Flat Engines?

teamlseep13 · Post by **teamlseep13** » Thu Jul 07, 2005 1:36 am

Hey guys, new here, looking for info on installing a boxed-type engine in a fiero. Anyone tried this? I was thinking either a Subaru flat 4 or a Boxster engine. I know width is gonna be the limiting factor, just curious if anyone has tried this.
Great forum, thanks.

donk_316 · Post by **donk_316** » Thu Jul 07, 2005 1:56 am

Why would you bother with the expense / hassle of doing that when there is a million engine options for a fiero that will get you everything your looking for performance wise.

stimpy · Post by **stimpy** » Thu Jul 07, 2005 2:21 am

Yeah, I guess that would be more the question then can you, is should you. Anything can be done if you have enough money to throw and the right people to throw it at. An STi engine would be pretty crazy, but to answer your question I personally have no answers for you.

But welcome anyhow.

teamlseep13 · Post by **teamlseep13** » Thu Jul 07, 2005 2:43 am

Well, sure there are all types of engine swaps already done but I just like doing things different. Plus the inherent balance of boxer engines plus the sound of them is just amazing!
Ya an STi engine would be so fun, but I guess until I get some width measurements from a boxer engine I will be in the dark. Thanks guys.

stimpy · Post by **stimpy** » Thu Jul 07, 2005 3:11 am

Are you thinking of a transverse application, or inline? If cardealer could put a nasty big block on a toranado axle, you might be able to to find a ZF Pantera tranny. Like I said, How much money do you want to throw?

teamlseep13 · Post by **teamlseep13** » Thu Jul 07, 2005 3:47 am

Oh i wanna mouth it longitudinatlly with a 6 speed transaxle like the Boxster has. I am going to my friends tomorrow to measure the Boxster S engine width.
If worse comes to worse and the strut towers get in the way, I may just scrap them and do a full double wishbone IRS.

stimpy · Post by **stimpy** » Thu Jul 07, 2005 12:38 pm

Ooh. That does sound sexy. Do you have picks of what you're working with so far? I know that there are members here who have Subies. I'd imagine, though, that doing some searching on WRX websites and forums might yeild you better results. As far as incorporating it into the Fiero, we'll see what we can do to assist.

Kohburn · Post by **Kohburn** » Thu Jul 07, 2005 1:51 pm

prior to 2000 subaru did have a FWD tranny available -

mate that up to a WRX engine and it should fit on the fiero craddle

Doug Chase · Post by **Doug Chase** » Thu Jul 07, 2005 2:48 pm

Kohburn wrote:prior to 2000 subaru did have a FWD tranny available -

mate that up to a WRX engine and it should fit on the fiero craddle

The potential problem with that is that the motor hangs in front of the transaxle. When you line up the axles on the cradle the front of the engine may want to be in the passenger compartment.

Not trying to shoot the idea down, just pointing out some problems you'll need to overcome so you won't be at a dead end when / if you hit them.

Kohburn · Post by **Kohburn** » Thu Jul 07, 2005 2:55 pm

yeah length is still a potential issue - but its a better option than the VW/914 tranny

teamlseep13 · Post by **teamlseep13** » Thu Jul 07, 2005 8:40 pm

Ya length isn't what I am worried about, if people fit SBC's attached to Porsche G50 transaxles longitudinatlly in a slightly stretched Lambo/Fiero kit car then I think this should fit.
I was measuring widths and got about 36" from cam cover to cam cover on the Boxster engine just using a crappy tape measure. Its hardly 32 between the strut towers, which means I will probably need to cut the strut towers out and relocate, or just build a tube frame subframe for the rear that will hold the engine, transaxle and an IRS double wishbone so no large, annoying strut towers are in the way.
I am going to get some more accurate measurements this weekend I think.
As for the Subaru engine, I will do some WRX forum searches for dimensions and tranny options.
I will try to get pics taken this weekend and posted next week, but fucking hell is making me work two 11 hour shifts this weekend. Say hellow to Rockstar and Redbull. Ciao

Shaun41178(2) · Post by **Shaun41178(2)** » Thu Jul 07, 2005 9:13 pm

Go do it and let us know how it goes.

Do you even have the money for a flat 4 and tranny swap from a scooby?

If not why bother asking?

stimpy · Post by **stimpy** » Thu Jul 07, 2005 9:25 pm

That's rude.

Post by **eHoward** » Thu Jul 07, 2005 9:45 pm

I was going to post something not so blunt. I hate to do it as I'm a team sleep fan. I went to see them in concert when they were in philly and I also had the thought, "how could I get this turbo boxer engine into a fiero" when doing an oil change this weekend in my legacy.

but once you start cutting strut towers and fabbing your own suspension, why even use a fiero? Seriously. Just buy the boxster.

stimpy wrote:That's rude.

donk_316 · Post by **donk_316** » Thu Jul 07, 2005 9:59 pm

May be rude but he has a point.

"Im a starving college student and want to bolt a helicopter engine into my fiero...Will it fit? Im saving my allowance up to buy a crashed helicopter but need to know the measurements first..."

Sounds like a first post at Old Europe

stimpy · Post by **stimpy** » Thu Jul 07, 2005 11:09 pm

I just think it. We all do. I don't think it needs to be said. Now, if I can't see pics, then I get cranky.

teamlseep13 · Post by **teamlseep13** » Thu Jul 07, 2005 11:17 pm

Rude or not, its no big deal. If it doesn't work then it doesn't. And yes i do have the funds.

Kohburn · Post by **Kohburn** » Fri Jul 08, 2005 8:11 am

eHoward wrote:I was going to post something not so blunt. I hate to do it as I'm a team sleep fan. I went to see them in concert when they were in philly and I also had the thought, "how could I get this turbo boxer engine into a fiero" when doing an oil change this weekend in my legacy.

but once you start cutting strut towers and fabbing your own suspension, why even use a fiero? Seriously. Just buy the boxster.

stimpy wrote:That's rude.

yeah I thought about it after pulling my legacy engine to do head gaskets

The Dark Side of Will · Sun Jul 10, 2005 11:14 pm

Since the Fiero's engine compartment is wider at the bottom than the top, I don't think the length of the engine will be an issue. After all, it's only 2 cylinders long. A FWD conversion on the transmission would give a mid-engine transaxle, but that might require modification to the bottom center of the trunk well for clearance (which has obviously been done).

Doug Chase · Post by **Doug Chase** » Sun Jul 10, 2005 11:27 pm

The Dark Side of Will wrote:Since the Fiero's engine compartment is wider at the bottom than the top, I don't think the length of the engine will be an issue. After all, it's only 2 cylinders long.

I'll have a 2.5 RS rally car in the shop this week so I'll take some measurements.