^ When the guy i bought it from was driving the battery box broke and the battery shorted out. this is my dads redneck solution (until we can fix the the battery box) its pieces of wood wrapped partially in electrical tape wedged between the trunk lid and the battery lol
When you paste the image link in your post, don't hit the "Link" button. That's how your posts with pics have a little extra jibberish. Your copy of the photobucket link already includes the necessary tags, so in the body of your post, just do CTRL/V without using that grey Link button. Just trying to help.
(That's meant for Fier-oh41229, not for David Hambleton)
[This message has been edited by Cheever3000 (edited 05-22-2014).]
------------------ Better to be judged by twelve than carried by six. (84 IMSA) garage queen (13 Veloster) daily grinder (86 basterdized mera) fake ferrari (84 fastback IMSA) confused lil one The forums Youngest CDL driver
Haha. I wish it was a standard. My grandpa taught me how to drive on a 5 speed manual. But I wanted a formula and I couldn't find a nicer one for less. The auto doesn't bother me. Nobody knows about how much a 3800 conversion costs? I know there's a lot of threads on it but I just want to know what I would need other than the engine. Anybody?
Haha. I wish it was a standard. My grandpa taught me how to drive on a 5 speed manual. But I wanted a formula and I couldn't find a nicer one for less. The auto doesn't bother me. Nobody knows about how much a 3800 conversion costs? I know there's a lot of threads on it but I just want to know what I would need other than the engine. Anybody?
I have never done one, but I would guess another 1500-2000 if you are buying your conversion parts, AKA wiring, brackets, mounts ect.
Haha. I wish it was a standard. My grandpa taught me how to drive on a 5 speed manual. But I wanted a formula and I couldn't find a nicer one for less. The auto doesn't bother me. Nobody knows about how much a 3800 conversion costs? I know there's a lot of threads on it but I just want to know what I would need other than the engine. Anybody?
auto is always good for a 1st car. it allows you to keep focused on the road. my 1st car was auto and pretty much all after were stick shift... even got myself into the 6 speed realm now with my new mustang.
Just an update. We replaced the egr valve and tube. It runs pretty well now. Who ever said Fieros are hard to work on? They provide you with a seat and everything! We just recently drove it to my grandpas barn across town where it will hibernate over the winter. My brother drove it for me because... ya know... im not old enough to drive and he said it felt WAY down on power. My dad and i decided on doing an engine rebuild with a fiero store kit. I'm gonna do a little bit more research first but i think i still wanna do a 2.8 turbo. I know its more cost effective to do an engine conversion but i really don't wanna do a swap. I figure with an engine rebuild a cam and a turbo at low boost i could be making some decent power without damaging the engine. Any thoughts?
Just an update. We replaced the egr valve and tube. It runs pretty well now. Who ever said Fieros are hard to work on? They provide you with a seat and everything! We just recently drove it to my grandpas barn across town where it will hibernate over the winter. My brother drove it for me because... ya know... im not old enough to drive and he said it felt WAY down on power. My dad and i decided on doing an engine rebuild with a fiero store kit. I'm gonna do a little bit more research first but i think i still wanna do a 2.8 turbo. I know its more cost effective to do an engine conversion but i really don't wanna do a swap. I figure with an engine rebuild a cam and a turbo at low boost i could be making some decent power without damaging the engine. Any thoughts?
IMHO a 2.8 is really not a good subject for even a low (5-7 psi) pressure turbo setup. I purchased a car with this equipment (and around 60 k miles on the odometer) and almost all the bearings were shot. I barely got it to a location where I could get an engine conversion started. If you really want to turbo this car then use a push rod 3.4 engine block plus the Fiero accessories (93-95 Firebird/Camero engine if memory serves me). I actually have one of these set up on one of my vehicles and it is quite nice. However, the cost of the turbo conversion is not low and you can expect to spend quite a lot for decent components if you do this swap. I actually sold the used turbo setup components for around $1800 and this was much less than one of the older "package" turbo kits. My engine swaps after this point were 3800 SC Series II and III as well as a SBC. You really get more per HP and the reliability is better.
”Way down on power” sounds like the 2.8. Did it seem slow from the other car? If the Fiero kept up, and the engine didn't fall over on launch, it's probably normal.
I would do a 3.4 pushrod or just a 3800sc swap but I only have a summer job so I have limited funds. I can afford an engine rebuild kit + junkyard turbo set up which I figure can be 1000 or less but from what I understand engine swaps aren't exactly cheap or easy.
And he literally floored the pedal and I didn't even notice
That doesn't tell us much. What speed was he going, and what gear was he in? (If it's an automatic, maybe it didn't kick down.)
A 2.8 that's running properly has plenty of pep, especially when teamed up with a 4 or 5-spd manual.
Having said that, putting any kind of mega-dollars into a 2.8 is a waste of money. If you require/want a big jump in HP, an engine swap is the only real solution.
[This message has been edited by Patrick (edited 11-09-2014).]
Well its leaking a small amount of oil from the engine itself. My dad thinks its an old gasket. I guess it doesn't really matter if im going to do a rebuild anyway. I think im going to just do a rebuild for now and after if still want to do a turbo ill have a solid engine that can handle some boost.
Well its leaking a small amount of oil from the engine itself. My dad thinks its an old gasket. I guess it doesn't really matter if im going to do a rebuild anyway. I think im going to just do a rebuild for now and after if still want to do a turbo ill have a solid engine that can handle some boost.
That is EXACTLY what I would do with limited funds my friend.
This of course coming from a guy with 2 stock V6 Fieros and happy with them.
Ok so we are going to order the rebuild kit real soon here. I've read up on the fiero store v6 rebuild kits and heard they're pretty good quality. At a bit over 100k miles on the engine do i need to bore out the cylinders? I've heard about uneven wearing leading to a loss in power. I don't know if that's a stupid question or not but i'm still learning about this sort of thing, sorry.
My advice would be to first get the car running decent and then learn car by driving it. IT is after all your first car. Learn some driving skills and learn the car. It is different because it is a mid engine car. Once you have some mileage under you belt then think about engine upgrades or swap. A mid engine car is a little different than a front engine rear drive or the more prevalent front wheel drive.
Well id rather have a reliable rebuilt engine when i turn 16 (in march) than leave it alone till i've driven it more. Even though it is my first car it is still a project. Its leaking what we think to be antifreeze out of the front right side, the engine seems to leak a little oil, it doesn't start very well, it idles high, the gas gauge doesn't work and the drivers side headlight motor needs to be rebuilt or replaced. My dad likes to constantly remind me that its my PROJECT car not my daily driver (hes convinced the fiero is a death trap which is why he's not a fan of an engine swap). I want to do the rebuild with my dad so i can better learn the inner workings of an engine and have fun doing it.
So we are about to pull the engine out to see if it will need oversize pistons. One of my dads friends owns an engine shop and said he could help us with that. Ive been doing more research and came across a 3.1 stroker kit. From what I understand they don't make much more power (165ish) but they make the engine a better base for other mods like turbos and cams. I figure since im doing a rebuild anyway why shouldn't i try to squeeze a bit more power out of it? Anybody ever tried a 3.1 stroker before? Is it worth it if your already doing an engine swap? Ill have more pics up soon of us pulling the engine out whenever were ready to do that. Thanks everyone for all the helpful input and advice!
So we are about to pull the engine out to see if it will need oversize pistons. One of my dads friends owns an engine shop and said he could help us with that. Ive been doing more research and came across a 3.1 stroker kit. From what I understand they don't make much more power (165ish) but they make the engine a better base for other mods like turbos and cams. I figure since im doing a rebuild anyway why shouldn't i try to squeeze a bit more power out of it? Anybody ever tried a 3.1 stroker before? Is it worth it if your already doing an engine swap? Ill have more pics up soon of us pulling the engine out whenever were ready to do that. Thanks everyone for all the helpful input and advice!
A little off topic, but you get any snow at your place?
The 2.8 and the 3.1 block are actually the same block, just different cranks. Yup stroke is different You mean to stroke the 3.1 to something else?
I live in youngstown ny about 15 mins from Niagara Falls which got a decent amount of snow but nothing we haven't seen before.... Buffalo on the other hand.... And i mean getting a 3.1 crankshaft and iron head pistons to increase the stroke to 3.1
Just rebuild the 2.8 I know you have all sorts of ideas being young and your first car, these things don't handle like anything else and take some getting used to even with the underpowered 2.8s they installed at the factory, remember that when you step on the gas after winter is over. The little bit of sand left on the roads from the winter can send you into a spin real quick like, likewise for the leaves in the fall and a little bit of water on the road from a recent rain.
nothing against you but we all at your age thought we needed 400 HP and 0 to 60 in less than 6 seconds, but the truth is being your first car, project or DD make it dependable first, then if you feel you need the power and can afford it get a better engine to do something with for next year. Nothing sucks more than having a brake down when you are driving somewhere ask any of us and we will tell you, we have been there done that and it sucks.
I got grandkids your age and would like nothing better for them to learn on than a Fiero because of its crash worthiness, hey it got 5 stars for frontal crash test when they were new. Remember it is your first car and you are most likely going to get into an accident with it, drive safe and maybe you will be one of the lucky ones, I hope so. We have lost more members to other things than accidents in their Fieros than anything else so just get it running and enjoy it, enjoy the looks you get from everyone and tell them you did it, enjoy that and be happy with that.
like I said get it to be a dependable daily driver and enjoy it and drive safe !
Steve
------------------ Technology is great when it works, and one big pain in the ass when it doesn't
That's pretty much what I wanna do. I want a little more power than stock but I really don't think I need much more than 165-180 or so hp to have some fun in it. All my friends say drop in a supercharged 350 or something sketchy like that but I kinda prefer a car with power to match the handling so it's fun but won't get out of hand if I mess up. We just got the chain hoist from a friend so were going to yank the engine out next weekend and see if it needs to be bored out. I'm still thinking about the 3.1 stroker. I think it will be just the right balance of power.
Just rebuild the 2.8 I know you have all sorts of ideas being young and your first car, these things don't handle like anything else and take some getting used to even with the underpowered 2.8s they installed at the factory, remember that when you step on the gas after winter is over. The little bit of sand left on the roads from the winter can send you into a spin real quick like, likewise for the leaves in the fall and a little bit of water on the road from a recent rain.
nothing against you but we all at your age thought we needed 400 HP and 0 to 60 in less than 6 seconds, but the truth is being your first car, project or DD make it dependable first, then if you feel you need the power and can afford it get a better engine to do something with for next year. Nothing sucks more than having a brake down when you are driving somewhere ask any of us and we will tell you, we have been there done that and it sucks.
I got grandkids your age and would like nothing better for them to learn on than a Fiero because of its crash worthiness, hey it got 5 stars for frontal crash test when they were new. Remember it is your first car and you are most likely going to get into an accident with it, drive safe and maybe you will be one of the lucky ones, I hope so. We have lost more members to other things than accidents in their Fieros than anything else so just get it running and enjoy it, enjoy the looks you get from everyone and tell them you did it, enjoy that and be happy with that.
like I said get it to be a dependable daily driver and enjoy it and drive safe !
Steve
I 100% agree with Steve on this.
quote
Originally posted by Fier-oh41229:
That's pretty much what I wanna do. I want a little more power than stock but I really don't think I need much more than 165-180 or so hp to have some fun in it. All my friends say drop in a supercharged 350 or something sketchy like that but I kinda prefer a car with power to match the handling so it's fun but won't get out of hand if I mess up. We just got the chain hoist from a friend so were going to yank the engine out next weekend and see if it needs to be bored out. I'm still thinking about the 3.1 stroker. I think it will be just the right balance of power.
This is one of those times that you shouldn't listen to your friends. It's not their money, or their safety....it's yours. A stock 2.8 will more than enough power "to have some fun in". You need to concentrate on making this a clean, reliable, well cared-for stock 2.8. Give it a year or two before you get beyond that.
My first car was a highly modified, 275hp turbo Triumph TR7....it took 2 hours for the fire crews to cut me out of the wreckage.
I agree with you guys on this. I just think maybe the 3.1 would be a better base for later modifications. I figure since im rebuilding it anyway why not get the 3.1 crank and pistons? The power increase will be noticeable but not out of control. Im open to suggestion though. It might be a better idea to just do a stock rebuild i dont know. All my dad has to say is as long as were building it ourselves and its not an engine swap and i can pay for everything hes ok with it.
I agree with what has been said and I am twice your age. There is nothing that the 2.8 cannot give you past "ego". Stay with the car as it is, fix, maintain, and learn. Save you pennies up for years from now. When you have $250,000 in your IRA, $100,000 in investments, $20,000 in checking, $20,000 in immediately accessible savings for emergencies, and are not living paycheck to paycheck then you can think about buying a new motor that you don't need so you can go 65 on the highway but get there 1.3 seconds faster than you could before. Me, I still drive a 92 hp 84 Indy, I fly jets, and I am perfectly okay with it.
[This message has been edited by johnyrottin (edited 11-23-2014).]
I can't agree with these guys more. My first car was a complete POS 93 Cav wagon with the 2200 4cyl. Still could do a little one wheel peel. Number 2 was my 89 Cutlass International with basically the same 2.8. Even in that heavy car, the 2.8 was okay for power. It walked away from the local fartcans without a problem. Now I'm 24 and I've been driving around in a 99 Buick Regal with the supercharged 3.8. Again, heavy car, but that thing HAULS ASS. As soon as I got my Fiero, I fantasized putting the same engine into it. The reality is, it was much easier to swap the blown 2.8 out for another 2.8 so I can drive it and enjoy it. In the mean time, I can take my time locating a good, well maintained 3.8 S/C and spend even more time building it from the inside out.
So yes, for now stick to the 2.8. Save a couple bucks here and there and eventually you will have the money to do an engine swap and really do it right. Good luck
Knowing me im going to be tinkering with it for the rest of its natural life trying to squeeze just a little more power out of it. Idk if thats just because im 15 but im 98% sure thats just how i am. I come from a long line of engineers, tinkering is in my blood. You should see all the mods ive tried to do on my 80cc 2 stroke motorized bicycle. i even tried to supercharge it! Lol what an epic fail that was, but i have no regrets. It was fun and a learning experience. I cant even leave my guitars alone. Almost all of them are modded in some way. Back to the point i understand what you guys are saying and i think it would be a good idea to leave the fiero relatively mild mannered till i get a feel for it. But eventually i WILL do some sort of mods for power gains. Its got nothing to do with ego its just how i am. Like i said before im not looking for a rocket ship i just want something to mess with. Its not going to be my main car and im not going to drive it on anything but sunny dry spring/summer days. My dad has made that perfectly clear ( he still thinks is a death trap). If i were looking to satisfy an ego i would save up my money and have a professional shop install a highly modded 3800sc or something that could outrun everybody, which is great and sounds like a lot of fun, but thats just not me. "I'd rather lose by a mile because i built my own car than win by an inch because somebody built it for me" i dont think a 3.1 engine me and my dad built in my grandpas barn is going to win any races or wrap me around a tree. I dont mean to disrespect anybody here. Afterall you guys are the experts here and im asking you guys for advice (which has been very helpful btw) but i dont see whats so crazy about rebuilding the engine with the 3.1 crankshaft and pistons. I think it will be better in the long run. Leaving things stock just isnt for me.
This is one of those times that you shouldn't listen to your friends. It's not their money, or their safety....it's yours. A stock 2.8 will more than enough power "to have some fun in". You need to concentrate on making this a clean, reliable, well cared-for stock 2.8. Give it a year or two before you get beyond that.
My first car was a highly modified, 275hp turbo Triumph TR7....it took 2 hours for the fire crews to cut me out of the wreckage.
You have got to stop agreeing with me dude, your really wrecking my opinion of you ! Besides, Hell hasn't thawed out since the last time you agreed me.
quote
Originally posted by Fier-oh41229:
Knowing me im going to be tinkering with it for the rest of its natural life trying to squeeze just a little more power out of it. Idk if thats just because im 15 but im 98% sure thats just how i am. I come from a long line of engineers, tinkering is in my blood.
Dam I see red, if I had known that in the beginning I would have told you to do what your friends said and see how quick you can wrap yourself around a telephone pole, J/K I am famous on here for my dislike of engineers and some of the ways they make things. Just ask Neils88
Stay safe behind the wheel, my first fast car was a 67 Firebird convertible with a 400 4 barrel and 365 HP. I refuse to tell you what I did with that thing as it still makes me wonder how I ever lived threw my teens.
Steve
Edit again to add just one more thing,
If you really want to learn about the 2.8 and how to squeeze every inch of HP out of it there is a book from GM for racers of 60 degree V6s, I have a copy on my computer that someone posted years ago on here, it is just a photocopied one but still readable but I think it is also available here someplace in the archives as well. Hey if you want to know how to do it right, learn from the masters right. 32 pages of helpful info for the 60 Degree V6 engines and racer tricks on how to make them as fast as they can.
Again drive safe, as if your life depends on it, because it does.
[This message has been edited by 84fiero123 (edited 11-23-2014).]
Lol I hate the way engineers think too but we just can't help it. Were incapable of thinking differently. And yeah I would definitely be interested in that performance guide if you could send me a link to it that would be awesome. Im still deciding tho on wether or not to do a stock rebuild for now or go with the 3.1. Like I said I'm gona leave it pretty mild mannered for a while so I can get the feel for it before I start with all my crazy antics.
...and by the way I am also am engineer with degrees in both physics and mathematics, so I know what you mean. The word ego, it doesn't necessarily mean a bad thing. Everyone has an ego, even the most humble. Just depends on where they are in life how they deal with it. Maybe not the best word but I never claim to have a degree in English. My point is this: dependable car then financially stable then mod away.
[This message has been edited by johnyrottin (edited 11-23-2014).]
I see what you're saying. I guess if you plan on modding something you might as well do it right. And to do that you need sufficient funds. Lol I've done too many "low budget" hack jobs already and I'm not even old enough to drive. I don't want the fiero to be held together with zip ties and duct tape like so many of my other projects. My dad (being an engineer and perfectionist) will make sure this doesn't happen.
Lol I hate the way engineers think too but we just can't help it. Were incapable of thinking differently. And yeah I would definitely be interested in that performance guide if you could send me a link to it that would be awesome. Im still deciding tho on wether or not to do a stock rebuild for now or go with the 3.1. Like I said I'm gona leave it pretty mild mannered for a while so I can get the feel for it before I start with all my crazy antics.
I can't find it in the archives but I can Email you the one I have, a little fuzzy but still readable but if you have dialup it may take you a while to get it, If anyone else on here knows where it is on the forum I forget who posted the copy I have and all the links I have found are long gone. So if anyone finds their copy how about a repost of it or like I said I can email you what I have.
First, let me apologize for the long post. This forum has no way of attaching files. Anyhow, this is a good read for many that have not seen it before.
quote
Originally posted by Fier-oh41229: Its not going to be my main car and im not going to drive it on anything but sunny dry spring/summer days. My dad has made that perfectly clear ( he still thinks is a death trap).
I have had to explain how safe the Fiero is more times than I can count now. I finally just printed copies of the below information. Now, when someone asks or questions the Fieros safety, I just hand them a copy for them to read at their leisure
How many times have you hear about how unsafe your Fiero is? How many people have you seen cringe when you told them that the Fiero gasoline tank is positioned in the frame just between the seats, forming the high center console?
According to a Consumer’s Report magazine article entitled "Which Cars Protect You Best?" from pages 186-188, April, 1984, the Fiero tied for first place in the small car class. In this test, the cars were run into a solid barrier at 35 miles an hour. From the article, "No car made today can survive a head-on collision into a fixed barrier at 35 miles an hour. After such a crash, the car is reduced to scrap metal" (p.186).
After this crash test, the Fiero received a rating by Consumer’s Report of: minor injury to driver, minor injury to passenger, and moderate rating for structural integrity (p.187).
The standard scale ranged from : 1). No injury or minor injury (best) 2). Moderate injury 3). Certain injury, possibly severe 4). Severe or fatal injury 5). Severe or fatal injury was virtually certain (worst) (p.188).
The only car that had a better rating, in fact the highest rating, was the Volvo DL. The Volvo’s ratings were: minor injury to driver, minor injury to passenger, and a minor rating for structural integrity (p.187). So, the only difference was that the Volvo had a step higher rating for structural integrity.
The Fiero’s rating was tied with such marquees as: Chrysler’s Laser, Daytona, and LeBaron: Toyota’s Celica and Camry: GM’s Camaro, Firebird, 4-door Century, Celebrity, Ciera, and 6000; and the Jeep CJ7 (p.187).
The Fiero’s rating was far better than such marquees as: Ford’s Crown Victoria, Grand Marquis; and Buick Le Sabre, Caprice, Delta 88, and Parisienne (P.187). Some of the poorest results were from the Honda Civic CRX, Peugeot 505, and Ford Escort 4-door (p.187).
Many people think that the Pontiac Fiero is an unsafe vehicle due to its small size. It turns out that the Fiero actually holds the record for the safest vehicle ever tested by the NHTSA without airbags. It was the second safest vehicle on the road in 1985, second to the full size Volvo DL Station Wagon. The DL had airbags. Even by today's standards, the Fiero still rivals many newer vehicles on the road today.
The methods of testing are exactly the same in 2013 as they were back in 1979 when NHTSA began testing cars. Cars are tested by impacting a solid barrier at 35 MPH.
The Fiero received a 5 star crash rating for both driver and passenger. A 5-star rating means a 10% or lower chance of serious injury. So 5-star means the same now as it meant 30 years ago.
Have a look at the comparisons below, note the years of the other cars, that ALL have air bags from the factory: (You can verify the information below at http://www.safercar.gov/ )
As you can see, the 1980s Pontiac is still one of the safer cars on the road even when compared to today vehicles. The Fiero is as good as or better than many of today's vehicles that have airbags.
The Fiero is also very stable. The Fiero received a Static Stability Factor, or Rollover Resistance rating, of 1.47. This equates to a 5-star rollover rating.
Even if you are unfortunate enough to get into a rollover accident, the Fiero excels in safety once again with its incredibly strong roof structure. According to the NHTSA, the Fiero was tested by inverted drop and roof crush testing. In the inverted drop test, the Fiero, along with cars like the Ford F150 and Plymouth Laser were turned over and dropped on their roofs. The Fiero scored best with 8.3 cm crush on the a-pillar and 3.8 cm on the B-pillar. The Ford F-150 had the worst rating with 42.5cm crush on a-pillar and 40.6cm on the B-pillar. The Plymouth Laser actually had a slightly better rating than Fiero for B pillar with 3.2cm crush.
In another publication, NHTSA tested cars roofs by crushing them with a steel plate and hydraulic ram. In the example given, the Chevrolet S10 had the worst rating with 5320 lbs roof strength, while the Fiero has the highest rating with 9909 lbs of roof strength. This equates to 3.53 roof strength to weight ratio, complying with even the most recent roof strength requirement of 3.00:1 strength ratio. It is kind of funny how the Pontiac Fiero is still meeting many of the most modern crash test requirements without even frontal airbags.....
HERE IS THE CRASH TEST VIDEO
[This message has been edited by JohnWPB (edited 11-24-2014).]
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Besides, Hell hasn't thawed out since the last time you agreed me. 
