I am doing a 4.9 swap and had to do the valve covers, so this is what I did.




I have seen the swapped covers, but I like the ribs all the way across the cover. I also think the "dent" in the front cover works great under the deck lid hinge mount. So I left the covers were they are and painted one of them The other cover will need to come off and get painted next. I wanted to try this one first before I did them both.
I cut a hole for the oil fill and used a Fiero oil fill cap. BUT in my style of "If there is a hard way to do it, find a harder way" I did not like the different oil viscosity rating on the Fiero cap so I disassembled the 4.9 cap and Fiero cap. I put the stock 4.9 threaded part of the cap back into the valve cover as a plug. Then I JB welded the TOP of the 4.9 cap to the BOTTOM of the Fiero cap. Now the 4.9 cap is on the Fiero cap in the back 4.9 valve cover.

Does that make sense?

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

[This message has been edited by Rickady88GT (edited 02-14-2008).]

Looks great!

When I did my 4.5 install many years ago, I also kept the notched valve cover on the front... just fits perfect under the decklid hinge. However, I did not mess with moving the oil fill.

I like it!!!!!

[This message has been edited by craigsfiero2007 (edited 02-14-2008).]

This is the "Front cover" in its original position with the oil fill cap threads screwed into the valve cover. It only functions as a plug now. I did not want a fill cap on both covers. I plan to paint it with the cover so it will be totally disguised under the rear window.




The engine is on the cradle with a rear clip bolted to the cradle for ease of modding the mounts before it went in the car.

The tops of both oil fill caps. The one with white letters is the original V6 Fiero cap, the one on the right with yellow letters is the original 4.9 oil fill cap.


This is a view of the two caps turned over. The Fiero cap on the left has ribs that were used to glue the top of the cap to the "threads" at the bottom of the cap. The cap on the right is the hybrid 4.9 top and Fiero bottom JB welded together. The fit of the 4.9 to the Fiero cap is actually better now than they were stock.

[This message has been edited by Rickady88GT (edited 02-14-2008).]

Looks great, adds a nice touch.

------------------
If you can not run with the big dogs, stay on the porch!

I love the mock up chassis...

Love the valve covers... looks like mine lol... minus the fiero decal

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

Do you have a build thread? I'd love to see some pics.

I got some more I'm gonna do before I'm completly done with this cover.

Looks similar to the ones that Watts did up for my 4.9 You have no idea how many people look into the engine bay and see Fiero V8 PFI and tell me how they never knew a Fiero came stock with a V8.




------------------
85GT 5spd ,93 Eldorado 4.9 Dual O2 Custom Chip, Archie Clutch. Custom Exhaust. MSD Everything 245/50/16's Not Your Average 4.9 Capt Fiero Com --- My Over View Cadero Pics Yellow 88GT 5spd Stock.

[This message has been edited by Capt Fiero (edited 02-14-2008).]

Wow nice job.
I used a dremel tool to grind out all the little screw bosses and then filled the detents with a metal patch. Other than that, your rear cover looks a lot like my front cover


I painted the cover in three steps. First I primed with a high temp black, then metal flake silver like the stock Caddy cover, then taped the ribs off and last the high temp red. Take off the tape and there you go faux polished aluminum.

[This message has been edited by Rickady88GT (edited 02-14-2008).]

Your doing a 4.9 swap??? (quickly bookmarking now) I LOVE what you did with the shortstar. I cant wait to see what you do with a 4.9.


PS Im assuming it's going in another car right?
-T

quote Originally posted by Puckhead: Your doing a 4.9 swap??? (quickly bookmarking now) I LOVE what you did with the shortstar. I cant wait to see what you do with a 4.9. PS Im assuming it's going in another car right? -T

COOL, Thanks.
This is is a little different from others already. But it wont be anything like the S*. I just want to sell the car. So I am doing a 4.9 swap to help it move. I may hold on to it for a while first to get the V8 Fiero feel before I move on to another swap. The goal is a CA smog legal 4.9 4 speed auto with Corvette power steering in a Black 88GT with Beachwood Leather.

I have not decided on a build thread. But I did pist some pics during my research stage. I hope I can resist overdoing this project

Hi. I am doing a 4.9 swap and need nice valve covers. Does anyone offer these valve covers for sale? Thanks.

quote Originally posted by jackcastro: Hi. I am doing a 4.9 swap and need nice valve covers. Does anyone offer these valve covers for sale? Thanks.

There is no real need to buy them, they are very easy to make. If you have a V6 Fiero, take off the oil fill cap and look at the hole in the cover. There are no threds and the cap only has ears to hold it on the cover. All I did was dril a hole with a hole saw then a dremel tool to cut out the flat spots. You can use the stock V6 Fiero cap if you want, just make sure you use the right oil for the V8 and not the oil for the V6. Now if I were to do this again , I would fill the area around the hole with metal patch so the O ring will have a better seal. The fit is so close that I dont think I will have a problem.

Here is a little more work done. I changed the thermostat housing and heater bypass for a cleaner look.

I love that you have the back half of a Fiero sitting in your yard to mock up your swap in.

quote Originally posted by Fastback 86: I love that you have the back half of a Fiero sitting in your yard to mock up your swap in.

MUCH easier than lifting the car and putting the drive train in and out several times. The front and rear fire walls are removable and the cradle is on blocks. So the only bolts holding the rear clip on are the two front hinge bolts. I can lift up the clip like a hatch to make adjustments or just remove the fire walls.

Very nice work. I have an extra of that valve cover I may have to play with a bit. Thanks for sharing.

What's that green stuff on the ground in all of your pictures? Ohh, wait a minute I think I remember what that stuff is, it's hidden under a bunch of white stuff around here! Sorry, it's been a long winter.

quote Originally posted by Jefrysuko: What's that green stuff on the ground in all of your pictures? Ohh, wait a minute I think I remember what that stuff is, it's hidden under a bunch of white stuff around here! Sorry, it's been a long winter.

Ha Ha I cant kill that stuff

quote Originally posted by Rickady88GT: I am doing a 4.9 swap and had to do the valve covers, so this is what I did.

You want to do mine??

And thanks for the idea of what to do with that extra back end of a Fiero in my back yard.

quote Originally posted by jscott1: You want to do mine?? And thanks for the idea of what to do with that extra back end of a Fiero in my back yard.

The turned bypass and invisible fuel lines too
I said I would not get to deep in this swap, but that just don't seem to be me. It just kept bugging me to see crap covering the valve cover. I used the 4 banger T stat housing and cut it up then welded it back together so it is at about the same angle as the stock V6 housing and aimed the hose barb towards the distributor just a tad. I guess I could use either a Fiero T stat or Caddy T stat, but I will keep the Caddy T stat. Then cut off the bypass barb, cut out about .5" and re-welded it towards the tranny. That way the hose does not go over the valve cover. I have the rear side fuel rail in the machine shop getting re-welded/silver soldered. I disassembled it to relocate the fuel supply and return so they don't go over the valve cover. The fuel lines will now run under the distributor and then back towards the fire wall out of view. I plan to run the fuel lines up the center of the fire wall from the the tank. I also changed the injector wire harness to hide it from view.


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

[This message has been edited by Rickady88GT (edited 03-08-2008).]

Is this a standard HEI GM distributor cap? Can I get Red wires and Cap?

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

Yes it is a standard HEI cap. One version has screws and the other has sring loaded clasps. Red should be an easy color to get from MSD or Mallory. You can get a cut to fit plug wire set in red, blue, black, or yellow and cut them for a perfect fit and allows custom routing of wires.

new pics.
I did these mods to show off the rear valve cover. I just could not tolerate the stuff over the rear cover.

The modified fuel pipes. I cut the big hex nut out of the fuel rail and moved it closer to the distributor to hide the fuel lines.







Short Stick dip sticks.
This is how I have done all my 60/65E tranny and oil dippers.





Brake booster pipe. This will allow me to hide the booster hose.

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

[This message has been edited by Rickady88GT (edited 03-12-2008).]

That is absolutely brilliant. If I decide to do a 4.9 on my 87 GT, I may just copy what you've done

Thanks, I just could not stand anything covering the valve cover. So I had to do a few mods to uncover the cover

BTW how far are you from Brentwood?

quote Originally posted by Rickady88GT: Thanks, I just could not stand anything covering the valve cover. So I had to do a few mods to uncover the cover BTW how far are you from Brentwood?

Brentwood is just south of Nashville. So it is like a 2.5 hour drive, following posted speed limits

quote Originally posted by topher_time: Brentwood is just south of Nashville. So it is like a 2.5 hour drive, following posted speed limits

OK. cool, I have a buddy over there. Just thought I'd ask.

quote Originally posted by Rickady88GT: Thanks, I just could not stand anything covering the valve cover. So I had to do a few mods to uncover the cover

Wow! I didn't think that a 4.9 could look that good. Where are all the wires??

quote Originally posted by jscott1: Wow! I didn't think that a 4.9 could look that good. Where are all the wires??

The wire harness is not on it in the pics, BUT will not be much of an addition. I plan on doing a Rockcrawl Shaker Hood Scoop and hide the harness and extra electronics. But a remote purge and other tidbits can be remote mounted.

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

I like the valve covers so much I'm trying to do the same. What did you use to make the hole for the oil fill?

quote Originally posted by rdprowse: I like the valve covers so much I'm trying to do the same. What did you use to make the hole for the oil fill?

Looks great... but for those of us that are challenged, we need a step by step "how to" with photos.

------------------
FierOmar

wow, thoes look Great!!

------------------
WTB: tan floormats


AIM:Onefast2M8
MSN Onefast2M6@hotmail.com
86 GT SC 3800 Intercooled
07 G6 GTP

Nice job, how long til the car is finished and up for sale?

[This message has been edited by Fierotaz (edited 04-17-2008).]

As always Rick, top notch.

------------------
And it begins again...

Thanks guys.
I just got off the phone 10min ago and basically sold the engine. I may finish the swap and sell the entire car? I don't have pics of the new Red HEI "HOT" coil cap and red custom plug wires. I Got a new Red cap for an HEI SBC and adapted it to the 4.9 because it was cheaper than getting a Red cap for the 4.9 then a Hot coil for the cap. BUT I stopped working on the 4.9 because I got a "New Love" My 5.3 LS4 now has my attention.

I will post some pics of the Cap and Wires tomorrow.

quote Originally posted by FierOmar: Looks great... but for those of us that are challenged, we need a step by step "how to" with photos.

FieroOmar, What are you doing with your 4.9 swap? FnD?

PIP is not working, cant post pics