Finally getting the fiero out again after it sat in the exact same spot for the past year. Was never turned on or moved.
Is there anything I should specifically check after having it sit through the winter? Tires are good, has new gas, battery is charged and I'll check the oil one of these days. I just commute 45 minutes each way to work and don't want it to break down because I forgot to check something. It's starting up and driving just fine around town, I'm so excited! But worried about longer, higher speed commuting!
Tear into the heater ducting, and check under the rear/center console for evidence of rodent nests. Insulation being chewed up is a good indicator, and the resulting nest in the ducting can catch fire. Very well documented issue with Fieros that sat.
My Fiero sits in the back of my driveway with a cover on it all winter, come spring time I take the blower motor resistor out and check for debris in the ducting. If there is any I use a coat hanger and GENTLY loosen it up and vacuum it up. Check wires, do a visual just to make sure there is no wires chewed through wherever you can see. (I found a mouse nest in between my tail lights last year!) Check the oil, as well as other fluids, and give it a start! Check around the distributer for an oil leak, as that distributor o ring likes to leak after drying up.
Since yours was stitting awhile, I would put a few gallons of fresh gas in the tank, just to make sure there is some volatility to it and have no problems starting it up on pure stale gas. One year really isn't all that bad.
------------------ "Discord" Red 1988 GT under restoration!
Had it sitting outside on the gravel by some trees. Was under a cover the whole time and the cover was tightened underneath. Ive been driving it for short amounts of time with no problems. Oil pressure is great, ill just have to check its colors. Brakes work fine. I will check everything else mentioned. It just needs to stop raining!!
Edit: been a while since Ive worked with the fiero. How would I get into the heater ducting?
[This message has been edited by FireGirl (edited 03-05-2016).]
To get at the heater ducting (to get leaves and stuff out), you can try removing the resistors and feeding a vacuum hose in there. This assumes your vacuum hose will fit in the hole. Plus, it might be difficult to get at all the junk in there.
You can also remove the blower motor, which will give you much more room to work. You just need to remove the screws around the blower motor, and it comes right out.
The resistors and the blower motor are both located in the front compartment, between the spare tire and the windshield.
Originally posted by FireGirl: Finally getting the fiero out again after it sat in the exact same spot for the past year. Was never turned on or moved.
Is there anything I should specifically check after having it sit through the winter? Tires are good, has new gas, battery is charged and I'll check the oil one of these days. I just commute 45 minutes each way to work and don't want it to break down because I forgot to check something. It's starting up and driving just fine around town, I'm so excited! But worried about longer, higher speed commuting!
Yes, Parked where? ground/grass then Tires likely have damage. Chemicals etc in dirt can eat tires parked for months. Jack car so tires can spin. Look at tread for cracks in between areas hit the road. Cracks here can cause tread separation, kill the belts, etc. Example:
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Batteries hate you. If the dead one charges now... can be dead later w/o warning.
May have Brake issues/problems. Worse if parked outside.
------------------ 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)
Try pressing down on the hood, directly above where the latch mechanism is. It may take some "oomph" to get it to latch. If that doesn't work, you can adjust the latch mechanism. I'm referring to the part of the latch that's in the chassis, not the part in the hood. IIRC, you can loosen 2 bolts and move the latch mechanism up a little bit. That should make it easier to close the hood.
Try pressing down on the hood, directly above where the latch mechanism is. It may take some "oomph" to get it to latch. If that doesn't work, you can adjust the latch mechanism. I'm referring to the part of the latch that's in the chassis, not the part in the hood. IIRC, you can loosen 2 bolts and move the latch mechanism up a little bit. That should make it easier to close the hood.
I'll try. I've had issues before but usually if I lift the hood higher or kinda throw it down when closing it, it would lock close. The locking part next to the windshield will move but doesn't "stick" in place.
Edit: Took a screw driver and pushed it down, locked just fine. Tried pushing on the hood above the latch, pretty much with all my body weigh but it still wasn't far enough. It locks, just not until a certain point of getting pushed down.
[This message has been edited by FireGirl (edited 03-05-2016).]
Check the latch inside the car. The cable can get stiff and the spring is not strong enough to retract the cable and the hood will fail to latch. If this is true then push the cable towards the hood and it will latch. Mine does this every time I open it. Slamming the hood will not help if this is the reason why it won't latch.
[This message has been edited by jscott1 (edited 03-06-2016).]
Try pressing down on the hood, directly above where the latch mechanism is. It may take some "oomph" to get it to latch. If that doesn't work, you can adjust the latch mechanism. I'm referring to the part of the latch that's in the chassis, not the part in the hood. IIRC, you can loosen 2 bolts and move the latch mechanism up a little bit. That should make it easier to close the hood.
Can you show me which two bolts? You're talking about the latch that actually locks the hood down, correct? The mechanism right next to the windshield?
Check the latch inside the car. The cable can get stiff and the spring is not strong enough to retract the cable and the hood will fail to latch. If this is true then push the cable towards the hood and it will latch. Mine does this every time I open it. Slamming the hood will not help if this is the reason why it won't latch.
The cable seems to work just fine. I can take a screwdriver and push down on the latch that locks the hood and it locks just fine. Then I pull the one in the car and it unlocks it just fine. It just seems like the hood isn't going down far enough into the latch for it to catch and lock into place.
The cable seems to work just fine. I can take a screwdriver and push down on the latch that locks the hood and it locks just fine. Then I pull the one in the car and it unlocks it just fine. It just seems like the hood isn't going down far enough into the latch for it to catch and lock into place.
I figured it out! I did fiddle with the wire and it didn't work earlier. BUT I forgot I had always fiddled with a certain part of the wire, tried that and it closed just fine! Boy, being away for a year really rids you of those habits you always needed to do for things to work. Thanks for everyones help!
