I've heard that the fiero acts/drives different when the weather changes (warm/cold) is this true? I live in south Carolina, and currently the mornings here are cold cold cold and the afternoons are hot hot hot. Will this make the car run differently? My idle has been acting strange lately. Nothing too serious and no ses light, but still.
I've heard that the fiero acts/drives different when the weather changes (warm/cold) is this true? I live in south Carolina, and currently the mornings here are cold cold cold and the afternoons are hot hot hot. Will this make the car run differently? My idle has been acting strange lately. Nothing too serious and no ses light, but still.
I live in Columbia and have never noticed any problems with weather related changes (pouring down rain or high winds excluded) on any of my vehicles.
Our 88 2.8 is all stock, with new tune-up parts installed throughout, but it still acts up when the OAT is above about 75f. So, during a warm day, it idles slightly rough, occasionally stalls in traffic, and has a miss around 2500 rpm. Same day, after sundown, all of those issues disappear. I am not putting more effort into correcting it, because it is getting an L67.
It could be a lot of things. I've seen sensors go bad, but not set a trouble code. Some of the sensors (like MAT and CTS, for example) only set a trouble code if the ECM detects an open or short circuit. Anything in between can fly under the radar, so to speak.
To give you an example, I once had an issue where the engine was acting up, but didn't set any trouble codes. The ignition system was all new, fuel pressure was good, etc. So I read the raw data from the engine sensors. I found out that the MAT was reading about 30*C too high, and that was making the engine run too lean.
The moral of the story is: Just because there isn't a trouble code, that doesn't mean everything is fine. The idiot light is no substitute for actual sensor data.
[This message has been edited by Blacktree (edited 04-17-2018).]
When I first start it up, the rpm bogs down very low for about 2 seconds like it's about to die, than it shoots up to normal rpm range. Also, it fluctuates between 800, and 1200 rpm (steadily bounces up and down). this all happens when idling. When I reverse or drive, the rpms are steady
[This message has been edited by Newguy7142 (edited 04-17-2018).]
I did have a bad MAT sensor, did not throw a code, but borrowing a code reader (87 duke has 8192bps) I could see that it was wrong. That did not affect running though. I do have a cold start issue.. it will reliably start, but runs rough for 3 minutes. I suspect that it has an intake manifold leak maybe. I have scoured it for vacuum leaks. It will live like that until the big swap in the sky.
I use WindexR to search for vac leaks. Spray it on suspected areas and listen for a difference in engine sound. You do not have to soak an area, just begin misting while the engine runs. I have done this for over 30 plus years without an issue.
It works great for spark plug jumping. Inspect in the dark for best results.
I did have a bad MAT sensor, did not throw a code, but borrowing a code reader (87 duke has 8192bps) I could see that it was wrong. That did not affect running though. I do have a cold start issue.. it will reliably start, but runs rough for 3 minutes. I suspect that it has an intake manifold leak maybe. I have scoured it for vacuum leaks. It will live like that until the big swap in the sky.
I've heard that the fiero acts/drives different when the weather changes (warm/cold) is this true?
I can't say that weather makes much of a difference with how a properly tuned Fiero runs. I've daily-driven four different Fieros (two 2.5, two 2.8) over the last 20 years and each one ran fine in all weather conditions once the bugs were worked out (although the '87 duke was the most troublesome by far).
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Originally posted by Newguy7142:
My idle has been acting strange lately. Nothing too serious and no ses light, but still.
I posted yesterday Here about an EGR valve issue I had. In my particular situation, the problem was obvious... but considering how bad the idle was (with a wide open EGR valve), I can certainly see how a slightly sticking (open) EGR valve could cause idle issues. How often do we ever check for the EGR valve's ability to close properly?
[This message has been edited by Patrick (edited 04-18-2018).]
The spray bottle is the key. Windex comes in a really good spray bottle.....fine mist and lots of it. Makes it easier to shoot at a specific spot.
Pretty much. The Windex is nice because it bubbles up. You can often see a bubble being sucked in by a vac leak.
I also use it to find leaks in tires, gas lines, and such. It bubbles like crazy when sprayed on a leaking bike valve that you cannot locate. I test every gas connection with Windex also after installing an appliance. I have done this hundreds of times over my life.
It does not hurt anything either. I guess it could, but I do things my way and rarely have an issue after decades.
When it comes to the spark jumping test, I still use Windex. Just always have. Water could work just as well I suppose in this application.
I sound like I work for them. I do not, but I am just really clean and organized.
Here in Sacramento my Fiero goes from 15F to 115F every single year. It's never given me problems and is probably one of the best old cars I've ever owned in terms of weather handling. I don't hold '80s fuel injection systems very high, but I get consistent results from the Fiero. I'd definitely say it's capable of good behavior.
