My new spark plug wires came in Thursday. So I decided to take a couple photos.
Tomorrow, I'll be going to the drag strip, to see just what this 3.4 V6 can do. This will be my first chance to really open it up. Hopefully, all goes well. Keep your fingers crossed!
[This message has been edited by Blacktree (edited 08-23-2017).]
The throttle body is from a Buick Grand National (59mm diameter, from the turbo 3.8 V6). I turned it upside-down, so the throttle linkage would be on the correct side.
All the DIS parts were pulled from a 3100 SFI V6. That includes the "dummy distributer", crank sensor, etc. But any 60-degree V6 with DIS will have that. I picked the 3100 SFI, due to the mounting location of the DIS brick. The older 2.8 and 3.1 engines mounted the DIS brick on the side of the engine block (firewall side on the Fiero), down by the starter. That would make it a pain to work on in the Fiero.
[This message has been edited by Blacktree (edited 12-12-2010).]
I should be getting it dyno'ed soon. Right now, funds are kinda tight. Plus my laptop computer croaked, so I can't datalog. And my old OBD-1 scanner doesn't seem to be compatible with the new ECM programming. So I'm SOL on that front... at least for now.
Right now, the car is drivable. And it made it down the track without blowing up (hehe). But it's not running at full power. However, I can tell you one thing. This engine pulls hard all the way up to the rev limiter (currently set at 6000 RPM). I was kinda surprised by that.
After the holiday season is over, and my bank account recovers, things should be picking up for the Freak project.
Well at least you are able to run down the track and actually work on your Fiero right now. My Fiero is covered in about 5 inches of this white stuff called snow..Ever heard of it? Plus being -2 outside with windchill makes it a little more challenging.
In related news, last night I ran a 15.4 @ 91 MPH. While the ET is nothing to brag about, the trap speed seems to suggest the car is capable of mid / high 14's. I need to save up for a new laptop computer and wideband O2 setup, and do some tuning. Because right now, the ECM is running on a "best guess" tune made from a mish-mash of a couple other bin files.
[This message has been edited by Blacktree (edited 12-18-2010).]
Hey, let me know when you go to the dyno, I would like to see
Hiya Lincoln,
whats up with your project?
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**************************************** Found a 88 formula Waiting to get a fence so I can re-home it There are Two kinds of Fiero's : Notchies and Donors!
[This message has been edited by Kento (edited 12-20-2010).]
In related news, last night I ran a 15.4 @ 91 MPH. While the ET is nothing to brag about, the trap speed seems to suggest the car is capable of mid / high 14's. I need to save up for a new laptop computer and wideband O2 setup, and do some tuning. Because right now, the ECM is running on a "best guess" tune made from a mish-mash of a couple other bin files.
Yes indeed, you need to find out what your A/F ratio is. My 87GT - 2.8 with our headers, intake, stock cam, stock injectors, stock chip had a good A/F ratio -before I tore it down to add more goodies-, but you yours could easliy need more tuning.
BTW: If you do get a wideband you can tune it really close without dyno time. It's lil bit of PIA and takes two people, laptop for the wideban, volt meter to measure MAP sensor volts and the car on the road to real-world under-load readings, but it can be done, If you need more spacifics let me know. Also, I don't recall if you requested an extra bung adapter for a widebad on you Y pipe. If not, you may want to add one as there can be a big dif between exhaust gas temps in Y pipe and those at the tail pipe.
It's been awhile since I updated this thread, and for good reason. I've been working 2 jobs, saving up to buy another car to use as a daily driver. I bought the daily driver earlier this week. So now the Fiero is officially a "second car".
You all know what this means, right? The Fiero will no longer need to be comfortable to drive on long trips. It won't need to carry any passengers. And the fuel economy suddenly matters a lot less. This opens up a whole new realm of possibilities, all of which will make the car more fun to drive, and improve its performance.
I've always wanted a street-legal race car. Now I'll get to build one.
The first step in the transformation is to get rid of all the dead weight. Stuff like the HVAC system, spare tire, jack, interior trim and carpet, windshield washer bottle, and even the passenger seat can go bye-bye.
That said, I'm still working 2 jobs. So I don't have much free time. I'll post updates when available.
It's been awhile since I updated this thread, and for good reason. I've been working 2 jobs, saving up to buy another car to use as a daily driver. I bought the daily driver earlier this week. So now the Fiero is officially a "second car".
You all know what this means, right? The Fiero will no longer need to be comfortable to drive on long trips. It won't need to carry any passengers. And the fuel economy suddenly matters a lot less. This opens up a whole new realm of possibilities, all of which will make the car more fun to drive, and improve its performance.
I've always wanted a street-legal race car. Now I'll get to build one.
The first step in the transformation is to get rid of all the dead weight. Stuff like the HVAC system, spare tire, jack, interior trim and carpet, windshield washer bottle, and even the passenger seat can go bye-bye.
That said, I'm still working 2 jobs. So I don't have much free time. I'll post updates when available.
heyyyyyyyyyy ! where am i going to sit !?!? hehehe
Hopefully mine will be here soon so we can hit the meetings in a pair of fieros !
Originally posted by exoticse: heyyyyyyyyyy ! where am i going to sit !?!? hehehe
I'll throw a milk crate in the passenger side... LOL
The new daily beater is a 2001 Saturn. I got it cheap because it had a couple mechanical issues (which I easily fixed). But the body and interior are in very good condition. The engine doesn't leak fluids or burn oil. And the ride is pretty smooth. All in all, it's a pretty decent car.
LOL, that's funny. Those metal seats are kinda heavy though, aren't they? Maybe I could just chop down a plastic lawn chair...
Anyway, the Jenny Craig diet has started. Some of the easy-to-remove stuff is now gone... spare tire, jack (and associated brackets), windshield washer tank (and hoses, and squirt nozzles), and some of the interior trim.
I didn't take any photos, because that's not really anything noteworthy or exciting. More to follow, as time permits.
Last time I went to the track (about 3-4 months ago), the Fiero weighed in at 2600 lb.
Like you guys, I was expecting the HVAC system to weigh around 100 lb. But according to my bathroom scale, it's more like 75 lb. That includes all the ductwork under the dash, enough coolant to fill the heater core, enough refrigerant to charge the A/C, and all associated nuts/bolts/brackets.
I also wieghed the spare tire, jack, windshield washer bottle (and its contents), and all associated hardware. That came in at about 40 lb.
By the time I'm done stripping the interior, the Fiero's weight should be in the low 2400s.
[This message has been edited by Blacktree (edited 05-16-2011).]
I would consider 2600 lbs light. That was approximately the weight of my 88 couple in autocross racing trim with about 3 gallons of gas. My 88 Formula was around 2700 lbs in the same configuration. I'm curious to see how much my 88 GT weights with all the power options and automatic trans.
I like your gantry. I'm planning to build a similar one for my transmission swap project. Is there anything you would've done differently with the one you have?
[This message has been edited by JohnW (edited 05-17-2011).]
I haven't done any body work since my last trip to the drag strip. The weight I listed above includes the custom hood and decklid.
Also, I forgot... last time I went to the track, some of the stereo system was still in the car. I forgot to weigh that when I removed it. The stereo gear is just under 25 lb. So altogether, I've pulled about 140 lb out of the Fiero already.
Work on the Fiero has been slow, due to working 2 jobs, and some auto repairs (for customers) during what little free time I have.
That said, I've removed more "useless fat" from the Fiero. The following items are now gone:
-- Interior Trim -- Headliner -- Firewall Cover (whatever it's called) -- Trunk Carpet -- Dome Lights
I've also started trimming down the vehicle wiring harness. As it turns out, there was a lot of unused wiring. The wiring for the following items has now been deleted:
-- The Stereo System -- The entire HVAC system -- Power Locks and Windows (the car didn't have them anyway) -- Rally Gauges (the Fiero has a gauge cluster from another car now) -- Rear Window Defroster -- Parking Brake Warning Light (no parking brake) -- Dome Lights
I didn't just snip wires a foot or two from the electrical plugs, either. I traced some of them all the way back to the fusebox, and others to splices where they met other wires. So there aren't any snipped wires hanging loose.
I also made a blank-out plate to cover the gaping hole where the HVAC ductwork used to be. Sorry, but no photos yet.
Yeah, I'm getting pretty serious with the weight loss. At this point, I'm looking at the reverse lights (I have fog lights in the rear as reverse lights) and the third brake light, and thinking "hmmm... do I really need those?" I think they're legally required, though. I wouldn't want to get pulled over on the way to/from the track, because my lights aren't legal.
[This message has been edited by Blacktree (edited 05-24-2011).]
The interior is completely stripped now. It's all bare sheet metal, except for the driver seat, instrument panel, and controls. I need to clean up a few stray wires, then hose down the interior with truck bed liner (to protect the metal).
When I finish with that, I'll post a few photos.
I recently drove the Fiero to a car show / club meet. The drive was over an hour in each direction. Oh, man! It was fun, because the performance (in all aspects) is noticeably better now. But the noise, vibration, and lack of climate control in the cabin causes driver fatigue. I definitely will not be driving the Fiero on long trips anymore.
Got some goodies for the Freak... Rodney Dickman urethane mounts. I already have Rodney's adjustable dogbone. So my drivetrain will have all urethane mounts.
I got the lower engine mount and bracket from a local club member (Pappy). And I ordered the tranny mounts from Rodney's website.
[This message has been edited by Blacktree (edited 08-23-2017).]
Let's switch attention to the diffuser and cat-back exhaust for a minute. If you look through the "Diffuser Fascia" thread, you'll notice that I had a bullet-style muffler sticking out the back of the car. It took up space inside the diffuser... space which could've been used for moving air. With my new Ocelot exhaust, I eliminated that. The muffler is tucked in between the engine cradle and the "license plate pod" in the rear fascia. And the muffler's outlet pipes are cut short. See photo below.
Here's a shot of the unobstructed rear diffuser.
I guess you could call it the "stealth exhaust".
That rear diffuser is awesome. Who's handy work is that?
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