The engine bay hardware for my 4.3 car is mostly stock (did relocate the Evap canister). My primary focus was on a clean install for a daily driver:
Here are some things I am doing on a 4.9 swap to keep everything hidden as much as possible (including the 500 connector), but without the overkill on the SBC car:
[This message has been edited by fieroguru (edited 05-30-2009).]
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06:49 PM
avengador1 Member
Posts: 35468 From: Orlando, Florida Registered: Oct 2001
This is a shot of my engine about three months ago. Since then, I actually removed the snorkel coming off the air filter housing. It rattled badly and was, in no way, air tight anymore so the whole idea of "cold air intake" was moot anyway. The engine bay looks much cleaner without it and with the big, gaping hole in the side of the air cleaner housing, the car has a healthy sounding growl to it when I really step on it. The old, worn out rubber grommets in the valve cover have been replaced and leak no more. The vent under the snorkel has a ricey-lookin' little cone filter in it now, but at least the filter material is red.
A quick look will reveal a fuel pressure gauge on the fuel line, a trunk mounted temperature gauge (not pictured), and the throttle, shift and select cables have been shielded with red "air brake" line from a wrecked semi-tractor. A closer look and you'll see the new electrical and heat reflective tape on the wiring harness. And although it can't be seen in this pic, I removed the recall heat shield (between the block and the exhaust manifold) from my other Fiero, bent it the opposite of it's original shape, and installed it on the outside of the exhaust manifold to keep the heat off the C500 and associated wiring.
The valve cover, pushrod cover, intake manifold, and thermostat housing gaskets are all brand new and sealed with Indianhead Gasket Shellac and they will never leak again. (I just feel sorry for the poor bastard that ever has to pull them off.)
The area where the battery mounted to the side of the engine bay is no more as rust did a number on it. Having no other materials onhand and no time to chase them down, I installed a piece of 3/4" plywood to fill the empty space. In that, I drilled a hole large enough to accomodate a Master On/Off switch on the negative battery cable. This is a great feature to have as I no longer need a wrench to disconnect the battery when servicing electrical components.
All I need is a little more time, a little more sandblaster, a little more money, a little more paint, and a place to do it all, lol.
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11:23 PM
May 31st, 2009
fierosound Member
Posts: 15220 From: Calgary, Canada Registered: Nov 1999
This brings to mind an interesting question. Do you ever powerwash you engines? If so are there any parts that need to be protected from water/cleaners?
I ask this because for as long as I can remember I have "washed" under the hood of every daily driver I have even owned. Not once is 25 years have I been stranded but I always avoided the distributor and fuse box etc. Hand detailing, while very rewarding, is a PITA. Anyone, anyone Bueller, Bueller.....?
Power washing is about the only way I clean my engine bays... and I have never had any issues with electronics after a wash.
If you assembled your car right a low power power wash will wok just fine. If you skipped the important step of putting dielecctric grease in every connector and connection, then you can have problems. A stock V6 distributor is not sealed up because for some reason they decided that the rubber gasket for the cap was not necessary or too expensive of an option. THAT is where most cars have problems after giving the engine bay a washing. Using some of the sawran wrap bowl shower caps on the distributor work great to keep it dry and you can wash without worry.
I'd post photos of mine but they look like a stock engine bay. I need to get my heat shields and air cleaner to the local plater to have chromed, Just have not had time to clean them up, and I dont want to pay $45.00 an hour for one of their guys to clean them up.
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09:58 AM
doublec4 Member
Posts: 8289 From: Oakville, Ontario, Canada Registered: Jun 2003
I use a light soap water and then polish all the chrome and billet i have never needed to powerwash under the hood.If you wash down once a month i dont think there would be a need for powerwashing.I do the same on all my new cars and trucks and never have any problems
Wow, we really have some good looking engine compartments here. Mine is pretty clean but definitely designed mostly for go and not much show. I'll take a picture and post it later but the detail is not going to win any awards.
------------------ " THE BLACK PARALYZER" -87GT 3800SC Series III engine, 3.4" Pulley, N* TB, LS1 MAF, Flotech Exhaust Autolite 104's Custom CAI 4T65eHD w. custom axles, HP Tuners VCM Suite. "THE COLUSSUS" 87GT - ALL OUT 3.4L Turbocharged engine, Garrett Hybrid Turbo, MSD ign., modified TH125H " ON THE LOOSE WITHOUT THE JUICE "
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08:34 PM
falcon_ca Member
Posts: 1295 From: Chicoutimi, Quebec, Canada Registered: Dec 2007
This brings to mind an interesting question. Do you ever powerwash you engines? If so are there any parts that need to be protected from water/cleaners?
I ask this because for as long as I can remember I have "washed" under the hood of every daily driver I have even owned. Not once is 25 years have I been stranded but I always avoided the distributor and fuse box etc. Hand detailing, while very rewarding, is a PITA. Anyone, anyone Bueller, Bueller.....?
I sprayed my engine with 3 cans of gunk degreaser and then power washed it this summer. I didn't take any precautions and she fired right up. Larry
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Without question the greatest invention in the history of mankind is beer. Oh I grant you that the wheel was also a fine invention but the wheel does not go nearly as well with pizza. -- Dave Barry
Gimme another beer, it'll fit. More later.
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