ok I finally go it out. I started cleaning the deck but dont seem to be making very good progress with a plastic scraper and gasket remover. I haven't read anything about people getting the deck or head resurfaced on this engine
ok right i didnt use any power tools, i just did the best i could with the scraper and 2k grit. the stains will be ok i think.
I haven't read anything against doing this but you can rotate the crank with the cylinder heads off right? without pushing out any sleeves correct? Looks like the sleeves are cast in place
Its a high performance sealer for machined surfaces, gaskets, threads, etc.... You can get it in a spray also. The sealer has worked its way into the automotive/racing industry from the aircraft/aerospace industries. Our European friends have been using it for a long time for high performance automotive applications.
I use it on everything, diesels and gassers. If you look at the sealing surfaces of your 4.6, you might want to consider Hylomar.
I only have 5 more inserts to go and ill be done with that part. I should be getting the engine back together this week. I also decided to stick with the composite gasket and i think i will put the hylomar on just for insurance... I checked the heads for flatness and they are ok. However the block has minor pitting near the rear of it on the edges of the block near both upper and lower bolt holes on both sides. There is also some minor pitting on the heads where the open deck had eaten thru the gasket in a couple spots. None of the pitting seems to be in troublesome spots in my opinion.. what do you guys think?
ok I am working on getting the half case back together and I have not purchased new bolts yet. I can't seem to find them online which seems odd since they are tty bolts.. The newer oil plate must require shorter bolts? I might just go to fasteners and see what they have
I talked to a guy at felpro and he recommended that I install the head gasket with no sealer and if the pits aren't too bad they should be ok, however I could use a metal filler and razor blade to smooth out the pitted areas. The only one I would actually think twice about would be the one on the head, i might do that, but I feel pretty reassured it will be ok with just the headgasket. And if it is anything like the factory head gasket that was a nightmare to clean up and get off then i think i will be ok since it seems to soak into the aluminum or something.
Also I read there is an updated torque spec on the head? I have 20ftlb + 60 + 60 + 60 but i have also read 30ftlb + 70 + 70 + 70
yeah i can tell. i can't imagine doing that torque sequence with the head bolts going into the aluminum with that fine thread pitch.
Im going to use a northstar surge tank so will i need to keep the fiero coolant overflow or should I cap it off at the radiator neck?
Im aiming to have the engine back in by the end of the weekend here. still just lots of things to paint, weld, and clean up before I get the engine in there for the last time for a while. Theres not a lot of wiggle room for the engine in there so I hope my one cadillac dogbone and front/rear motor mounts can keep this thing in place. Im really dreading doing the exhaust, even tho its last.
I did keep the original fiero coolant overflow. I put a higher PSI cap on the radiator and a lower pressure cap on the surge tank located higher in the engine bay. I've used surge tanks from a landcover and Volkswagen Jetta.
If you have four engine mounting locations, you should be OK. I do have an extra dogbone or support from the cradle to the head just in case something would break. Haven't had any issues at all.
Are you using the stock exhaust manifolds and crossover pipe or are you doing custom headers?
im using the stock manifolds and cross over. I cut the collectors and bent them down at a better angle then patched them up to make everything work a little easier and also had to move the o2 sensor on the right side manifold a bit to clear the trunk. The cross over was coming into contact with the CV boot clamp so I cut the close section of the shield out, and put a small dent where it was close. I have just about everything put back together as far as the engine goes. Going to rent the water pump socket tomorrow because i can see the seal on the pulley side of the water pump dangling out. Also need to make the one bellhousing adapter, then cut a couple things, weld a couple things, paint those thing, and then put it back in the car and start making the wiring look good and running it to the PCM under the driver seat
yeah im very excited, and excited to get this off my plate. It's really a lot more than you expect, but this is my first time doing something like this.
Water pump is being an unexpected nightmare. spent a while trying to get the ring off with a rental tool. I tried an impact gun and breaker bar to no avail. I will probably make a socket hold down strap tomorrow.
mostly done with the cradle and should be painting tomorrow.
Lots of coolant connections on my setup... I hate coolant leaks.
yeah I took a good look at it before I tried to remove it and made sure I went clockwise. Last 2 nights I would hit it with wd40 and the impact gun and it wouldnt budge. Tonight it came off after just a couple seconds. YES. So glad. Now originally i was just going to put the Oring in there seeing that it was popped out for some reason on the old one, but seeing as how it was so rusty i might as well just order one.
I should be putting the powerplant back in the car tomorrow after i build a battery tray and make a couple small cuts to fit the surge tank nicely. I think everything else i can do with the engine in the car (i hope)
Actions you might consider while the engine is out:
1) You might want to put in a new thermostat and drill a tiny hole in the flange to allow coolant to fill to the other side of the thermostat. Its easier to bleed the air out of the system that way.
2) You might also want to modify the oil dipstick tube by bending it toward the motor more. It will give you more clearance.
3) Consider plugging the valve cover cap hole with a freeze plug and fill it up with JB Weld for aesthetic reasons. Drill a hole in the opposite valve cover (Left side in the Fiero on the trunk side) and put in a rubber oil fill plug. Way easier to fill the engine with oil.
shes back in. now the fun stuff. I probably should of done the valve cover thing... oh well.. i had already bent the dip stick tube. shouldnt the surge tank do a good job of bleeding the coolant system?
going to need to figure out the coolant routing soon as well as the vacuum
1) You might want to put in a new thermostat and drill a tiny hole in the flange to allow coolant to fill to the other side of the thermostat. Its easier to bleed the air out of the system that way.
Drilling the hole is not necessary if you plumb the heater core correctly. I converted from '87 to '86 heater line in my car so I could do this. Since you're swapping an '84, you already have the right heater pipes.
[This message has been edited by Will (edited 02-09-2015).]
okay all I have left is the wiring and coolant lines. How are you guys running the temperature gauge? Do you use the fiero sensor and wiring and just install it into the water crossover?
Just would like to run a few things by u guys if you have a chance to reply thank you.
there is a little cannister valve on what looks to be like vacuum hose coming out from below where the shift linkage cables come out, that looks like its for the brake booster right so just connect to engine vacuum aka that large metal hose coming out by the fuel lines? correct?
I can't seem to find a good wiring diagram for the 84 engine harness. Can i connect the N* coil pack tach signal to the fiero tach input, if so any info on what that wire looks like would be great.
Any Info on the coolant routing would be helpful. I have the left side coolant tube going to the thermostat. right side to the larger connection right above that. I need to find out which coolant ports on the water crossover and water pump housing go to the surge tank and heater core inlets. Im not sure which ones are feed and return.
Im going to look at my dads seville and my buddies fiero in the meantime and see what i can come up with thanks guys
