a few times before I remount the compressor.

I found one more thing I needed to do before I remount the cradle. I had forgotten to get the mounting bracket for the torque rod welded while my welder friend was here a few days ago. He is coming back tomorrow afternoon to weld this on the cradle:





I am planning on stuffing this back in the body Tuesday morning before the humidity gets to high

Now that I have my my transmission and the shifter working together I am finished with the shifter cable. I removed the ECM and its tray and installed the shift cable in the car. Replaced same. I patched over the open hole where the second of the stick shift cables went threw. I added the Fiero heat shield to the engine bay:


I still have to turn the vacuum port on the throttle body for the brake booster, and to put the AC compressor back on the engine. I will paint the new weld this afternoon. So looks like back in the car tomorrow morning. My punch out list only has three items left on it to do before reinstall.

I am gonna remove the brake booster hose and clean it up before I add the engine. It is real dirty looking in the above photo

[This message has been edited by josef644 (edited 05-04-2010).]

Today I got the Cadillac compressor oiled up and mounted it back on the engine. Replaced the belt, and got everything there happy. Added a 9/16 3" long bolt to the torque strut, and the other end to the head. Everybody happy there too. I forgot to add one bolt to the exhaust hanger before closing up the garage for today. I'll do that first thing in the AM. Engine is going back in tomorrow morning while it is cool in the shop. We are supposed to have an Ozone Alert tomorrow afternoon after 300pm.

Looking good Joe. You gonna take it out for the first spin this weekend?

Go Joe! Getting close........ I wish I was there to give you a hand in the AM...... Good luck!

Pat

quote Originally posted by Fieroseverywhere: Looking good Joe. You gonna take it out for the first spin this weekend?

I'm not sure when I'll get the first spin. I don't know if the rear brake calipers are any good or not. They are still on the rotors. Things are kinda shaping up here pretty quick now. I still have have to figure out the cooling hoses part. I just have been waiting to do this from the thermostat to the drivers side coolant pipe.

I will clean out the console area pretty soon to get 22 years worth of cigarette ashes out of the car. I just want it clean, and don't want to smell the nicotine. I need to solder in the Vibe radio connector, then I can add the shifter to the interior.

Looking forward to hearing the exhaust tone with the new muffler for the first time.

quote Originally posted by josef644: I'm not sure when I'll get the first spin. I don't know if the rear brake calipers are any good or not. They are still on the rotors. Things are kinda shaping up here pretty quick now. I still have have to figure out the cooling hoses part. I just have been waiting to do this from the thermostat to the drivers side coolant pipe. I will clean out the console area pretty soon to get 22 years worth of cigarette ashes out of the car. I just want it clean, and don't want to smell the nicotine. I need to solder in the Vibe radio connector, then I can add the shifter to the interior. Looking forward to hearing the exhaust tone with the new muffler for the first time.

The drivers side coolant hose is the most straight forward. I used a hose from a 85 2.5 and attached it, with a stainless tube (1.5" ID I believe), to a section of the caddy hose. I know the coolant tubes are different for an 88 but should still be close. The passenger side was also a fiero hose but cut short. Your heater hose routes completely differntly so I can't offer much there. I just cut and fit 5/8 hose for the lower one. Just cut and fit. The upper one used many parts that are not on your fiero so I won't go into it. I'm sure you'll have it in no time.

I really want to hear your exhaust also. I think its going to sound great. I'm excited for you. I remember how much fun it was when all my hard work finally paid off and I got the first spin...

[This message has been edited by Fieroseverywhere (edited 05-04-2010).]