headers for the 3.4 swap (Page 3/3)
82-T/A [At Work] JUL 21, 12:39 PM

quote
Originally posted by lou_dias:

I got 187 rwhp out of the stock(ported) intake and I didn't have the DAWG mod and I has a stock upper intake gasket that wasn't cut to match my bigger ports. It peaked at 4500 but made 249 ft*lbs of torque.
I then gimped my future dynos by running wheels that were way heavier than stock because I was racing. See my 22-page thread in the construction zone, much of which was attacked by trolls in the middle pages, but there is still a lot of good info there.

Anyway, the point is - don't believe the bs about the iron-head 3.4...! It can make plenty of power if you rebuild it correctly by simply applying the same advances 'newer' motors now have.
Newer motors use more efficient alternators that come with a clutched pulley that slips at higher rpm. Smaller STOCK diameter crank pulleys. Everything adds up.

New motors use a lighter rotating assembly, roller cams, more compression and bigger valves and they come with bigger intakes and exhausts. That's all I did to make > 200 rwhp. It's not rocket-science and doesn't require some magical heads made from Vibranium like the trolls swear by.

Again, personally, I like using the 3400 block as a base for the roller-cam. It also already has the starter holes in the correct location.

Some people like slapping a big turbo on a junk yard motor to produce 1 big dyno pull and a week later the car is down for another junk-yard motor swap. What is the point of that? It's actually insane.

With a rebuild, you get to enjoy your car for years. In 20 years, I've done 3 rebuilds and raced the car season after season. Meanwhile, some trolls take that long to do a swap. It's pathetic actually.




Thanks Lou, this is the link you're referring to: https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum3/HTML/000154.html

Yeah, on your recommendation, I went with a set of 3.4 DOHC pistons to get better compression up from the 9:1 compression that the stock 3.4 I think has. I think we estimated 9.7:1, which will be good for my H272 Crane Cam that has longer duration.

I still haven't heard back from Extrude Hone. This is the same thing they did to me last time. I ask for a quote, they ask for more pictures, I provide them, and then they go dark. I think maybe they hear the word "Fiero" and lose all interest... because they have all kinds of cyl heads and intake manifolds from everything shown in their images, so I just wonder.
Raydar JUL 22, 09:35 AM
FOCOA headers are really good, if you can find a set. They've been out of production for a long time, though.
Trueleo headers (pictured above) are probably as good, but are not as pretty, IMHO.

This was my setup. 3.4. 272 cam. FOCOA headers. Trueleo intake. Ported lower intake and heads. Had as much "stones" as my 4.9.

[This message has been edited by Raydar (edited 07-22-2025).]