This may have been asked before, but this one has a small twist to the question. I am in CA and am looking for any and all info on this swap, including smog legal in CA.

I am installing a 4.9 in an 88 GT. Black auto with beach leather. I plan on keeping the engine stock and smog certify it in CA. I would like to know how many have been done, who has them and if build threads have been done on them? Have any been done in CA? Are they smog legal?
I have decided to go with 4 motor mounts, two in front and two in back without a dog bone. I have the polly mounts all around with Chevy V8 style in front and Chevy style tranny mount x2 for the rear.
I have a plan for the exhaust, but that is going to have to hold off for a while.

I will try to post some pics of the swap? But the car is not for me, I plan to sell the car after the swap is done. I already rebuilt the front suspension and installed Corvette power steering. I am going to keep the AC and relocate the power steering pump.

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I hope this is in addition to your Shortstar... everyone seems to like that one.
FWIW, we bought a complete running 91 Deville that was smacked pretty hard in the rear for $100. If you get down this way, don't hesitate to contact me and we will show you our works in progress (albeit slow). Got one 4.9 mounted on an 88 cradle with a 5 speed (Isuzu for now). Since this will be a track car, we are not worried about smog, and thus, will use the Eldorado exhausts which should make the entire exhause a fairly simple project. We have a second one that will be going into the roadster, of maybe an 86 SE, complete with stock trans. With the 4 speed and 2.8, the roadster weighed in at 2050 lbs., so the 4.9, even in stock form, should provide plenty of power.

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FierOmar

I don't know how much help I could really be but here is my input. I have not completed my swap but it is up and running and I have drove it. I used 5 mounts the two transmission mounts one at the front using the older deville bracket and another at the rear for torque control and a support bracket going to the stock fiero location. There is zero movement in the drivetrain.... This seems to have been a very stable way to mount it. The system was made by Ed Parks of the Fiero Factory... I do not believe he is selling parts anymore... just doing the conversions.

I'm also in the middle of the swap. The engine is mounted on the craddle and just about ready to be installed. Unfortunately my daily driver (Formula Firebird) lost a head gasket a week ago and I've been working on that instead. Hope to be back to the 4.9 swap next weekend though. I'm also completely rebuilding the rear suspension with poly bushings and coil overs at the same time so its taking some time to get everything done right.

I've got one and have helped swap one. I've ran into about every problem possible just because of my luck. I still love the engine though=) Just ask and i've probably been there and done that.

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-Kyle
Email: kakagiraffe@gmail.com
Aim: Littlechugger
1988 Notchback 4.9 V8, 5spd Isuzu
True Dual Exhaust, Delta Cam
1993 Ford Probe 5spd

I'm working on a 4.9 build right now. Not is cali but there is some good info anyway. Build thread in sig.

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84 SE auto. - a fun original
85 SE V6 4 speed - stock, fully loaded - daily driver
85 GT 4 speed - build thread
88 Coupe 5 speed - runs and drives, needs work, patiently waiting for its turn.

Anyone NOT in California who is interested in a manual transmission, look here for flywheel info:

https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum2/HTML/086922.html

Well the way I did mine was first I got out of California and moved to Michigan. Then did the swap. I like the 4.9 and I think It's a good way to, mine has been completed for 4 years and it has never left me broke on the side of the road. Good luck on the swap, plenty of help here on the Forum.

Jack

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If you can not run with the big dogs, stay on the porch!

quote Originally posted by Rickady88GT: I am going to keep the AC and relocate the power steering pump.

This is probably the single greatest contribution to the 4.9 world. I was going to have you do power steering on my 4.9, but my car has yet to be completed enough for me to drive it.

Thanks for the replies everyone.

FierOmar, yes this is in addition to the Shortstar. If I ever make it your way I would definitely like to see your projects.

jscott, I already have a plan in mind for the belt routing and power steering pump, I don't think it will be a problem at all. I've kept an eye on your cars progress, I'm sorry you have had so many issues with painters, I had that happen too. Hopefully, this next year will be better.

Here are some pics, the engine when I got it..



How I modified the cradle for a mount..


New section..


With the mount..



I'll have to post more later as the next 72 hours are work and sleep only.

Thanks,

Rick

My 4.9 was done at the Fiero Factory.
It uses 4 point mounting (2 tranny and 2 engine) and has no dog bone.
Ed's folks reinforced the cradle before welding the mounting brackets into place. The whole installation is solid as an anvil.
It uses the Caddy transaxle and PCM. Everything is '91 Deville.
It uses a custom made Y-pipe and the Fiero cat, in the stock Fiero position. It was run through an Ocelot system, but it was waaaaay too quiet.
It's now run through a straight-through chambered muffler (also in the stock position) with a single outlet on the left side. Still is fairly quiet, but better.

Ed's harness uses the Caddy A/C compressor, with the Fiero low-pressure cutout switch. It is not PCM controlled.
Cruise control (mine doesn't have it) again uses the Fiero controller.

The only issues that you may run into (especially in the Peoples' Republik) are the codes and check engine light that will be present since the PCM doesn't have the other modules to talk with.
I'm sure that all of that can be programmed out, but I certainly don't have the resources to do it.

My car passed the idle and two speed dyno (IM-240?) test, that is used in metro Atlanta, with flying colors.

Good luck with your project.

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Raydar
88 4.9 Formula IMSA Fasback..........................88 3.4 coupe -soon to be something other than red

Read Nealz Nuze! Praise the Lowered!

[This message has been edited by Raydar (edited 10-19-2007).]

I for one will be interested in seeing where you come up with mounting the ps pump.

I'm nearing the end of a 4.9 swap so a lot of things are still fresh in my mind. I did the four mount system; 2 tranny and 2 engine with no dog bone. I did the Camaro belt tensioner that Mickey Moose and other have developed. Even with a tensioner in the system the geometry is trcky. There's a fine line between being out of travel on the tensioner (79.5" belt) and not being able to get the belt on (79" belt). My exhaust is an offshoot of the Ed Parks style but with two glass packs instead of the single turbo muffler that I had a hard time finding.

[This message has been edited by sanderson (edited 10-20-2007).]

quote Originally posted by sanderson: ... My exhaust is an offshoot of the Ed Parks style but with two glass packs instead of the single turbo muffler that I had a hard time finding.

Near as I remember, Ed's systems look almost identical to yours. They're functionally the same, anyway.

YOu have a PM bro

I love my 4.9. I'm really looking forward to seeing your swap. You do some amazing work.

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88 Coupe: Modded 4.9L V8 5 speed
87 Coupe: 4 Cyl 5 Speed
84 Coupe: 4 Cyl 4 speed
01 BMW 525i
www.geocities.com/fast88fiero

Love mine. Fast, smooth, and Super dependable. Was an easy swap. Check out Rockcrawls web-site.

There is a Caddy 4.6/4.9 Swap database someplace. I don't have the link at work but I have it at home. will update this post when I get home unless someone beats me too it :P

I sold mine before I moved out of state. Just waiting on a house purchase before I build another one.

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[This message has been edited by Kento (edited 10-21-2007).]

I made the rear mounts so that they are are exactly the same height width and distance from the engine. The stress on each mount is exactly the same. They sit on top of the cradle, not under the cradle like the stock mounts. This "should" give the mounts a mechanical advantage because the engine needs to lift up and rotate to stress the rear mounts. The engine is 5"-6" lower than the mounts. Also the stock Fiero style exhaust will fit with out any problem.



The front mounts are also the poly type. But they are the Chevy V8 mounts. They are substantially stronger than the rear poly mounts I used. So the fronts are the work horses and the rears are the back ups.

Miss Debbie's 4.9 car after fresh paint-same car as in our sig

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Proud Member of the North Florida Fiero club

4T60E Parks harness/ Rockcrawl chip-- more to come--

quote Originally posted by sanderson: I'm nearing the end of a 4.9 swap so a lot of things are still fresh in my mind. I did the four mount system; 2 tranny and 2 engine with no dog bone. I did the Camaro belt tensioner that Mickey Moose and other have developed. Even with a tensioner in the system the geometry is trcky. There's a fine line between being out of travel on the tensioner (79.5" belt) and not being able to get the belt on (79" belt). My exhaust is an offshoot of the Ed Parks style but with two glass packs instead of the single turbo muffler that I had a hard time finding.

I like this setup over many I've seen... three questions:

What is the part number/how loud are the glasspacks?
What size pipe is that?
Where did you get that T pipe and mounting bracketry at.. I've never seen anything like that before.

With a system that small, it would be feasibly affordable to ceramic coat EVERYTHING (except the cat and mufflers) and never have to worry about it again.

I piped my exhaust from each manifold and ran glass packs at the ends. Summit glass packs that were $40 ea. and I'm very happy with mine.

quote Originally posted by Matt85GT: I like this setup over many I've seen... three questions: What is the part number/how loud are the glasspacks? What size pipe is that? Where did you get that T pipe and mounting bracketry at.. I've never seen anything like that before. With a system that small, it would be feasibly affordable to ceramic coat EVERYTHING (except the cat and mufflers) and never have to worry about it again.

1) glasspacks are JC Whitney - ZX222814W. The sound is mellow and not offensively loud although I haven't driven it on the street yet.
2) the system is 2-1/2" through the converter and then 2" after.
3) the tee pipe is a standard 2" schedule 10, 304 stainless pipe tee. I got it from ACE Stainless - www.acestainless.com
4) the bracketry is homemade. The springs are from a Fiero exhaust. The tensioning bolts are old head bolts. The rest is from the scrap steel bin.
5) the glass packs are aluminized steel (couldn't find stainless small enough). everything else is 304 stainless except the Fiero tips which are 400 series stainess.

[This message has been edited by sanderson (edited 01-22-2008).]

quote Originally posted by sanderson: 1) glasspacks are JC Whitney - ZX222814W. The sound is mellow and not offensively loud although I haven't driven it on the street yet. 2) the system is 2-1/2" through the converter and then 2" after. 3) the tee pipe is a standard 2" schedule 10, 304 stainless pipe tee. I got it from ACE Stainless - www.acestainless.com 4) the bracketry is homemade. The springs are from a Fiero exhaust. The tensioning bolts are old head bolts. The rest is from the scrap steel bin. 5) the glass packs are aluminized steel (couldn't find stainless small enough). everything else is 304 stainless except the Fiero tips which are 400 series stainess.

Looking good Scottie, Looking very good. When ya get all of the bugs out of this swap, we'll put one in mine. Tell my Brother there in CC i said Hello
Joe Crawford

Just a quick question along this thread, do you have to cut the pasenger side strut tower on an '88 if reatining the factory manual transmission? I've had a had time finding definative answers in the archives. Thanks.

My build thread in the archives https://www.fiero.nl/forum/A...060206-2-059485.html


Rickady88GT are you still making the corvette rack adapters?

[This message has been edited by fourpoint9 (edited 01-22-2008).]

I don't know if this helps, but here is a new listing just started for Caddy swappers. Myabe there is one in your area...

https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum1/HTML/069129.html

Hey Sanderson, thanks for the great info!