Filled up gas tank a bit early because I didn't know how accurate the gauge was (more accurate now at least). 5.7 gallons and 100 or so miles. It's the first tank so I don't think I count it, but I do still need to put in a thermostat, and it's too much fun to drive. Thats about 17.5 MPG. Bleh.
Also, I really recommend anyone who is doing an F23 with the 3800 or similar, to really try and get the 3.63 final drive FY1 gearset. 3.93 is just too low of a ratio for a 3800 for normal driving. You can't stay in each gear too long or else you are revving the crap out of the engine. That is what is killing the gas mileage I think as well. It would be really bad with a 4.9, it would hate it.
The most annoying part of my F23 is this: I usually cruise at 40mph down the roads here. It's a bit too fast for 4th, but when you shift into 5th it bogs. So I usually now go 43 mph or so and it won't bog as much if I keep a steady throttle.
Finally finished off the F23 swap I was doing and it is working quite nicely, I found the shifter bracket at the tranny end a little bit of a pain to get a workable angle and not hit the Fiero chassis but in the end I got it worked out ok. I have some photos I can post if any one is interested. Dan
Finally finished off the F23 swap I was doing and it is working quite nicely, I found the shifter bracket at the tranny end a little bit of a pain to get a workable angle and not hit the Fiero chassis but in the end I got it worked out ok. I have some photos I can post if any one is interested. Dan
Yea, I agree, I had to dent in my strut tower at that very spot for my shift cable bracket.
I did not have to dent any thing but was not fully happy with the angle either, an extra inch or so to that side of room would really make things line up better. Dan
Using the non spec pressure plate might be your problem with the slipping. Did you compare the clutch disk thickness of the stock and Spec disks? If the Spec disk is thicker then the pressure plate could be pushed passed its maximum clamping area. This could explain why the fingers are so far in.
You will need to get about 3 tanks thru the car before you MPG starts to improve. Be sure to break the clutch in the proper way so slipping will not become a long term issue....
Using the non spec pressure plate might be your problem with the slipping. Did you compare the clutch disk thickness of the stock and Spec disks? If the Spec disk is thicker then the pressure plate could be pushed passed its maximum clamping area. This could explain why the fingers are so far in.
The Spec disk was similar, if not thinner. The spec disk is used, so i'm not sure. But I do know the fingers are in the same spot (close enough) with the spec disk compared to the stock disk when installed.
quote
Originally posted by MstangsBware:
You will need to get about 3 tanks thru the car before you MPG starts to improve. Be sure to break the clutch in the proper way so slipping will not become a long term issue....
Ok, thanks for the tip. I'll need to "break it in" for the PP and flywheel surfaces, but like I just said, this spec disk is used, so I'm not sure how that effects things.
[This message has been edited by mattwa (edited 05-15-2012).]
Finally finished off the F23 swap I was doing and it is working quite nicely, I found the shifter bracket at the tranny end a little bit of a pain to get a workable angle and not hit the Fiero chassis but in the end I got it worked out ok. I have some photos I can post if any one is interested. Dan
Yes it does catch the one bell housing bolt or stud in this case and the tranny mount point, the car already had Rodney's poly mounts so I built off them plus I did not like the idea of using the factory F23 mounts because they look weak to me and only strong enough for a 4 cylinder and not a 3800SC engine. Dan
Not suggesting your mount work is weak it is that round factory rubber steel mount that felt too sloppy by hand for my liking, plus Rodney's poly mounts were already there so I might as well use them. Dan
Oh, ok. I used rubber on every mount anyway except the main one under the engine which is poly. But that factory bracket is cast iron. I'd be putting down more power with a Turbo or supercharger someday so I think I'll see how it holds up then, because I don't forsee a problem (except maybe cracking one of the dodge truck rubber mounts) with an N/A.
[This message has been edited by mattwa (edited 05-17-2012).]
My fear would be ripping the rubber right out of the factory F23 rubber mount. Got lucky and picked up a 2002 F23 with the proper bell housing that had been damaged on the portion other then the bell housing and an 09 F@# to use to combine the two and end up with a good F23 with only 30,000km on it. Dan
The mounts Dan has posted are in my car, and I can definitely say that they feel rock solid. I still need to adjust the bracket a bit to make shifting into third gear a bit easier, but overall the F23 "feels" a lot more rigid and smooth than the original Getrag. I haven't beaten on it yet, since my wonderful WCF headers cracked and sound terrible...but I have a feeling that this trans can take some spirited driving.
Dan...time to start selling F23 mounting kits! Combined with the cables from California Push&Pull, this kit will be in demand as 25 year old Getrags start exploding from wear and age. I am very happy with the mounts.
Today I installed a nearly new 3800 gear reduction starter that I got from Pull a part for $20. Wow!!! So much better. The other starter (also from pull a part) was always slow even when cold and had a hesitation. When it was hot, it barely turned the motor over. Now it's like ZIP done. Wow! I love it.
Edit: I also finished the wiring to the electric cruise control. I hope anyway, I forgot which wire was which when I ran the wires from the PCM.
[This message has been edited by mattwa (edited 05-24-2012).]
Skye got two new door strikers today, as well as the other two Fieros. Total of six new strikers, which are HELP! striker bolts for a FORD #38421. Just need to remove the plastic collar on the inside.
I also installed a new driver side upper hinge pin and bushings on the door, as it was really worn bad. Much better.
Man am I pissed. I was installing my custom air dam, and my drill bit caught and it ran itself right into the radiator. It's toast, and I already removed it. Went in the scrap pile. Though I guess it wasn't such a bad thing since it was a 27 year old 183K mile Duke radiator. It's quite thin.
Man am I pissed. I was installing my custom air dam, and my drill bit caught and it ran itself right into the radiator. It's toast, and I already removed it. Went in the scrap pile. Though I guess it wasn't such a bad thing since it was a 27 year old 183K mile Duke radiator. It's quite thin.
I gotta laugh on that one........Just think....Everything happens for a reason.....
I knew it needed replacement but we weren't planning on doing it this soon. Oh well. I plan to get another V6 Fiero radiator for a replacement. Can't really afford the Champion right now...
But at the same time I am replacing the hose clamps and I already cleaned out the coolant overflow tank. It had actual chunks of rust on the bottom..and the "rust water" at the bottom was disgusting.
[This message has been edited by mattwa (edited 05-26-2012).]
Well today I replaced the radiator with a used V6 radiator from Tstang, as well as new hose clamps and an un-cracked coolant tank, that was cleaned extremely well by my mom. It's spotless inside now. I haven't gone on a test drive yet but everything looks ok so far.
Comparison between V6 and L4 radiators.
[This message has been edited by mattwa (edited 05-27-2012).]
The 3800 has had a "system lean" code for a while. Pretty sure I found the problem today, I sprayed carb cleaner on the area between the EGR tube and the lower intake, and I noticed an almost instant change in RPM. Repeatable too. I actually sprayed for 2 seconds and it also stalled.
Pretty sure I fixed the EGR tube, it was just messed up a bit. I took the crossover pipe off to do it. Of course, one of the bolts from the crossover to the P-log snapped. It fought me till I was ready to quit, but I got it out with PB blaster, a torch, and visegrips. In the car of course. I'm proud that I finally won that battle. However my hands didn't fair so well...
Had the opportunity to test fit an F23 onto a 3800SC using both a clutch net clutch that looks a lot like a SPEC III and a McCleod clutch that looks like about a stage II and both hit the bell housing on the F23. To my surprise it was on the side of the pressure plate where it raises up that it hit not the surface closest to the tranny so it may be possible to slightly trim the clutch net clutch to clear but not the McCleod one. Dan
Had the opportunity to test fit an F23 onto a 3800SC using both a clutch net clutch that looks a lot like a SPEC III and a McCleod clutch that looks like about a stage II and both hit the bell housing on the F23. To my surprise it was on the side of the pressure plate where it raises up that it hit not the surface closest to the tranny so it may be possible to slightly trim the clutch net clutch to clear but not the McCleod one. Dan
I have been driving this Fiero regularly since my new job, and I got 26.6MPG, which was a mix of 40% city and 60% highway miles. I wasn't really driving it with MPG in mind (too much fun), so I'm sure otherwise it could get 30+MPG.
Otherwise Skye is doing good.
[This message has been edited by mattwa (edited 09-23-2012).]
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05:08 PM
Jun 9th, 2013
holzee Member
Posts: 18 From: Green Bay, Wisconsin Registered: Feb 2013
The only potential issue I see with solid mounting is breaking the case on the F23, but if you mount everything using several screws per mount it should be ok. It will most likely vibrate, but since it's a race car I'm sure that is of no concern.
[This message has been edited by mattwa (edited 06-09-2013).]
).
It's the first tank so I don't think I count it, but I do still need to put in a thermostat, and it's too much fun to drive. 
