Put in the 120 mph and aux. gauges I've had for a while. Definitely a lighting improvement over the 85 mph cluster and cool to have 120 on the dial even if the Tech 4 will never reach it.
Put in the 120 mph and aux. gauges I've had for a while. Definitely a lighting improvement over the 85 mph cluster and cool to have 120 on the dial even if the Tech 4 will never reach it.
I hear ya. Been working on the gauge cluster in my 88 coupe Duke all weekend. The tach and OP gauge would not work so I picked up another set. They are not out of an 88 so the tach face is different from the speedo. The circuit sheet on the back had some damaged contacts so I started digging through my spare parts boxes and found one from an 84. I matched it to the 88 and they are the same. I also found a speedo that matched the tach so I swapped everything around put it all together and everything but the OP gauge works. Found that the OP sensor was bad so I put in a new one (that was a lot of fun) - everything works now. Also found that the SES bulb was missing. So I made sure that all the bulbs were working and after 3 minutes of running, the SES light comes on. I checked the codes and am getting 23 and 34. Guess I got to dig a little deeper now.
Worked on the front sway bar I got from Paul "RRunner"
Here is a pic of the car with all the trim on finally.
Here is the glove box we installed a few days back.
I forgot I had a broken bolt on one side installing the sway bar. I had welded up the bracket, I may try and tap it out like I did the other side. It was a PITA from what I remember tapping those bolt holes. With the bolt still in place and it did not want to come out, I remember drilling a few smaller holes first and breaking a few bits. I think that is why I welded the last one.
[This message has been edited by Earl-R (edited 05-03-2009).]
Worked on the front sway bar I got from Paul "RRunner"
Here is a pic of the car with all the trim on finally.
Here is the glove box we installed a few days back.
I forgot I had a broken bolt on one side installing the sway bar. I had welded up the bracket, I may try and tap it out like I did the other side. It was a PITA from what I remember tapping those bolt holes. With the bolt still in place and it did not want to come out, I remember drilling a few smaller holes first and breaking a few bits. I think that is why I welded the last one.
oh man! I can't wait till he sends mine. they look great let me know how the car does with them. I got front and rear performance bars on order with him for my 88.
I drove it to work marveling that nothing had broken yet this year, then had to install a new alternator after I was about to leave for home and realized my battery was dead...
So there goes my 2 month streak of trouble free driving...
Originally posted by whodeanie: oh man! I can't wait till he sends mine. they look great let me know how the car does with them. I got front and rear performance bars on order with him for my 88.
I will say this for Paul's bars, I took the car down the road today and took hard turn, basically a left turn somewhere around 40-50 and the car stayed flat. The tires held and I think I about left a turd in my pants. I was playing some with the car to get a feel for it before I decided to hit it that hard . Worse case scenario is I would have put it the gravel parking lot.
I got the wild idea after a buddy of mine was telling me how he takes clover leafs doing about 80 in his race Mustang.
Good work Paul, I give him two thumbs up for a great product.
sandblasted the paint off the replacement intake manifold for the duke. gaskets should be in tomorrow and we can start reassembly. then refill the fluids, buy a battery and find the freakin lug nuts so i can get it off the jack stands...sigh. very soon no more "great red paperweight" remarks from the wife. we were debating just painting the manifold high temp aluminum, i insisted on doing it right. spent a couple hours with the sand blaster and guess what, it looks just like it was sprayed with high temp aluminum >-)
I went ahead and replaced my fuel pump. Then tried to start my car. Wouldn't start. So I thought that maybe I forgot to plug the fuel pump in.....because I couldn't remember doing it. Then I looked at my fuel pump fuse and it was blown.
Originally posted by Earl-R: Good work Paul, I give him two thumbs up for a great product.
So do I. His sway bars are hands down the best money I have spent on my Fieros. Anyways, I bought back a Fiero I sold, for more than what I sold it for. Oh well.
I'm gonna put some fresh oil, new plugs, new filters and some gas in an '85 GT that hasn't been on the road for 10 years and then try and turn it over. (don't worry I alreadyu checked The belt and other fluidsand installed a new battery). I'm far from a mechanic but I'll let you know how it goes
I got my drag radials mounted and bled my rear brakes. I also did a rear cradles inspection to make sure there is not fatiguing of any welds.
Tomorrow I bleed the fronts and give the front-end an inspection. I also am replacing my dimmer transistor with a brand new delco unit. I've had no luck with used ones. ------------------ '88 GT- 3800 Turbo 11.864@ 119.6mph gmtuners.com -Build info
[This message has been edited by AkursedX (edited 05-06-2009).]
re-installing the ECM harness then uploading my new tune file for a stock 3500 LX9 to use as a base tune. ooo i cant wait! i get to drive to the carwash!
so much corrosion on the new welds merlot rushed through. it needs to be rewelded and corrosion proofed
I spent a few hours installing my new motor mounts. Mine were shot....lol. I took it for a drive and what a difference!!! The next thing on my list will have to be some homemade coilovers or some more suspension parts.
finished cleaning up my harness, installed it (looks hella better!) and loaded a stock 3500 tune for the 7730 i got from superdave over at 60degreev6. car fired right up! turned it right off since its midnight.
Had a chance over the weekend and last night to finish up some things.
To do list for the future-------
Things to do..... weld a crack on my stock exhaust manifold log and the hole in my muffler then re-paint with 2000° VHT, Torque down suspension - but I want to wait until it's in the car and mounted, make a little heat shield for the hydraulic cylinder for the clutch that mounts on the tranny. I had originally the tin aluminum wrap. Now I have the actual shields. -- That wrap is ugly..... When the engine is in - mock-up an oil cooler bracket and buy some lines for it. I have to find one "lower intake from the radiator under carriage line" to the waterpump hose. It may have to be a flex line.
Plug it up and plumb water lines, fill the fluids, attach e-brake....--- should be it!
I HOPE!
Oh... re-rivet my new scoop panels on the car and re-mount my wing and attach the trunk lid
here's a sneak peek
[This message has been edited by unboundmo (edited 05-07-2009).]
Had a chance over the weekend and last night to finish up some things.
To do list for the future-------
Things to do..... weld a crack on my stock exhaust manifold log and the hole in my muffler then re-paint with 2000° VHT, Torque down suspension - but I want to wait until it's in the car and mounted, make a little heat shield for the hydraulic cylinder for the clutch that mounts on the tranny. I had originally the tin aluminum wrap. Now I have the actual shields. -- That wrap is ugly..... When the engine is in - mock-up an oil cooler bracket and buy some lines for it. I have to find one "lower intake from the radiator under carriage line" to the waterpump hose. It may have to be a flex line.
Plug it up and plumb water lines, fill the fluids, attach e-brake....--- should be it!
I HOPE!
Oh... re-rivet my new scoop panels on the car and re-mount my wing and attach the trunk lid
here's a sneak peek
Man that is the nicest setup I have seen! I am truly in awe of your attention to detail. I hope you are very proud of yourself. That is a work of art. Now only if it will start - just kidding you..... Really looks great.
Washed mine for the first time this year. The winter storage dust is gone and it is time for an oil change, vacuuming out the inside, waxing the outside, and wheel polishing. I plan to do at least some of it tomorrow.
Been trying to work on my choptop the past two days but the heat has been unbearable ! 90 + degrees and brake work don't mix.
I pulled the chopper out both days and went to work for about 30 - 40 minutes before i was physically drained and fried from the heat.
I showered up and decided to at least go get the battery recharged.
I let it run down a few weeks ago by accident when Blacktree and i were inspecting the headlight motors. I accidently left the switch about 1/4 cocked and that was enough to drain the battery over the course of a couple days.
Got the battery recharged and it fired right back up. In the meantime i scored some newly rebuilt calipers from a Central florida fiero club member who plans to come over and help me get everything set up sometime in the next couple of weeks.
Thanks Alex !
[This message has been edited by exoticse (edited 05-08-2009).]
I just hope that I had the engine at TDC when I installed the distributor. I didn't know if I was on the compression stroke or not... I have my fingers crossed... If it doesn't _____ (don't want to say - jinx ) I'll have a good idea why not.
Detail takes a LLLLLLOOOOONNNNNNGGGGGG TTTTIIIIIMMMME.......... I want it running already. Summer is here.... No More rebuilds in my garage for awhile! Tired with 2 jobs and all.
We got the head back on the 84 and did a bunch of the "little things". she should be ready fire up in a few more days and then we'll see where we stand. Judging from the condition of the old head now i'm worried about the bottom end.
[This message has been edited by wolf63 (edited 05-09-2009).]
88 duke ---- replaced the alternator, tensioner pully and belt. Also made an EGR block off plate and removed the EGR valve (I know, it's probably bad to do this).
IT LIVES!!!....sort of :-) after being sidelined for about a year we finally got the motor back together and was able to fire it up tonight! now we get down to the "little" annoying stuff. we have a minor valve cover oil leak, she hunts for idle until she warms up (I'm assuming we have a vacuum leak somewhere) and the clutch wont engage all the way so it wont go into gear (this ones strange because it was fine last year when the head gave out and we didn't touch any of that). still calling this a very successful evening, it runs and the top end no longer sounds like a threshing machine.
built my own adjustable clutch rod, don't know what its called, the rod from the pedal to the clutch master cylinder. installed it and the the tranny now shifts like it should. tried to take it for a test drive but only got to the corner and had to limp home. yesterday it had a high drifting idle, today the idle started low and then died several times. planning to go back through it looking for vacuum leaks. hoping we find a "DUH" problem thats easy to fix. then we get back to the body work since its warm enough again.
