'95 3.4 DOHC -> '88 Fiero

[Standard]

Well, decided to post over here since there seem to be a lot of the smart people and none of the n00b's over here.

I've got a line on a '95 3.4 TDC for $200.. don't know much about it except it's missing the injectors. I've been wanting something with more balls than my Q4 HO for a while now, and I think this is a sign. Few questions about it, though.

Will the '96+ intake bolt right up? How about the '96+ heads?

Before I put it in the car, I'm going to go through it, replace the timing belt, dist. shaft o-ring, and basically make sure everything is alright with it. Anything else I should pay attention to? Probably do the 13* exhaust retard while I'm at it.

I'm also going to be bolting this up to an Isuzu. Reason being that I already have Rodney's short shifter and cables for the Isuzu.. Anyone know offhand if you can swap Isuzu Bellhousings? The one I have currently is a 3.35 final drive with about 12,000 miles on it, but with the Q4 bellhousing pattern.

I'd love to stick with the Q4, but this seems to be a much easier way to obtain more HP. If I were to stick with the Quad, it would get a full rebuild, cams, bump up the compression.. too many choices. Or just do a 327 SBC. :argue: arguing with myself over the choices.

[Shaun41178(2)]

STandard, I have always loved your car. it looks great and also has a nice looking swap.

I like the quad 4. It can be a powerfull combo in a Fiero with the right mods.

DO you have any mods done to it?

This is how I see it and its just my opinion since thats what you seem to be asking here.

1. You already have the quad 4 done which means you are already well above a stock Fiero.

2. Its lighter then any stock fiero engine which is a bonus.

3. it can make just as much power as a dohc with a few mods. n/a for n/a

4. its in an 88 chassis which does pretty well stock.


I am sure you already have a cai on it and maybe a short exh. But thats prob it right?

There are a lot of mods out there for this engine.

I mean you can do port work on the heads and intake, larger tb, and even cam regrinds to get more power. Not sure if you want to go forced induction or not but there is always a 50 shto of nitrous or a turbo like Bryson.

GM got a lot of hp out of a quad 4 N/a and even a hell of a lot more with a turbo. If you have the money to swap a 3.4 dohc then I say put a turbo on it. If you dont' want a turbo then go nitrous for the every once in a while power. A 50 shot will really wake that engine up.

If you want some more full time power I say you do some typical hot rod techniques. head porting and intake. Pulleys, and new cams or regrinds. I know the HO cams are already good but there is room for more there.

A dohc swap is going to cost quite a bit of money. I am not sure if the bellhousings will transfer over or not from one tranny to the other but I would guess they don't. otherwise people would swap bellhousings of the 3.94 trannies to fit a Fiero engien bolt pattern.

So you would need to buy the dohc engine, the wiring, the computer, rewire everything, new coolant hoses, new throttle attachments, and lots of little odds and ends.

Or stick with the quad 4 which is already payed for and complete and mod that. It can make good power.

I say in this order.

1. Turbo.
2. Nitrous.
3. Headwork
4. standard bolt ons


I would be willing to port a HO head for you for cheap just to see you make more power with that combo.

Regrinds on your cams will prob be around $250 or so which isnt' that bad and can probably get you another 10 hp or so. In fact I even think there are new cams out there for your engine with more lift and duration then the HO cams. NOt sure where to find them though. RK sport maybe?

Lightweight sprigns and valvetrain and get you another 500 hp or so which can't hurt.

Some intake porting will do wonders as well.

My opinion anyways.

Shaun

[Shaun41178(2)]

Ps whatever you do dont' put a v8 in it. It will add a bunch of weight over your quad 4. You will notice the difference.

[eHoward]

Welcome to the forum. Ive been a fan of your Q4 88 also.

I think Shuan forgot to include that heads and intake on the DOHC are transferable.

I also think Shaun forgot that your Q4 isnt running currently so most stock fiero should be quicker then it in its current form.

If you put the 3.4DOHC in and dont like it, you can always pull it out and chalk it up to experience.

If I were you, I would consider boosting another Q4. Mild boost though. Like half a bar from a SC34.

[Standard]

Well, when I had the head off the first time I did some pretty amature-ish porting on the exhaust side:



Other than that.. slightly shaved head, exhaust and intake it's stock. Desperatly needs a timing chain..

I wanted to do a turbo but the difficulty of making an exhaust manifold stopped me. I can weld, but just don't have the tools needed. And engine managment also becomes the issue then.

Mantapart has W41 profile cams w/ lifters for $650, which is supposed to bump it up to 190 hp with no other mods.. RK Sport doesn't offer anything that I know of.

of course..

Lightweight sprigns and valvetrain and get you another 500 hp or so which can't hurt.

I'd be all over that :thumbleft:

[Standard]

Welcome to the forum. Ive been a fan of your Q4 88 also.

Thanks!

I also think Shaun forgot that your Q4 isnt running currently so most stock fiero should be quicker then it in its current form.

Only 'cause it's parked in the garage, since it's winter up here in the frozen north :bootyshake:

It's been running all summer, just not in tip-top shape. Still need to get a decent rear fascia, drivers side tail-light, and a paint job.

[eHoward]

I thought you popped the motor. My bad.

Only 'cause it's parked in the garage, since it's winter up here in the frozen north :bootyshake:

It's been running all summer, just not in tip-top shape. Still need to get a decent rear fascia, drivers side tail-light, and a paint job.

[admin]

So you dont' have a W41 spec motor in there now?

IF not then Dude go for it!!

Get the larger cams, do some headwork, intake and exh work. Larger tb and such and you will be making aaround 220 hp. Thats a 3.4 right there without the headaches of a swap. Like I said I have no prob doign your headwork for you for cheap just to see that make good power. Your swap is different and thats what I like about it. PM for details on that if you are interested. I did Jon's N star heads with good results. Ask him about them if you want.

Then there is always a bit of juice on top of it if you are into that.

I am an advocate of it in a Fiero. it really wakes these cars up. Its not a super car with it by any means, but if you have a motor that makes 200 crank, then add a 75 shot thats 135 hp more then stock in a Fiero plus a buttload more tq. Guess whats going to happen.

I mean on my stock 2.8 I was able to run low 14's!

A quad 4 with a turbo and an aftermarket standalone system is the ultimate way to go. Sure it might be pricey, but think how much you might dump into a dohc swap. Or hell evena V8 swap cough cough cough

But yes the heads on a 96 are interchangeable with earlier years with the intakes for a 3.4 dohc.

[Standard]

alright.. now you got me thinking.

W41 hot cam - .410 lift, 241* @ .050
Replace all the worn stuff.. freshen it up. Shave the head .020, or if I'm feeling really ambitious pull the bottom end apart and get it balanced, and get some 11:1 pistons. Get rid of the stock IDI and get some MSD coil packs. Get a decent exhaust on there.

Time to start saving up, I guess. Just wish I had a heated garage so I could start tearing it apart...

[Shaun41178(2)]

Look around for prices on the W41 cams. Some might offer the same spec cams for cheaper. Try GM even or hell someone somewhere might have a set in a box they never used. hit up some quad 4 forums and get some tips on wringing more power out of it.

If you are just going to do the head for now tat would be good. Give you an idea on how much it will cost without pulling everything out for a total rebuild. You can prob easily dump $1200 into the head for more power.

Is your garage attached to your house? If so just get a little portable electric heater and crank it up. It will heat the garage warm enough to allow you to work. Dress warm of course. If your garage is huge then a small heater won't work. You will need like a salamander then.

Do headwork, header if you can, intake port work, larger TB and catback of 2.5 inches.

That engine is waht the 180 hp motor now or the 150?

[Standard]

it's the 180hp HO version. Forgot to mention a set of +/- 2* cam gears. Seems the Q4 reacts well to a 2* retard on the exhaust cam and a 2* advance on intake.

I've heard that GM has a few W41 cam sets left, and I think Crane makes some. Although anything over .410 lift will give the stock ECM fits.

Wish I had a house to attach a garage to... in an apartment. My mom's garage space is taken up by my brother who is currently pulling the front crossmember from his 86 GT..

Right now this is what I'm thinking:

1. Freshen up the engine. New timing chain, timing chain guides, cam gears, lifters, and valve springs. Pull the oil pan and see how the bottom end is. Don't really want to mess with it if I don't have to at this point. Get aftermarket DIS coils and get rid of IDI/beauty cover.

2. W41 cams. There's two grinds, both have .410 lift but the stock w41 has 219* duration, while the 'hot cam' has 241*. I don't mind it loping, but also don't want to make it un-streetable.

3. Exhaust. The stock HO manifold actually flows pretty good after you clean it up. Go from there, to a cat, to a resonated tip. Could add small muffler later on if this is too loud, but I don't think it will be.

4. Aluminum flywheel and SPEC clutch, if I have the money. Need to figure out which flywheel/clutch I need, since I have a '96 Isuzu tranny which was never originally bolted up to the Q4, only the 2.4 TC

5. Ditch the AC system, cruise control, etc. I'd like to get it on a diet. Clean up the engine bay and wiring harness while I'm at it. Stiffen up the engine mounts and build some solid tranny mounts.

I'm just gonna keep this list goin and add to it as I think of things, more to remind myself than anything.

someone wanna change the title of the thread to something like '88 Quad 4 coupe build-up'?

[The Dark Side of Will]

I am not sure if the bellhousings will transfer over or not from one tranny to the other but I would guess they don't. otherwise people would swap bellhousings of the 3.94 trannies to fit a Fiero engien bolt pattern.

The bellhousings are swappable on teh 282, as long as the diff carrier bearing preload is reset properly. Don't see why it would be different with the Isuzu.

For the record, I think you should keep the Q4. Those are really cool engines and as has been said, you can get a lot from them.

Where are you located? I'm in VA and have a real W41 engine to do something with. I haven't decided if I want to build a stroked quad or a bored twin cam...

[Standard]

I'm up here in MN. Freakin cold and I'm sick as hell right now, gotta love it.

I just want to build a stout little n/a quad.

[THE PUNISHER]

Don't have much to say ..welcome to the forum and nice thread..keep it going

[Shaun41178(2)]

Like I said before. I will do your head cheap. I just want to see you make some good power wtih this motor.

ITs different and isnt' a v8 knuckle dragging pushrod motor like many fiero owners do bar the LT1 and LS1

Its got style and is lightweight and in the best chassis produced even if not that great by todays standards.

But even so its worth a shot.

Dont' let this thread die.

Git er done Standard

[AkursedX]

. I will do your head cheap.

Hehehe