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Author Topic: A New Formula In Our Stall  (Read 61563 times)

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Raydar

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Re: A New Formula In Our Stall
« Reply #255 on: August 19, 2019, 07:53:58 am »
Good show, Pat!
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TopNotch

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Re: A New Formula In Our Stall
« Reply #256 on: August 25, 2019, 12:11:10 pm »
Today I took the beast on a decent test drive. I had to pick my route carefully, because the turn signals don't work. But I managed to get it up to 60 miles per hour. It did pretty good, with plenty of power. It did not overheat, and there were no leaks of any kind. The 4-speed automatic transmission is going to be nice for highway driving. It drives straight and true, so the alignment seems OK.
There are some things I have to address.
1. I need to fix the turn signals and make sure all lights work properly.
2. There are a few minor suspension klunks I need to check.
3. The brakes are a bit spongy compared to my other Fieros, which are also 88's. But they work.
I had to rig up a second coolant expansion reservoir in the back of the car. There is a radiator cap in the back, which corresponds to the thermostat cap on a stock Fiero, where you can add fluid and burp the car, etc. But because it is a radiator cap, and not a water-tight cap, water can come out from expansion. The car previously had a drip tube rigged up, but that allowed expansion to just drip out, which meant that air would be sucked in when the system cooled. So I added an expansion reservoir, and used a 20 pound radiator cap, so that most of the expansion would go out the front, where the normal 16 pound cap is. It seems to work OK.
One other thing I may address is the way the engine is mounted. Instead of a normal dog bone mounted to the trunk wall, there is a metal rod welded to where the deck lid torque struts are on a normal Fiero (and instead there are gas struts to hold up the deck lid), and there are two dog bone like things connecting that rod to the engine -- one at the front of the engine (passenger side), and one at the rear. This causes more noise and vibration to be transferred into the cabin than you'd get with a proper dog bone.
« Last Edit: August 25, 2019, 12:27:08 pm by TopNotch »
The more complex the mind, the greater the need for the simplicity of play.

GTRS Fiero

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Re: A New Formula In Our Stall
« Reply #257 on: August 25, 2019, 12:58:26 pm »
The thermostat cap on a stock V6 Fiero allows coolant out?

scottb

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Re: A New Formula In Our Stall
« Reply #258 on: August 25, 2019, 01:04:38 pm »
The thermostat cap on a stock V6 Fiero allows coolant out?
Only on overpressure when it pops

TopNotch

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Re: A New Formula In Our Stall
« Reply #259 on: August 26, 2019, 10:17:09 am »
One thing I forgot to mention. The tach reads over twice the actual RPM. I figure it's getting fed the wrong pulse rate. I'll have to see if there is another pulse rate available from the PCM, or make a simple divider circuit to cut the current pulse rate in half.
And of course, also not mentioned, the car will need new tires before it can go on the road full time.
Edit: Just checked the wiring diagram. The tach is fed by the ICM, not the PCM, and there's only one output available. So assuming the tach is working OK, I'll need to make a divider circuit. Of course, it's possible that the tach is bad.
« Last Edit: August 26, 2019, 10:55:11 am by TopNotch »
The more complex the mind, the greater the need for the simplicity of play.

Fierofool

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Re: A New Formula In Our Stall
« Reply #260 on: August 26, 2019, 11:37:48 am »
Does it still have the 4 cylinder tach or did he convert it to the V6 tach in the process? 
There are three kinds of men:

1.    The ones that learn by reading.
2.    The few who learn by observation.
3.    The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence and find out for themselves.    Will Rogers

TopNotch

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Re: A New Formula In Our Stall
« Reply #261 on: August 26, 2019, 12:06:54 pm »
Does it still have the 4 cylinder tach or did he convert it to the V6 tach in the process?
All V6 instruments, including extra gauge pod.
BTW, the gas gauge is strange, too. The needle points up, not down to where the gauge markings are. I put fresh gas in it, about 3 or 4 gallons, and some Sea Foam to clean things out.
The more complex the mind, the greater the need for the simplicity of play.

GTRS Fiero

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Re: A New Formula In Our Stall
« Reply #262 on: August 26, 2019, 06:11:58 pm »
Likely the needle slipped on the fuel gauge.  Possibly the tach, also.

Compare readings in the PCM to the tach.
« Last Edit: August 26, 2019, 06:27:47 pm by GTRS Fiero »

TopNotch

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Re: A New Formula In Our Stall
« Reply #263 on: August 26, 2019, 06:26:02 pm »
Tach needle is good. Reads 0 when 0.
The more complex the mind, the greater the need for the simplicity of play.

GTRS Fiero

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Re: A New Formula In Our Stall
« Reply #264 on: August 26, 2019, 06:29:47 pm »
What does the PCM show?

The tach needs to read 1,500 when RPMs are 1,500.  0 can be the way the gauge is built.

TopNotch

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Re: A New Formula In Our Stall
« Reply #265 on: August 26, 2019, 08:48:36 pm »
When my scanner reads 1000 RPM, the gauge reads a little over 2000 RPM. When the scanner reads 2000 RPM, the gauge reads over 4000, etc.
My ear says the scanner is correct.
The more complex the mind, the greater the need for the simplicity of play.

GTRS Fiero

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Re: A New Formula In Our Stall
« Reply #266 on: August 26, 2019, 09:05:56 pm »
So, where does the PCM get its signal?

MikeMac

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Re: A New Formula In Our Stall
« Reply #267 on: August 26, 2019, 09:12:28 pm »
So, where does the PCM get its signal?

I'm thinking it comes from the pickup in the distributor, best I remember.

GTRS Fiero

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Re: A New Formula In Our Stall
« Reply #268 on: August 26, 2019, 09:24:49 pm »
The pick-up coil connects to the PCM?  So, 2 separate sources?  Bad ICM.

Raydar

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Re: A New Formula In Our Stall
« Reply #269 on: August 26, 2019, 09:32:29 pm »
When my scanner reads 1000 RPM, the gauge reads a little over 2000 RPM. When the scanner reads 2000 RPM, the gauge reads over 4000, etc.
My ear says the scanner is correct.

That engine has coil packs... right? Maybe a "waste spark" system, like the Duke?
It's probably counting both pulses. The "fire" pulse and the "wasted" pulse.
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