Rebuild of Indy Fiero #163 Super Duty 4 (Page 8/29)
fierosound NOV 29, 12:02 PM

quote
Originally posted by Raydar:

I have been watching this thread with interest. I saw Tony's other car (at the 20th) and if was flawless.

This one appears to be nothing less. Bravo!




Thank you. I can only imagine the work involved in those totally stripped "rotisserie" car restorations. Thankfully, I didn't have to go that far. But it still amazes me when I see an engine swap where the "new" engine went in the engine bay without any effort to clean either of them up first. A few cans of spray paint aren't that expensive!

I thought by outlining the steps taken in this build, I could show the results from going just the extra step of cleaning up the engine bay and painting everything that goes on the cradle before it goes back in the car. At the same time, it's easy to cleanup the wiring harnesses and make any changes necessary to hide them for a less cluttered look. Even small details like installing hose clamps so the adjuster is UNDER the hose out of sight (all you see is the stainless steel band) helps reduce clutter.

This bit of extra work can make anything look like a "new engine under the hood". It makes the difference between a mediocre job and something you can take to car shows.

[This message has been edited by fierosound (edited 11-30-2008).]

KurtAKX NOV 29, 10:41 PM

quote
Originally posted by KurtAKX:

where are the running/driving videos? You've got the same head, same compression, and almost exactly the same cam I'm going with, so I'm eager to hear it run.



bump.
fierosound NOV 30, 12:04 PM

quote
Originally posted by KurtAKX:

where are the running/driving videos? You've got the same head, same compression, and almost exactly the same cam I'm going with, so I'm eager to hear it run.



Sorry. Don't have any, otherwise I'd have posted them.
fierosound DEC 02, 08:46 AM

quote
Originally posted by Raydar:

I have been watching this thread with interest.
I saw Tony's other car (at the 20th) and if was flawless.

This one appears to be nothing less.




It may look good now, but based on what I had to start with,
it would have cost A LOT LESS to start with a “good” Indy and get a brand new SD4 engine.

I would have looked for something like John’s (rarew66) Indy for $10,000
https://www.fiero.nl/forum/...090907-1-061948.html

and bought a complete new SD4 engine from Kansas Racing Products for $12,500 (archived site)
https://web.archive.org/web...roducts/Welcome.html

I would have saved myself thousands of dollars....

[This message has been edited by fierosound (edited 09-02-2023).]

Santa Nic DEC 04, 01:39 AM
I am glad you were able to spend the money to make this car right. It was worth the effort
30+mpg DEC 05, 08:10 PM
Great thread about fixing problems. Now that you have most of the problems fixed, tell us a little bit about how it starts, runs, sounds drives, handles accelerates, makes you feel, etc.
fierosound DEC 06, 12:36 PM

quote
Originally posted by 30+mpg:

Great thread about fixing problems. Now that you have most of the problems fixed, tell us a little bit about how it starts, runs, sounds drives, handles accelerates, makes you feel, etc.



Still working making it run/drive as good as it looks. Not fully broken in, so don't ask for dyno or 1/4 mile times.

Starts OK, idles like crap, cruises good, WOT is terrible - falls on it's face. TERRIBLE mileage - you can watch the fuel gauge needle move as you drive. Loud as hell, handles like crap, and can't get ECM to control TCC properly. Makes me feel sick to over how much went into this, and often wish I never bought it - since it wasn't really what I THOUGHT I was getting. Thanks Chester.

I already HAVE solutions for all the problems and they WILL be solved. It's "small potatoes" compared to the work I've already done over 2 years, but WINTER has arrived and I can't really work on it very often now.

But I do have a Delco electronic cruise control setup working with the stock Fiero VSS using a Delco buffer/amplifier.
I'll post details on that next week (need to get pictures).

[This message has been edited by fierosound (edited 12-06-2008).]

fierosound DEC 06, 05:24 PM
This car is cursed!! Spark plug #3 has stripped the aluminum head!!

I used anti-seize and always clean the plug's threads and plug hole threads before reinstalling plugs.
I am EXTREMELY careful, and use a small hose on the spark plug to run them to avoid cross threading.
I then use a ratchet to seat them, and then use a torque wrench so as not to overtighten them.
bsolutely not sure how in hell this happened!!

Anyway - now have to look at my options on how to fix this.
A shop fixed a problem like this on my last van (previous owner cross threaded it) without pulling the head.

Has anyone used a repair kit that theogre mentioned here?
http://www.fiero.nl/forum/A...030204-2-026893.html

Repair video here http://www.timesert.com/html/howtosp.html

This isn't a "disaster" but it will be a royal pain in the you-know-what...

Update - 1 hour later - Have a kit in my hands already...

[This message has been edited by fierosound (edited 09-02-2023).]

BillS DEC 06, 05:44 PM
Ouch - stripping a thread is not nice.

You can install a helicoil, or berret yet a threaded insert, and you CAN try it with the haed on the car, collecting the swarf with a lump of grease on the tap but it always makes me nervous. Pulling the head is the best way, but if you don't, I suppose the softer alloy swarf is less likely to cause problems if it does go though than steel or iron. Good luck.
fierosound DEC 06, 05:58 PM

quote
Originally posted by BillS:

...collecting the swarf with a lump of grease on the tap but it always makes me nervous.




Good idea from theorge in the above thread. Light grease on the cutter with this method should do well.

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

Remove the carb. Remove the plug.

Connect a shop vac so it blows air into the intake manifold. It doesn't have to be a perfect seal. just good enough to make most of the air go into the motor.

Rotate the motor so the intake valve opens on the cylinder you need to work. This will let the shop vac blow air out the plug hole.

Now work the plug hole over and install the Helicoil kit according to directions. Wear goggles because the shop vac will be spitting things at you.

[This message has been edited by fierosound (edited 12-06-2008).]