I have a 1988 Fiero 110k as my daily driver. If I'm going up a hill. I have to floor it and even then I can't stay up with the speed limit. Even pulling on a 40 mph road is a challenge. Recently there was an 86 Formula 70k for $800 on Craigslist and I thought would be a good idea to swap the plastic bodies on both cars since I just got mine painted and according to the guy he said his has a rust free frame. Sadly the post was removed before I had a chance to talk with him. My car isn't looking too good. The oil temp and pressure are all over the place and belts are squeaking now. Most of my family wants it crushed or sold for parts. I'm not a mechanic so I don't have the confidence to fix anything myself. Any advice?
A proper tune up is a good place to start if your car is a bit sluggish. Few folks put much money into the iron Duke, at least in comparison to the V6, but if all you have is a tired, mostly ignored 4 cylinder, the least you could do is new plugs, wires, fuel filter, and fluid changes to see if those hills are any less of an obstacle. Fuel system treatment may be considered as well.
You don't mention transmission type, but the 88 4cyl with auto is a little sluggish. Mine would do 80 mph and didn't have issues climbing interstate bridges, but it did take a while to get up to speed.
If the temp gauge is all over the place (like it heats up quickly when sitting, but when you take off from the stock is cools down quick) that is caused by a low coolant level. The fiero needs to have the coolant filled from the back (remove the thermostat to fill), then just crack the cap on the radiator to release any air and get some coolant out of it, close the radiator cap, then top off at the back, install the thermostat, and install the coolant fill cap.
If you have an inferred temp gun, while the engine is idling, check the temps of each of the 4 exhaust primaries. If you are having to floor it to get up interstate hills, you might have lost an ignition coil and it is only running on 2 cyl.
It could also be the EGR valve stuck open, fouled plug, bad plug wires, clogged fuel filter, weak fuel pump, clogged cat, and even possibly a bad ecm....
If you decide to sell the car and it was recently painted, you should post some pictures as someone will buy it to do an engine swap.
A compression or cylinder leak down test should give you an idea if the engine is worth saving. Unless the engine proves to be very worn internally, you should not have to floor the car to be able to climb a hill.Provided that the cylinders are in good shape then something that can be easily fixed like ignition or fuel is the problem. Scan for any trouble codes and check for spark and fuel. Replace the spark plugs and wires with a quality set. Check for adequate fuel pressure. Clean the injectors and do an oil change.
------------------ " THE BLACK PARALYZER" -87GT 3800SC Series III engine, custom ZZP /Frozen Boost Intercooler setup, 3.4" Pulley, Northstar TB, LS1 MAF, 3" Spintech/Hedman Exhaust, Autolite 104's, MSD wires, Custom CAI, 4T65eHD w. custom axles, HP Tuners VCM Suite. "THE COLUSSUS" 87GT - ALL OUT 3.4L Turbocharged engine, Garrett Hybrid Turbo, MSD ign., modified TH125H " ON THE LOOSE WITHOUT THE JUICE "
Thank you everyone for replying. If I can, I'll try to reply soon.
Since this post my car has been getting from point A to point B. (About 40 miles per week) Sadly, today my car wont idle and dies even when my Dad tried to drive it down the road.(Why he thought that was a good idea, I don't know.) It'll run in reserve or neutral with my foot on the brake, but anything else it dies and at startup it idled to exactly the 2 and the battery light came on. (Just replaced the battery a month ago) The car is 29 years old with the Iron Duke proudly resting as it was from the factory and probably hasn't been looked at since then. Besides flat tires, it hasn't needed much. The Throttle Position Sensor also never replaced. (Why? No idea) Funny thing is that my Mom didn't want me to get a V6 Fiero so I got the 4cyl instead. Ironically I've had to go over the speed limit to have enough momentum to get up hills which is the exact opposite of what she wanted. I know most people would like me to do a swap. I've seen on the forum that it's more than recommended. (3800 Series 2) But I'm not a mechanic and have no idea how much it would cost to have one do it for me. I want to keep my Fiero. It's the most fun I've ever had. I hate driving any other cars since I'm 5,4 and find the Fiero perfect for me. This is the first time my car has been undriveable since I've owned it a few years ago. Any advice would be amazing right now.
The Next Day: Started my car the other day, if I turn on the A/C it runs longer than it did. (guessing higher idle) If I put it in drive the engine will make kinda of a hissing sound and once while it was idling it made a noise like there was something clunking around in the engine. It stopped but that doesn't bring much confidence. I don't want to take it out on the road since previous attempts barely got it back in the driveway. I think I need to take it to a mechanic but have to make sure they'll bring a flat bed since others on the forum recommend it cause the car sits so low to the ground. I need to think of a way to do an engine swap, 90% of my family sees the Fiero as an old car that needs to be scrapped. I think the forum would help, I see Wiring Harnesses for the 3800 come up sometimes. Maybe that would be enough to convince my mechanic that the parts are still around and it won't take years to find them, as well as all of the great help this forum has done over the years i'm sure If there's a problem, there has to be a solution some where on here.
Check the converter in the exhaust.. sounds like the classic partly plugged converter
Apparently the owner before me cut out the converter and the muffler. Mechanic said it had a straight pipe installed. Every time I start it up, it spits water out and kinda has a pop sound to it. If I can, I'll upload a video.
What else did your mechanic say about the car? Do you know how to post photos? it would help us if we could see pics.
Well, I haven't been able to talk with him recently but back in 2015 he said the ECM was showing Code 21 and Code 22. The Check Engine Light has came on more since then but its hard to tell since it usually just comes on when its idling. I know how to post photos but have no idea what to post that would be helpful. I talked to a guy on Twitter and posted some videos I can link to here. He said just go with an engine swap since it was misfiring, hearing clunking sounds from the engine and having 92HP was terrible to drive everyday.
I drove an 88 2.5 for 12 years as a daily driver. The 2.5 runs great if you take care of it. As in proper maintenance. It is a DIS engine. May be a bad coil, but that would be a miss. May be the fuel filter has never been changed? May be the air cleaner has never been changed? How bad is the TBI as far as being clean in side? New Spark plugs , may help wires? If it was running funny and missing I would say try the spark sensor. I replaced that and found it was cracked. I was surprise it even ran at all. I dont remember the codes( I have them some place, or Ogres cave may have them) but usually the check engine light is emissions related. You may have a sensor or senors that need to be replace. There is I think it is called ICM on the TBI that I replaced the engine would idle again. Best thing is to look in the Ogres Cave for some good information. It is on the top of the page. See it? Is it noisy like a leak in the exhaust? Those engines are known to crack the exhaust if your dog bone is bad! How do I know that? LOL I bought my car with 86,000 on and when it got hauled away the engine was still running great. Stupid High School Principal wasn't watching were he was going and ran his new BMW into me. At that time the engine had 188,000 on it!
[This message has been edited by solotwo (edited 03-17-2017).]
I drove an 88 2.5 for 12 years as a daily driver. The 2.5 runs great if you take care of it. As in proper maintenance. It is a DIS engine. May be a bad coil, but that would be a miss. May be the fuel filter has never been changed? May be the air cleaner has never been changed? How bad is the TBI as far as being clean in side? New Spark plugs , may help wires? If it was running funny and missing I would say try the spark sensor. I replaced that and found it was cracked. I was surprise it even ran at all. I dont remember the codes( I have them some place, or Ogres cave may have them) but usually the check engine light is emissions related. You may have a sensor or senors that need to be replace. There is I think it is called ICM on the TBI that I replaced the engine would idle again. Best thing is to look in the Ogres Cave for some good information. It is on the top of the page. See it? Is it noisy like a leak in the exhaust? Those engines are known to crack the exhaust if your dog bone is bad! How do I know that? LOL I bought my car with 86,000 on and when it got hauled away the engine was still running great. Stupid High School Principal wasn't watching were he was going and ran his new BMW into me. At that time the engine had 188,000 on it!
Thank you for replying, I got the car in 2015 off of a guy on his front lawn. No idea if anything was replaced except the air filter. That was brand new according to my mechanic. When I got the car the A/C didn't work. My mechanic said since it didn't hold a vacuum charge to just leave it and now today I think the A/C Compressor has locked up. Why he would recommend to just leave it completely dry without any R12 at all I'll never know. Currently I'm looking at Bypass Pulleys on AutoZone. I glanced at my car's engine and immediately got discouraged at what I need to do. I was able to find the Throttle Position Sensor so that's a start, maybe if I knew how to get to it, I'd be able to replace it. The exhaust was cracked when I got it! My mechanic had to weld it to fix it I think. He said the previous owner had put in a flex pipe and cut out the muffler and converter. Also the horn and the windshield sprayer wasn't working so he drilled holes into the dash. I kept seeing scrapped Fieros at junkyards with over 120,000 miles on them. 188,000 is great to hear.
The 2.5L Iron Duke from any year is more than capable of blending in with typical normal traffic flow. It'll be straining to compete on the 75 to 85 mph interstates but shouldn't be getting run over.
I've been driving my '84 SE 4 speed since new in May 1984; it now has 375,000 kilometers (233,000 miles)on it. It tops out at 105 mph. The engine was replaced at 102,000 kilometers (63,300 miles) under warranty due to the block defect recall, so it 'only' has 273,000 kilometers (169,600 miles) on it.
I prefer my '86 coupe 2.5 L 5 speed on the highways for the lower rpms. I don't know what its top speed is, but I suspect it's not much different from the 4 speed.
Many millions of 2.5L 4 bangers were installed in everything from pick-ups to 4 door family sedans back when it was the standard engine. We didn't need 200 hp to get someplace then, and we still don't. Fun to have? Sure, but not necessary for most drivers' needs.
Nowadays, we pay for excess power we don't 'need' and traction controlling systems to help keep it in check.
The 2.5L Iron Duke from any year is more than capable of blending in with typical normal traffic flow. It'll be straining to compete on the 75 to 85 mph interstates but shouldn't be getting run over.
I've been driving my '84 SE 4 speed since new in May 1984; it now has 375,000 kilometers (233,000 miles)on it. It tops out at 105 mph. The engine was replaced at 102,000 kilometers (63,300 miles) under warranty due to the block defect recall, so it 'only' has 273,000 kilometers (169,600 miles) on it.
I prefer my '86 coupe 2.5 L 5 speed on the highways for the lower rpms. I don't know what its top speed is, but I suspect it's not much different from the 4 speed.
Many millions of 2.5L 4 bangers were installed in everything from pick-ups to 4 door family sedans back when it was the standard engine. We didn't need 200 hp to get someplace then, and we still don't. Fun to have? Sure, but not necessary for most drivers' needs.
Nowadays, we pay for excess power we don't 'need' and traction controlling systems to help keep it in check.
The Iron Duke is a good engine. Mine is having trouble getting up a 40 MPH hill and dipping down into the mid 20's while flooring it. I could live with 92 HP but I have no idea about the condition of my engine. No idea what the previous owner has done to the car or how it was driven. My mechanic said it was a great "getting to school" car. In High School I was 5 Minutes away from Home. Now in College I'm 25 if not more and having to fight hills and having to stay up to speed more often. I've recently found out that the A/C Compressor may be the problem. My mechanic said the A/C system didn't hold a charge and left it dry so it finally locked up. I was able to find some R12 but the problem is that its $200 for a new Compressor and I have no idea where the leak is or what else to replace since I've heard that bits of metal can be sent though out the system when it locks up.
Originally posted by james9937: 1. Mine is having trouble getting up a 40 MPH hill and dipping down into the mid 20's while flooring it. 2. My mechanic said it was a great "getting to school" car. 3. I've recently found out that the A/C Compressor may be the problem. My mechanic said the A/C system didn't hold a charge and left it dry so it finally locked up. 4. I've heard that bits of metal can be sent though out the system when it locks up.
1. How long has this been going on? What kind of fuel mileage do you get? Someone should be able to perform some basic analysis techniques to identify a performance issue this significant. 2. With all due respect, your 'mechanic' is underperforming. Your car should be able to accelerate normally so you can merge safely into traffic etc. 3. Even if the A/C compressor is seized, the A/C clutch has to be engaged to put any load on the engine. If the A/C compressor is affecting the performance to that extent, the drive belt would slip and disintegrate. 4. Absolutely true; the pic below shows shreds that came out of my '84 A/C, but it only affects the A/C system, nothing else. If the A/C pulley spins freely, the clutch isn't engaged and the A/C compressor doesn't take any power.
1. How long has this been going on? What kind of fuel mileage do you get? Someone should be able to perform some basic analysis techniques to identify a performance issue this significant. 2. With all due respect, your 'mechanic' is underperforming. Your car should be able to accelerate normally so you can merge safely into traffic etc. 3. Even if the A/C compressor is seized, the A/C clutch has to be engaged to put any load on the engine. If the A/C compressor is affecting the performance to that extent, the drive belt would slip and disintegrate. 4. Absolutely true; the pic below shows shreds that came out of my '84 A/C, but it only affects the A/C system, nothing else. If the A/C pulley spins freely, the clutch isn't engaged and the A/C compressor doesn't take any power.
1. I'd say in January, every time I'd start the car you could hear the belt slipping. I don't know about the fuel mileage. I only drove it two days a week to get to school. 2. Yeah, in High School speed wasn't a problem cause I lived five miles away but now I'm having to go 20+ miles and having to get up hills while trying to stay at the speed limit. 3. The car will idle if the A/C is on. (Today It didn't need the A/C to be on for some reason.) I just guessed the RPM was fast enough to keep it running to "bypass" the A/C Compressor being locked. 4. I've heard a sound from the engine kind of like if you threw pennies in the Iron Dukes air filter (Never heard it since after that) and I'm hearing a hissing sound when its idling and even more in drive. I can't remember if that was normal or not.
So I started my car today. I was amazed at what a warm day could actually help a car. Started perfectly and I'd thought it was "back to normal". Still has white smoke coming from the exhaust, idles rough that you can hear the misfires. Car was over heating so I put more coolant in and found two leaks. I let my car run and it no longer over heats during idle. While at a red light it does and the fan comes on as well. Also in Drive you can hear a hiss. Not sure if that's normal and recently discovered if you shift into reverse it makes a rough sound a little. I think the car is actually falling apart. Any ideas?
Unless it's really cold out and the normal condensation from the exhaust makes white smoke, continuous white smoke typically indicates coolant in a combustion chamber from a cracked head or block or blown head gasket. You said the coolant was low, there are leaks and it's been overheating; it seems like the cooling system needs attention. The performance issues may be due to the engine only be running on 3 cylinders. What does the oil look like on the dipstick? I get the impression that you're not particularly mechanically inclined; do you know any Fiero owners or another mechanic? Someone with some 2.5L experience needs to have a look...
GM's 2.5 engine has a history of known head gasket failures. I know I sold GM vehicles for a long time and had seen a few 2.5's in service getting a new head gasket. LOL I had to replace the head gasket on my 2.5. I had heard that one needs to change or flush the coolant every so often. Most 2.5 owners never did.
Unless it's really cold out and the normal condensation from the exhaust makes white smoke, continuous white smoke typically indicates coolant in a combustion chamber from a cracked head or block or blown head gasket. You said the coolant was low, there are leaks and it's been overheating; it seems like the cooling system needs attention. The performance issues may be due to the engine only be running on 3 cylinders. What does the oil look like on the dipstick? I get the impression that you're not particularly mechanically inclined; do you know any Fiero owners or another mechanic? Someone with some 2.5L experience needs to have a look...
Ok so, I started the car on a 72F day and there was no smoke what so ever! No idea if that's a good thing or not but they that was different. My Dad drove it around on the high way and everything was fine. We stopped at a drive thru and that's when the engine was almost done for. While waiting for a milk shake, you could hear the coolant boiling. I was in the passenger seat and slammed the car into park and said "rev it to the two" and also turned on the heat full blast. That fixed it but might have lost 15,000 miles on the engine probably. Drove it home and everything seemed fine. Dad said he would call the mechanic probably tomorrow. Hope it's good news. My Dad doesn't give cars respect. Almost broke the transmission and said. "If it breaks we're taking it to pull-a-part." Meanwhile if I did that it'd be a different story. No one cares about that car. Gives me another reason to never give up on it. I hope everyone is loving their cars and having the best time with them, I know I have.
GM's 2.5 engine has a history of known head gasket failures. I know I sold GM vehicles for a long time and had seen a few 2.5's in service getting a new head gasket. LOL I had to replace the head gasket on my 2.5. I had heard that one needs to change or flush the coolant every so often. Most 2.5 owners never did.
I've replaced 2 head gaskets on 2 different 2.5L engines for the same reason; broken head bolt under the air cleaner intake throat. The '84 SE was under warranty in 1987, the '86 was in 2011. Coolant age doesn't affect the head bolts, but when they break, the gasket is sure to fail...
Unless it's really cold out and the normal condensation from the exhaust makes white smoke, continuous white smoke typically indicates coolant in a combustion chamber from a cracked head or block or blown head gasket. You said the coolant was low, there are leaks and it's been overheating; it seems like the cooling system needs attention. The performance issues may be due to the engine only be running on 3 cylinders. What does the oil look like on the dipstick? I get the impression that you're not particularly mechanically inclined; do you know any Fiero owners or another mechanic? Someone with some 2.5L experience needs to have a look...
Also forgot to mention, the dipstick looked good and full also replaced the oil in February. I don't know of any Fiero owners or mechanics. On a 72F day I didn't see any smoke though. I don't know if that makes a difference or not.
Originally posted by james9937:Dad said he would call the mechanic probably tomorrow. Hope it's good news.
This seems like a no-win situation unless you find someone with 2.5L experience and interest to help... The mechanic you previously referred to doesn't seem "interested" in resolving the issue(s)...
If you are not a mechanic, you have two choices... 1) either become a mechanic or 2) get rid of your Fiero and drive a newer car like a Honda.
Obviously most of us chose to drive a Fiero and keep wrenching on them. But it's got to be one or the other.
I hate to beat a dead horse, but I'm with jscott1. These cars weren't particularly reliable when new. 30 yrs later.... You will go broke paying a mechanic to keep it running. If your only option is to pay for repairs, you would be better off financially to get a newer Honda or Toyota.
On the other hand, they're not particularly complex. Not a lot of electronics. A good car to learn on. And when they're running well, they're a blast to drive.
To your existing problem... it sounds like you still have air in the cooling system. This could be a large part of your problem. When the car overheats, the power will drop. Get the cooling system filled and "burped" (purged of air), and then see how it behaves.
I hate to beat a dead horse, but I'm with jscott1. These cars weren't particularly reliable when new. 30 yrs later.... You will go broke paying a mechanic to keep it running. If your only option is to pay for repairs, you would be better off financially to get a newer Honda or Toyota.
On the other hand, they're not particularly complex. Not a lot of electronics. A good car to learn on. And when they're running well, they're a blast to drive.
To your existing problem... it sounds like you still have air in the cooling system. This could be a large part of your problem. When the car overheats, the power will drop. Get the cooling system filled and "burped" (purged of air), and then see how it behaves.
I third that. Dont usually answer questions on here but ive spent the majority of every one of my paychecks on my fiero for the past 2 years. Ive had 5 hondas in the meantime that ive been trading around, none of them had any issues. My favorite was my DA integra. Cheap, easy to work on and reliable. Quick too. Pretty fun to drive. If youre stubborn like me and insist on having a fiero id get a v6 and save up for a honda to drive whenever the fiero is being ignorant and wont cooperate. Oh yeah and get a service manual and start studying... when i got it i didnt even know how to change the sparkplugs or remove the intake hose. Now im rebuilding a 2.8. Thats what this forum has taught me in 2 years
Originally posted by painandgain99: Oh yeah and get a service manual and start studying... when i got it i didnt even know how to change the sparkplugs or remove the intake hose. Now im rebuilding a 2.8. Thats what this forum has taught me in 2 years
Where are you at in Ohio? Maybe I could take a look at it if you are close to Dayton/Cincinnati. Our 88 duke blends in with traffic just fine and I was traveling up a long grade on the highway just today around 80mph no problems.
[This message has been edited by 88cryan (edited 04-26-2017).]
Where are you at in Ohio? Maybe I could take a look at it if you are close to Dayton/Cincinnati. Our 88 duke blends in with traffic just fine and I was traveling up a long grade on the highway just today around 80mph no problems.
Hey, sorry it took so long to reply. I live in Akron. I took the Fiero to my mechanic. He fixed three vacuum leaks, the leaking coolant and replaced the thermostat. Car idles good but while in drive at a red light the temp still goes up. I haven't kept it sitting in Drive long enough to find out if it shows the warning light. A little bit of smoke comes out of the exhaust like always but its not consistent. He said the spark plugs look good and all of the wires are working. I drove it home (battery light comes on) and it seemed like it was running better. It now has 111,675 miles on it.
I've been a 2.5 guy from 1988, and it seems like your getting closer to the solution. The "white smoke" bothers me. If it smells like artifical maple syrup, I'd say most likely the head gasket. If it's just a little steam, that goes away as the car warms up, no problem. If your AC is just sitting there and not working, I'd get the no AC length belt, and just forget about it. Why spin an extra pulley that doesn't do anything? (It does spin freely?) All the hissing sure sounds like the vacuum leaks already found. Has someone bottomed out this car, or put it on a lift with the supports in the wrong place? Check to see if someone has crushed your coolant pipes that run down both sides of the car, (mine were buckled just in front of the rear wheels on my '88). EGR openning too easily will make the car almost undrivable because of bucking and snorting under load, TPS will feel similar, but will set a code. If car runs like crap and backfires, it could be the spark timing circuit on the ECM, but this will also set a code. No power to get uphill could be related to low fuel pressure at the injector. Change fuel filter and your mech can check pressure at throttle body. Make sure your thermostat is openning, (put it in boiling water and watch it). There is nothing wrong with these engines if treated properly, and when I drove my '84 SE to the junk yard it had 195K, was still getting good mileage, and , after sitting over the winter, only took three revs to fire up and run as good as the day I bought it, (eight years old, 83K). Good Luck! This car can teach you a lot of lessons about what matters, and what doesn't. Victor
I've been a 2.5 guy from 1988, and it seems like your getting closer to the solution. The "white smoke" bothers me. If it smells like artifical maple syrup, I'd say most likely the head gasket. If it's just a little steam, that goes away as the car warms up, no problem. If your AC is just sitting there and not working, I'd get the no AC length belt, and just forget about it. Why spin an extra pulley that doesn't do anything? (It does spin freely?) All the hissing sure sounds like the vacuum leaks already found. Has someone bottomed out this car, or put it on a lift with the supports in the wrong place? Check to see if someone has crushed your coolant pipes that run down both sides of the car, (mine were buckled just in front of the rear wheels on my '88). EGR openning too easily will make the car almost undrivable because of bucking and snorting under load, TPS will feel similar, but will set a code. If car runs like crap and backfires, it could be the spark timing circuit on the ECM, but this will also set a code. No power to get uphill could be related to low fuel pressure at the injector. Change fuel filter and your mech can check pressure at throttle body. Make sure your thermostat is openning, (put it in boiling water and watch it). There is nothing wrong with these engines if treated properly, and when I drove my '84 SE to the junk yard it had 195K, was still getting good mileage, and , after sitting over the winter, only took three revs to fire up and run as good as the day I bought it, (eight years old, 83K). Good Luck! This car can teach you a lot of lessons about what matters, and what doesn't. Victor
I mostly saw the smoke when there were vacuum leaks and for the most part it was on and off. Kinda smelled like a Go Kart. Coolant pipes were in good shape. The Pulley just spins freely, I wasn't sure if I could get a shorter belt or not But something is squeaking for 1-4 secs though when it first starts up. To me it feels like a new car almost. Check engine light still comes on at red lights (Throttle Position Sensor) and the temp still moves a little here and there. I drove it home today and I'll admit, probably not the best car for me to drive. In traffic I'm always nervous and expect everyone to treat this car as a 2017 Honda than a 1988 Fiero in need of repairs. A BMW was behind me and I got nervous. At the intersection I didn't stop enough to make a right turn and ended up half in the opposite lane I was turning into. Then pulling into my house I heard a wheel squeaking. No idea if I caused that or not. Every time I get confident behind the wheel, there's always something to remind me not to. Hopefully I can get the hang of it.
[This message has been edited by james9937 (edited 05-17-2017).]
For God's sake, check the voltage input and out put of the TPS, and , if indicated, believe the ECM and replace it. I had to replace two on my '84, and kicked myself after paying Mr. Goodwrench $150.00 to replace the first one, (I hadn't gotten my service manual yet). It's two screws, and plug it in. The symptoms on mine were lots of surging in acceleration, but would smooth itself out under steady throttle. The one thing I feel totally unqualified to advise on is the automatic tranny. The Fiero will never be a jackrabbit with the Iron Duke, but it will get you going just fine when running right. V
[This message has been edited by VOS1319 (edited 05-17-2017).]
...automatic tranny. The Fiero will never be a jackrabbit with the Iron Duke...
The duke and a slush-box is a poor combination. However, the duke has more than enough power with a manual tranny to easily keep up with traffic. My 90 HP '84 with a swapped in 5-spd is actually quite peppy. Hell, I autocrossed it for three years... and surprised a few people in the process!
[This message has been edited by Patrick (edited 05-17-2017).]
Hey, sorry it took so long to reply. I live in Akron. I took the Fiero to my mechanic. He fixed three vacuum leaks, the leaking coolant and replaced the thermostat. Car idles good but while in drive at a red light the temp still goes up. I haven't kept it sitting in Drive long enough to find out if it shows the warning light. A little bit of smoke comes out of the exhaust like always but its not consistent. He said the spark plugs look good and all of the wires are working. I drove it home (battery light comes on) and it seemed like it was running better. It now has 111,675 miles on it.
Just a couple of thins in this post, check your belt tension (88 has a tensioner on it) as well as its condition, cracks, very shiny in the grooves, belt windings showing in the grooves ect. If your belt has a lot of give to it when pushing it in its longest length of travel (more than a half inch using moderate pressure) replace it. Also get your jack out and locate the jacking point on the left side and jack the car up off the ground, remove the thermostat cap and remove the thermostat and check fluid level. Fill as necessary. Also check your radiator cap and make sure it says NON VENTED on it. If your temp continues to rise at stop lights and your cooling system is working properly you can turn on your A/C to run the fan to keep it cool.
And I also agree, you should learn some of your own easy repairs and trouble shooting. Learn to work on it yourself.
HAs anybody thought that temp going up while sitting still points to radiator fans not working? Or did I miss this?
Fan works, I can hear it come on at a light. When I took it to my mechanic there was no coolant in the radiator. You could squeeze the hose on the radiator and feel cold spots as well. Right now it sees to work. Worried about the transmission. When letting off the gas completely the car will jerk and sometimes while shifting and starting to go at a light. I heard about Lucas Transmission Fix and hoping it could save it. Bad thing is that if it doesn't, the car will go to a junk yard. Wish I had a say in that decision.
Fan works, I can hear it come on at a light. When I took it to my mechanic there was no coolant in the radiator. You could squeeze the hose on the radiator and feel cold spots as well. Right now it sees to work. Worried about the transmission. When letting off the gas completely the car will jerk and sometimes while shifting and starting to go at a light. I heard about Lucas Transmission Fix and hoping it could save it. Bad thing is that if it doesn't, the car will go to a junk yard. Wish I had a say in that decision.
My guess is that the head gasket needs replacing or you need an engine replacement. There are many hobbyists that will do this for you at an affordable price. If you don't wish to fix don't junk the 88. Its has some very desirable and rare parts like the rear suspension/cradle, steering rack and front hubs etc etc. If you must, part the car out and you'll put a few bucks in your pocket.
------------------ " THE BLACK PARALYZER" -87GT 3800SC Series III engine, custom ZZP /Frozen Boost Intercooler setup, 3.4" Pulley, Northstar TB, LS1 MAF, 3" Spintech/Hedman Exhaust, Autolite 104's, MSD wires, Custom CAI, 4T65eHD w. custom axles, HP Tuners VCM Suite. "THE COLUSSUS" 87GT - ALL OUT 3.4L Turbocharged engine, Garrett Hybrid Turbo, MSD ign., modified TH125H " ON THE LOOSE WITHOUT THE JUICE "
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