JohnWPB 1986 GT Fastback worklog (Page 25/71)
JohnWPB MAR 25, 12:45 AM
You see this post..... right at the top of this page.... well guess what? It's MiNE!

Yes, as a matter of fact I did do the shift indicator in blue to match the rest of the gauge needles Thank you again for the reproduction needle cap, it fit and looks PERFECT!

I got a few more things done today. I was able to wire up the 4 x 90mm headlights mounted in Timo's headlight buckets. They are wired either low beam OR high beam at the moment. After Daytona, I plan to get a couple of relays, and rewire it so when the High Beams are on, the lows are as well.

I am having a difficult time trying to find a plug that will fit in the parking lights in the 355i front bumper. They are from a 2001 Chrysler Sebring convertible. NONE of the parts store carry, or can even order the plug. That includes Napa, Pep Boys, Congress Auto, Advanced Discount Auto and Autozone. I will have to hit the local salvage yard to try to find a pair. In the mean time, no front turn signal lights, and I have to manually click the turn signal lever so the back ones work at least

[This message has been edited by JohnWPB (edited 03-25-2014).]

fierogtlt1 MAR 25, 06:37 PM

quote
Originally posted by JohnWPB:
Yes, as a matter of fact I did do the shift indicator in blue to match the rest of the gauge needles Thank you again for the reproduction needle cap, it fit and looks PERFECT!

That's glad to hear that it fit good...I won't be making it to Daytona this year,it's hard to get any kind of help with my Fiero in this area.Maybe next year.

[This message has been edited by fierogtlt1 (edited 03-25-2014).]

2.5 MAR 26, 09:35 AM

quote
Originally posted by JohnWPB:

CLICK FOR FULL SIZE





looks nice!

[This message has been edited by 2.5 (edited 03-26-2014).]

hnthomps MAR 26, 02:16 PM
Guys,

Things are not working out for me this year to make Daytona. I have the electrical problem figured out and it appears to be the battery even if it tested good. After checking just about every fuse, connection, and cable I swapped out my battery with one from a project car. The car starts and runs fairly well now but does have some slight hesitation when first starting. It is not bad and only occurs for a fraction of a second. I will put some more starts on it before I head off on a long trip.

I just cancelled my Daytona hotel reservation but it was not because of the car but I now need to attend a funeral in South Florida on Friday afternoon. It would be painful to get back in time for the Saturday show (with an extra 600 miles of driving) so I will miss Daytona this year. If anyone can use my show registration number it is 62X and made under the name of Nelson Thompson. I can scan and e-mail a copy of the post card if anyone wants to try and use it.

Nelson
JohnWPB APR 14, 03:29 PM

quote
Originally posted by hnthomps:
Things are not working out for me this year to make Daytona.



Nelson, I replied to this post in the Daytona Thread.

Ok, This is more aggregating than anyone could know! I have been having fuel problems from the day that I was taking the Fiero to Daytona a few weeks ago. It has been, and is, almost impossible to diagnose!

I filled the tank and drove 97 miles, when it felt like it was running out of gas. It has been many years since I ran out of gas, but I totally remember what it feels like when an engine is starved of fuel. It sputtered, would buck, and eventually just quit as I coasted off the side of the road. It would not restart, and I could hear the fuel pump engaging when I turned on the key. I thought, Ok, I thought I had filled it, but there must have been an air pocket or something. The whole time the fuel gauge is reading above full, and am pretty sure the sender or the gauge is toast.

I called a friend to bring me some gas, I just tapped the key after putting gas in, and it started right up. I made it to a gas station, and when I filled it the auto cut off clicked on the pump handle when the fuel came up the fuel filler neck. It only took 4 gallons, which made no sense if I had just ran out of gas. It was then I heard gas pouring out all over the place. Looking underneath, it was not a small leak, but a waterfall under the car. It lasted a few seconds and stopped. So whatever it was was only pouring out gas when the tank was completely full.

Now what could it be?! The gas tank was full, but the car was "running out of gas" after driving a few miles. What would cause that, and gas pouring out when I tried to fill it?

Mean while, I had my mechanic, Frank, , the one that replaced the fuel pump for me a few months back come over. We drained the tank into two 5 gallon containers, and about a gallon into a drain pan. So the tank was indeed full after all. As soon as he dropped the tank, I could see EXACTLY where the fuel leak was when I filled it up:



As you can see, the ring had not been tightened correctly when the fuel pump was put in place. Frank apologized, and said he was very sorry, but was sure that he had tightened that ring. Which makes sense, as how could you not notice it like that when putting the tank back. Who knows, stuff happens.

So that's where the leak was, now how was it "running out of gas" with a full tank?! After looking at the rubber hoses in the tank, one of them was pretty soft and deteriorated. He said it was probably sucking air around the outer core of the hose. A quick trip to the parts store, and all hoses inside and out side the tank were replaced.

So, it was 2 separate problems causing these weird symptoms! I knew it has to be something strange, as it just made no sense at all! We put the tank back in, filled it back, and replaced the fuel filter again (Was replaced a couple months ago), since we were already under there and all.


Frank assured me that all was well, and I would have no more problems like that.


Fast Forward 3 days, and I have put around 100 miles on the car. Today, driving back from the junk yard, it started to sputter, again, as if it were out of gas. I was like #$!!#$ $#**#@@@@ ! ! ! ! ! Again, called a friend, put 3 gallons of gas in it, and it started right up. I went around 2 miles, and it "ran out of gas" yet again! ! ! ! ! <Insert lots and LOTS of really bad words here! ! !>. So guess what, yep, you got it, friend with the gas can again LOL! (He says this is the last time! LOL ) As I was putting the gas in, low and behold, it starts pouring out like a waterfall again! Have a look for yourself (This was after setting the gas can down, and starting to record on the phone, so I just caught the tail end of the leaking on video):



So, here I am again, literally right where I started from 2 weeks ago. Put gas in, and it spills out as it's over full and leaking again somewhere, and it runs out of gas with a full tank. Unreal! ! ! ! !

Dragon APR 14, 09:20 PM
I used to have a problem like that with a rusty gas tank

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


Frank Martin
87 GT
3800 s/c - lowered with Held Motorsports suspension - Suicide Doors by Archie
Custom Paint
Fun To Drive Daily Driver

87 Convertible
Sunshine Car

mrfred8 APR 14, 09:36 PM
John,

Check out your fuel vapor canister / filter aka evap canister. If that is not operating correctly it might not allow proper air flow when you are fueling.
JohnWPB APR 14, 11:39 PM
I just ordered a brand new everything for the inside of the tank from the Fiero Store. $230 spent with shipping. This will update the resistor type crappy design to a modern design with a new fuel sending unit, so the gas gauge will actually work now, and accurately at that. The sending unit also comes with a new gasket, float, sock, and new metal lines in the tank. Mine were pretty rusty. Being the gas tank is actually holding fuel when filled up, this should take care of it running out of gas with a full tank. That combined with all new fuel rated lines in the tank, as well as the new fuel pump, 100% of everything in the tank will be new.

As for leaking when it is filled to the top, I have this feeling that the ring again did not seat when we closed it up. We DID ensure that it was put on correctly, and tapped/spun around with a hammer and screwdriver till it stopped. The ring may be bent, or the gasket is not flexible enough to hold it tight. Honestly just guessing till the tank is dropped again next Monday. With the new ring and gasket, hopefully that will take care of the leak as well. We are going to pressurize the tank this time, and see if there is anything out of the ordinary before putting it back together this time!
JohnWPB APR 16, 12:28 AM
I started to work on the wheel wells today. I figured I would wire brush everything and hit it with Rustoleum, do the wheel well liners with spray on bed liner material, and paint the brake calipers. I started with the front left, and with the wheel off, you can clearly see that the Tie Rod / Control Arm is severely bent. I know NOTHING about suspension, so it was actually pointed out to me when I posted a suspension question in the tech forum. There is more discussion over there has to how to fix, and how it could have gotten bent so badly. Here is what it looks like:

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I continued on, and Purple Powered, wire brushed and pressure washed everything in the area:

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I then let it dry and then painted the area with the high temperature caliper paint, and then the bed liner on the wheel wells. I didn't really have to mask anything off for the black. When it came to the blue, I started to mask things off that I had just painted black. I wasn't about to go to the trouble of removing the brake calipers just to paint them blue


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I did not worry about what the shocks look like, as I will be replacing them with new ones very soon. Starting to look pretty good. Not the perfect shade of blue I wanted, but there are not too many choices when it comes to high temperature caliper paint:


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After it dried a bit, I put the wheel back on. One down, 3 to go!


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Now to get a new control arm, ends and such and work all of that out..... it never ends!

[This message has been edited by JohnWPB (edited 04-16-2014).]

fierogtlt1 APR 16, 01:03 AM
That looks really nice John ....It makes me want to go work on my P.O.S.
What was that color for the caliper called?

[This message has been edited by fierogtlt1 (edited 04-16-2014).]