Topics

1

Tech Tips, Tech Questions / Held/htc motorsport front end kit?

« on: August 26, 2018, 06:53:36 pm »

My lower control arms appear to be done as the balljoints can slip up and down now. With the cost of replacing the lowers and ball joints i was looking at held motorsports front suspension kit with tubular control arms and adjustable shocks. I autocross my car and do mountain runs so id like the adjustability. Ill stick with stock spring rate for now until i get a koni red coilover kit for the back.

Are they still in business and has anyone used a kit from them? Ive wanted to have an adjustable suspention and now may be the time. Too bad i wont make RFTH. 

2

Tech Tips, Tech Questions / Doing my clutch. Cradle is out. What next?

« on: August 15, 2018, 06:11:29 pm »

Hey everyone im doing my clutch and the cradle is dropped with everything on it. What should i take off the cradle. Engine trans or both?

Ill be replacing the following.

Clutch
Flywheel
Oil pan, valve cover, and rear main seal gaskets
Engine and trans mounts
Cv shafts/inner seal
Hubs.

Just wanted to see if there is a particular order that be the easiest!

3

General Discussion / Club events?

« on: July 07, 2018, 09:55:10 pm »

Hey everybody, ive been meaning to come to a club meeting for a long time. Are yall still having the diner meets? Id like to come out and participate as soon as i get my new clutch installed

4

Tech Tips, Tech Questions / New clutch and flywheel. is this correct?

« on: July 07, 2018, 03:45:55 pm »

Time for a new clutch and flywheel! I was looking into stage 1 clutch options as I autocross and do mountain runs a lot. This comp clutch has better friction without having any extra pedal hardness or degraded engagement smoothness. However I cannot find it on their website. Will this clutch work if it works for an 88-91 grand am?

https://www.lmperformance.com/796740/4088-2400-competition-clutch-stage-1-gravity-clutch-kit-pontiac-fiero-28l-5-spd.html

Getting an aluminum flywheel too, this should work aswell?

https://shop-fidanza.com/collections/fidanza/products/aluminum-flywheel-198261?variant=11940125278251

5

Tech Tips, Tech Questions / Fiero steering column

« on: February 04, 2018, 04:01:52 pm »

Im needing to replace my column since theres about 40 degrees of steering play in the tilt joint. Havent rebuilt one yet so im going to put a new one in for now and rebuild my old one. Im looking at columns on ebay, does it matter if it comes from a manual or auto car?

6

General Fiero Discussion / R1 concepts rotors 88 gt

« on: December 09, 2017, 05:52:30 pm »

Hello all, I am looking for new rotors for my 88 gt and am looking at R1 concepts slotted eline rotors (non-drilled). Anyone used these before? I am wondering If they are vented like the stock rotors because I cant seem to find any pictures of the fiero specific rotors

7

Tech Tips, Tech Questions / Steering axis inclination, included angle??

« on: February 03, 2017, 12:33:19 am »

This is very technical so here goes nothing.

I am trying to calculate what camber my wheels are at at a given toe (steering angle the wheels at) to assess whether i want more caster or not on my 88 gt. (I'm a Mechanical Engineering student so I love to get technical with things)

I have the equation to calculate it just dont know what the fieros steering axis inclination is supposed to be? its supposed to be (included angle - camber) where included angle is the angle between the steeting axis and the hub face (plane of rotation of wheels).

Its as follows:

Sin(C)=(Cos(Co)-Cos(C)Cos(T))Tan(S)-Cos(C)Sin(T)Tan(K)+Sin(Co)

IA=S+Co

Where

C=Camber
Co=Camber at 0 toe. (straight ahead)
k= caster
S=STEERING AXIS INCLINATION
T=Toe (Relative to straight ahead)
IA=INCLUDED ANGLE

All I need is steering axis inclination or Included angle. Included angle is literally just the angle between the steering axis and the hub face.

...anyone?

8

Tech Tips, Tech Questions / Good alignment near upstate SC? your alignment specs for 88 gt/formula?

« on: October 18, 2016, 12:11:07 pm »

Hey everybody, looking at replacing the inner and outer tie rods relatively soon, hopefully around the holidays when school is over. The steering feel is not laser tight like I want it. After replacing this I will need an alignment, plus my alignment isn't great as is and would like the tires to last a bit longer.

I figured while I'm at it, I'd replace the rear struts since I have a set of kyb's laying around, and do the front shocks too (Im getting the fiero store abjustable camber bolts for the struts). Is there anything else worth doing or replacing before getting an alignment, or simply while I have things apart? Anything else that needs replacement over time to tighten steering and handling? (thinking about upper and lower ball joints and new steering rack mounts while Im in there) Once I've replaced these things, it'll be time for an alignment. I understand how fieros are aligned (atleast the 88's) and that the fiero alignment can be tricky. I'd love to do it myself but dont have the equipment, and would like it to be more precise than a string alignment.

Where do you guys near the upstate SC area (or in Georgia) get your alignments done, and are sure it's done correctly? I've heard about places not doing the proper jounce procedure, just plain getting it wrong, or failing to torque down everything correctly.

Lastly, what alignment specs do you use for max performance and feel on a stock 88 gt/formula? can we reduce understeer without making lift off/snap oversteer worse?
I believe I want to max out caster at 5 degrees, for the feel and the effects it has on dynamic caster
What about front and rear camber?
toe in front rear?

I've read a bit about non stock performance alignment, but was curious what you guys ran

9

Tech Tips, Tech Questions / Need help with dogbone bracket. Bolt seems to be missing

« on: October 05, 2016, 03:46:19 pm »

Hey everyone, first of how was the run for the hills cruise? Couldnt make it with my busy schedule.

Anyways this is for an 88 gt 5 speed. Whats the deal with this lower part of the dog bone bracket? Does it just need a bolt? Looks like the bracket can shift some to get closer. If i just need the bolt what size is it?

The engine shifts a bit and i originally thought it was bad engine mounts (which still may be). I replaced the dogbone with poly hoping itd help a bit, and noticed that a bolt was missing for the dogbone bracket.

Thanks

10

Tech Tips, Tech Questions / HELP!! my select cable is locked

« on: September 01, 2016, 01:53:25 pm »

Hey everybody, I've got a bit of a problem here. I am in college and my fiero is my only source of transportation. The select cable was really sticky when I bought this fiero. It took a good bit of force to move it side to side, like there was a bunch of friction in the cable itself. It would not return to center position on its own. It was pretty terrible, so I removed the cables and entire shifter from the old wrecked formula I had. (had a short shifter). I replaced everything and it fixed the problem. shifts were smooth and shifter would return to its central position on its own.

this fixed the problem for a few weeks, then all of a sudden one day the select cable got sticky again. after driving for a bit it fixed itself and everything was back to normal. I thought that was odd. several days later it did it again but this time stayed for a couple drives. then all of a sudden it loosened up on the 1-4 side but shifts into and out of reverse and 5th were still sticky on the select cable. Even weirder.

I have been driving like this, with 5th and reverse "dragging" the select cable, for several days now. All of a sudden today, when I got in my car from at the store, the select cable was ABSOLUTELY LOCKED. All i could do is shift from 1-2 and 2-1. I drove back home slowly like this, and after 10 minutes of driving in 2nd, it finally went back to the way it was (select cable sticky for 5 and reverse only) and was able to return home like normal. When I got home, I went to check it out and the select cable was 100% STUCK AGAIN after parking in 1st. (I always do). I disconnected the select cable at both the transmission and the shifter. even completely disconnected i cant get the cable to budge. the shifter and transmission both move smoothly and freely as they are supposed to once the select cable is disconnected.

The previous owner said he had replaced the select cable himself because it wasnt able to get into 1st. The cables I had from the formula were in perfectly fine shape and had no issues with them ever in the formula. This leads me to believe something is ruining the select cables, or they are getting very kinked.

What is the proper route for both the select and shift cables? Is it bad for them to be up against the exhaust or even a coolant pipe? Mine is currently touching a coolant pipe but there is heat sheathing on the cable here.... I know that the select cable being pointed upwards on the transmission side allows water and dirt to slide down it, but it seems like I would have experienced a problem in the formula if that was it. It has only been in this fiero for a short time.

Any help is appreciated! Im going to order new cables from rodney dickman, but would like to be able to drive in the mean time since I have class everyday.

11

Tech Tips, Tech Questions / Trouble diagnosing ac issues

« on: June 04, 2016, 03:12:37 pm »

Hello all, as you may know im new here and just recently bought an 88 gt. Im having trouble troubleshooting the lack of cool air coming from the ac.

The previous owner said it had been working not long ago, but didnt when i test drove it. The compressor does seem to come on since there is a dip in idle speed when i turn it on. I checked the refrigerant, and it was really low, almost gone really. Charged it up but still not getting cold air. While idling with the ac on now it seems to build pressure to full, then let off with a click  and reduction in pressure, then builds again when pressure reaches low. It cycles like this constantly.

I checked to see if theres debris behind the resistor in the front compartment, per fierofools recomendation. Nothing on the resistor, the heater core, or in the passage from what i can see. Looks exceptionally clean and shiny actually. I did find a single pine needle sticking out of the heater core but nothing else..

Any ideas? I had a problem with my 86 k10 cycling the compressor before, but that was due to low pressure in the system. The fiero seems to have sufficient pressure, and the click from it cycling seems to be audible from the front and not the compressor.

12

General Fiero Discussion / my new 88 GT

« on: May 10, 2016, 02:18:52 pm »

I've owned 2 fieros previously, an 88 base 4 cyl auto, and an 88 formula 5 speed. So here's my new 88 GT! Its a 5 speed with power windows, mirrors, and trunk release. Has the performance sound switch too, but it appears someone has removed the subwoofer and enclosure. I'll have to check if it came with it or not on the option sticker.

Its pretty clean all around, especially the interior. only a couple issues I know of:

horn and cruise control not currently working (haven't checked fuses yet)
A/C not blowing very cold (probably needs a charge)
sail windows have the small aging cracks
missing passenger ash tray door
minor overspray in some areas (not bad at all)
a few rattles

otherwise its the nicest fiero i've seen except for a 9000$ GT I checked out a couple years ago that was garaged with like 40k on it. I'm sure there are nicer ones some of you have, I just haven't seen a ton of fieros.

got it for $3500. what do you guys think? I'll get some more detailed pics inside and out later.