Odds are that any wrecking yard 3.4 PR is going to have some miles on it by now. If you look hard enough you shoud be able to pick up a good running example for $500 or less. Most yards will start them for you so you can hear them run. The 3.4 DOHC swap is more involved, but will give you that 4 cam 24 valve high rpm pull the 3.4 PR can't. However, the engine fits very tight in the compartment, and you best replace the timing belt with a new one before installing it. You will have to pull the engine again to install the belt later on. The 3.4 PR uses a timing chain which is much more durable. I would still replace it, and the gears on a wrecking yard engine. A new oil pump is also cheap insurance. The hardest part of the 3.4 PR swap is drilling the starter holes. Rodney sells a jig for this that makes it easy to do. There are many threads on Pennocks detailing the swap. Basically, you swap the complete 2.8 intake manifold, plastic vacuum lines under the manifold, valve covers, timing chain and water pump, distributor, sensors, and oil pan from your old motor on to the 3.4 The 3.4 uses DIS ignition so you will have to remove the distributor hole plug in the 3.4 block to install the 2.8 distributor. You can use your 2.8 exhaust system as well. The finished engine looks exactly like the 2.8 you removed. The stock cam in the 3.4 is exactly the same as the 2.8 HO cam in the Fiero 2.8 engine. It is fine for street use. Depending on how much of the work you actually do, the swap can be completed for well under $2000 using a wrecking yard engine and replacement parts ( new motor and trans mounts, belts, hoses, gaskets etc.) included. I'll email you a picture of my 3.4
Rick, I am using 1.25 in on the back and 1 in on the front. It drove great with the rear's on but when I put the fronts on...WOW! Like I said, it looked perfect but the wheel would shake un controllibly. I could not drive farther than one block like it was. The good news is that these rims fit my wife's Solstace perfect and she has glummed onto them. Every rim I find has positive offset and nothing with neg offset. What's a guy supposed to do??? I do have pics but no way of posting them.
Ivan ...
Congrats on 105 Ownage!
[This message has been edited by Mera_Cop (edited 09-27-2011).]
Rick, I am using 1.25 in on the back and 1 in on the front. It drove great with the rear's on but when I put the fronts on...WOW! Like I said, it looked perfect but the wheel would shake un controllibly. I could not drive farther than one block like it was. The good news is that these rims fit my wife's Solstace perfect and she has glummed onto them. Every rim I find has positive offset and nothing with neg offset. What's a guy supposed to do??? I do have pics but no way of posting them.
Ivan ...
Congrats on 105 Ownage!
Ivan, you can email the pictures to me if you want. I cannot understand why the front end would shake. Normally, the steering effort is a bit higher, but that is it. Have you checked out your bushings. ball joints, and front hubs for any play? The only other thing it could be is if the spacer is not machined correctly. Also are you wheels a dual bolt pattern. The Fiero pattern is not the same as the Solstice. I will check on wheels with more negative offset for you.
Look at how the front end drops down. The black divider line is at a sharp downward angle compared to the rest of the car. Possible crash repair done incorrectly.......
Rick, I am using 1.25 in on the back and 1 in on the front. It drove great with the rear's on but when I put the fronts on...WOW! Like I said, it looked perfect but the wheel would shake un controllibly. I could not drive farther than one block like it was. The good news is that these rims fit my wife's Solstace perfect and she has glummed onto them. Every rim I find has positive offset and nothing with neg offset. What's a guy supposed to do??? I do have pics but no way of posting them.
Ivan ...
Congrats on 105 Ownage!
i say it may needs weights....i got a ton of them glue on ones. i just got new tires early this season and had a little shimmy up front seems i lost some of the glue-ons during the intinal break in of Mera X, well when i got the new tires they checked all the weights, re-balanced and that fixed the shimmy totally.
what wheels are you using?? i got very large spacers on Mera X and i cant tell any difference once i got the weight issue fixed.
but i have some old aftermarket Centerlines.....my offsets are like 2.5 and 2 i think.......pics
i will go measure them today some time to verify....but i think the front for me is 2" and the back is 2.5"
Odds are that any wrecking yard 3.4 PR is going to have some miles on it by now. If you look hard enough you shoud be able to pick up a good running example for $500 or less. Most yards will start them for you so you can hear them run. The 3.4 DOHC swap is more involved, but will give you that 4 cam 24 valve high rpm pull the 3.4 PR can't. However, the engine fits very tight in the compartment, and you best replace the timing belt with a new one before installing it. You will have to pull the engine again to install the belt later on. The 3.4 PR uses a timing chain which is much more durable. I would still replace it, and the gears on a wrecking yard engine. A new oil pump is also cheap insurance. The hardest part of the 3.4 PR swap is drilling the starter holes. Rodney sells a jig for this that makes it easy to do. There are many threads on Pennocks detailing the swap. Basically, you swap the complete 2.8 intake manifold, plastic vacuum lines under the manifold, valve covers, timing chain and water pump, distributor, sensors, and oil pan from your old motor on to the 3.4 The 3.4 uses DIS ignition so you will have to remove the distributor hole plug in the 3.4 block to install the 2.8 distributor. You can use your 2.8 exhaust system as well. The finished engine looks exactly like the 2.8 you removed. The stock cam in the 3.4 is exactly the same as the 2.8 HO cam in the Fiero 2.8 engine. It is fine for street use. Depending on how much of the work you actually do, the swap can be completed for well under $2000 using a wrecking yard engine and replacement parts ( new motor and trans mounts, belts, hoses, gaskets etc.) included. I'll email you a picture of my 3.4
thanks for the info.....i cant wait. the appeal of the 3.4L dohc i posted is cuz it was on a cradle already and $500....oh and fast as hell
but i need all new(er) if i go with the lower power, 3.4L. that way i get to drive it long distance with the confidence of a new(er) engine. top to bottom. cept for my current intake, but in all fairness a modified 2.8 or the Truelo is not too expensive to NOT consider the benefits to me lead foot
i am looking into the 3.4 very much so for the ease of install......i would most like to find an already on cradle deal here (PFF) so i dont want to get too Gung-ho, now. its early. i just dropped the insurance down to storage on the Mera. *tears* sad!
and i got a few shops i see close for a paid for install with a massage maybe from like SinisterPerformance is see they are not that far away.
i need a job to fill the gap and its on!!! 3.4L copper gasket turbo with a shot of nitrous to shut them up for good...
d
[This message has been edited by batousai666 (edited 09-28-2011).]
What year is your Mera? If it is an 88 I may be able to solve your problem.
Nelson
quote
Originally posted by Mera_Cop:
What is the Offset of the original rims? I've got spacers for the front and back of mine and it LOOKS amazing but drives like complete DOOKIE! I am trying to find replacement rims that will not require hubcentric spacers. Does anyone know? (this is starting to kill the pocket book and I can't drive my car.)
say what!???? awww too far.....gives me a new angle tho.....modify my current engine http://www.rebuiltcrateengi...ro-gt-v6-p-2154.html seems they only bored the 2.8 to 3.1 with a massage (Cam??) and get 200 hp (210 torques)....thats close to good for me 220-240 would be great. Get the weights down to 2700 lbs with me in it....and we're off!!! a little more HP bump with headders and intake, maybe a little turbo?? seems do-able. i also have a offer of sorts on a 3800 N/A here in MI......may be gettin that instead.
i know but its a steal, if it dont get stolen first the heat will be on!!
d
[This message has been edited by batousai666 (edited 10-01-2011).]
say what!???? awww too far.....gives me a new angle tho.....modify my current engine http://www.rebuiltcrateengi...ro-gt-v6-p-2154.html seems they only bored the 2.8 to 3.1 with a massage (Cam??) and get 200 hp (210 torques)....thats close to good for me 220-240 would be great. Get the weights down to 2700 lbs with me in it....and we're off!!! a little more HP bump with headders and intake, maybe a little turbo?? seems do-able. i also have a offer of sorts on a 3800 N/A here in MI......may be gettin that instead.
i know but its a steal, if it dont get stolen first the heat will be on!!
d
You are paying the about the same a new 3.4 crate engine for this one. Why don't you ask these guys how much a 3.4 from them with upgrades would run?
Today 8088 got her new speakers installed. I have buttoned her back up and she is very happy. The last thing left for her is new headliner and matching visors alll in beechwood.
Today 8088 got her new speakers installed. I have buttoned her back up and she is very happy. The last thing left for her is new headliner and matching visors alll in beechwood.
Where are you going to find factory replacement 88 beechwood headliner material? Mine is starting to get loose in spots.
The material won't be able to be exact factory replacement but the headliner company local to me has an almost exact match. Having said that, I am probably going to go up and have Russ88TTop do my visor and headliner at the same time so they match perfectly. I love his craftsmanship and know the job will be perfect!
But it certainly looks nice! Unfortunately I cannot take personal credit for this outstanding work. That goes to Paul Smith who added a lot of very custom touches to make this swap look this good.
One of the 1988s is the resting place of the 383. This specific Mera was initially acquired in Orlando about five years ago and has been in pieces since then. I found it sitting uncovered in a driveway in the Florida sun and rain. Needless to say, the car was in bad shape on the exterior and the interior had a Beechwood interior that had been covered in red and black vinyl (at great expense). It was undoubetedly the worst looking interior that I have ever seen in a Fiero.
Nelson
quote
Originally posted by Rick 88:
Nelson, which Mera got this swap?
[This message has been edited by hnthomps (edited 10-03-2011).]
This may be the Mera being refered to as being for sale out here in the west. If it really is painted Black Cherry as has been refered to in other ads I have seen, the pics do not do that color any justice. http://cars.oodle.com/view/...980496-escondido-ca/
Thanks, BJC, I've seen this car in several ads--one said the color was black--personally, really like the color! The seller hasn't made a convincing argument that the car is a Mera.
This is an 88 if I remember correctly and I identified it as a Mera a year or two ago, spoke with the owner, diagnosed a problem that he corrected, and confirmed that it was running properly. It was for sale at $5000 in either a Craig's List ad or somewhere else. I really did not want the San Diego car because of having to convert it back to a Mera configuration, get rid of the large spoiler, transportation to the East Coast, paint color, etc., but I agreed to pay the asking price. The owner never got back to me and I saw the ad again a couple of months later at a higher price. That turned me off on the "deal".
The owner recently contacted me via e-mail to ask if I still wanted the car but it was now priced at around $6500 but I think that it may be somewhat negotiable. This was supposedly because of some $1500 suspension work and a few other things that had been done to the vehicle. I am not really interested in paying an inflated price for work that I could have easily done myself so my interest has declined. However, I have e-mails with pictures from this time around as well as some of the original ad pictures. If anyone is interested, I will be happy to e-mail the e-mails/pictures to you if I have an address.
Nelson
quote
Originally posted by reholmes:
It would be nice to know the details for our knowledge base.
[This message has been edited by hnthomps (edited 10-04-2011).]
This may be the Mera being refered to as being for sale out here in the west. If it really is painted Black Cherry as has been refered to in other ads I have seen, the pics do not do that color any justice. http://cars.oodle.com/view/...980496-escondido-ca/
i like the cherry black....to bad its so far. well that and its an '88hahahaaaaaa i still want the Prototype and if the economy would flip i could buy. almost half way there, now
d
PS i got the TransAm to turn today anybody got a good idea about getting that old gas out of the tank??
[This message has been edited by batousai666 (edited 10-04-2011).]
Believe it or not, some cars have a drain **** on the gas tank--you could be lucky. Otherwise pull the lowest hose on the tank--add new gas 'til it runs clean. How do you know clean gas? As you would with other things--stick your nose in it ;-)
YGBSM--they censored my input! OK, then koque.
------------------
Dick Mera #8046 1987 GT - T-boned (RIP)
[This message has been edited by reholmes (edited 10-05-2011).]
At one time you were thinking of putting your Fieros on the market--change your mind?
Hard to part with what appears to be the highest numbered Mera (8151). I've heard there was supposed to be an 8152 but there is no proof ..... 8152 could be the car used by Ferrari to close down Corporate Concepts in court and than was distroied. We need someone in the Capac Michigan area (or where the case was filed) to get a copy of the court records.
I have a T-top lined up for 8151 this winter. Would like to do that job and document each step.
Clean car, I even like the white. One comment though; on the second shot, the one of the rear, the "fit" of the engine cover has quite a gap. I don't remember mine being like that, but then again my is an 88'.??
It just looks like the decklid needs to be adjusted. A new trunk seal could cause the decklid to sit high but that would be on both sides. This car has the optional leather interior offered in 87. For a low mileage car the engine sure needs a detail, and probably a good tune. The motor still has the original plug wires, They were not known for lasting very long. I wonder if they have the original wheels that came with the car? Overall, it looks like an easy one to get back in shape.
[This message has been edited by Rick 88 (edited 10-05-2011).]
but its a steal, if it dont get stolen first 
