OK, I have a V-8 Archie Fiero and a C6 which are both fairly quick. I also have this 4 cylinder automatic '84 Fiero Pace Car, fairly low mileage that is now in excellent mechanical condition (after considerable $). And I'm really trying not to compare the Indy to my other vehicles, but it is ridiculously slow!. I swear this thing is so slow that it feels like I could almost jump out and outrun the dang thing from a dead start. Are all of the four bangers super slow or am I just lucky? This is definitely the car for a teenager - by the time they got up to speed they'd alrready be where they were going!
I have a 84 (non indy) with the 4 speed and although it wasn't fast it was fun to drive. There wasn't very many super fast cars that we see today back in the 80's.Now there getting 300 HP plus out of a 4 cylinder engine and that is the future.
[This message has been edited by davylong86 (edited 04-23-2014).]
What did you expect with only 90 HP and a slush box?
Highlighted above is the biggest issue.
I've autocrossed my 5-spd '84 duke for four years and sure, it's no powerhouse... but I can spin my 225/50/16 Kumho Ecsta XS tires off the line and get going down the track not too bad.
I noticed a rather good improvement in acceleration when I timed the ignition by ear. It's right at the end of the timing scale, whatever degrees that is, when I advance it fully (without "pinging") in this manner. This is great for the track, but the idle is a little rough, and I usually back it off a few degrees for street use.
*Careful though, every engine is different and you can't blindly advance the ignition timing as far as I have without potentially causing serious damage.*
[This message has been edited by Patrick (edited 04-24-2014).]
I have no experience with a 2.5 Auto but the 2.5 with a 5 speed is a lot of fun. Not a speed demon but can get over 100. With the 4 speed in it it would do somewhere in the 90's but the vibrations would be enough to drive you insane if you kept it up there for too long lol.
I agree with Marine1981, I have both a 1985 2M4 5 speed and a 1985 GT. The 2M4 is a lot of fun to drive with the timing advanced a little, the intake baffle removed and the fuel pressure regulator turned up a little. I haven't timed it but I don't feel much difference in the 0 to 30 time between the two cars.
Ill admit newer small engines are a lot more powerful than in the older days. Back then a 4 cyl couldnt get out of its own way. I watched a show the other day on the 60s. I really never thought about it till after, but the new V6 Mustang secretary car has more horsepower than a street 1966 Shelby Mustang GT350.
my lil 84 is somewhat quick, although it's had a 4:10 4spd. In first it wasn't too fast, but in second she just pulled hard.
------------------ 1984 White Fiero Sport Coupe (Juliet) in restoration https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum1/HTML/089093.html 1988 Red Fiero Standard Coupe (Bella) in restoration 1990 Black Buick Reatta (Noir) 2002 White Chevy Impala base(Haylie)
I agree with the above comments about the Duke not being super fast, but it is fun to drive. I have the 4-speed with the 4:10 and it does what I need it to do when I need to do it. But, I've never taken it past 75 for fear of it vibrating apart.
I had a 84 2.5 with the 4:10 geared 4 speed. It was a blast to drive. I drag raced my friends 6 cylinder 2010 Camaro once and I stayed ahead to 70 mph. With the front engine rear drive he couldn't apply enough power without blowing the tires off of it to catch me till about 60. But when he finally got it to hook up he blew by me like I was backing up tho. LOL. It makes for some interesting conversations teasing him about outrunning him with less than 100 hp anyway. Mine maxxed out at 105 MPH by a GPS but I was a little above redline. I never noticed the vibration some of you are talking about.
Lowest hp and auto transmission would be the slowest combo, yes. Thats not to say your car may need all sorts of tune up or repair that we do not know about.
I have NEVER seen a road test with 1/4 mile times for a 2.5/auto fiero. I don't think GM wanted the public to know how slow it was. 2.5 / auto is very slow. you can fix that. I did.
2.5 automatic Fiero acceleration is best described as "glacial". Even my 88 was that way.
Unless you are committed to keeping it original, you might consider swapping in either a 4 speed or an Isuzu 5 speed. It seems to me that the V6 4 speed would be a good compromise, instead of either of the stock 84 4 speed options. (The Duke with the economy trans had to be as uninspiring as the automatic. The "performance" tranny is screaming at modern highway speeds.)
[This message has been edited by Raydar (edited 04-24-2014).]
I have a 92 C4 LT1 automatic and an 87 GT Fiero V6 automatic. I feel that the Indy will probably drive you crazy so I suggest that you give it to me. After all I am used to slow and already crazy.
[This message has been edited by oldbikeracer (edited 04-24-2014).]
My wife bought an 88 notchie with the 2.5 Duke and the three speed auto. It was slow and it had to down shift even on the minor hills just to get up without losing too much speed. We replaced it with another engine, the 2.8 Fiero 6 cylinder and a 4T60 non E tranny. It made a world of difference.
My 88 has a 3800 SC III with a 4T65E-HD tranny and it goes pretty good. There are others out there with more HP than I have, but for now it does pretty good.
I would not have fun if I had to drive the 2.5 with the auto tranny.
I have a 92 C4 LT1 automatic and an 87 GT Fiero V6 automatic. I feel that the Indy will probably drive you crazy so I suggest that you give it to me. After all I am used to slow and already crazy.
Mine originally was an 85 auto. Because it was upgraded to a 3.4L 5 speed, I noticed a difference but can't honestly compare because of the engine upgrade.
Now to circle back, another friend has his car crap out on him, & so he borrowed the 85 5 speed from my other friend. His comment was "The car looks fun & all, but I just don't understand what you guys see in these cars. It's slow, sluggish, & struggles to get to 90." Then I let him drive mine.
But I also come from a long line of 4 cylinder cars. My first car was an '83 Chevette. Following that I had an '86 Mustang 4 cylinder auto. Maybe that's why the 3.4L has been enough get-up-&-go for me, & I've not (yet) desired the 3800 swap.
I have no desire to drive 90 mph but I do like cars with quick throttle response and after the tuning mods I've done to my 85 2M4 5 speed it has quick throttle response
I have no desire to drive 90 mph but I do like cars with quick throttle response and after the tuning mods I've done to my 85 2M4 5 speed it has quick throttle response
What were your mods, or is there a thread on that?
-Removed intake baffle. -Deleted EGR. -Accel Coil, and accel wires. -Rebuilt throttle body and cleaned it completely. -Drilled out plug on fuel pressure regulator screw and turned up the fuel pressure a few turns. -Deleted Cat. -Installed LSG Brisk Halo spark plugs. -Advanced the timing a few degrees.
I have also thought about doing the adjustable rocker mod that I heard about on here to quiet the engine and make it a little smoother. I can still use 87 octane gas with no pinging whatsoever and the car sounds really nice. The sound reminds me of the MGB I used to have only better.
I am sure my 88 4cyl auto Fiero isn't as slow as it seems when I get in it after driving the 88 with 382 whp LS4/F40 6 speed... but its a good car to drive when you have time to get from A-B at a leisurely pace.
Honestly, I think the 2.8L fiero's with the automatics are slow. The 2.5 must be painfully so. I drove a 2.5 with the 5 speed and it drove ok around town though...
I didn't think my 84 duke/auto was that slow, but I've been driving a WRX STi with a 6 speed manual for the past 4 months, and when I finally took the car out of storage last weekend, it was pretty bad. The Fiero goes around corners faster, but mine isn't stock either.
I have a 84 (non indy) with the 4 speed and although it wasn't fast it was fun to drive. There wasn't very many super fast cars that we see today back in the 80's.Now there getting 300 HP plus out of a 4 cylinder engine and that is the future.
yeah a tune alone put my slow balt at I'm guessnig a touch over 300
------------------ 3800 SC/IC Formula whines more than your girl... 12.7@113 330 HP/430TQ 08 Cobalt SS TC - ZZP tuned, K&N SRI, 6k HID's 13.31@107
I love the 4Bangers... I prefer 87/88 DIS 4bangers with the whiney sound. I currently have 88coupe auto and in the past I had 2 87s one auto one stick... The 5speed Isuzus throwout bearing froze and went through the pressure plate fingers so I put a M17 4spd from an 86se in it. I don't recall the vibrations so many people talk about and I run fast. Is the DIS 4banger balanced differently then the pre87? I also enjoy 4bangers because it is SO much easier to work on. Where is the intake baffle located? Heres another Idea I have thought about... 2.5 piston if I remember correctly is the same size as a 5.7/350 chevy so what would the results be if you upped the compression to 10 or 10.5? would ya sling the crank? rod? would ecm run it? I prefer 4banger over v6 anyday
My 85 had an intake restrictor/baffle under the throttle body that I remove, I think it was there to distribute egr gases but I blocked off and removed by egr anyway. They may have stopped putting it on by 1987.
-Removed intake baffle. -Deleted EGR. -Accel Coil, and accel wires. -Rebuilt throttle body and cleaned it completely. -Drilled out plug on fuel pressure regulator screw and turned up the fuel pressure a few turns. -Deleted Cat. -Installed LSG Brisk Halo spark plugs. -Advanced the timing a few degrees.
I have also thought about doing the adjustable rocker mod that I heard about on here to quiet the engine and make it a little smoother. I can still use 87 octane gas with no pinging whatsoever and the car sounds really nice. The sound reminds me of the MGB I used to have only better.
Its not a daily driver so I haven't checked the gas mileage but going by the gauge, which I know isn't the way to do it, it seems to be using less fuel. A couple of things I forgot to add: I put a 180 degree thermostat in along with Rodneys lower temp fan switch and I fitted 195/70/-14 tires for less rolling resistance and less weight. I just had it out for a trip to Wal Mart and I tried it for a short burst to 85 mph and it surprised me how quick it pulled up to 85 in 5th gear and it wanted to keep on going.
