West Coast Fieros Homepage
Forum Home Forum Home » Technical Topics Forum » Build Threads
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed - Capt Fiero's new 87GT Project Car
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Register Register  Login Login

Capt Fiero's new 87GT Project Car

 Post Reply Post Reply Page  <12345 19>
Author
Message Reverse Sort Order
mxracer208 View Drop Down
Member
Member


Joined: 28 October 2009
Location: Canada
Status: Offline
Points: 68
Post Options Post Options   Quote mxracer208 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 May 2011 at 5:20pm
I understand the aircare issue. When I went the guy doing
the test couldn't find first gear and then started the test
with the parking brake half on... He didn't stop either, I
had to go tell him to shut it off which he couldn't.
Back to Top
Patrick View Drop Down
Newbie
Newbie


Joined: 19 April 2008
Location: Vancouver
Status: Offline
Points: 5
Post Options Post Options   Quote Patrick Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 May 2011 at 2:42pm

Dave, the bright side of all this is that you just might've saved yourself a whole lot of stress, marooned somewhere in Washington State... miles from home.

 

Back to Top
Romeo View Drop Down
Senior Post God
Senior Post God
Avatar

Joined: 16 November 2008
Location: Canada
Status: Offline
Points: 3033
Post Options Post Options   Quote Romeo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 May 2011 at 2:00pm
Boy do I know how scary it is to have a bad alignment... Sorry to hear that though, I know you were looking forward to it.
Never shift into reverse without a back-up plan.
Back to Top
Capt Fiero View Drop Down
Admin Group
Admin Group
Avatar
Founding Member

Joined: 12 February 2007
Location: Canada
Status: Offline
Points: 4039
Post Options Post Options   Quote Capt Fiero Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 May 2011 at 1:33pm

Well it failed.    So I am now sitting at home depressed. I know I should have not gotten my hopes up.

To top it all off, the fan relay must have failed, and let it overheat on the Aircare dyno.  I am fairly pissed at the Aircare techs, 1st off the guy tries to start out in 3rd, clips the clutch to get it up to speed while screaming the engine, then finally after he gets it done with the drive test, mucks around with about a dozen things, the test machine gets an error, so he has to re-test something, then when he is done with that, decides they want to do a late model test and try to run it through all the gears and speeds.  They put this little Asian dude in the car that can't manage to shift it, and tries to start out in 3rd again, then stops and tries for first and gets 3rd, tries again and finally gives up and gets someone else.  By this time the car has overheated twice and won't cool down, its now pucking coolant on the floor.  I get into the car get it out of the dyno room and into the parking lot. 

They give me the results, it failed hydrocarbons and CO2 by such a drastic margin it was crazy.

The only good thing that came out of this entire fiasco is that by failing so high, at least there can be only one thing that caused it.

The ECM is not adjusting fuel trim, due to the O2 sensor circuit. Which I am pretty sure I know why.  (the Caddy ECM needs to see 12v at the power steering input and I'll bet if I check its not getting that input and disabling the fuel trim circuit)

     I have made my decision about Arlington.  The car won't be going.  Although it is a blast to run at WOT, there are too many things going on with it.  The brakes seemed to fade and there may be a fluid leak someplace.  I noticed the pedal getting spongy after a few hard stops.

        High speed stability has an issue. I know the front end alignment is off, as the steering wheel sits about 45 degree's from center as well as pulls to the right ever so slightly.   It wanders badly on ruts to the point of scary at 120kph. 

 

Capt Fiero
88 Fiero GT 5spd V6
Eight Fifty Seven GT V8 5spd.
Back to Top
Romeo View Drop Down
Senior Post God
Senior Post God
Avatar

Joined: 16 November 2008
Location: Canada
Status: Offline
Points: 3033
Post Options Post Options   Quote Romeo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 May 2011 at 1:29pm

Do they check for decibel levels at aircare? You might have an issue right there if they do...

And not to be a worrisome one, but if oil and wiring shorts are both a concern, it might not be such a bad idea to keep a one-pound fire extinguisher in the cabin.

Never shift into reverse without a back-up plan.
Back to Top
Capt Fiero View Drop Down
Admin Group
Admin Group
Avatar
Founding Member

Joined: 12 February 2007
Location: Canada
Status: Offline
Points: 4039
Post Options Post Options   Quote Capt Fiero Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 May 2011 at 10:09pm

Patrick I totally here ya.  I am nervous just driving it to and from Langley for the Aircare.  However Dawg was over tonight and we were talking about things on the car.  He was asking what I felt the main problem area's could/would be. 

1st would be a head gasket totally going. As ya know I am going to be lead footing it a bit.  However I am going to probably beat the car within and inch of its life in the 1st few days of driving it, so hopefully that will blow or at least get worse than it is now, so I know that it is getting worse and to park the car before Arlington.

2nd would be a coolant hose popping, as most of the hoses, are used.  However about 1/2 of them are replaced with stainless pipe so only the elbows are rubber.  Which would not be too hard to keep spares in the trunk.

3rd would be an oil cooler line coming apart and loosing pressure at speed as well as a great deal of oil all over the place.  I have had that happen once before and although it got fixed that was in the 85 and who knows what has been disturbed during the move.  That is another thing that in a pinch I could fix on the highway.

4th would be wiring connection coming apart, or rubbing and shorting out the harness.  I think the wiring is the one thing that worries me the most.  Its not easy to diagnose.  Its not usually a quick fix, and if it did short and burnt a section of the harness, would be nearly impossible to fix on the highway.

 

       The one saving grace is that I would have a lot of Fiero mechanics on hand if something did go wrong, LOL.

  Well all this talk will be a moot point if the Airscare man is not happy.  If it passes, I will spend most of the up coming weekend working on it.  Might even call over a few people for Pizza and give everyone a pack of zip ties and just start tyeing off anything that looks like it might come in contact with a moving part and taping off any wire that looks like it might be an issue.

Capt Fiero
88 Fiero GT 5spd V6
Eight Fifty Seven GT V8 5spd.
Back to Top
Romeo View Drop Down
Senior Post God
Senior Post God
Avatar

Joined: 16 November 2008
Location: Canada
Status: Offline
Points: 3033
Post Options Post Options   Quote Romeo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 May 2011 at 9:43pm
Bah. You never learn to love something until you risk losing it.
Never shift into reverse without a back-up plan.
Back to Top
Patrick View Drop Down
Newbie
Newbie


Joined: 19 April 2008
Location: Vancouver
Status: Offline
Points: 5
Post Options Post Options   Quote Patrick Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 May 2011 at 9:03pm

I hate to be the voice of reason here Dave, but I wouldn't take a chance with that car (or any older car) going all the way to Arlington within a couple weeks of first insuring/driving it.

 

Back to Top
Capt Fiero View Drop Down
Admin Group
Admin Group
Avatar
Founding Member

Joined: 12 February 2007
Location: Canada
Status: Offline
Points: 4039
Post Options Post Options   Quote Capt Fiero Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 May 2011 at 8:42pm

 

      So I fire up the V8 again, and can't resist the temptation to take it for another quick "test blip" I figure I need to put gas in it for tomorrow and I need smokes tonight, so why not its only a block......    I get it out of the driveway and onto the side street by my place and romp it a bit, and engine falls on its face, check engine light comes on, and sounds like it is running on 4 cyl.  CRAP CRAP CRAP.  I pop the center glove box off and start checking for a loose wire, open the deck and start checking for a loose or burnt wire.  Everything looks fine.  I limp it back into the driveway depressed, angry, frustrated.  I start checking the O2 Sensors and both are still plugged in.  I get to the map sensor vacuum line is still plugged in, but what do ya know, there is no plug in it. I reach around under the air cleaner box fish out the Map sensor plug, plug it back into the map sensor and the engine comes back to life and is happy, I jump back in, drive it to the gas station and back and all is fine.  Whoo, minor problem fixed.

         I have known since I moved this motor from the 85 into the 87 that their were going to be a lot of bugs to work out.  When we installed it into the 85 several years ago, we were starting from scratch and everything had to be built from new parts, all new wiring and it was perfect.  However taking the motor from the 85, 1/2 of the stuff was plug and play with used parts, the other stuff was cobbled together from spare stuff I had lying around the garage.  The 87 itself I honestly don't have any history on the rest of the car, so I don't know what to expect from the front suspension either. 

     All these unknowns is what has kept me from actually making the car my daily driver.  I KNOW it is going to have a lot of bugs to work out.  However those bugs are not going to get fixed sitting in my driveway.  I am going to have to carry lots of tools and have BCAA on the ready for at least the first month or 2 of driving it.  I only hope that I can get enough stuff worked out in the first week that I feel comfortable taking it to Arlington. 

        Although I do have to say, the rush I get from driving it, I have not felt this good in a while.

Capt Fiero
88 Fiero GT 5spd V6
Eight Fifty Seven GT V8 5spd.
Back to Top
Romeo View Drop Down
Senior Post God
Senior Post God
Avatar

Joined: 16 November 2008
Location: Canada
Status: Offline
Points: 3033
Post Options Post Options   Quote Romeo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 May 2011 at 5:22pm
Bah. Make Lisa take the truck and trailer. You need a little more stupid driving in your life (Or if you don't, I do).
Never shift into reverse without a back-up plan.
Back to Top
Capt Fiero View Drop Down
Admin Group
Admin Group
Avatar
Founding Member

Joined: 12 February 2007
Location: Canada
Status: Offline
Points: 4039
Post Options Post Options   Quote Capt Fiero Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 May 2011 at 4:33pm

 

LOL, Tristan, don't say that too loud I may just take you up on that offer. :)

      However I just might have fixed the leak with that additive.  I just took the car for a quick (read no insurance quick) drive around the block and everything seems to be happy.

          I am going to put a temp permit on it tomorrow and take it down to Aircare. Tuesday night there is a meet up at Starbucks in Langley that I plan to attend with the car as well.  You are more than welcome to join up and say Hi.  Its the Starbucks just south of Trans Canada on 200th Street. 

    I'll post back in this thread and let everyone know if it passes Aircare or not.  If it does, I may just take it to Arlington.  The only drawback is I may not be able to tow the trailer if I do.  I don't currently have a hitch on the back of the car. 

Capt Fiero
88 Fiero GT 5spd V6
Eight Fifty Seven GT V8 5spd.
Back to Top
Romeo View Drop Down
Senior Post God
Senior Post God
Avatar

Joined: 16 November 2008
Location: Canada
Status: Offline
Points: 3033
Post Options Post Options   Quote Romeo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 May 2011 at 11:46pm
Why not start another tech session and work vicariously through someone else? It'd allow you to get work done while saving your health.
Never shift into reverse without a back-up plan.
Back to Top
Capt Fiero View Drop Down
Admin Group
Admin Group
Avatar
Founding Member

Joined: 12 February 2007
Location: Canada
Status: Offline
Points: 4039
Post Options Post Options   Quote Capt Fiero Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 May 2011 at 4:37pm

Only if I can find deep dish 3 spokes, LOL.  The 3 spoke design is something that my car has became known for, and personally I like it.  I would love to find some 3 spoke 17's or 18's, but for now, the 16's are fine.

          I had planned on putting the car on the road full time a few weeks ago, but unfortunately health reasons have put almost all Fiero stuff on hold at the moment.  

    I do believe it has a slight internal leak in a head gasket someplace, as the cooling system becomes pressurized almost instantly on cold fire up. I think it is my mistake for not putting the GM Cadillac cooling system additive in it the last time I put it on the road.  I am going to put some other additive in it that is suppose to work with Aluminum block engines and see what happens.   However if it turns out it needs gaskets it will just have to sit for the time being as I just don't have the energy at the moment to even try that.

Capt Fiero
88 Fiero GT 5spd V6
Eight Fifty Seven GT V8 5spd.
Back to Top
exoticse View Drop Down
Member
Member
Avatar

Joined: 21 June 2007
Status: Offline
Points: 74
Post Options Post Options   Quote exoticse Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 May 2011 at 9:43am

 

 

Cap,

The project is looking good !

I think it would be over the top with some nice deep dish wheels.

 

 

Back to Top
Graeme View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member


Joined: 17 October 2006
Location: Canada
Status: Offline
Points: 249
Post Options Post Options   Quote Graeme Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 January 2011 at 2:14am
Car looks and sounds good. Seems like you've made some nice progress there! 
Back to Top
Nexus View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 06 January 2011
Location: Canada
Status: Offline
Points: 111
Post Options Post Options   Quote Nexus Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 January 2011 at 10:23pm

I like what you have done so far to the car

I found the thread last year but had lost it for a while, so a little digging on the right site and voila

Keep up the great work and I look forward to seeing it in paint!!!

 

Charlie

Back to Top
Capt Fiero View Drop Down
Admin Group
Admin Group
Avatar
Founding Member

Joined: 12 February 2007
Location: Canada
Status: Offline
Points: 4039
Post Options Post Options   Quote Capt Fiero Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 July 2010 at 5:28pm
LOL, I am not even sure if I have bulbs in 1/2 of them, or brake lights for that matter.
Capt Fiero
88 Fiero GT 5spd V6
Eight Fifty Seven GT V8 5spd.
Back to Top
Fire451 View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 14 February 2007
Location: Canada
Status: Offline
Points: 318
Post Options Post Options   Quote Fire451 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 July 2010 at 5:24pm

you may want to hook up your reverse lights.

 

Back to Top
Capt Fiero View Drop Down
Admin Group
Admin Group
Avatar
Founding Member

Joined: 12 February 2007
Location: Canada
Status: Offline
Points: 4039
Post Options Post Options   Quote Capt Fiero Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 July 2010 at 4:51pm


       So I decided to have a bit of fun today.  The brake stand failed miserably, but I was sure having a ball trying.  

http://captfiero.com/videos/mycar/captfierobrakestand49.wmv


P.S. My neighbors are all car people so they don't mind too much.

Capt Fiero
88 Fiero GT 5spd V6
Eight Fifty Seven GT V8 5spd.
Back to Top
DaCoupe View Drop Down
Member
Member
Avatar

Joined: 17 March 2007
Location: Canada
Status: Offline
Points: 37
Post Options Post Options   Quote DaCoupe Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 June 2010 at 4:03pm
Looks good Dave :) Finish looks smooth and uniform!


Built not Bought!!!!
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply Page  <12345 19>
  Share Topic   

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Forum Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 12.01
Copyright ©2001-2018 Web Wiz Ltd.