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Dog 2.8, 3800sc swap reading by Super Duty Critter
Started on: 11-03-2013 06:11 PM
Replies: 8 (335 views)
Last post by: mitchjl22 on 11-11-2013 02:15 AM
Super Duty Critter
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Report this Post11-03-2013 06:11 PM Click Here to See the Profile for Super Duty CritterClick Here to visit Super Duty Critter's HomePageSend a Private Message to Super Duty CritterEdit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
Here's my story.

I have a 1988 Fiero GT, auto. The car looks great now that I've put some work into it. Low miles as well, just a tick over 50K on the clock now. It's my daily commuter car. I tried to sell it here but no one wants to spend the money I think it's worth so I have decided to keep it. The only problem is, this car is a dog. With the AC on and the foot on the mat it's lucky to pull itself up a steep hill.

Before anyone says anything, I'm pretty sure the car is mechanically sound. I even took the time to double check the timing and drive around with a fuel pressure gauge hooks up this weekend. No, it's not a CAT problem. That's been cut out and replaced with a straight pipe. It does take a bit of cranking to get it to start but it idles well, doesn't miss, runs well at cruising speeds, pulls well enough on flat ground but just runs out of guts at about 3000 RPM. I've even swapped the IAC and TPS just to rule them out. Honeslty, I think I'm just expecting more from this 2.8 than it has to give.

Keep in mind that my other toy is a 1974 Trans Am with a 461 cubic inch motor making about 425HP. I punch it, it lights them up and we're off. So my expectations for acceleration are high.

To that end, I'm thinking somewhere down the road I am going o do an engine swap in this car. I already know I want a 3.8 SC engine. I do not want a manual transmission. I have a bad ankle and the clutch gets old in a hurry. So I want to run an automatic. And I'd like something I've not seen in any of the build threads I've located so far, paddle shifters or at least a bump type auto shifter.

So point me in the right direction guys. I need to do some research and the search function here has not produced a swap with an auto and electronic shift for me yet.
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Report this Post11-03-2013 06:45 PM Click Here to See the Profile for FIEROFLYERSend a Private Message to FIEROFLYEREdit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
Been done a few times with the paddle shifters but this requires it to be a series III 3800SC with its matching transmission, PCM and BCM from a tap shift car and you have to retain the fly by wire throttle as well unless some one has come up with a better way to do this.
As far as matching the 74 trans Am power that you have it is possible with a decent 3800SC/4T65E set up with a few mods.
Last car I owned before buying a Fiero was my 75 Trans Am that I replaced the lacking 400 with a modified 455 SD and a T10 4 speed although the engine ate up a few T10's in the years I had it the engine never gave me any troubles at all and on some days I still miss that car. Dan

------------------


DARN Cars now open with
Over 30 years wiring experience between cars and trade as an avionics technician in both Canadian Air Force and civilian aviation.
Over 25 years experience building and modifying cars.
Over 10 years of full Fiero engine swaps and harnesses building and still going.

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Super Duty Critter
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Report this Post11-03-2013 08:44 PM Click Here to See the Profile for Super Duty CritterClick Here to visit Super Duty Critter's HomePageSend a Private Message to Super Duty CritterEdit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
Thank you so much for the information. So it has been done! Any build threads with the auto/paddle shifter that I can be directed to?

I am not looking for 425HP out of this swap. The Fiero is easily 1000 pounds lighter than my old TA. But I have a 4l80e with paddle shifters in the TA and have to admit that I like them very much so some type of tap shift would be great if it's not a huge headache to install it. If it is, I'll stick with a series II swap and be happy. And I'd like to have a link to a good series II, auto swap if anyone has it. All I seem to find when I search is the manual transmission swaps.
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Super Duty Critter
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Report this Post11-08-2013 03:54 PM Click Here to See the Profile for Super Duty CritterClick Here to visit Super Duty Critter's HomePageSend a Private Message to Super Duty CritterEdit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
There are three things that make an internal combustion engine work, air, fuel and spark. Keep that statement in mind.

The Fiero has been steadily losing power. Wednesday I was on the interstate and it was all it could do to pull itself up a rise. At cruising speed it was fine. Keep in mind that it threw no codes and all the gauges were reading normally. 

Spark - I double checked the timing, all was well. 

Fuel - I taped a fuel pressure gauge to the deck lid and drove it up a steep hill. No power but plenty of fuel pressure. 

Air - I pulled the lid off the air cleaner and removed the filter to check it. Holy crap! Under the air filter, where the inlet tube feeds the filter assembly was a huge wad of tape and masking paper from the paint session. It was almost entirely blocking the feed of air to the filter. 

I'm not sure how it got sucked in there but it runs a lot better now that it can breath.

But I still want more power...

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Report this Post11-08-2013 08:07 PM Click Here to See the Profile for fieroguruSend a Private Message to fieroguruEdit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
A couple of the LS4/4T65 swaps kept the factory tapshift functioning.

Diabloroadster did a LS4 swap with the 4T65e-hd. He used a magnashift transmission controller and adapted a wireless paddle shifter to it.

//www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum1/HTML/091761.html

 
quote
Originally posted by diabloroadster:
Instead of going with the factory ecu I decided to try out a fairly new DIY engine mangement system, Microsquirt from the Megasquirt family. This saved me some money and pushed me into a situation where I would have to learn more about EFI and tuning. I also decided to go with a stand alone transmission controller from http://magnashift.com/ these are Fiero guys and are currently building a LS4. ... I made a wireless paddle shifter out of some used Audi shift paddles and a $20.00 Ebay car door lock/unlock kit.


I remember seeing a picture of someone using a linear actuator to shift their automatic transmission, but can't remember where...

[This message has been edited by fieroguru (edited 11-08-2013).]

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Super Duty Critter
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Report this Post11-08-2013 08:50 PM Click Here to See the Profile for Super Duty CritterClick Here to visit Super Duty Critter's HomePageSend a Private Message to Super Duty CritterEdit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
Great link! I appreciate that very much.
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hnthomps
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Report this Post11-08-2013 08:59 PM Click Here to See the Profile for hnthompsSend a Private Message to hnthompsEdit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
Loyde (Fast Fieros) also did a tap shifter vehicle but is no longer in business for a number of compelling reasons. He may still have pictures of this on his web site (if it is still up).

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Super Duty Critter
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Report this Post11-09-2013 05:01 PM Click Here to See the Profile for Super Duty CritterClick Here to visit Super Duty Critter's HomePageSend a Private Message to Super Duty CritterEdit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
I went and looked at Fast Fiero's site. Not much there anymore but it looks like his paddles were supplied by Twist Machine. That's the same folks who supplied the paddle shifters I have in my 74 Trans Am. I suspect I could call Steve and get hooked up with a set if I go that way.

I have to admit, since I cleared my plugged air inlet (boy I feel stupid) it's a joy to drive this car again. But a swap will happen. This car deserves some guts.
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Report this Post11-11-2013 02:15 AM Click Here to See the Profile for mitchjl22Send a Private Message to mitchjl22Edit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
FieroKing, Joe Sokol, has done a few tapshift cars.

This one with an LS4 V8
//www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum3/HTML/000115.html

Another LS4 Tapshift but its a Murcielago.
//www.fiero.nl/forum/A...130314-2-120366.html

https://sites.google.com/site/fierokingcustoms/
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