I took the car out last night for a 45+min drive. This is imposable to recognize as a Fiero from inside at night. The new dash and new color lights set this car in a different class. I now have blue lights on all my switches and orange gauges.
I need to try to get a good night pic of the lights.
[This message has been edited by Rickady88GT (edited 07-23-2009).]
My tire diameter is a little smaller than the donor car tire. Mine are a little over 26" and the Monte was about 27". So my speedo is about 2mph slower than the speedo shows. This affects my instant fuel economy settings a little. As of my last long drive the D.I.C. shows 36-40 mpg in one direction and 30-34 in the other. Note that the wind and slope do affect MPG so an accurate reading needs to have both directions in the calculation. This is with the D.O.D. on. In V8 mode the instant economy drops to 25mpg at best. I know this is not accurate enough to bet money on but does give an idea of what is going on. I am keeping all my gas tank fill receipts to accurately calculate the real MPG.
time to start with the engine mods! or add some boost. a t76 is a good way to go for a stock 5.3, but a pair of T4S04s would let you be at full boost several hundred rpm sooner, and take the power level a bit higher.
You're right to use the "indicated" MPG as a guideline, but in reality it's not really good for much. On my Sky, the indicated fuel economy and the ACTUAL fuel economy (using miles driven on the tank divided by gallons to fill the tank) are rarely the same. They are usually within about 15% of each other in either direction.
That's a bummer that you couldn't drive the car, as you've obviously put enough effort into this car to make it much more than a trailer queen. Keep us posted, and thanks for the update. I really dig that interior, now you've got me wanting to find a wrecked Malibu! It's a shame they only come with autos...
The car should be smog certified before I even think about mods The ref might not think it is so cool with turbos? If I get it thru him first then I can do the other "little" things
I look forward to the new door panels and center console
My Short Star got an all around average of about 26mpg. I would be very happy to get better than that with a V8.
The Malibu dash is a bit tight on the leg room. The Malibu has a very tall driver cabin and the dash is tall too. I would make custom lower halves if I were to do this again so I could get 2" moor leg room at the lowest part of the dash. As it is now I just move the pedals all the way forward and the seat all the way rearward and my legs lay flat enough to clear the bottom of the dash. If I move the pedals or seat together, my shins hit the bottom of the dash. My wife has no problem.
[This message has been edited by Rickady88GT (edited 07-24-2009).]
I have over 300 miles on it after the swap and the last 115 cost me about 5 gallons. That is an average of 20mpg. I calculated the the exact miles per gallon to 20.48 mpg. The DIC says 21.2. So that is not bad for an estimate from the DIC. That is actually much closer to the actual than I thought it would be.
Passing power is MUCH better than the Short Star. I used to get to 80 passing a single car. Now I get to 100 if I let up just after overtaking the car. 0-60 is much better too.No "real" numbers but if I try to hard the PCM shuts down the throttle. So where it is now will be dwarfed by the post PCM tune latter.
I have to say the build is most impressive, and I give you 2 thumbs up on the dash build. But I'm hoping your not completely finished with the center console. I see some MAJOR POTENTIAL with the center console... KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.
As long as the turbos aren't between the exhaust manifolds and the cat(s), you're golden. just because Squires patented the rear-turbo concept with camaros doesn't mean you can't put a T76 or a pair of T4S04s after your cat(s) so long as you don't try to sell a kit. Nashco, maybe you've missed it elsewhere, but the LS4 with a manual tranms is as simple as boring the LS4 to 5.7L, plugging the DoD, and running it as an LS6, which is what I'm working on. Plus it fits better than a real LS6 with the Archie kit. You can have the 58x reluctor replaced with a 24x when you have the crank rebalanced for the larger pistons. Then just use the Ls6 programming and cam. the dbw tb is no issue, the LS4 heads are the same as the LS6 except for the valve stems, it's super easy.
Isn't that shifter a little close to the dashboard?
It may be hard to tell but the shifter is cut down 2-3 inches (one of the few short auto shifters" and moved back about 3". It is in "Park" in that pic and I have 2' between the shifter and dash. For comparison my Olds Intrigue has 2.5" between the shifter and dash. So this on may be closer than a stock Fiero but I have plenty of room when the shifter is in drive. In park I can still put Cd's in the 6 disk in dash Radio. The heater controls are under the Radio so the radio is completely unobstructed. I can adjust any function on the heater controls even in Park without the shifter getting in the way..
I have to say the build is most impressive, and I give you 2 thumbs up on the dash build. But I'm hoping your not completely finished with the center console. I see some MAJOR POTENTIAL with the center console... KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.
Thanks, the center cover is just a piece of carpet with a hand made shifter boot. It is not the center console. I ran out of time for the West Fest Fiero show. I tossed that over the metal tunnel just to hide the tunnel for the show. I did not even have enough time to cover the doors. I have an idea how I will do the doors and center console but they will be latter.
As long as the turbos aren't between the exhaust manifolds and the cat(s), you're golden. just because Squires patented the rear-turbo concept with camaros doesn't mean you can't put a T76 or a pair of T4S04s after your cat(s) so long as you don't try to sell a kit. Nashco, maybe you've missed it elsewhere, but the LS4 with a manual tranms is as simple as boring the LS4 to 5.7L, plugging the DoD, and running it as an LS6, which is what I'm working on. Plus it fits better than a real LS6 with the Archie kit. You can have the 58x reluctor replaced with a 24x when you have the crank rebalanced for the larger pistons. Then just use the Ls6 programming and cam. the dbw tb is no issue, the LS4 heads are the same as the LS6 except for the valve stems, it's super easy.
Nashco, maybe you've missed it elsewhere, but the LS4 with a manual tranms is as simple as boring the LS4 to 5.7L, plugging the DoD, and running it as an LS6, which is what I'm working on.
Isolde, maybe you've imagined it elsewhere, but I never said anything about mating a manual trans to an LS4. I like all of the engines available in the Malibu (Ecotec BAS, 3500 w/ E85, 3600...all great swap candidates) and I think swapping the interior along with the powertrain would be great; similar to what Rickady's done, except without the Monte engine/Malibu interior complexity. The only thing I don't like about that idea is going with an auto, since that's all that was available in the Malibu.
Sorry I misunderstood. I saw it as you wishing for a legal way to have a manual trans with a Malibu engine, and thus the LS4, the only FWD engine on earth worth having. My apologies.
Thanks, the center cover is just a piece of carpet with a hand made shifter boot. It is not the center console. I ran out of time for the West Fest Fiero show. I tossed that over the metal tunnel just to hide the tunnel for the show. I did not even have enough time to cover the doors. I have an idea how I will do the doors and center console but they will be latter.
Well I can't wait to see the new improvments. This build has really inspired me, and again keep up the good work.
I have over 300 miles on it after the swap and the last 115 cost me about 5 gallons. That is an average of 20mpg. I calculated the the exact miles per gallon to 20.48 mpg. The DIC says 21.2. So that is not bad for an estimate from the DIC. That is actually much closer to the actual than I thought it would be.
Passing power is MUCH better than the Short Star. I used to get to 80 passing a single car. Now I get to 100 if I let up just after overtaking the car. 0-60 is much better too.No "real" numbers but if I try to hard the PCM shuts down the throttle. So where it is now will be dwarfed by the post PCM tune latter.
Don't have the DIC in mine, but using the trip meter i have checked mine a couple of times and it's averaging 22mpg overall. (I have the interceptor gauge and my speedo is vary accurate ) Also my car is the basic 88 coupe, so it may be a little lighter.
Thanks, I have been camping with the Jeep and have not done a lot to the Fiero.
I did start to relocate the door speakers. They interfeared with dash and had to be taken out just to shut the doors. I made a blank off plate for the hole I cut, then mounted the speakers about 2" further back (away from the dash). I am not sure were to put the tweeters yet. This Monte Carlo radio needs an adaptor to use an aftermarket amp and subs. So that will be put off too I can use the 6 disc in radio changer and I pod jack but cant use the Tuner yet. I shaved my antenna before the paint job and and laid it down under the fender. I also mounted a second antenna under the driver fender. The problem is that this radio has different style antenna plugs for the windshield type antenna and won't plug into the ones I have in the car So I need to get a "Y" fitting to link the two Fiero antennas together then an adaptor to link the Fiero antennas to the Monte radio? If any one has suggestions I would appreciate them
[This message has been edited by Rickady88GT (edited 08-03-2009).]
This Monte Carlo radio needs an adaptor to use an aftermarket amp and subs.
Yes, you will need at the very least a line output converter, which can be found readily at your local Best Buy or custom shop. Basically, it takes a high (speaker) lever signal and transforms it into a low (line) level input for an amp. If you want very high fidelity, I recommend an Audio Control LC7, but anything with at least 4 channels should work fine. These are generally "better," because you get far more adjustability, they're generally built better and you'll get strong (~5V) pre-outs to your amps. Definitely the best route. These can be picked up from online, or possibly your local custom shop, depending on how much they deal with things like this.
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Originally posted by Rickady88GT:
The problem is that this radio has different style antenna plugs for the windshield type antenna and won't plug into the ones I have in the car So I need to get a "Y" fitting to link the two Fiero antennas together then an adaptor to link the Fiero antennas to the Monte radio? If any one has suggestions I would appreciate them
Yea, a standard Y-adapter should work fine for connecting the two, and can possibly be found at Best Buy or your local custom shop, but that guy may very well need to come from online. We never had them at Circuit City. You could always just make your own, too. For going into the factory deck, you'll need a 40CR20 if it's a Metra part. I'm not sure what American International or Scosche call them, but it's the same part. Basically a female connector for the standard Motorola antenna connector found on your Fiero antenna, and a male Chrysler (yea, that's right...GM used Chrysler antenna connectors for their newer cars) plug to go into the OE Monte deck. Your local Best Buy or custom shop will have this. We use them all the time for satellite radio installs. Just make sure you give them the year and make and model of the car, but I'm 99.99% sure it's a 40CR20.
Or you can replace the "stock" deck with a double DIN touch screen and use your amp. I'm not sure if you're going for the "factory GM" look though. Stock stereo's tend to be really bad for sound quality. Line level adapters work, but they have only so much source material to deal with. Besides, you won't get HD radio. - I hear it's all the rage now.
Not showing my flyfisherman colors here or anything but, AWESOME brown trout!
Thanks. Catch and release. It may still be there That was the only fish I got. AND it was the very last "cast". The day before, I tied spinners and cast masters but the fish laughed at me. This day my wife and kids wanted to swim in that pool. But I wanted to fish with my daughter first. So an hour or so of my daughter taking the tiny gold hook tied directly to the line with a cricket around the pool and tossing it into the creek, I finally got one. I saw the fish take the cricket so I "set the hook" but there was to much slack in the line. I thought it was gone, the fish took another cricket. So I reeled in the line and about half the line in I felt a huge tug. It was on, a great fight. I landed the fish and the hook just fell out of its mouth. It never set. I just kept the tension on the line and it stayed.
this is the pool I got the fish from. My daughter would walk the hook all the way around the top and drop the cricket in the small bowl at the top and it would fall down the little water fall and go it's natural flow down stream.
OK, I finally ran out of gas today. The fill up was 10.38 gal + the 1 gal from the reserve can. After the tank mods I still have an 11+ gal tank. I went 229 miles on a full tank of gas and that comes out to 20.13 MPG. Not as good as the last tank of gas at 20.48. BUT this time I drove around town in 3rd gear instead of 4th so the DOD does not turn on in town. The polly mounts and 1,000 RPM at 30mph causes to much vibration, and I don't like the sound of a V8 4 cylinder. I get some black soot in the tail pipes too, so a good dyno tune should help the economy and power?
I tried to get some video but the camera is in bad shape ( to much trail dust from 4 wheelin) and the quality sux.
I expect it to get much better, because I had a '78 Camaro, with the big rear spoiler, and a carbureted 350, that got 25 mpg. You have 25 less cubic inches, modern EFI, and better aerodynamics. Keep at it!
I know you mentioned that a manual trans would not be smog compliant. However, my question is whether this engine would bolt up to the same bell housing as the 2.8-3.4, 3.8, 4.9, etc.?
FierOmar, The LS4 will bolt right up to the same transaxles as the other engines you list, without an adapter plate. And even better, it can be emissions legal, all it takes is boring the LS4 to 5.7L, then using the following stuff from an LS6 as found in the Z06 'vette: pistons, cam, intake, and computer. Then you get it smogged as an LS6. The biggest hassle is getting the LS4 crank rebalanced for the LS6 pistons.
FierOmar, The LS4 will bolt right up to the same transaxles as the other engines you list, without an adapter plate. And even better, it can be emissions legal, all it takes is boring the LS4 to 5.7L, then using the following stuff from an LS6 as found in the Z06 'vette: pistons, cam, intake, and computer. Then you get it smogged as an LS6. The biggest hassle is getting the LS4 crank rebalanced for the LS6 pistons.
Not in CA. ALL they care about is the numbers on the block. The engine has to have the smog equipment that GM assigned to the block. The ref will check it. I even had to go to the CHP for an inspection to verify that the engine was not stolen property. Now I will say that later you could change out the block and convert it to an LS6, but only after the initial certification and even then it will still be smog legal as an auto because the cert sticker. A better way to do it is to start with a manual equip engine. Certify that then swap to a LS4 block. Bu you have to ask yourself if it is worth all the trouble?
Originally posted by FierOmar: I know you mentioned that a manual trans would not be smog compliant. However, my question is whether this engine would bolt up to the same bell housing as the 2.8-3.4, 3.8, 4.9, etc.?
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Originally posted by Isolde: FierOmar, The LS4 will bolt right up to the same transaxles as the other engines you list, without an adapter plate. And even better, it can be emissions legal, all it takes is boring the LS4 to 5.7L, then using the following stuff from an LS6 as found in the Z06 'vette: pistons, cam, intake, and computer. Then you get it smogged as an LS6. The biggest hassle is getting the LS4 crank rebalanced for the LS6 pistons.
quote
Originally posted by Rickady88GT: Not in CA. ALL they care about is the numbers on the block. The engine has to have the smog equipment that GM assigned to the block. The ref will check it. I even had to go to the CHP for an inspection to verify that the engine was not stolen property. Now I will say that later you could change out the block and convert it to an LS6, but only after the initial certification and even then it will still be smog legal as an auto because the cert sticker. A better way to do it is to start with a manual equip engine. Certify that then swap to a LS4 block. Bu you have to ask yourself if it is worth all the trouble?
Let me mention that my primary interest has been track performance (road racing)... not street. So, I really don't need to worry about smog, referees, etc.
So, looking at the various transmission options, any vote for the best choice? ------------------ FierOmar
[This message has been edited by FierOmar (edited 09-18-2009).]
[QUOTE]Originally posted by Rickady88GT: Not in CA. ALL they care about is the numbers on the block. The engine has to have the smog equipment that GM assigned to the block. The ref will check it. I even had to go to the CHP for an inspection to verify that the engine was not stolen property. Now I will say that later you could change out the block and convert it to an LS6, but only after the initial certification and even then it will still be smog legal as an auto because the cert sticker. A better way to do it is to start with a manual equip engine. Certify that then swap to a LS4 block. Bu you have to ask yourself if it is worth all the trouble?
Let me mention that my primary interest has been track performance... not street. So, I really don't need to worry about smog, referees, etc.
So, looking at the various transmission options, any vote for the best choice? [/QUOTE]
By "track" do you mean strip or coarse? The easiest (as if there is such a thing) way to brake neck power from an all aluminum V8 is to get an LS3 with an Archie 6 speed F40 kit. But since this LS4 is not my idea of the ultimate Fiero I will have to drive it till I get around to building a 6 speed LS3. But I don't plan to use the Archie kit. I have other ideas I would like to try.
By "track" do you mean strip or coarse? The easiest (as if there is such a thing) way to brake neck power from an all aluminum V8 is to get an LS3 with an Archie 6 speed F40 kit. But since this LS4 is not my idea of the ultimate Fiero I will have to drive it till I get around to building a 6 speed LS3. But I don't plan to use the Archie kit. I have other ideas I would like to try.
Road course (of course). And for such an application, I'm not so sure that a six speed gearbox would be needed although I do have one. I'm thinking 5 speed Getrag would do the trick. I happen to have one from a Fiero, a Beretta GTZ, and an Olds SCX with W41 option. I am thinking that the Beretta GTZ probably has the best overall gear ratios and final drive ratio for an LS4. As always, your thoughts and comments are appreciated.
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The ref might not think it is so cool with turbos? If I get it thru him first then I can do the other "little" things 
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