Originally posted by FieroG97J: I had conversation with an expert from the old days on this and he says that there is no place to put the idler pulley, so it won't work. DRAT!
It might work but getting a 87-88 idle pulley is hard and expensive now. And that's if engine block correct holes to mount it. getting 87 WP isn't easy find too. need correct alt ears and lower bracket. 87 have a bracket from alt back to intake manifold but like need to make one. Crank pulley does not have timing mark.
Real Q would intake manifold clear the 87 alt... Maybe but have no easy way to look.
------------------ Dr. Ian Malcolm: Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should. (Jurassic Park)
I thought the pulley swap would be the easiest way to go. I have a great running 2.5 out of my Mom's old 89 Buick, but I hear that swapping that whole engine into an 84 is also a no-go due to wiring issues. The engine is the same as the 88 Fiero I believe.
first read VIN for the car and look for R or U R engine close same but yes, is a another version of engine and change allot. U engine won't fit w/o major changes and even then might not work.
87-92 FWD R pulley drive items and/or parts to support them are not compatible w/ Fiero. if you have both just look at changes... Like FWD cars have PS pump where Fiero alt is. See my Cave, DIS L4 Replace and Duke Quick Ref
if engine have Oil Filter in the oil pan then may have iffy/bad ballancer in the pan. Very possible around >100,000miles Engine maybe perfect otherwise but w/ a ballancer w/ iffy bearings dies... You often junk the engine because can damage the whole bottom end.
I (and at least one other) have swapped an 87 duke into an 84, it does take alot of work, but it is possible. There is a thread about it, I couldn't find it. I went to write one or at least add to his, (I did add what I could) but all my pics of the swap got corrupted.
It looks like I better just stay with the 84 duke and learn to love it.
My '84 duke runs plenty strong. Autocrossed it for three years until I got my Formula. Of all my Fieros, I only hated the engine in one of them... an '87 duke. With the distributorless DIS ignition, there was no way to adjust the ignition timing. The factory set ignition timing at idle was SO freakin' advanced that it was next to impossible to get the thing to pass the smog test here when we had them. Did I mention I hated that engine?
My '84 duke runs plenty strong. Autocrossed it for three years until I got my Formula. Of all my Fieros, I only hated the engine in one of them... an '87 duke. With the distributorless DIS ignition, there was no way to adjust the ignition timing. The factory set ignition timing at idle was SO freakin' advanced that it was next to impossible to get the thing to pass the smog test here when we had them. Did I mention I hated that engine?
My First Fiero was an 88 duke and at the time I hated it for the same reason, couldn't adjust the timing, backfires etc. UNTIL I changed the spark plug wires to GOOD wires, IE spiral core low ohm wires, then it ran great, and the hating stopped. My 87 duke was great as it got 30 MPG, I liked it so much that when I did my Quad 4 swap I put it in my old 84, and it still runs strong. Now I can hack ECMs so no worries about timing, even though I never had to touch my 87 engine.
I've looked at designing a tensioner kit for the early L4's. Although it could be done it would be expensive because you would need all new pulleys for a serpentine belt plus a pulley something for the tensioner. I do not think I would sell enough to pay for the cost of making a kit. I have a few dozen items I am a long ways from even covering the costs on hand now.
------------------ Rodney Dickman
Fiero Parts And Acc's Web Page: All new web page!:www.rodneydickman.com Rodney Dickman's Fiero accessories 7604 Treeview Drive Caledonia, WI 53108 Phone/Fax (262) 835-9575
I was thinking that most of the GM cars from the mid 80's to the mid 90's have pulleys and/or system pieces that could be ravaged for parts. Spacing the pulley's and mounting the idler somewhere should be the big problem.
I was thinking that most of the GM cars from the mid 80's to the mid 90's have pulleys and/or system pieces that could be ravaged for parts. Spacing the pulley's and mounting the idler somewhere should be the big problem.
Someone would need to look in some junk yards to see if anything might fit. But many junk yards have probably crushed most cars from that far back for the value of the scrap steel.
------------------ Rodney Dickman
Fiero Parts And Acc's Web Page: All new web page!:www.rodneydickman.com Rodney Dickman's Fiero accessories 7604 Treeview Drive Caledonia, WI 53108 Phone/Fax (262) 835-9575
