How about an 84 V6 swap?

z.MacK · Post by **z.MacK** » Sun Jun 04, 2006 6:03 pm

So my car has been off the road since last summer now. Reason being its a canadian car, I would have to get it imported. Plus I need a few small things fixed on it, its got some rust. blah blah blah

Anyway I have pretty much given up on my Fiero. I've been looking around local trying to find one.

I found an 84 thats in good shape and very low miles, but a bad engine. How much harder is it to swap a V6 into an 84???

Wouldn't it just be a matter of swaping the cradels, and the ecm, moving some of the wiring around?

oh ya, an will an automatic ecm work with a stick shift fiero?

p8ntman442 · Post by **p8ntman442** » Sun Jun 04, 2006 8:30 pm

You will need the v6 fuel pump.
the auto ecm will work, but not that great. I drove my car like that for a while. The manual chip was cheap and easy and well worth it. Some IAC code is different I think.

it would be easier and cheaper to find a similar car to yours, and swap the vin tags, and drive it across the border, and register it. Really, if you dont have theft/collision coverage, the insurace company wont be investigating if the vins were ever changed.

donk_316 · Post by **donk_316** » Sun Jun 04, 2006 11:49 pm

didnt think you had to swap the cradles

84 wiring is different than any other year. if your putting a v6 in when you put the v6 harness and ecm in dont forget to move the pink wire on the c500 or it will never fire up.

z.MacK · Post by **z.MacK** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 11:35 pm

Yeasterday I started up the 86 for the first time, since last summer. Droped in the optima redtop, she fired up on the first crank.
Took her out for a cruise.... Damn I miss that rides feel.

I'll make this thread my build thread.

Gonna go check out that 84 this week. Sounds like it could make a good frame for a teh swap.

Mach10 · Post by **Mach10** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 10:34 am

Go straight to a DOHC v6... Same amount of work, more car-gasm later. :thumbleft:

Like finding out your hot blind date has an equally cute and open-minded roommate.

product1620 · Post by **product1620** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 10:52 pm

great comparison!

z.MacK · Post by **z.MacK** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 11:48 pm

I kind of like the 2.8

It revs up to 6 grand real nice. Sounds good at the same time.
Its also a very reliable engine.
With stick shift it be a good match for a fiero.

I could allways nozznizzle it for a boost.

crzyone · Post by **crzyone** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 11:52 pm

z.MacK wrote:I kind of like the Boat Anchor

It revs up to 6 grand real nice. Sounds good at the same time.
Its also a very reliable engine.
With stick shift it be a good match for a fiero.

I could allways nozznizzle it for a boost.

Falls on its ass at 5k

Have spun rod bearings in 2 of them

The 2. 8 is not a good engine if you want something to beat on.

z.MacK · Post by **z.MacK** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 1:04 am

I beat that 2.8 like crazy. Well, as much as the 3 speed auto can. I Bounced off the rev limiter, barked the tires downshifting.... hundreds of times.
it takes it like a champ.

Man I remember hitting close to the rev limiter in top gear.... Good times

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 1:07 am

Same story here. I'm generally nice to it, but not that nice. I've seen the tach hit 7k on a few occasions (No rev limiter). I like to keep it below 5.5ish though, but rev much higher on a missed shift, etc. I am also no stranger to WOT, I am WOT a lot, even when it's cold. I need to be in order to get to the speed limit.

Mach10 · Post by **Mach10** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 3:00 pm

z.MacK wrote:I kind of like the Boat Anchor

It revs up to 6 grand real nice. Sounds good at the same time.
Its also a very reliable engine.
With stick shift it be a good match for a fiero.

I could allways nozznizzle it for a boost.

You ain'tent listenin'

SAME amount of work.

Only now you can rev to 6500 AND MAKE POWER.

Sounds better (as only a 4-valve can).

More power off the line. More power at mid-range. EVEN MORE power at high-end.

:scratch:

Internally balanced (less bearing buggery)
Better oiling (too good, sometimes)
Simplistic wiring (almost the same as regular 2.

The *ONLY* bit of trouble you might have is making the dogbone mount for the motor... But I did this with a 110v welder and a few chunks cut out of other engine mounts. And it looks decent. AND it doesn't seem to flex (hasn't chipped the paint off, FWIW)

The 2,8 is a DOG. An absolute dog. There is NOTHING I like about that motor. Doing the normal maintenance shit (while utter hell in a z34) is EASIER than doing stuff to the 2x8. Waterpump? easy. Cam timing? Easy. Alternator?retarded easy. Serpentine belt? Easy. Ignition wires? Easy. Plugs? Easy.

rant-rant-rant!

ROFLcopter!!!11111!

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 3:12 pm

Agreed on most everything.

z.MacK · Post by **z.MacK** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 11:40 pm

Hey I like the 2.8 for what it is.
It revs up to 6500, sounds really good, and its quick.
A fiero isn't a drag racer. I want to be able to rev it, look good, an take corners nice.

If I want 0-60 times id buy a mustang or a camaro.

Series8217 · Post by **Series8217** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 11:51 pm

z.MacK wrote:
It revs up to 6500, sounds really good, and its quick.

I disagree.
It revs to 6500 like a TPI does.. i.e. you can do it in first and second gear but otherwise it takes forever to get there (or is impossible) and just makes you slower. It's definitely NOT quick. Sound is certainly a matter of taste but I think the 3.4 DOHC sounds much better.
It's just not worth it to put in the 2.8 when you have to do all the same work..

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Thu Jun 15, 2006 12:14 am

The 2.8l does sound good, I'll give it that. I just wish power would rise as RPMs did. The 3.4 keeps gaining power it seems, just keeps pulling harder and harder. Need more power? More throttle, more RPM. With the 2.8l, it's need more power? Uhmmm, well, floor it harder...

But the 2.8l definately not quick. It does not have enough power to be a daily driver for me (7000ft alt). That is what I hope the 3.4 gives me, just a stock engine with enough power as to not get on my nerves.

Yes, you can rev a 2.8l to 6500. But a lot of red lights go on when you do, and the motor doesn's sound so good then. Not to mention it still doesn't go any faster.

product1620 · Post by **product1620** » Thu Jun 15, 2006 12:28 am

What the hell is he talking about a rev limiter, I didn't think any fieros had them??? :scratch:

z.MacK · Post by **z.MacK** » Thu Jun 15, 2006 12:30 am

It for sure sounds good hitin' the redline. The 2.8 is quick, its not fast... but it hauls ass and will smoke any 2000+ shitbox.

Take it how you want. Its not a twin cam, but It is the most rev happy, bulletproof pushrod ive ever known of.

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Thu Jun 15, 2006 12:37 am

product1620 wrote:What the hell is he talking about a rev limiter, I didn't think any fieros had them??? :scratch:

Mine doesn't, but it lights up the entire dash with red lights telling you it hurts. Oil pressure, alternator charge, SES, etc..

Series8217 · Post by **Series8217** » Thu Jun 15, 2006 1:27 am

z.MacK wrote:but it hauls ass and will smoke any 2000+ shitbox.

Hauls ass my ass.
Welcome to reality, I just grabbed a few popular shitbox cars off the list for you:

2004 Toyota Camry 7.6sec 0-60

2006 Honda Civic (base model) 8.0 sec 0-60

1986 Fiero GT: 8.0 sec 0-60

(1988 Fiero 3.4 DOHC: ~5.5 sec 0-60)

z.MacK · Post by **z.MacK** » Mon Jun 26, 2006 10:40 pm

Series8217 wrote:
z.MacK wrote:but it hauls ass and will smoke any 2000+ shitbox.
Hauls ass my ass.
Welcome to reality, I just grabbed a few popular shitbox cars off the list for you:

2004 Toyota Camry 7.6sec 0-60

2006 Honda Civic (base model) 8.0 sec 0-60

1986 Fiero GT: 8.0 sec 0-60

(1988 Fiero 3.4 DOHC: ~5.5 sec 0-60)

A light moded fiero in good shape, can do better then an 8 sec, 0-60. That is proven.