I found a 93 Caddy Deville for $600 on craigslist. it does have 191k miles though so it would probably need a rebuild. do you guys think it's worth it? I'd use the engine, wiring harness, computer, exhaust manifolds (and anything else i might have missed) and sell/part out the rest of the car. I still have to see how well the motor runs (the ad says "runs great")

How much would a rebuild (or at least a set of gaskets MINIMUM) cost me?
Basically, would this be a good option or should i look for a wrecked car with less miles on it?

I would put it in my 86 GT and bolt it to my 4spd. i'm also getting the "Koni Racing Suspension kit" from the Fiero store this christmas

quote Originally posted by KaijuSenso: How much would a rebuild (or at least a set of gaskets MINIMUM) cost me? Basically, would this be a good option or should i look for a wrecked car with less miles on it? I would put it in my 86 GT and bolt it to my 4spd. i'm also getting the "Koni Racing Suspension kit" from the Fiero store this christmas

Northstar? if it needed rebuilding it wouldn't be worth it IMO. parts are extreamly expensive for thes things and you just can't do a ring and valve job on them like you could a sbc for example. the pair of hd gaskets will run you about 150.oo . the rod bolts and bearings MUST be changed if you pull the pistons for example. but if it "runs good" you may not have to open it up. if it had reasonable care 190K isn't as bad as it sounds. the N* has very hard cyl walls and wear very little. go listen to it before you make a decission.
what ECM were you planning on using? that may be a factor also as the early TB would need to be changed for some setups to work in the Fiero.
4 speed is not easy with the N* either. I did an Izusu with mine and although it can be done (I did) it ain't easy. lots of fabrication to move the throwout fork arm and relocation of the shift cables.

YMMV

quote Originally posted by Russ544: Northstar? if it needed rebuilding it wouldn't be worth it IMO. parts are extreamly expensive for thes things and you just can't do a ring and valve job on them like you could a sbc for example. the pair of hd gaskets will run you about 150.oo . the rod bolts and bearings MUST be changed if you pull the pistons for example. but if it "runs good" you may not have to open it up. if it had reasonable care 190K isn't as bad as it sounds. the N* has very hard cyl walls and wear very little. go listen to it before you make a decission. what ECM were you planning on using? that may be a factor also as the early TB would need to be changed for some setups to work in the Fiero. 4 speed is not easy with the N* either. I did an Izusu with mine and although it can be done (I did) it ain't easy. lots of fabrication to move the throwout fork arm and relocation of the shift cables. YMMV

Its a 4.9. Devilles kept the 4.9 through 95. 191k is pretty normal to find on a used one. IMO just find the motor/trans, wiring and harness. You really don't need the whole car and could spend quite a bit less on just what you need unless you have the time to part it out and make your money back. I paid $203 for my 93 deville motor, harness, and ECM with 150k on the clock. All you need is the motor, ECM and connectors, and engine harness.

You wont get very good gas mileage with the 4 speed but it will hold the power and run like a champ. I was originally planing to use this tranny but the 88 cradle swap changed all of that for me.

I can't give you a very close estimate on the cost of a rebuild cause I got mine at cost from a friend in the business. I can give you all the part numbers if you are interested. For me, at cost, it came to $355 for gaskets, rings, and bearings for the good stuff (Victor reins, engine tech chrome molly, ect). And 180 for a new cam cause the stock one was no good. The sleeves need to be checked out very well if you are going rebuild. They are probably fine if its running and NOT smoking. If its running I would just put it in and worry about a rebuild later once its in the fiero and running.

Rebuild parts can be ordered online at rockauto.com. Be sure to use the discount code if going this route as it will save you a ton on money.

Head gasket kit (includes all gaskets needed to change everything from heads up) ~117
Re-ring kit (best rings, incl main and rod bearings, and gaskets) ~475
Master rebuild kit (includes all gaskets, seals, bearings, rings and pistons... probably way more then you'll need) ~12-1500

One word of advise... Use the best rings you can. They make a huge difference in the longevity of the rebuild. Good luck in what ever you decide to do.

[This message has been edited by Fieroseverywhere (edited 12-04-2007).]

yes it's the 4.9

gas mileage isn't a huge issue to me, i have a second car that can be my daily driver if i'm having problems with the fiero (mechanically or financially )

thanks for the info on the rebuild. i work at a shop so i won't be charged labor. what's the discount code you're talking about?

the plan is to look at the car on Saturday with my boss. hopefully it's running good enough that i can just worry about putting it in the car first, and then start collecting pieces for the rebuild.

QUOTE
Thank you for being a www.RockAuto.com customer!
To show our appreciation, we have a special discount for you.
Your discount code is: 848284696966
Here's how to use it: * Enter your code in the "How did you hear about us" line of the shopping cart.* If you are using our traditional HTML catalog, please click the "Set" button to the right of the field.* Your discount will automatically appear, subtracted from your order total.

**NOTE: We sometimes get calls from people who put the word "discount" in front of their code and do not get the discount. Please enter ONLY the discount code, no other words or numbers.** The discount takes 5% off our already-low prices, and there's no limit on order size or the number of orders. Use the code for your next order, and share the code with friends, neighbors, relatives, the guy at the corner garage--anyone you know who works on cars or trucks. This discount code expires on January 29, 2008; so don't wait!
END QUOTE

They put out new codes all the time so if this one expires before you get to use it look around on the forum. Someone will have a new one. It maybe only 5% but that makes a big difference when spending hundreds with them. Once you buy something from them they will send you new codes all the time, or at least they do for me.

One other thing, if you plan on using the stock 4.9 chip you will need the pass key module also. You will then need to make or buy the bypass circuit listed on rockcrawls site.
http://www.fieroaddiction.com/

A better option IMO is to buy a chip that will eliminate the need for the passkey module and fix a few error codes you may end up getting.

[This message has been edited by Fieroseverywhere (edited 12-04-2007).]

quote Originally posted by Fieroseverywhere: A better option IMO is to buy a chip that will eliminate the need for the passkey module and fix a few error codes you may end up getting.

I can provide you with a custom programmed chip for your 4.9L. email me directly at stickpony@gmail.com