That is the Olds LX5 also known as the Short Star. The company says a stock 3.5 can make 270HP and 270Torque just by putting on headers, free flowing air cleaner system and their aftermarket programable computer. Without the Turbo. I got the pic from an Olds Forum. They are putting these in rail buggies and sell turn key engines with the headers, intake, computer and VW tranny adapter for about $5000. I have one of these in my 88GT but it dont look like that! mine is bone stock but, I think it is one of the best looking engines for a Fiero. http://www.mendeolatransaxles.com/econo_version_md4e.htm
[This message has been edited by Rickady88GT (edited 08-07-2003).]
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06:45 PM
2Fast_Fiero Member
Posts: 1106 From: Tijeras, NM USA Registered: Jul 2003
These are some old pics of the Short* in the car. I have just started getting a few things done to it this week. About 90% of the wires are done and that IS the hardest part of this sawp.
I can post newer pics if you want. Just let me know what you want to see.
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07:16 PM
Rickady88GT Member
Posts: 10649 From: Central CA Registered: Dec 2002
Here is a few more I just took! The car is in the garage growing dust and the tree was throwing shadows, so not great pics but it gives you an idea of what I'm doing.
The surge tank is from a 92 vette and has it's own radiator cap.
I never realy thaught I would get a Turbo, But this would just ROCK with one My plan is to do it smog legal in CA. and I have everything but the exaust. That seems to be the biggest hurdle as far as BAR goes.
[This message has been edited by Rickady88GT (edited 08-07-2003).]
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09:52 PM
cardealer Member
Posts: 511 From: austin tx usa Registered: Jan 2001
I got the engine tranny with wire harness and computer along with a bunch of stuff I could cram into a little U-Haul trailer for $600. Now if I were to get a 3.5 drive train it could cost from $1500 to $2000.
It seems to fit very well. I never saw a North* conversion in person but from pics it seems to be the same with more room in front of the engine(battery side.) I did not modify the deck lid hinges Alot of room in front of the engine
This is a Corvette L98 TPI, Olds LX5 3.5, Stock Fiero 2.8 side by side for comparison
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12:07 AM
L.I. Fieros Member
Posts: 575 From: Long Island, N.Y. Registered: Feb 2000
Wow, this is an awesome thread! Great pics! Something I have never seen before. It looks like the motor fits real nice, except for the oil fill (if I'm seeing it correctly). Can you swap the cam covers so the oil fill is on the trunk side?
EDIT: I think I just answered my own question by checking out the first pic again. Not possible because of the raised section on the cam cover for the timing belt. Oh well.
Dave
[This message has been edited by L.I. Fieros (edited 08-09-2003).]
This engine does not have timing belts it has a SS roler type chain drive that will last over 100,000. The stock engine is rated at 215HP and 230Torque. With a redline over 6,500RPM it is a screemer too The oil cap is not hard to get to, that is why I took the pic, to show that it is no problem. Then it is all aluminum to boot, but I dont know how much it lighter it is than the 3800 but GM says it is lighter than it.
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03:00 AM
Aug 10th, 2003
Azarael Member
Posts: 949 From: Las Cruces, New Mexico, USA Registered: Jan 2002
I checked out the website but they just dont say much about the 3.5. They have more stuff for the N*. Do a search for MechTech. For the Turbo 3.5 and N/A 3.5. If you want to know more about my 3.5 conversion just ask and I will try to answer I plan on doing a conversion thred step by step when I get done
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02:21 PM
West Coast Fiero Member
Posts: 2044 From: Los Angeles, CA, USA Registered: Jun 2001
anybody know if the Iusuz truck motor is the same 3.5 alloy v6 as the olds??we maybe able to use their flywheel and computer for a stick will this motor die with olds?? or are any other GM cars using this motor now that the 60 deg DOHC is no longer used/made is the saturn/opel/caddy/saab 3.0 alloy v6 the same base motor or are they two different units
is the bolt patern the same GM frontdrive patern WE have?
------------------ Question wonder and be wierd are you kind?
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05:17 PM
Aug 11th, 2003
Shadow_Wolf Member
Posts: 759 From: Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada Registered: May 2003
anybody know if the Iusuz truck motor is the same 3.5 alloy v6 as the olds??we maybe able to use their flywheel and computer for a stick will this motor die with olds?? or are any other GM cars using this motor now that the 60 deg DOHC is no longer used/made is the saturn/opel/caddy/saab 3.0 alloy v6 the same base motor or are they two different units
is the bolt patern the same GM frontdrive patern WE have?
The 3.1 and 3.4 are still in use... <sigh> I think time is limited for the 60 degree V6.. GM just hasn't put the development dollars into keeping these engines modern.
The olds 3.5 is a complete mystery to me. It seems that Olds and Cadillac are the ONLY divisions still allowed to produce their own engines... even Buick can't make that claim.. (though the 3800 is still a buick engine..)
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02:26 AM
Rickady88GT Member
Posts: 10649 From: Central CA Registered: Dec 2002
The Isuzu is not the same, even though they have the same Hp, Torque and displacement the engine block and heads are different. It even uses the same Delco computer, I considered getting a computer off the suv for the 5 speed 3.5 so I could put a 5 speed on my car and have the right computer programing. But I don't know what all the differences are and it's not smog legal anyway.
Far as I can tell the Saturn is completly different from other GM cars. Saturn doesn't share very many parts with other GM cars. As far as the Cadallic "Opel" Catera I'm not sure but I would say its not the same. I think the future of the 3.5 is dead, but they may use the technoligy learned in it for other engines. This engine was very expensive for GM to manufacture compared to the pushrods.
Yes, my 3.5 came out of an Olds Intrigue. Ironically, I also drive a 2002 Intrique.
Leave it to the brain surgeons at GM to put a sports engine in a grandma type car. And wonder why they didn't sell any.
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02:53 AM
PFF
System Bot
SplineZ Member
Posts: 952 From: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Registered: Nov 2002
I live next to Fresno. That is a long way to go from Sac. I would like to show it to other Fiero fanatics. So if you have a good reason to come down this way just click on the Email box and we can set something up. I went to Sac. for school and drove home every week end. Good thing I only needed 16 weeks of it. It took about 4 hours each way. I just got a 3.5 long block today. A forum member drove about 3 hours to sell it to me, and take a look at what I did.
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01:38 AM
Rickady88GT Member
Posts: 10649 From: Central CA Registered: Dec 2002
I think the hardest part of doing this conversion is the OBDII. I cant have the ECU reprogrmed so I just got all the stuff that the ECM needs to work, so it wont trip a code. One of the things I got for it is the dash pod. With a 6500 Tac and 140 speedo it should look cool
Since I've decided the Northstar is too much trouble/expensive to put into my 88, I'm very interested in this swap. Please continue to bring us details. I'm also interested in the 3.5 and 4.0 comparisons/similarities/differences.
