I've got TICKS!

[Fierofool]

It doesn't look like the end is worn down.  It's too smooth and polished.  It can't have been pushed back inside because the ball end is larger than the shaft of the rod.  Maybe someone has substituted another pushrod in the past?  Compare the shaft length, exclusive of the ball ends.  If you can't purchase a single pushrod, grab one from a 3.4 in the junkyard. 

[TopNotch]

I wonder if a previous owner replaced a rod with the wrong type. Some engines (including yours) require a hollow rod though which oil must pass to lubricate the upper valve train. Some engines use solid rods.

[f85gtron]

I have plenty of push rods. I'm wondering if i should replace the rocker arm too?  The cup looks fine...
These were supposed to be the "high tension" push rods from crane cams. So far, the factory pushrods look heavier duty to me....I'm just sayin'.....

[Roger]

Put some oil on the end of the pushrod and spin that end in the seat(cup) of the rocker. If it feels smooth and you don't notice any roughness or cracks I'd say use it. Anything else would be questionable.

Crane Cams should be ashamed. I'd send it back to them...just for principle.

[f85gtron]

I've checked the lifter on that rocker and its ok. It was pushing oil up through the rod. The cup on the rocker looks brand new. I spun a good rod in it's cup and it spins freely with no dragging or scored feeling, so i guess I'll use it. The factory pushrods are heavier and more solid, so those will go back in. I've got new lifters on the way that will go in, and i pulled the heads to have them gone through....while I'm in there  

[Roger]

Since you are pulling the heads, port match and clean out the exhaust ports a little.
You can clean up the intake ONLY at the gasket. Do not go inside the intake. You
need those little bumps in there.

[f85gtron]

Roger,
I've already done the exhaust side and manifolds. I'm wondering about the intake. Are you talking about the plenum, manifold, head side, all three?  How much to remove before it gets out of hand?  I don't want to lose low end torque. I do a lot of city driving.

[Roger]

Look at the outline of the gasket(s) on all pieces. Do not grind into where the gasket was seated. Only smooth out the ports as far as you can go. Do not remove a lot of material, just smooth them out.
You are only giving the intake and exhaust a smoother path with fewer restrictions. This process is very elaborate and I have only stated it as simple as possible. Please look up port matching and polishing online and only consider those from well trusted origins.
Always ask first. There is no going back if there is a 'oops'.
I forgot to mention; always drag a straight-edge along any flat surface and clean up any snags with emory cloth. A very light touch with a file at the edge of the ports will help also.

[TopNotch]

The worst restriction in the Fiero V6 intake is the "neck" -- between where the throttle body attaches and where it branches out to the individual cylinders. The cross sectional area of the neck is smaller than the throttle body, so even if you put on a bored out throttle body (as some do), the neck still restricts air flow. There are some suggestions on Pennock's as to what to do about this. One involves cutting out the underside of the neck and welding on a shaped aluminum plate to increase the cross sectional area.

[f85gtron]

Roger, i did research based on your post and i understand exactly what to do. The stained outlines must have been engineered into the runners for dopes like me.
The neck would be easier to open up with a log and runners or two logs branching off a large bore collector which the tb mounts too. Hmmm....I'm thinking......

[Fierofool]

If you converted to the DIS system, eliminating the distributor, you could use the Camaro 3.4 intake.  Maybe even the Firebird intake, but I don't know how the shapes compare.  It would also require the installation of a crankshaft position sensor on the timing cover and a different pulley. 

Someone was selling a throttle body spacer that was of some benefit, but I don't know if it was torque or hp.  Because of the TB coolant tubes not being long enough with a spacer installed, they would need be removed, too.  They aren't of much benefit down here, anyway. 

[f85gtron]

Re: the write ups on dis conversions...essentially by converting to the 7730(#?) Ecu. It really looks interesting and beneficial. I may have to give it a go....
There are tb spacers in the ricer section at auto zone. Some of them where even rifled.  I've heard that they help low end torque. Then i could enter my car in a tractor pull.
 Ha ha. 
Edited to add:  the tb coolant lines have already been disabled, so they could come off at any time.

[Fierofool]

I dare say you will find an adapter for the Fiero at an auto parts store.  Someone on Pennocks was making them.  I looked in the vendors section and nobody listed them as one of their products.  If you're interested, I'll ask the question of who makes them.

The 7730 would require the mentioned crankshaft sensor and a knock sensor.  By eliminating the fan switch you can install the knock sensor there, or as an alternate, there's a bolt in the trunk side of the block that can be utilized.  The ECM runs the cooling fan, so that port isn't in use.  A new harness would have to be added to manage the system.  Phonedawgz on PFF as well as a couple of others offers the harnesses. 

The 7730 utilizes more information from the engine and updates the information much much faster so the engine runs better, even if you stay with the distributor. 

[TopNotch]

Here's the ultimate air intake for a 2.8 or 3.4 engine. I don't remember who's car this is, but maybe Fierofool does.
Dual throttle bodies, and a runner for each cylinder bank...

[Fierofool]

Strangely, Aerodonamic and I were just talking about this intake about a half hour ago.  It was built by a man in Columbus, Ga. but I can't remember his name or his username.  He's registered on the Georgia forum. 

TLG makes a dual intake, but it's not as beautiful and polished as that one.