Hi Folks, I hope you and families are staying as safe as you can in these strange times. I'm having issues with my 86 2.8 Fiero. Its stood for years in a barn ( it did ) I bought it and have worked through it. I serviced it, changed hoses all the usually . The car was missing the distributor and associated looms. Bought a new Cardone one from Rock Auto and replaced the looms. I have set the timing as per the posts on the forum. Checked the leads many many times, new battery, replaced the fuel pump, strainer, jumped the check light. Cranked the car over...... bang bang .... crank..... nothing other than engine turning over.... crank again bang fart bang so on. Can anyone offer any advice ? In simple terms I thick and from the UK....
Do you KNOW how to find "Actual top dead center" firing on #1 Cyl.?? (using a piston stop tool), find top dead center (right After the Intake Valve Closes). make sure the rotor is pointing just about 1/8" PAST #1 terminal on the cap. all wires on in the correct Location and in the correct "Rotation". The alc MUST BE JUMPERED to time the engine. then try to start it and time it with a timing light. the timing light will only "Flash" if you have Spark, so try squirting some "quick start" into the throttle body . then you will know for sure if it's lack of fuel or spark.
When lacking a (piston stop tool) we use to use an 8 inch plastic straw. Remove #1 spark plug. Crank engine over using a ratchet & socket while pressing your thumb over spark plug hole. When you feel pressure building against your thumb,,, STOP!! Drop straw in hole then continue cranking engine with ratchet. When straw stops rising you found top dead center.
ps: If 8 inch straw drops out of site don't try to retrieve it. You have much bigger problem then you thought.
Spoon
------------------ "Kilgore Trout once wrote a short story which was a dialogue between two pieces of yeast. They were discussing the possible purposes of life as they ate sugar and suffocated in their own excrement. Because of their limited intelligence, they never came close to guessing that they were making champagne." - Kurt Vonnegut
[This message has been edited by Spoon (edited 04-23-2020).]
I set my TDC by taking the valve cover off and turning the crank and feeling the movement of the rocker arms and listening for the compression and moving the timing mark on the balancer to the 10 degree mark. I then turned the dizzy till the rotor lined up with post one. Hence I was hoping for a bit more than the bang bang fart that I got... I am trying to guess if its something else due to it standing for so long.
Everything is new. As it stood for so long i did not want to waste time waiting for parts. I checked the pump relay before I bought the new pump. You hear the faint buzz as the ignition is turned on and i know fuel is getting through. I have not got the equipment to get for pressure.
Play with distributor advance/retard. Check plug wires for proper location. Use a spark checker to check spark quality. Check both fuel injector fuses. Squirt some starting fluid into throttle body when cranking. (Fuel injectors may be plugged from sitting)
Dont tell me Ive got to take that manifold off again ??? What pita trying to route those breather lines whilst balancing on a ladder...... Does not help lacking in the height/reach dept...
I'm suggesting that you test the fuel pressure. Schrader valve is on the fuel rail.....put a cheap gauge on there and see how long the pressure stays up after you turn the pump off....should be a minute or 2 at about 40 lbs.
[This message has been edited by Gall757 (edited 04-26-2020).]
You can test for maximum pressure by depressing the center pin of the valve with a screwdriver. Fuel should shoot up and hit the 'bonnet' cover if you get 40 lbs. Put some towels around the valve and wear eye protection....maybe locate a fire extinguisher too. You still will need the gauge some day tho...
Ive noticed the check light appears to always blink code 12. As I never been able to get the car to run (sofar) I do not know if this suggests that there is a deeper fault that causing the non start. Could anyone point me in the right direction ?
I'm pretty sure Code 1-2 is a self-check for the ECM and it indicates that it's O.K. I think it only comes up when the diagnostic terminals are jumpered together. If you don't see any other codes after getting 1-2, 1-2, 1-2, then you have no codes set.
Well folks I went back to basics removed everything plugs out etc. Refitted everything and she started !!! All gears engaged, most lights worked.. gauges worked in a fashion... no check engine light. Ill swear even the air con was blowing cold..... revving high but some parts weren't connected. But....... switched off to check levels and..... the oil is like a milky cup of coffee and the water is like Guinness...... So much for just a dizzy fault......... now Scrap.....
Well after a day away...... stayed in bed not feeling well. I thought about possible causes..... no oil in the water and the oil that was in the car was black no water in it. Now I only ran the car for a few minutes before I switched off and checked the levels and found the mix on the dip stick and the milky coffee in the oil filter and sump. I did disturb about 4 bolts on the inlet manifold in error when checking fuel pressure..... could I have disturbed something ? Is it worth stripping the top end down and doing gasket renewal ? Is it a ballache ??
Well, a few hours spent stripping the engine down. It would appear that the inlet manifold gasket had gone. But I'm doing the head gaskets and the water pump which I'd already bought. One stud snapped in the back head and the Y exhaust pipe flange disintegrated. I've noted the manifold has a crack on one of the seams. I can't get any manifolds over in the UK, and getting them shipped from US would be very costly. Could I ask if these can be re-welded successfully ? Cheers
Whilst the heads are off and there is a load of space. I thought I'd do the water pump. However I assume the clamp you are supposed to use bolts into a hole in the head ? There appears to be nothing to bolt it to that would in anyway hold the timing cover insitu. Has anyone down the procedure without the clamp ? Or is it possible to brace the cover to prevent movement ?