The New Life of the 3800 "Formula"

[GTRS Fiero]

Great job on that car, Pat.  Just work your way into the twisties.  I'm sure that one handles much differently than your other 88's.

Can probably get used to it on the RFTH scouting run.

[TopNotch]

Where is the LED located?

On the place where the trunk popper switch is, below it where there would normally be the rear window defroster switch, if equipped, are three pushbuttons, with a LED beside each button. The top one turns on the fan, and the LED beside is is the fan indicator. The next one down turns on the driving lights. I have no idea what the bottom one is supposed to do -- I'll have to trace out the wires later.
There's also a tiny slide switch in the area between the trunk popper switch and the push buttons. I don't know what that's supposed to do either. There's a lot of mystery wiring to trace out.

[GTRS Fiero]

Very creative.  Too bad about that screw for the slider switch.

[GTRS Fiero]

I have no idea what the bottom one is supposed to do -- I'll have to trace out the wires later.

There's a lot of mystery wiring to trace out.

At least you won't be bored.

[TopNotch]

Today I drove the car to work to get something I needed for working at home. The low voltage light came on, so I measured voltage at the battery both with the car off and with it running. It was higher with the car off. My local parts stores didn't have any of the proper alternators, so I ordered from Autozone, using their free next day delivery.
If this keeps up, there will be a lot of new parts on this thing before too long.

[TopNotch]

New alternator is in, and it works. I wonder what will die next?

[GTRS Fiero]

Now you jinxed it!

[TopNotch]

The 3800 engine in "White Lightning" was dropped in directly from the Buick Park Avenue without modification apparently. It still had the power steering pump, with the input and output looped. I have read online that this hurts fuel economy, so today I removed it. Quite a job -- very little space to squeeze it out, and it was filthy. I'm gong to re-route the belt as described in this Pennock's article. If that doesn't work the other option is to get a power steering pump delete pulley, which West Coast Fieros sells. I hope option 1 works out, because I'd like to use the power steering pump mounting points on the block, fashion some kind of dog bone bracket, and mount the engine to the conventional Fiero position instead of the way it is mounted (to the firewall area). The current mounting transfers a lot of noise into the cabin.

[GTRS Fiero]

How about vibration?

[TopNotch]

Well, the alternate belt routing is not going to work, some tolerances are too close. So I'm going with a delete pulley and standard routing. Besides, I decided that the mounting points for the power steering pump are not a good place to put a support bracket. Instead, I came up with this:

Half a dog bone is better than none. The front dog bones are still attached, so this thing will not have to bear all of the engine's torque. I can't run the engine very much without a belt, but it does seem to quieten the cabin noise some. And that's the main goal.
This was cut from a Rodney Dickman duke dog bone that used to be on my yellow car. I had replaced it with one of Rodney's rubber dog bones a while back. Gear bounce seems to be better with the Rodney's rubber dog bone, which is softer than poly, but harder than stock rubber.

[GTRS Fiero]

I'm not entirely sure that arrangement is good for the alternator, but, as you said, the other mount is still in place.  My suspicion is that the dogbone needs support on the other side, as well.

[TopNotch]

There are actually two torque struts on the other side of the engine. They are fastened to a steel pipe (or rod, not sure which), which is welded to the decklid hinge supports on either side. Those are the original Park Avenue torque struts. That side of the engine would have been at the front of the car, and the torque struts would have been in front.

[GTRS Fiero]

I meant on either side of the modified strut.

[Fierofool]

I agree with Michael that you may be in store for a damaged alternator. 

On most GM FWD motors, there are still threaded bosses on the lower sides of the block.  One might be able to fashion a dogbone mount down there that could be attached direct to the cradle crossmembers.  Just a thought.  I'm not sure of how close the cross members are, but I know on the early cradle, they have the torque shock mounted to the cradle and the block, right beside the oil filter. 

[scottb]

Yall know anyone that can fabricate a new mount?