I wasn’t sure if I should try to use the existing harness and splice into the Fiero wiring or try to get a harness made. The harness is really the only thing I am missing to perform my swap. My engine is from a 1998 Grand Prix GTP so hopefully its not too challenging. What are your recommendations? I pretty handy, but I’d be willing to buy one too save me some headaches...
Ive done both. If you want a nice looking and reliable harness, for $400-$500 I think buying a harness is worth it. That also includes a tune, which would be $100 minimum already custom (at a shop probably $200+). The harness I spliced from a 2001 Bonneville turned out horrible, with wires going everywhere in the engine bay and unreliable butt connections, pic below
Nicely done Sir...! Only you confuse me in the instructions for installing a manual transmission. If you install a manual, you have to remove the flex plate and install a modified flywheel off of a Camaro or a Firebird, that has to be machined to a specific tolerance and balanced. Fiero Rog provides these plug and play, which is what I did, for $50 (be sure to blow the machining dust from the bolt holes.) The '88 Fiero flywheel works, as I understand, but hard to find, if not impossible. The old flex plate and bolts are just a throw away item, unless you want to keep for future automatic installs, if the existing one is not that good. I don't know what you are talking about using new flex plate bolts, since you don't need them. They are to short for a flywheel any way. What you do need is high tensile black flywheel and disc bolts specified by GM. I used the grade 8 ones, and they torque differently and not as strong. So far so good though, but I don't beat my car to death either. If one is going to put allot of stress on the clutch, like for racing, then by all means use the high tensile bolts. GM charges an arm and a leg, but they are available from other suppliers much cheaper. Wish I had known when I did mine. I was short on funds at the time, that's why I used the grade 8 bolts. (not a good idea.) If I ever have to put another clutch in or something like that, I will definitely change out those grade 8's to grade 9's.
Aso, I used the RAM HD clutch from Fiero Store for three reasons... the disc is 1/2" larger and the torque reaction is almost the same as the Spec III+ and they are both designed for this application, and it costs about $100 less. Joe Sokol has been using them on his LS swaps and his DOHC swaps and his 4.9 swaps for many years, and Joe Sokol Sr. (Fiero King out of Idaho,) his dad, dives them hard. I guess that's reason number 4...lol
Have a good one, and thanks for this great parts list and instructions. allot of newbees will be happy. It sure would have helped me allot, had I had it...! Very well organized...!
I used the grade 8 ones, and they torque differently and not as strong. So far so good though, but I don't beat my car to death either. If one is going to put allot of stress on the clutch, like for racing, then by all means use the high tensile bolts. GM charges an arm and a leg, but they are available from other suppliers much cheaper. Wish I had known when I did mine. I was short on funds at the time, that's why I used the grade 8 bolts. (not a good idea.) If I ever have to put another clutch in or something like that, I will definitely change out those grade 8's to grade 9's.
Yes the GM torque to yield flywheel bolts are expensive, but they are necessary! Just ask Darth Fiero. I've had my flywheel nearly fall off because of not using the right bolts! Don't skimp on these bolts, you will regret it!!
