Great job on the cradle drop. I did my first (and only) cradle drop a couple years ago, and at the time I had never even done a tune-up on a car. Got it done with no service manual (thanks to this forum) all by myself...but it took me two WEEKS, not two days! Great job and good luck with the rest of your project!
------------------ Ninety percent of the population thinks you'd have to be crazy to own a Fiero. I'm in the other ten percent!
[This message has been edited by Ditkaphile (edited 08-31-2009).]
Way to go mattwa. Soon your Fiero will be as nice as mine.
By the way to all of you on the forum. Mattwa is taking up our driveway, a lot of the garage and most all of our basement for this project. Where will it end. Oh well, he really is doing a terrific job with this whole build.
Wow, that is looking great! I'm very impressed with the amount of work you have put into the car. Hopefully in the end you will have one smoooooth runner I know how you feel about money being tight, my rebuild was not cheap either... but it sure is nice to see some good hard work being put in kudos to you
So are you planning on painting the car a shade of blue as well to match the engine?
------------------ BAZOOKAFIERO's Junk "Shoot him, cut out his tongue, and then shoot his tongue!"
Well, honestly I'm having 2nd thoughts on all this. Yes, when I'm done, I'll have an almost brand new engine and transmission, and it will look amazing, with some mods like the 7730 Swap. That's great, except for performance addicts like me. With all the money I have spent (and still need to spend), I could have easily bought a 4.9 with it's 4T60E, cleaned it up, Paint it, thrown it in, and called it a day. More power, same or less amount of money. I could add a turbo to this 3.4, but that would add another $1000-$1500 to the total cost on this project, which by then I could do a nice 3800SC swap! If I try to sell what I have, I'll take in a major loss.
I just don't know what I do. I want to add a turbo, but that just makes a complex job even more complex. Like I would want to use my 7730 computer I have but what code mask should i use? The Turbo 3.1 one? Plus as you saw I can't weld very well.
Or I could do nothing and do what I planned to do. But I wouldn't want to put it in then change my mind later.
I'm still going to finish the project no matter what happens, so don't worry about that. It's way too late to turn around, I most likely will use the 3.4 one way or another, I'm just kinda ranting. Sorry.
[This message has been edited by mattwa (edited 09-01-2009).]
Well, honestly I'm having 2nd thoughts on all this. Yes, when I'm done, I'll have an almost brand new engine and transmission, and it will look amazing, with some mods like the 7730 Swap. That's great, except for performance addicts like me. With all the money I have spent (and still need to spend), I could have easily bought a 4.9 with it's 4T60E, cleaned it up, Paint it, thrown it in, and called it a day. More power, same or less amount of money. I could add a turbo to this 3.4, but that would add another $1000-$1500 to the total cost on this project, which by then I could do a nice 3800SC swap! If I try to sell what I have, I'll take in a major loss.
I just don't know what I do. I want to add a turbo, but that just makes a complex job even more complex. Like I would want to use my 7730 computer I have but what code mask should i use? The Turbo 3.1 one? Plus as you saw I can't weld very well.
Or I could do nothing and do what I planned to do. But I wouldn't want to put it in then change my mind later.
I'm still going to finish the project no matter what happens, so don't worry about that. It's way too late to turn around, I most likely will use the 3.4 one way or another, I'm just kinda ranting. Sorry.
Sorry to hear you are having frustrations. You are young, and you got a lot of time ahead of you. I would LIKE to say that there will be many opportunities for other Fieros, but unfortunately as the years go by, more Fieros go to car heaven, and I am sure 10 years from now they will be harder to find.
If I were you, I would finish this project and make her into a decent daily driver. Get her patched up and good for the road, then you need to decide is funds. You can start saving now, and in a couple years or so have enough money to do a better swap, or you can buy a whole 'nother Fiero all together, whatever suits your fancy. I dunno what kind of budget you are going with on this project, but only focus on what you can afford now.
I know how you feel, when I took out the engines for both of my Fieros, I had the urge, because I knew that I could do sooo much more. I wanted so bad to do a swap, or at least upgrade everything, but I had no cash. I had to force myself to say no.
I don't know about that turbo much. But I do know that a super 60 series turbo from a 2.3L Mustang will work with the V-6 Fiero. Dennis La Grua (who is on the forum) has a website on how to do a turbo install, on the cheap. http://turbofiero.fierojoe.com/project.htm
If your still wanting more power and not wanting to get into the turbo yet why not a top swap? Swap to the 3100 or 3400 heads and youll have about 185hp over 200ftlb tq. Just a thought
If your still wanting more power and not wanting to get into the turbo yet why not a top swap? Swap to the 3100 or 3400 heads and youll have about 185hp over 200ftlb tq. Just a thought
Too late, already got my Turbo, and I have my wiring harness done. Plus there is more "Wow!" to a Turbo then a 3100 top end swap, and its more fun to mess with (and break things! ).
[This message has been edited by mattwa (edited 09-13-2009).]
Update for the day! Finished POR-15ing the rear of the car. Lesson learned-DO NOT get any on your skin. Doesn't come off. Needed to fix the Window motor on my dad's Fiero so I took off the outer door panel, it needed some other work anyway. I also took my fender off because when my project first started, and I needed to keep a cover on it. I snapped the Antenna base off trying to remove the antenna. Rusty. so i need to replace that. Also I removed my front bumper because 1.I want to try and fix it (doubt it..it's been hit 3 times now) 2.the energy cushion stuff was totally loose and just fell out. 3. POR-15 the rusty frame up there and 4. add fog lights (maybe). Thats about it for today!
[This message has been edited by mattwa (edited 09-14-2009).]
Just a word of warning! That blue wire loom you are using is NOT the High Temp used by the manufacturer. That stuff will melt very easily and make a mess of your wiring. Please be careful were you run it no ware near any heat source.
Looking Good Keep it Up
Joe Sokol
------------------ 85 SE Daily driver with a 3.4 DOHC OBD II 88 Formula/GT 4.9 Allante Intake (My Baby)
Just a word of warning! That blue wire loom you are using is NOT the High Temp used by the manufacturer. That stuff will melt very easily and make a mess of your wiring. Please be careful were you run it no ware near any heat source.
Looking Good Keep it Up
Joe Sokol
The manufacturer of my Blue Wire Loom said it was rated to about 250F.
mattwa: I had the same exhaust system as you. I did some testing on it and found almost 6 lbs of back pressure. During this time I also ran a few 1/4 mile runs at the local track and managed a 15.7 with a T125/3.06. I later removed the entire exhaust system, enlarged the down pipe and stopped it just past the cat location (no cat). Back pressure dropped to less the 1 lb and the best ET was 14.9, 60' times 1.92. My 4t60 I really like but the torque convertor is entirely too tight best ET 15.1, 60' times 2.1. This was with full 3" exhaust. 2.5 is about the right size. I was planning on running nitrous so I ran 3". MPG is about 30 hwy using a 3.42 gear. Using the newer ECM should really make it a nice running ride.
------------------
85 GT 3.4 14.9 @ 90 1.9 60' Old TH125/3.06 Unknown New 4T60/3.42
Today I POR-15'ed the Front frame, looks a lot better now! I also remounted my "Ah OOO Gah" Horn because I didn't like it where it was. By the way, it was Hilarious seeing peoples faces when i set it off while driving by.
[This message has been edited by mattwa (edited 09-15-2009).]
I do have a question. How do I connect the exhaust the the exhaust outlet? It's just round..no bolt holes or anything! Same with the intake, do i use clamps or what?
I do have a question. How do I connect the exhaust the the exhaust outlet? It's just round..no bolt holes or anything! Same with the intake, do i use clamps or what?
Its called a turbo band. Bolts just wont work on them. its a strap that sits onto that lip on the opening and there will be another lip on the exaust tube. I dont know where you can get them. i would sugest from the turbos manufacture.
That's a really cool swap Matt. That's the exact one I'd do if I had access to the parts, but being in Australia means that I'd have to import those parts which would be too costly.
As for your programming. Honestly get ahold of darth. he is very reasonable on price and there is a good chance if you give him the right info that your first chip from him will run very well.
The way you are going is correct, and the best t hing you can do is to practice welding a LOT. get some garbage exaust or Y pipe and try and weld an hour a day and by the time you need to make your Y pipe for the turbo you will be welding very well.
I do recommend getting the engine in without turbo first and then getting it tuned and running right. THEN do the turbo project. It's not hard with the engine in the car. It sucks chasing gremlins only to discover you have a basic problem you missed with the base engine.
As for your programming. Honestly get ahold of darth. he is very reasonable on price and there is a good chance if you give him the right info that your first chip from him will run very well.
The way you are going is correct, and the best t hing you can do is to practice welding a LOT. get some garbage exaust or Y pipe and try and weld an hour a day and by the time you need to make your Y pipe for the turbo you will be welding very well.
I do recommend getting the engine in without turbo first and then getting it tuned and running right. THEN do the turbo project. It's not hard with the engine in the car. It sucks chasing gremlins only to discover you have a basic problem you missed with the base engine.
Yes, i plan on contacting Darth with I'm at that step.
I don't think I want to do that, because I'll be using the 3.1 turbo code and I don't think the computer will be happy with-out boost being there. And I'm half set up to put the turbo in with the engine anyways.
That's a really cool swap Matt. That's the exact one I'd do if I had access to the parts, but being in Australia means that I'd have to import those parts which would be too costly.
A 3.4 Pushrod Turbo w/4T60
I do have to admit I'm kinda copying sardonyx247's Turbo 3.4, with the blue/sliver theme. Except I'll have my 4T60 and he has his 5-speed. I'm just happy I won't ever have to deal with dizzy's again! It gave me a lot of trouble with timing on my 2.8. I don't like them.
I just got a leather auto shift knob in a trade! Compared to my old Plastic one, it makes a big difference. mmeyer86gt/gtp does great leather work re-wraping these, it looks amazing! Thanks again mmeyer86gt/gtp!
[This message has been edited by mattwa (edited 09-25-2009).]
kudos to you
I want to add a turbo, but that just makes a complex job even more complex. Like I would want to use my 7730 computer I have but what code mask should i use? The Turbo 3.1 one? Plus as you saw I can't weld very well.
