My name is Jordan and i currently own a 87Gt basket case
i hail from Wisconsin and i see there is a thread for other wisconsin members too!
I have been a floater of sorts for a few months but never made an account untill recently to ask a few q's about my Fiero and its driveability problems.
some days it will run fine for hours on end and then the next day or a few after it will crank over, go into 1st gear and then die as i exit my driveway onto the highway.
Welcome aboard! You WILL get sucked into the madness.
Steve
I second that. I also started here "just for questions"...HA. That lasted all the way through my first thread Welcome home Jordan, welcome home. You'll find that this is not one of those forums where you need to watch what you ask. Everyone here is genuinely nice and understanding.
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05:41 PM
Rick 88 Member
Posts: 3914 From: El Paso, TX. Registered: Aug 2001
give your car a good look over, and test things out and describe your cars symptoms to us, and we will help you any way we can. Is your car throwing any codes at you? Does it run fine usually, but sometimes, seemingly random, does it just die? could be the ignition module..
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09:35 PM
PFF
System Bot
fierochic1 Member
Posts: 105 From: Paducah, KY 42003 Registered: Nov 2001
Welcome. You'll soon find another...and another.....and another. When folks find out you like them you'll hear about all kinds of them people want to unload!
Okay but seriously guys (and gals!), we need to help our new friend solve this problem.
Is your car an automatic or manual? Any certain condition that is consistent when this happens or is it just random? Does it run rough at any time close to when it stalls? Does it restart right away, or do you have to wait a while for it to restart? Do you get a check engine light?
Its early to guess, but if it has to cool before it restarts, ignition coil or module are the first two things I'd check (regardless of whether its automatic or manual). It hopefully is something very simple, but need a little more info. I had an 86 GT automatic that would stall at stoplights and it was a simple switch causing all the fuss. Sometimes its the little things that cause the most frustration.
------------------ Jennifer Lindsey Green "Fierochic" since 1989! ASE Certified Automotive Parts Specialist President, Mid America Fieros Still Driving Excitement - Every Single Day! Please visit my personal webpage at www.fierochic.com and our club's webpage at www.midamericafieros.com
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09:36 PM
kkavmann69 Member
Posts: 177 From: Lake Worth, Fl. , USA Registered: Mar 2010
Thank you all for the warm welcome on this EXTREMELY chilly night
when my car stalls it will start up right away most of the time even when it is to normal operation temperatures.
It only does it when i shift into 1st gear so i was thinking it could be a remote possibility that the Neutral safety switch is somehow fragging out?
It DID die on me today however at about 65mph in 4th gear and the Tachometer died like it does when the car gets shut off.
Also i found a video on youtube that took forever to load on my Dialup but it showed me how to check for codes and my computer says nada, just the code 12?
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01:36 AM
Acapulco85GT Member
Posts: 13 From: St. Clair, MO, USA Registered: Aug 2009
Both my fiero and turbocoupe have had problems similar both cases of them not starting up and cuting out almost die in first gear ended up being my ignition module , dont go just buy one though get one from a junkyard car and you will need some silicon or lithium grease to put between the contacts. Like i said thats the only problem ive had with my car starting up and dieing. hoped this helped some
And I didnt get a code for this issue when it happened and code 12 is system normal
[This message has been edited by Acapulco85GT (edited 10-22-2010).]
If when the problem happens, the tach dies before the engine stops turning then you have a problem with the ignition. The two very most likely things are the pick up coil (inside the distributor) and the ICM (Ignition Control Module) also inside the distributor. The ICM can be tested at the local parts store (they will have a tester for it). The pick up coil can be tested with an ohm meter.
If the pick up coil is bad the distributor will need to be removed to replace the coil. There are videos on Youtube under buddycraigg on how to do it. The engine will need to be re-timed after the coil is replaced. If you do pull the distributor, replace the o-ring on the base of the distributor or you will have oil leaking out under pressure there. You WILL need to re-time the car with a timing light after replacing the pick up coil
The distributor needs to be removed ONLY if the pick up coil TESTS bad. If the coil tests good leave the distributor undisturbed.
When replacing the ICM you need to use "thermal paste" under it or the ICM will burn out in no time. Most on the forum recommend DELCO or DELPHI ICM's only. The distributor does not need to be removed to replace the ICM.
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05:11 PM
Oct 28th, 2010
fierochic1 Member
Posts: 105 From: Paducah, KY 42003 Registered: Nov 2001
If when the problem happens, the tach dies before the engine stops turning then you have a problem with the ignition. The two very most likely things are the pick up coil (inside the distributor) and the ICM (Ignition Control Module) also inside the distributor. The ICM can be tested at the local parts store (they will have a tester for it). The pick up coil can be tested with an ohm meter.
If the pick up coil is bad the distributor will need to be removed to replace the coil. There are videos on Youtube under buddycraigg on how to do it. The engine will need to be re-timed after the coil is replaced. If you do pull the distributor, replace the o-ring on the base of the distributor or you will have oil leaking out under pressure there. You WILL need to re-time the car with a timing light after replacing the pick up coil
The distributor needs to be removed ONLY if the pick up coil TESTS bad. If the coil tests good leave the distributor undisturbed.
When replacing the ICM you need to use "thermal paste" under it or the ICM will burn out in no time. Most on the forum recommend DELCO or DELPHI ICM's only. The distributor does not need to be removed to replace the ICM.
Good advice. If you take the distributor out and it looks rusty or bad in any way, if you can swing it sometimes its best to just replace the whole thing. Also be very careful about putting it back in. You wouldn't believe the terrible oily mess a fifty cent o-ring can make if it fails.
I sure hope you can get your issue narrowed down. Sometimes its the little problems that cause the most headaches.
Oh, also if you want a card with a "cheat sheet" of codes, send me your mailing address by private message and I'll mail you one compliments of Mid America Fieros.
Welcome home Jordan, welcome home. You'll find that this is not one of those forums where you need to watch what you ask. Everyone here is genuinely nice and understanding.
Poor little weiner.
