new to forum

[Arious,Greg]

Came across your website just recently, and have read quite a few of the posts... very interesting. I am currently in the middle of a N* conversion on my 85 se.. most of the mechanical is done and I'm just getting into the electrical now. So far I'm very happy with how things are coming together. (although I am annoyed that my buddy whos putting the 455 in his, has been able to test drive already... and I'm at least a season away still.)
 There are lots of things I would like to compare notes on with some of your members.. dont know where to start actually. I am getting a suitable digital camera (soon I hope) so that i can post some pictures etc 

regards
 G A

[aaron88]

There are a lot of things that I have not posted in my thread on the conversion.  However if you just ask I will try to get you the answer.

Aaron

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by the way welcome

[Arious,Greg]

Thanks for the welcome, I did read through quite a few of your posts, very interesting... I need to put my thoughts together so as not to just go all over the place with the thread .
one thing that you could tell me though, I have used a "custom converted flywheel" (for lack of better term) very happy with the alignment and fit etc, but I am curious, the purchased custom flywheel that you used did it bolt down using the same size bolts as the original flexplate, or did you modify the end of the crank for heftier bolts?
I wll try to get some pics together of how I have done the engine bracing on my car .. i think it looks good, and would appreciate the feedback.
 
btw I really liked the solution to the belts, I did originally consider trying that, but I kinda wanted the original look with something where the pump was.. sooo.. I was working on a "special"idler for where the power steering pump was, but your setup is so clean looking ...  I will just have to do it that way! (hope you dont mind)
 
regards
G.A.

[aaron88]

Use the same kind of bolts for the flywheel, but get longer ones to compensate for the thickness of the flywheel, make sure the heads don't connect with the clutch plate springs.  It's not a good idea to use stronger bolts, it will change all the torquing requirments, so unless you can calculate that, use the same strength of bolts.  I can't remember what they were but it will be marked on the bolt head.

As for the pully.  I'm making something defferent for that application.  my design is good but using the large bearing, the bearing rpm is a bit high and reduces it's lifespan (mine was about 10 000 km).  I'm therefore coming up with the same solution but that will allow me to use a stock pully.  It's kind of slick really, but I won't be getting to building it untill probably the spring.

I guess this means no AC for you?  I kind of regret that one.


Aaron

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[Arious,Greg]

  Glad you mentioned that.. about the torque on the bolts, I did get the appropriate length, but  becuase of my strength concern I actually made a point of getting a stronger bolt.. i may or may not have realized the torque issue (probably wouldnt...) "fortunately"  the clutch still needs to be installed so I can fix that.
 With respect to air, the original car didnt have it .. though I would like to put it in, this is another major... I was thinking of looking into one of those all electric units I heard about for retrofits on hot-rods (electric motor driven compressor, instead of one on the engine)

regards

[Arious,Greg]

having read through some of the earlier posts about the northstar conversions, I  definitely detect a bias against the stock ecm especially when a manual tranny is involved.. I am curious, has the success with the stock ecm really been that bad.. I almost hesitate to say that this is the route I'm currently following... I have a contact whom assures me the programming can be accomplished without undue dificulty..
  I suppose what Im asking is what has been experienced with the stock ecm... any-body happy with that at all?

G A

  


ps most of my car building buddies when asked for what way to go with the N* ignition is to tell me to put a carb (at least one ) on it, and to forget fuel injection altogether

[aaron88]

ps most of my car building buddies when asked for what way to go with the N* ignition is to tell me to put a carb (at least one ) on it, and to forget fuel injection altogether

First I'll address this because it's what I feel most strongly about.  Yes you can carb it, however; you will not reach the performance capabilities of this motor with a carb.  It is really beneficial to have variable spark and acceleration enrichment with this motor.  I'll call it the extra 25hp you'll never see with the carb.  This statement isn't exactly true but the moral of the story is that there is no point to take something that is already performance ready and go old school with it.  There is a reason why race engines have ECU's.

Whether you can use the stock ECU or not depends entirely on the year of your motor.  Up to 95 I think (OBD1) you have no problem with programming the ECU, 96-99, If using a manual transmission, the stock ECU can be used with a few modifications to the wiring harness.  There is even a guy in the States that will make your harness for you for a good price.  2000 + motors are a different story, they make more power have better flow and are uber expensive to get the right computer (but make no mistake it is well worth the $2500 or so).

If you are doing a Northstar you should also check out the Forum “Real Fiero Tech” you have to be a member there to get into the Tech area that you want to check out but it’ll be well worth your while (not to mention that, that is where the guy that might do your harness is).  Some of the guys are a little abrasive but the members there will likely give you the right advice.  There are a number of northstar owners there.
http://www.realfierotech.com/phpBB/index.php

I hate to promote that forum there because of  how it got started but in all honesty they had good reason to move there and are better off for it (I go there too)

There is another forum out there that you are probably aware of but I personally had my fill of it (PFF).  Too many people there, posting about retarded shit.  Seriously, don’t be surprised if you ask a question there about your install and get ten replies to the effect, “cool, keep it up”, or “I’m not really sure what you’re doing but could you explain to me in 100 words or more where I should put my foot while I ask this question?”.  I barely have the time to sift through all the garbage to find the occasional thread or post that has any information in it.
http://www.fiero.nl/cgi-bin/fiero/Ultimate.cgi?action=intro

Somebody stop me, I can go on and on but this reply is getting way too long


Aaron

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[Arious,Greg]

I feel the same way about the injection ...why go backwards,... but I have to give it to my friend the  eight mikunis would have looked cool.
I really appreciate the response Aaron, anything that pushes in a positive direction is a huge amount of help. This forum is the first that I have joined  would probably joined earlier but somehow missed it ..?  anyways from the posts I have read the members on this site are all pretty genuine  when it comes to helping each other... you have to like that spirit. .. I have looked at that other site you mentioned (pff) and have found it pretty much as you said. ...
I am looking forward to getting this car of mine done, and finding this site has been a real morale boost...
 


thanks again

[dguy]

There is another forum out there that you are probably aware of but I personally had my fill of it (PFF).  Too many people there, posting about retarded shit.  Seriously, don’t be surprised if you ask a question there about your install and get ten replies to the effect, “cool, keep it up”, or “I’m not really sure what you’re doing but could you explain to me in 100 words or more where I should put my foot while I ask this question?”.

So I'm not the only one who's noticed that the signal-to-noise ratio on PFF has been slowly degrading?

[Arious,Greg]

Took a quick peruse of the "realfierotech" site.. I will definitly have to watch my words with those guys... havent joined-on as yet, need the calm of  an quiet evening for that .
  on anather note...
I typically car pool to work, well yesterday early I drove my other pet fiero down to the carpool so that my daughter could have my comuter  (her car was "bRoKeD") any ways.. on the drive home it starts to snow/hail/sleet and blow (the weather sucked) I get back to the car pool and sure enough the place is covered in ice and... , but fortunatelly??? the salter comes by just as i get the car started... crap, I never drive this car in the winter. it never was before... I suppose I could argue that winter isnt till the 21st?
   I drove home (just 2 klm down road) real easy on the gas and brake, as I have a bit too wideof a summer-only tire for snow conditions..

  Time to put it away I guess

  Maybe when I get up tomorrow this will have been a bad dream.

G A

[aaron88]

do a thouough job washing that salt off.

Did you read my post on parking the car for the winter?

http://www.fierodrivers.com/forum/index.php?topic=2075.0

[Arious,Greg]

thanks for the tip...
Aaron88 wrote

If you are doing a Northstar you should also check out the Forum “Real Fiero Tech” .................
........................  There are a number of northstar owners there.
http://www.realfierotech.com/phpBB/index.php

went there and looked at a number of posts, lots of nice pics and stuff... woulda seen the answer to my bolt question long ago.... (though the heads on the bolts in the one pic do look like "real" flywheel bolts.. wheras Ive only been able to source standard headed bolts)
Will continue to peruse that site for stuff that  helps me along. hopeing to find some commentary from somebody with a successful stock N* ecu on their manual Fiero... when I get mine to the starting point I will definetly share the details of how it works (and what to get it there)

Thanks again Aaron88

reGards
G A

ps did look at the storage link.... wish i lived down south!

[aaron88]

"The dark side of Will" on that forum has a stock ecu.