How do you know if your 84 engine was brought into a dealership during the recall without removing the engine from the car? I am trying to figure out if my engine was replaced as some were during the recall. I would like to know if I have roller lifers or flat lifters. Roller lifers were in the engines that replaced the 84 recall engines.
The best way externally is that for many '84 models a "drip shield" was added between the engine and the exhaust manifold. It was put there to help divert any fluid leaks away from the exhaust manifold itself. There probably should have been some sort of sticker placed somewhere on the engine or the engine compartment, but that I'm not entirely sure of in all honesty.
If you're lucky enough to have your original '84 owners manual, it was "updated" at the time of recall by whatever dealer you took the car in for to have the recalls done. The original owner of my '84 when I had it was nice enough to leave the owners' manual in the car. It's a rather interesting piece to have one of the "updated" '84 manuals. Essentially, the dealer would stick on new capacities over the old ones. You can hold my owner's manual up to a light and clearly read the inaccurate oil capacity as being 2.8 Liters (3.0 qt.). The new stickers placed in the manuals corrected the issues they had. I don't plan on getting rid of this manual set anytime soon as I think they're interesting pieces of Fiero history The "recall stickers" for the manuals strangely enough had part numbers 10077794 & 10077795.
I'll try and get some photographs up of the manuals and recall stickers.
[This message has been edited by Fiero84Freak (edited 12-27-2011).]
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08:25 PM
FirstDrCar Member
Posts: 718 From: Buffalo, NY, USA Registered: Feb 2010
The best way externally is that for many '84 models a "drip shield" was added between the engine and the exhaust manifold. It was put there to help divert any fluid leaks away from the exhaust manifold itself. There probably should have been some sort of sticker placed somewhere on the engine or the engine compartment, but that I'm not entirely sure of in all honesty.
I'll try and get some photographs up of the manuals and recall stickers.
I appreciate the pictures.
Do you or anyone else have pictures of what this "drip shield" looks like?
Just because it had the recall performed, doesn't mean the engine was replaced. Lots of original engines received the recall parts, only some engines were replaced entirely.
^^^ Yes. I should have been more specific in my post. Not all engines were replaced. Many just had external items replaced. My '84 did not have the engine replaced, but did have the updated information and external parts added.
So here you go, for anyone that maybe has never seen this before.
This is how a typical 1984 owner's manual packet looks like. Yes, for '84 it was actually a spiral bound packet. Everything fits into that maroon Fiero logo booklet. The booklet itself has pages showing the unique features of Fieros. I believe the Pyramid deck manual and Firestone tire packet is not what originally came with these, but everything else did. And I'm sad to say the back portion of the spiral booklet has separated with the passage of time.
So here's the important thing in the middle - the '84 owner's manual.
Here's the first sign of recall you come to - Recall Part # 10077794. Basically, this doesn't really change anything that wasn't already stated on this section. I think the only thing it did was add "KEEP OIL AT PROPER LEVEL AND CHANGE AS RECOMMENDED" in very large and bold lettering, just to tell you something you probably should have already known. It also changes "Type of Use" to "ALL", and I think this was done because underneath the sticker is different recommended types of oil to be used in the crankcase.
And here's big daddy - the Capacities section. Recall Part # 10077795. This sticker corrected one VERY large error in the original manuals that stated that the full capacity of the crankcase was only 2.8 liters or 3.0 quarts - obviously well below what should be ran in the iron duke, and thus if you were burning oil, you were running REALLY below what you should have been running. Since this capacity is what was posted near everywhere, it was followed a lot by places that changed the car's oil and by Fiero owners themselves.
A closer look at the recall sticker. And it's a bit hard to see, but under "3.8 Liters (4.0 qts)", you can barely make out the old capacities below it. It's easy to see when held to a light, but it was hard for me to photograph.
So hopefully maybe someone can get some shots of some of the external items that were part of the recall, but this I've posted is what was done to the manual itself. Obviously there's issues as to why many of these manuals may not have survived. Many owners frequently discarded their owner's manuals by the time recalls were done. Additionally, since so many '84 cars have been lost and owners over time simply didn't bother with such trivial things it was kind of hard to know for sure if this was done.
The big reason why this package was instrumental in me immediately knowing that recall work had been done the instance I got the car is the Warranty information booklet and manuals has the VIN of the car typed onto them, linking them to the car.
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08:50 PM
Khw Member
Posts: 11139 From: South Weber, UT. U.S.A. Registered: Jun 2008
Another way if I remember correctly is dip stick color/shape. Pre recall was yellow with a looped handle, if the recall was done it should be grey with a T shaped handle (if I remember correctly). Of course that just shows that recall work was done, not if the engine was replaced.
[This message has been edited by Khw (edited 12-27-2011).]
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09:36 PM
Dec 28th, 2011
FirstDrCar Member
Posts: 718 From: Buffalo, NY, USA Registered: Feb 2010
Fiero84Freak, thank you so much! Your pictures have been really helpful! + for you.
quote
Originally posted by Khw:
Another way if I remember correctly is dip stick color/shape. Pre recall was yellow with a looped handle, if the recall was done it should be grey with a T shaped handle (if I remember correctly). Of course that just shows that recall work was done, not if the engine was replaced.
I do not think my car went to the dealership during the recall... My dip stick is still the yellow looped handle. I do not think my manual has any of those stickers in them.
Now my question is, how do you know if you car has not had anything done to it during the recall?
See "Do you recall" under main menu in my cave. Links and example label are in there.
Replacing engines is option and up to Dealers at time the recall is done. Roller lifers or flat lifters depend on GM parts availability when recall part where order.
------------------ 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)
See "Do you recall" under main menu in my cave. Links and example label are in there.
Replacing engines is option and up to Dealers at time the recall is done. Roller lifers or flat lifters depend on GM parts availability when recall part where order.
Thank you Ogre. I will read the information on your site.
So just to be clear, prior to the recall, the 84 2.5L engines did not have roller lifters? Correct?
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12:39 PM
FirstDrCar Member
Posts: 718 From: Buffalo, NY, USA Registered: Feb 2010
84 got flat tappets see cave, quick reference in 4cyl engine section
I'm told you can't use GM roller setup in flat tappet engines. GM change oil holes that feed the lifters... Search in TD&Q archive.
Thank you for claifying this! Looks like the camshaft I bought from Toddster in the mall section will not work with my 84. Hopefully I can return it...
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02:21 PM
Toddster Member
Posts: 20871 From: Roswell, Georgia Registered: May 2001
84 got flat tappets see cave, quick reference in 4cyl engine section
I'm told you can't use GM roller setup in flat tappet engines. GM change oil holes that feed the lifters... Search in TD&Q archive.
nope, I've owned 6 Indys and one daily driver 84. Rebuilt every engine, all had roller cams. I suspect "some" early 84s might have gotten the standard lifters but my guess is very few. Here is the link to the Fiero Store which calls the cam an 85-88 which means that ALL 85s have the roller cam (we knew that already) and my guess is that 90% or more of the 84s had it too. But I would be interested to hear from anyone with an 84 without a roller cam.
Indys may have Rollers as part of Indy package. "one daily driver 84?" You sure wasn't replace under Recall or just any reason or had different option package. Many reason why publish spec said X but Finish car had Y options/engines/etc.
That FS product is for 85-88...
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This performance camshaft has been custom ground specifically for the 85-88 4cyl roller camshaft engine.
Source link post above.
Fiero engine spec for QR was correct at time I posted and even if it's wrong you have to check 84-86 engines before order parts... Some people got burn by switching roller/flat setup etc. Search the archive, both TD&Q and GFC... And my QR had this warning for 12 years...
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NOTE: This table is the “Official” GM data that I have for cars as built. Due to “rolling changes” and engine replacements you MUST verify your motor before ordering parts for it. For example it has been reported that some 85’s have roller lifters. Because many 84 cars had the motors replaced it is entirely possible they have them as well.
simple test... Pull one push rod and measure... Rollers should have a shorter push rod.
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06:55 PM
fierosound Member
Posts: 15253 From: Calgary, Canada Registered: Nov 1999
The "recall stickers" for the manuals strangely enough had part numbers 10077794 & 10077795.
