Laywers lawyers lawyers... I'm about to put money in escrow pending the outcome of the case so that they release the car so that I can get it inspected (and finished) by another mechanic.
Atleast I hope to have the car out of this crook's hands by the end of the month.
Well I thought I'd have the car in my possession now but the mechanic's lawyer has yet to respond too how much money I need to put in escrow for release.
sucks man!! any updates???, dude me and you are in sooo the same boat!!! (except i used different pushrods), i should send you a pm insteed of posting my rant here but u said u like open sugestions lol., im being 100% open minded here but i have some concerns/questions, about your heads, thoes are 2.8 fiero heads i assume? what springs did you use? stock valves?, and you do know that porting the intake ports can hurt power output?..acually the exaust also, your soposed to port where the valve head touches..not nessassarly the acually in and out ports...but again il take in and im wondering if that will work out for you?, i choose not to port my heads..no point when the lower intake is that restrictive (its not the upper like 100% of people think)(i will explane if asked), and i also used 1.6 rockers..just not rollor..3.1Liter ones, same everything else as you tho..oh and the proper length pushrod is 5.98inches...not 5.85....but honestly either will work fine depending on rockers..i used 6 inch push rods cause im using stock rockers, alluminm as urs and fierosound are slightly bigger so 5.85 is needed to clear the valve cover..so no worries there..btw dont listen to fireosound....ive learned that the hard way, oh and dont use 19lb injectors..you will most difinatly run rich even wot...unles you reprogram the cpu..im running 17lb (95 3.4 camaro) and it will still run rich at idle, btw im using a 2004 alero 3400, 10k miles and i was forced into buying a new oilpan so its shiney lol (no sensor is nice too) but yeah how much did the first guy estamate cost??? did you bring him a completed short block or did he buid it from scratch???? i brought my mechanic a completed short block including heads and he said 1100$ will do it.....but that was before we got into an arguement and found out that there was A L O T of drilling, hellacooling, timeserting, welding, grinding that fierosound D I D N O T mention!!! so yes my mech is pissed!!! so had telling what the $$$ is up to know..thanks fierosound!!!
Well last week my lawyer said they were going to release the car to me this week. It's Friday, I've heard nothing.
I found another mechanic willing to undertake the job once I do get it back. In the meantime, I've lived Fiero-less long enough and I bought Voytek's Fiero. It should arrive from Canada in a few weeks. The paperwork was a biz-nitch. Shipping was expensive... Now I'll have 2 Fiero's again. I've owned 2 Fieros concurrently most of the time I've owned Fieros.
..no point when the lower intake is that restrictive (its not the upper like 100% of people think)(i will explane if asked
I'm asking. When I did my first rebuild years ago, Joe Wynnman told me the the lower intake had the biggest restriction. In retrospect, I find this hard to believe but I had mine "ported to hell" and slightly polished as well. Could you explain why you think the lower intake is so restrictive...?
Personally, I think the lower intake has restrictions. I say that because I measured each runner versus the middle and upper intake. The smallest part of the 3 intake's runners is right where the fuel injector sits. Their is a slight dip in the runner to compensate but still not enough. Here is a picture:
yeah thats pretty much it...so whats the update??? is it rotting in your back yard? did you find another mech?..mines running (as you prolly know) cost me a total of 3,500 dallars. parts labor (i built the short block)...and mine ticks...hope you have better luck...i still dont know what my tic is but im hopeing its a lifter..its my DD tho so il probly never have a second to find out...got my ac workng 3 days ago..blows cold and the 3400 doesnt lack power from it like the pos 2.8 did. UPDATES MAN! lol
Personally, I think the lower intake has restrictions. I say that because I measured each runner versus the middle and upper intake. The smallest part of the 3 intake's runners is right where the fuel injector sits. Their is a slight dip in the runner to compensate but still not enough. Here is a picture:
Intake runner taper is a good thing. Did you compare to the port size in the cylinder head? GM probably wanted to get high velocity at the injector to improve atomization at low throttle.
I'm perplexed by taking height out of the interface between the middle and upper manifolds... that just makes the attrocious 135 degree bend the air has to go through that much tighter.
I wonder if the "restriction problem" dont come from the induced turbulence from the several brutal change in flow direction the air have to do when going down to the cylinder...these runner design are very snake like, and the change in direction are not progressive and are very drastic. So farter you go down and change of direction you add to the air stream, more and more velocity slow down and turbulance you add.
I think it was discussed earlier here on pennock.
The best is not only enlarge the runner cross section, but like in racing, have the smoother route, the smoother "racing apex" for the air when it go thru the turn.
On this car: The court clerk has my $1500 in escrow so the mechanic's lawyer is just being a dick about giving me my car despite the fact that we have a signed agreement. We have a deposition on July 9th. As I see it this is going to trial unless they offer me alot of money before then. Trial will probably be in October.
In the meantime, I should receive my new (bought from Voytek) Fiero on Wednesday. It's a 3.1 Turbo. When/if it blows up, it will become a 3400 w/Fiero intake with a turbo. I need to find a way to get this baby to Darth for some serious tuning...
Fyi, turbulence is important for low RPM power. Smoothness doesn't generate enough turbulence until you have high velocities, so based on the application, I wouldn't say that "restriction" is bad as I don't intend to have this motor over 5500rpm to often. Basically you want it smooth until just before it goes into the combustion chamber.
As for my cut intake, the direction change is the same as stock but by shortening the straight vertical sections, I was able to have the machinist smoothen more area around where it does curve. Also it makes that direction change 1 smoother continuous change instead of 2 with a small straight section inbetween. I lost a total of about .7" which doesn't sound like much, but a shorter intake is a shorter intake. 1fst2m6 proved this can work. He did tell me to shorten the area where the lower meets the middle manifold, but that cause the gaskets to not line up - big no-no. Luckily I had a spare middle intake.
Edit: Actually look at my first post where I post a pic of the injector area...tell me how that compares to the pic above. Also, the upper and middle intakes have been smoothened further than what is pictured.
[This message has been edited by lou_dias (edited 06-08-2007).]
OCTOBER!!!! GOD OH MIGHTY!! MAN!! and this guy physically has your car this whole time???? im seeing hireing a brick thrower and beat that car to hell...would look bad on him + gives your killer insurence money for your turbo 3.1....hee?? lol
Edit: Actually look at my first post where I post a pic of the injector area...tell me how that compares to the pic above. Also, the upper and middle intakes have been smoothened further than what is pictured.
[/QUOTE]
Great thread! Except for your legal problems (Lawyers and bad mechanics suck, don't they?) I will be following this as I am also planning a 3400 roller w/turbo built just about the identical way. BTW nice port job removing the injector boss restriction. I got a few questions:
Is it really necessary to change the pistons? I wanted to use the stock 3400's with the thinner head gasket.....should be around 7.8:1 or so. (Stock gaskets / stock pistons / 3.4 cast heads should be about 7.66:1 for turbo)
What would be a good turbo to use? I have been looking at the Garrett GT3071.
...for a turbo i do believe that the stock pistons..fiero or 3.4 cast heads and 3400 head geasket would work..if you wanted to raise compression slightly then use camaro 3.4 gaskets.
Originally posted by lou_dias: As for my cut intake, the direction change is the same as stock but by shortening the straight vertical sections, I was able to have the machinist smoothen more area around where it does curve. Also it makes that direction change 1 smoother continuous change instead of 2 with a small straight section inbetween. I lost a total of about .7" which doesn't sound like much, but a shorter intake is a shorter intake. 1fst2m6 proved this can work. He did tell me to shorten the area where the lower meets the middle manifold, but that cause the gaskets to not line up - big no-no. Luckily I had a spare middle intake.
Not understanding your thinking. The air going from the upper manifold turns 90 degrees to go into the middle and then a further 45+ to go across to the opposite bank. You think that taking this pair of bends and turning them into one tighter 135+ degree bend is going to help things? I think that's bass ackwards.
0.7" of runner shortening is going to do about jack squat for your powerband. You really need to change the runner length 15% or more to see a significant difference.
What is it with the Fiero intake? The Gen III heads and intake are VASTLY superior to the Fiero intake and will give you much more power with the same boost as the iron heads/intake.
Originally posted by Will: Not understanding your thinking. The air going from the upper manifold turns 90 degrees to go into the middle and then a further 45+ to go across to the opposite bank. You think that taking this pair of bends and turning them into one tighter 135+ degree bend is going to help things? I think that's bass ackwards.
0.7" of runner shortening is going to do about jack squat for your powerband. You really need to change the runner length 15% or more to see a significant difference.
What is it with the Fiero intake? The Gen III heads and intake are VASTLY superior to the Fiero intake and will give you much more power with the same boost as the iron heads/intake.
My thinking is that a .7" tunnel is wasted space. If the air is already turning 90 degrees and has to go 3/4" and turn 45 degrees, why not just keep it turning? What advantage is there to that tunnel? Also, in eliminating that excess length it allowed the machinist to smoothen the upper intake deeper than normal as it approaches the initial turn. It also allowed the middle intake to be completely ported and smoothened. I will be dynoing it so once that is done then we can really determine another view on the limits of the stock intake. I would like to do something about the neck on the upper intake but neither of the 2 machinists I spoke to wanted to do anything radical for fear of irreparable damage. I'll have to pick up a spare one of these days and tell them to go to town on it...
Lawyer has sent a formal letter asking for a date for me to pick up my car from the crook. Also, on Monday, July 7th, I have a desposition to give at their lawyer's office.
LOL, I just got a letter from my lawyer yesterday.
The court clerk has been slow to deposit my money in an escrow account because someone was out sick for 3 months and is backed up.
So my lawyer kindly asked the mechanic's lawyer to release the car with assurances that he has my money otherwise he will file the appropriate motion which I wish he had done way back in January!!!! So I should have an answer to that next week.
Yes, the car is at a new garage now. Hopefully, work will begin at the end of this week and be done in a couple of weeks.
The guy had taped off the intake tubes of the middle manifold when he moved it to the locked off area in the back of the shop and loosely placed the valve covers on.
We are going to drop the cradle to finish installing the poly mounts. He still had the factory injectors on the fuel rail. Need to install the Mustang #19'ers. Pull the valve covers to inspect the valves and heads. I know for atleast 3 weeks the intake wasn't taped off and the valve covers weren't on. It rained during those 3 weeks. I would like the heads pulled for complete inspection and the oil pan as well.
What sucks is I am losing both my tenants at the end of this month so I won't have an abundance of cash anymore, but I should be able to pull through this. I still need to do a ported head/intake swap and rebuilt turbo swap to my daily driver when this car is on the road... Hopefully I'll find some tenants by Nov 1.
Finally good news!!! I'm happy to see that it work!!
Probably the only difference my engine will have from your is the CR. I need to find a match to lower the CR for my SC application. I dont want to go as high as Fierosound for my SC engine. So the 3.4DOHC is not an option for me.
Do you have an idea what I can use (piston) to lower the CR in the range of 8.5:1 or around that ?
I will go to the speedshop here en the next weeks to look at this..but any advice or hint of part I can use will be very apreciated.
[This message has been edited by perry rhodan (edited 10-11-2007).]
As for a lower CR...you might try using stock 3.4 pistons but having material removed from the head. You could go with the pistons made for aluminum heads but that would put you in the low-mid 7's. That's ok, just crank up the boost to make up for it.
1 problem right now. Coolant leaks out through the timing cover. I suspect that the hole that needs to be plugged on newer blocks was never plugged. Does anyone have pics of this hole?
1 problem right now. Coolant leaks out through the timing cover. I suspect that the hole that needs to be plugged on newer blocks was never plugged. Does anyone have pics of this hole?
Thanks!
There's a bypass hole in the Fiero timing cover that needs to be plugged. There is just an open cavity in the 3400 block behind that hole you see plugged in the timing cover. I drilled a 1/8" hole in the edge of the thermostat at act as a pressure bypass.
------------------ 3.4L S/C 87 GT www.fierosound.com 2002/2003/2004 World of Wheels Winner & Multiple IASCA Stereo Award Winner
Met the owner at a show in Pomona a couple months ago. I may still have his card or brochure. Otherwise, I think West Coast Fiero sells their products.
did you ever get a chip for it? expect 12mpg city, 22 hwy if not... il have to say im a little jelous.... the ported intakes, and trueleo, with a manual trans.... damn you! lol i bet she runs in the low 14's
It's on the road and running. I got a 2.5" bullet muffler where the cat would be now but after that I have the stock exhaust mated to it for now. I have a stange transmission noise, roughness. I got to check the fluids today.
I'm waiting for a chip from DarthFiero. Seems to have lots of torque and no top end. I'm hoping the chip will fix that. The bonehead mechanic had snipped the Dakota Digital unit....for absolutely no reason. Archie emailed me instructions on how to get that hooked up so that is done. Tachometer is not working, nor is cruise control right now.
The tranny noise worries me. No noise when I push down on the clutch. If it was the throw out bearing, there would be noise when I push down on the clutch. If the crook sabotaged my speedo, who knows what else he did.
Stupid question - how do I check the fluid level of the F40?
[This message has been edited by lou_dias (edited 10-29-2007).]
yeah thats pretty much it...so whats the update??? is it rotting in your back yard? did you find another mech?..mines running (as you prolly know) cost me a total of 3,500 dallars. parts labor (i built the short block)...and mine ticks...hope you have better luck...i still dont know what my tic is but im hopeing its a lifter..its my DD tho so il probly never have a second to find out...got my ac workng 3 days ago..blows cold and the 3400 doesnt lack power from it like the pos 2.8 did. UPDATES MAN! lol
