Let me first say hi. I joined the forum about a yearr ago when I had my first fiero but had to sell it . But long story short I was finally able to buy a new one and its awesome. Except for the fact that its a 4cyl . But its a 4spd so its still fun.
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Since I'm still relativly new let me just say I'm a big mopar fan. But dodge never made anything similar to the fiero so that's why I like these, lol.

Which brings me to my questions . How hard would it be to drop a mopar 318 in one of these? I'm assuming ill need a custom bellhousing adapter flywheel. And maybe pilotbearing? Mounts are easy. Its oonly 2 inches longer than a sbc and something I'm familiar with so worth the effort. Headers id assume with some clever exhaust piping off some shorty block huggers should remedy that issue just like sbc you only need 3 wires to run it so wiring is a cake walkwalk. Am I missing anything?

Thanks. For the replies.

318 is about 2 inches taller than a SB (not good), about 1 1/2 inches longer (not good), and I'm told, it is narrower. 525 lbs.

No, you can't have my 318. I am still using it. At one time I pondered about the installing of a Turbo II or Turbo III Dodge engine and trans into a Fiero, but then I sold the TII engine to a friend. The TIII engine made a descent 220 HP at 5600 with room for improvement, the TII 175 at 5300 with room to spare. There are even those who are taking the 2.5 T1 turbo engines, installing the head from a2.0/2.4 Chrysler (NEON, PT Cruiser, etc.), and making a hybrid DOHC turbo that can put down some serious numbers. These engines weigh less than a V8 and are already inter-cooled to boot. Hmm, a GM and Chrysler amalgamation, what would you call that?

Whatever is fun and works for you, have at it and let us know.

Chet W.

If you want to do a Mopar V8, the 340 and 360 make more power in the identical package.
Sounds like more trouble than it's worth, however.

Instead of asking the question of "if" it can be done, you should ask "why" you would do it. I'm a mopar fan as well, but a small block mopar just isn't that impressive of a motor. They are heavy, the stock heads don't flow that well and I'd have no idea how you'd adapt the trans to the motor. To each their own, but in my opinion, there are much better engine choices for the Fiero.

The TII and TIII chrysler isn't a bad idea, but they are past their prime as well. Speaking as someone who has owned and built lots of turbo dodges in the past, technology has moved on and left these guys behind. Doing the 2.4 head swap into a fiero would be cool, but by the time you figured out mounts, transmission and electronics...there are better options out there.

All that said...it'd still be cool to see any of the above just for the weirdness of it! :-D

I was considering the idea of putting in a 2.2l 2.5l Turbo dodge engine/transmission combo in my first fiero. But soon after doing some research settled on a 3.8SC combo. Too much fab work and no support.

First time I ever heard mention of putting a Dodge engine in a Fiero. Anythings possible so go for it. If you need a 318 intake with thermoQuad give a hollar. I been sitting on one for years. Had it on a modded Dodge van in the 70's.

Spoon

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"Kilgore Trout once wrote a short story which was a dialogue between two pieces of yeast. They were discussing the possible purposes of life as they ate sugar and suffocated in their own excrement. Because of their limited intelligence, they never came close to guessing that they were making champagne." - Kurt Vonnegut

Contact ImThaDriver of this forum. He's heavy into MOPAR and could probably give some advice. I know he's dropped a 318 into a 280Z among other projects.

When you're doing something nobody has done before - you're the first.
There's NO support WHEN you run into problems so you're on your own to solve everything yourself.

Many projects end up being sold/parted out/scrapped once the owner gets in over his head.

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My World of Wheels Winners (Click on links below)

3.4L Supercharged 87 GT and Super Duty 4 Indy #163

My first auto love was Plymouth. I've had or driven a number. Essentially, if you were talking a hemi it might be worth the effort, however, the Mopar small block does not do anything better than the GM small block. With the fitment problems, and the conversion problems I don't see the benefit.

Of course, I don't climb mountains either, but some guys love to do it. I wish you luck, but I frankly think you are going to get lots of headaches with no better outcome.

Arn

I think I remember somebody posting about dropping a Hemi in a Fiero about a year ago. Haven't seen anything recently though.

I like the idea - I'd say go for it

Other then the 318 line has always been a bullet proof engine.

Im a die hard Mopar guy too. Its hard to get any kind of air filter on a SBC, so the taller 318 would def need some body work on the trunk lid. You have to use a GM trans, so you need an adapter, but the SBC also needs one. You could adapt a whole FWD Mopar cradle w/ suspension I guess, but it would be a real hassle. The later 318 (not the 318 Poly) can make a bunch of HP if you want too. Other versions in 340 and 360 will kill most SBC engines. Z28s were destroyed on the strips by 340 Darts. It would be a fun car if you can do it. Your right about ease of electrics. My Coronet 'Super Bee' 413 has a vacuum line from the carb to the distributor, a hot wire to the ignition coil, and a ground wire. The only other wiring needed is to the starter and alternator.

quote Originally posted by rogergarrison: Im a die hard Mopar guy too. Its hard to get any kind of air filter on a SBC, so the taller 318 would def need some body work on the trunk lid. You have to use a GM trans, so you need an adapter, but the SBC also needs one. You could adapt a whole FWD Mopar cradle w/ suspension I guess, but it would be a real hassle. The later 318 (not the 318 Poly) can make a bunch of HP if you want too. Other versions in 340 and 360 will kill most SBC engines. Z28s were destroyed on the strips by 340 Darts. It would be a fun car if you can do it. Your right about ease of electrics. My Coronet 'Super Bee' 413 has a vacuum line from the carb to the distributor, a hot wire to the ignition coil, and a ground wire. The only other wiring needed is to the starter and alternator.

'Super Bee' 413 !!!!!
Got to be a hybrid. I'm druling. Now imagine putting a 413 "Cross Ram" into a Fiero.


Spoon

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"Kilgore Trout once wrote a short story which was a dialogue between two pieces of yeast. They were discussing the possible purposes of life as they ate sugar and suffocated in their own excrement. Because of their limited intelligence, they never came close to guessing that they were making champagne." - Kurt Vonnegut

Yes mine is a hybrid...413 came out of an older New Yorker. A friend has a Fury III station wagon with the cross rams / 2 - 4bbls. Theyre mounted to the inner fenders at the ends...

my engine bay


a buddies 66 Coronet with 57? cu in engine and altered wb.

[This message has been edited by rogergarrison (edited 07-26-2012).]

Yes, they were the days..


Spoon

quote Originally posted by brownc00: Instead of asking the question of "if" it can be done, you should ask "why" you would do it. I'm a mopar fan as well, but a small block mopar just isn't that impressive of a motor. They are heavy, the stock heads don't flow that well and I'd have no idea how you'd adapt the trans to the motor. To each their own, but in my opinion, there are much better engine choices for the Fiero. The TII and TIII chrysler isn't a bad idea, but they are past their prime as well. Speaking as someone who has owned and built lots of turbo dodges in the past, technology has moved on and left these guys behind. Doing the 2.4 head swap into a fiero would be cool, but by the time you figured out mounts, transmission and electronics...there are better options out there. All that said...it'd still be cool to see any of the above just for the weirdness of it! :-D

I agree with all of this!

I have a 73 charger that I built a 360 with 300 hp to the wheels why I dynoed it, but that is closing in on the max I can get out of that engine without major machine work aka $$$ to get better flow out of the heads or forced induction of some sort.
I'm happy with my mopar engine in my mopar, but I would never choose it for a swap of any sort. Mopar (especially small blocks) just seems to have way less support for their engines than ford or chevy. Not to mention there is plenty of sbc support on the forum here.

I had an old 87 daytona shelby Z and I would NEVER in a million years elect to have that engine in a car. The electronics in it are complete crap, parts are stupidly expensive, and once again there is not all that much support for them. Come to think of it, I can't think of any dodge motor that I would want to swap into a fiero.

I just spent 6 months with one of my good friend's putting an LS1 in a delorean, and it took a lot of time and money to make all the parts. You don't only have to worry about adapter for the bell housing, but also adapting the flywheel/flex plate to bolt up to the dodge crank, if you have an adapter plate on the transmission, your going to need to space out the flywheel and pilot bearing out the same ammount. The delorean is not horizontally mounted, so we didn't have to worry about issues with length of the engine and the pulley assembly like you will have to with the fiero. He literally worked on it 40+ hrs a week, and I helped a good 10-20 a week for 6 months to do something that had never been done before.

Moral of my story is it is a TON of work to do something which has not been done before. If you decided to do it, make sure it's something that's worth all the time you will be putting into it. I would hate to see someone spend 6-12 months or more and thousands of dollars on an engine swap that no one has done before just for it to end up unfinished, or if it is finished be something that isn't worth the time/work/headaches. It seems like there are plenty of mopar gearheads (myself included) here who will be able to and willing to help where they can.

Overall, its just cheaper, easier, and proven to do an SBC swap which will have the same amount of power, or likely more.
BUT if your looking for something unique to do, I haven't heard of that being done before. I would just think if your going to be different just for different's sake, at least figure out a way to squeeze a 440 in there since I'm fairly certain a hemi literally will not fit without moving either the engine backwards or the firewall forwards.

I would really like to see an awd swap of some sort

"I had an old 87 daytona shelby Z and I would NEVER in a million years elect to have that engine in a car. The electronics in it are complete crap, parts are stupidly expensive, and once again there is not all that much support for them. Come to think of it, I can't think of any dodge motor that I would want to swap into a fiero. "

I worked on a few of the old 2.2s. They made good power, but were hell on head gaskets. You could buy the little Chrysler cars with head gasket out pretty cheap. There are aftermarket pieces available to solve the 2.2 problem.

Not all Mopar 4 cyls are dogs. These smoke Camaros and Mustangs all the time.

http://www.turbovan.net/van.html

with so much interest in trying to get rid of the fiero "oem" powertrain. I wished gm would announce its very own conversion kit for the 3800's in the fiero. and when you go to an autoparts store, 3800 and 3800sc and also 3800 turbo will be options on the fiero motor button. many different swap looks amazing. I personally love the VR6 swap and the bmw v12. although I could never use money like that. if anything with dodge, swap the srt4 motor in with a bigger turbo, better valvetrain and a cam. thats so you dont have to worry about space and the weight.

quote Originally posted by weaselbeak: I worked on a few of the old 2.2s. They made good power, but were hell on head gaskets. You could buy the little Chrysler cars with head gasket out pretty cheap. There are aftermarket pieces available to solve the 2.2 problem.

Ive had a couple of the turbododges, with the z being my favorite, but they were just all miserable experiences. They made good power for the 80's and displacement, but again if I were to spend the time and money on a swap, It would have to be a significant improvement over the original engine in horsepower, reliability, and parts availability.

My choice engine for a swap would likely be a 3.6L direct injected from the new camaro/cts. A Ford (gasp!) 5.0 would be a nice swap though!

How about one of these? Already Longitudinal mounted with a 4 speed auto transaxle.

[This message has been edited by seajai (edited 07-27-2012).]

quote Originally posted by seajai: How about one of these? Already Longitudinal mounted with a 4 speed auto transaxle.

I'll try to be nice here, let's just say those engines are not the greatest. Oiling issues and timing chain problems are very common.

quote Originally posted by rogergarrison: Not all Mopar 4 cyls are dogs. These smoke Camaros and Mustangs all the time. http://www.turbovan.net/van.html

That was a great read Roger - I never knew them lil vans were that quick

[This message has been edited by Pappy (edited 07-27-2012).]

quote Originally posted by TONY_C: I'll try to be nice here, let's just say those engines are not the greatest. Oiling issues and timing chain problems are very common.

The 2.7's used timing chains and were problematic. The 3.5 uses a belt, and from what I've read, are pretty reliable. Pretty common to see these for sale with 150-200k miles and still running fine.