My plugs! The simplest thing. The funny thing about it is that I did a tune up before I left on my trip to Wisconsin a couple weeks ago. Plugs, cap, rotor. Driving up in Missouri it didn't want to go up the hills or above 70 on straight roads. Since I just happened to be in the area of Kenosha/Barrington I stoped by Archies for his open house. Awsome. I got a ride in the Finale, Archies daily driver. Unbeleavable. It's a totally different car with the V8. Now I'm getting off the subject. Archie only workes on V8 cars. Dosen't like the v6. That's why they call him v8 Archie. He was a great help. Took time away from his business to try and make sure that I made it home. They changed the fuel pump and the filter. The pump was starting to go bad but that didn't solve my problem. Next day. I took it to a local muffler shop in Kenosha. New cat converter. Bigger than stock, and it did make the car run alot better. As soon as I got back in to Missouri the car wanted to puke again. So today after replacing some other components I decided to take a look at my plugs. Wow. That's messed up.

I looked in the book and it tells me wrong heat range or preignition. The plugs I'm using are AC Delco R42LTS. Is that correct? I just hope my engine is ok.

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get a small magnet and fish out the missing parts QUICKLY do not wait!!!!!!!!
thats iron bouncing on a al alloy piston!!!!

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Question wonder and be wierd

Too late. Thanks Pep Boys. Another Fiero dead. They gave me the wrong plugs. I didn't think to look. They were longer. Too hot. Now the valves on #5 are probably bent. Since I'm laid off I guess I have time to fix it.

I'd definatly contact the manager and tell him what happend because of thier ineptitude.

At least it's on the rear bank, so you can pull that head off fairly easy, but one wonders what the other ones look like.

I always use AC Delco rapidfire #1's. That's exactly what I tell the person, so there's no way they can screw it up.

If you asked Pep Boys to supply you the right plugs, take them to court (small claims). But if you asked for that number, your sunk.

I'm going to dig into the motor in the morinig. The only part I really have trouble with is taking off the fuel rail. The injectors never want to come out. I have a couple of revalved and decked heads in my closet ready to go. If the piston is good and the walls are not scored I should be ok.

As far as going to court. Not over a car that old with 147,xxx miles on it. Plus I threw away my reciept. No proof. I'm hoping my damage is limited to the valves on #5. That's the only plug that had a missing part.

[This message has been edited by JetroGT (edited 04-21-2002).]

I pulled a set of rapidfires out of mine and replaced tehm with the original part # A/C Delco plugs. It got rid of a burbling exhaust.

This was on my 87 2.5l DIS. Smoothed both the idle and the acceleration. Whatever works for you, but I suggest getting a new set of each next time you do plugs and do a comparison of new to new.

On the melted plugs...

They gave you correct heat range, R42CTS (CTS is for Copper Tapered Seat, your L is for long ceramic).
http://www.fieroownersclub.com/doc.htm has this recommendation.

Sorry to say... you leaned it out on your long drive with teh restricted filter and weak pump... not the plugs fault.

[This message has been edited by Scott-Wa (edited 04-21-2002).]

It's nice to have spare parts that are rebuilt just laying around. I have questions for replacing the head. Should I use sealant on the head and intake gaskets? Or do they just get put on without?

About the plug #. Pep Boys gave me PN#R42LTS it was supposed to get R43LTS. In the top pic you can see how much it was sticking through the head by how much it was burned.

[This message has been edited by JetroGT (edited 04-21-2002).]

your staying up to late dude :-)... I just fixed my post above your last reply, the heat range follows fiero club of america recommendations...

Are you talking about these areas?

I'll find out for sure when I pull off the head.

[This message has been edited by JetroGT (edited 04-21-2002).]

almost, other corners same picture

where the head meets the block

[This message has been edited by Scott-Wa (edited 04-21-2002).]

At 2:30 I started to get into it. I'm taking pictures every so often. Took a shot of the injector wire harness so I know how it all goes back together.
I guess I owe Pep Boys an apology. I don't think any one really cares about them any way.

My progress so far.

Yesterday. #5 cyl looked oily.

Today.

I'm taking it slow. I've never replaced a head before. Hardest part so far was to keep going.

Mine is coming along nicely too.
After head removal:

Cleaned and waiting for heads:

Old head and new Fiero Store performance head:


New timing chain and waterpump:


Old and New 1.6-1 roller rockers/lifters/pushrods:

I should finish it tonight!

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- Robert Beaubien
- 87 GT 5-speed
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You went alot further than I did. I only replaced the one head. I never want to do this with the engine in the car ever again. That being said. I only have the valve lash adjustment left to do tommorow. That and removing the intake to put the valve covers back on. They could have designed that engine a bit more user friendly.

Tonight's progress.
Heads in place with new lifters:

Ready for intake manifold:

The new 1.6-1 rockers installed:

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- Robert Beaubien
- 87 GT 5-speed
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quote Originally posted by RBeaubien: Mine is coming along nicely too. After head removal:

Sorry to hijack, but I have a question for you or anyone else who knows more about engines than I (trust me, it's not hard folks )

The coolant that I see in all the holes in the block - are all of those places where coolant circulates through the block while it's operating? I've seen pics like this one before and I've never quite figured it out.

Thanks!
Andrew

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Andrew - 85SE - AKA Fieroless in Newfoundland :(

quote Originally posted by 85SE: The coolant that I see in all the holes in the block - are all of those places where coolant circulates through the block while it's operating? I've seen pics like this one before and I've never quite figured it out.

Yes. If you look at the waterpump, it forces coolant into the block on each side, then the coolant goes up through the head and out the intake manifold through the thermostat housing. I believe the engineers want to keep the cylinder wall temp somewhere below 300 F which is just a little below the point that regular oil starts to "boil" away.

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- Robert Beaubien
- 87 GT 5-speed
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quote Originally posted by RBeaubien: Yes. If you look at the waterpump, it forces coolant into the block on each side, then the coolant goes up through the head and out the intake manifold through the thermostat housing. I believe the engineers want to keep the cylinder wall temp somewhere below 300 F which is just a little below the point that regular oil starts to "boil" away.

I see now. Thanks for the help Robert!

Best,
Andrew

quote Originally posted by RBeaubien: I believe the engineers want to keep the cylinder wall temp somewhere below 300 F which is just a little below the point that regular oil starts to "boil" away.

Well almost right.

The cylinder bores run at coolant temperature because they are surrounded by coolant and the metal conducts heat to the coolant much faster than the gas temperatures transfer heat to the cylinder wall.

It runs! The nasty metalic noise is gone, but so is the egr tube gasket. It must have droped down on the engine somewhere. The tube looks origional so I'm ordering a new one. Other than that I should be good to go.

You have cool rockers , Stainless S. valves ----Let us know how it RUNS !!!!

and make sure you took care of whatever made it go lean... don't want to do that job again real soon I bet...

Filter and pump probably did that for you, but you might want to have someone with a scan tool check block learn cruising around 70+ and make sure it's floating around 128

[This message has been edited by Scott-Wa (edited 04-27-2002).]