Nissan Fiero? Take a look inside °¿°

[Brocephus]

Well, if you're reading this, I guess I have your attention.

Disclaimer: Before you close this, read a little further than the words, "Pontiac Fiero".

I have a 1984 Pontiac Fiero and I am doing something really crazy with it.

I'm in the process of swapping a ca18det in place of the factory 92 horsepower, 2.5L "Iron Duke" as they called it. Getting the motor and transmission in is the easy part. Getting the motor to start and run is going to be the tricky part.

I just bought the engine and a car to go with it from a guy in Louisville, KY for $300. The car is a late '80s, early '90s FWD Pulsar with a 5 spd manual transmission. I don't know the exact year as I don't have the car yet, but I can get that info if it does prove necessary.

The main reason for this post is mostly to prepare the people here that have knowledge of wiring harnesses and ECU's for the slurry of questions that will most likely follow the installation of this engine/transmission/suspension combo into the Fiero. It is also a place of entry for moral support when the poo hits the fan and I run into a massive problem.

Call me a nut, but this swap is going to happen if it kills me.

Bro

[pulsar gtr]

It is not a crazy idea, I have heard even crazier, it shouldn't be hard to do, the only thing is to figure out the shifter and arrange it so it can go into the correct gears as the input shaft from the fwd ca18det transmission will be facing the rear of your car, so you need to design a very solid accurate system to make sure it goes into the right gear every time you shift. Electrical wiring isn't a main issue I have started many Ca18det engines on the ground without being in a car, just need to wire up couple relays and you are set.

Good luck,

RafiPULSAR GTR

[240TweakerNewbee]

I know a guy that has 3 Fiero's, he's nuts about them. Last time I talked to him (3weeks ago) He was putting a Firebird motor in one, supposed to have 300hp N/A... he said it was a direct bolt in, minor mods. After describing my KA to SR swap, he made it sound like it was about the same level of mods to make it work.

[c-rad]

Fiero + Northstar V8 for teh win

[float_6969]

LMAO!

Well I'm excited about it. I love it when people do crazy, cross manufacturer swaps like this.

PICS!!!

[themadscientist]

I still like the twin jet engines in the MR2

[Brocephus]

Fiero + Northstar V8 for teh win

In my opinion: Fiero + Northstar = Cookie Cutter car....Something someone's already done a 100,000 times, lol.

I don't want a V-8 though. I wanna smoke your *** in the quarter and get better gas mileage than you doing it. I want to hear the BOV sounding like a pissed off teacher (PSHHHHH) as I rip through the gears in maniacal fashion. :-)

I've had V-8s before and although there is no replacement for that deep down, throaty rumble, you get from a V-8, I do NOT miss the fact that you can pass anything but a gas station.

I was told that the factory ca setup is good up to 300 hp. After that you gotta start gettin' worried about ya head bolts, hehe. I will be looking for a T-25 though before long. Gotta hit the road... work at 6 am, heh.

Laters!

Bro

[float_6969]

I've actually got a freshly rebuilt T25 that I'm wanting to sell.

MY EMAIL ADDY

[Brocephus]

At long last, I have completed many facets of this build. I apologize for the two year delay in getting pics up and in order to keep from eating 90% of this website's bandwidth for a month, I'll just post links to the local automotive forum where all of this documented.

Donor Car Engine Removal

Donor Car Engine Removal

CA18DET Test Fit

Nissan to Pontiac Ball Joint/Control Arm Fabrication

Battery tray fabrication and fitment

Nissan-to-Pontiac strut fabrication and install

Subframe and engine test fit.

As you can see, the project is not yet complete. Since these pictures were taken, I have designed and fabricated a prototype shift linkage. I have also gotten into touch with Matt at http://www.NIStune.com and he is going to aid me in my ECU and wiring dilema.

If you have any questions or suggestions, lemme know!
Modified by Brocephus at 8:38 PM 11/16/2008

[audtatious]

LouisvilleStreets is still around?

Welcome to NICO

[ca18detgabby]

interesting idea...... run a nice dump setup and you will have that V8 sound going pretty quick.

the only other thing I would be paying attention to is the amount of heat you are going to be experiencing. any ideas how you plan to feed the Turbo with fresh air into the intake...... going to build the IC into the rear bumper?

might make sense to go standalone and just run a map sensor so you dont have to have a MAFS

[themadscientist]

crossover manifold, ewwww!

Nice project, keep us posted.

[DALAZ_68]

interesting idea...... run a nice dump setup and you will have that V8 sound going pretty quick.

the only other thing I would be paying attention to is the amount of heat you are going to be experiencing. any ideas how you plan to feed the Turbo with fresh air into the intake...... going to build the IC into the rear bumper?

might make sense to go standalone and just run a map sensor so you dont have to have a MAFS

why not bust a MR2 and have the side scoop?

and far as pipping for IC, something up top the engine cover with dual fans, but then clearing issues come?

[float_6969]

Yea, where did you get a hold of that motor? that's the old weird 8 port, over the top head and manifold.

I wonder if it would make thing easier if you got the more common side inlet manifold.

[Brocephus]

Only if it could be made to breathe from the back of the engine. I don't think I'd have the clearance required to run IC piping to the front of the engine. I would love to have the clean looking top of the other CA18's, but with this engine/transmission sitting transversely, I don't see any other way really.

Just talked to Matt at NIStune.com and he has a CA18DET image that will allow my CA16DE ECU and harness to work with my engine. As far as going stand alone, that's all in the future for now. I'd like the benefit of a running car before I start moddin' and tunin' the crap out of it, lol. I have a goal and that goal is to put a bone stock engine/transmission into a bone stock Fiero. Once that is finished and I get another job I'll be able to start throwin' some $$ at this thing.

[float_6969]

The more typical CA's can breath from either end of the intake manifold. The RWD CA's had the TB on the front of the motor, while the FWD CA's had the TB on the back of the motor. There is a plate on the other end of the intake that is the same bolt pattern as the TB.

[Liquid_Neon]

The more typical CA's can breath from either end of the intake manifold. The RWD CA's had the TB on the front of the motor, while the FWD CA's had the TB on the back of the motor. There is a plate on the other end of the intake that is the same bolt pattern as the TB.

Nah, the pictures he showed ARE from a pulsar, prolly an 88 like mine. its not wierd... i thought the rwd side intake (side for me, im used to fwd) was wierd when i got my det engine. Look at any pictures I've ever posted of my engine, it goes right over the valve covers.

[Brocephus]

Liquid, any particular parts you're looking for?

My Pulsar donor car is a complete T-top car. The rack in it is shot and the transmission is in my Fiero. The lower control arms are trash too as I chopped 'em and put the pieces in my control arms on the Fiero. Aside from that, the car is fairly pristine minus one or two small dents.

Let me know if you need anything.

[mazikowski]

Does it have the B-Pillar strips (black trim strips just behind the windows)? If it does, and you could get them off without breaking them, how much would you want for them?

EDIT: By the way, you are amazing. Best of luck on the project, I'll be keeping up on it for sure!
Modified by mazikowski at 10:08 AM 11/21/2008

[Brocephus]

Headed out to the shop in a bit. I'll check. :-)

[PapaBurgundy]

Dude thats awesome, my brother and I were talking about this exact swap yesterday! I'm glad someones doing it because I would just get lazy and buy an mr2 like all the the other people thinking inside the box.

[Brocephus]

Mazikowski, about the black things behind the B-pillars... my car is a T-top car and may not have the same pieces as your car. Gimme a pic of whatcha talkin' about?

PapaBurgundy, relatively speaking, this has been a fun but extremely challenging swap. The single hardest part so far (aside from $$) has been the the design and fabrication of the shift mechanism at the transmission. Other than that, everthing else was pretty straight-forward. All it takes is a little bit of money and a whole lot of ingenuity.

[mazikowski]

all KN13 pulsars were ttop... in fact, your donor car is almost identical to mine (silver with the same stickers on the doors, dark hatch... same car :P)

this (with removal process)http://forum.nissanexa.com/sho...unt=3

i'm after that black plastic trim piece... both mine are gone if you could provide them both in unharmed condition, i would be willing to pay handsomly(ish)
Modified by mazikowski at 11:21 PM 11/23/2008

[Brocephus]

Nissan's f'ing stupid.... $300 a side for those things?!? I'll cut ya a deal on 'em.

$275 a side and I'll even mail 'em to ya for a $25 hadling fee!

Lemme see what kinda magic I can work. If I think I might break 'em, I might have to bust out a hair dryer to warm up (and soften) the plastic clips a bit.

[Brocephus]

I noticed on the left side, as soon as I walked up to the car, that the left one was already broken. The top was pulled slightly away from the body and I knew it was a lost cause.

The driver's side one was intact though, so I set about disassembling it in accordance with the web page you provided. But after removing the metal strip I could see that all three flat plastic pieces were already cracked. I attempted to remove it anyway, hoping it would stay together, but it was like trying to bend a Lay's potato chip. The damn thing just crumbled and fell off in in my hand.

I have all the broken pieces and was able to fit them back together like a puzzle. I have some high strength adhesive that bonds quite well to ABS plastic and will give it a shot in the morning. With the broken pieces fitting together so well, they'll provide me with the ability to place them in such a manner that the mounting clips will still be in the factory locations. If I have any degree of luck with this piece, I'll try removing the passenger side piece and do the same with it.

If I can pull this off, you may end up with the most structurally sound set of "black plastic strips from hell", lol. Wish me luck.

[Brocephus]

Ok, Maz, here it is chief. If you're still interested in both parts after seeing what I've done to strengthen them, lemme know. We talk a little business and I'll do the other one.

Maz, once this fix is done to this part, you should be able to put it on and take it off without rendering them useless afterwards. The "bee sting" clips are sung and strong as hell compared to what they were.

I started by finding some scrap black ABS plastic about 1mm thick. I trimmed it to the same width as the original bracket so it would lay nicely between the bracket and the part itself. I gently abraided the surfaces of all plastic pieces with a wire wheel on my Dremel tool so as to give the adhesive a better foothold on the bonding surfaces. Once that was finished, I mixed my adhesive, and began layering adhesive, then scrap plastic pieces, adhesive, scrap plastic, adhesive, and finally the original plastic bracket with "bee sting" clip attached. Once the clip was positioned correctly, I finished it off with a thick layer of adhesive over the surface of the entire thing, being careful not to get any on the clip itself. It was a relatively easy thing to do; provided you have mounds of patience, steady hands, and an hour to kill.

One down.

Lookin' good. First one has already set up and is already 100 times more durable than when I pulled it off the car.

All three are completed and the first two are almost hard as a rock. This thing is damn near bulletproof now.

Now, since looking good on your car is just as important as how well it mounts to your car, I included these. (washed and waxed with synthetic wax.)

Attempting to reflect some of the light from the flash back onto the part with my hand.

Placed something with detailed lettering behind it piece so you could see how shiny it still is. (Been in a garage for the last two years.)
Modified by Brocephus at 7:36 AM 11/25/2008

[mazikowski]

Jesus mate! That looks really sturdy... my only question is how well it will take to being pried off again after being put in. i guess following the described process for each clip would work good? If you could happen to pop it back in and out again, to check sturdy-ness, i'll buy em for sure!

[Brocephus]

Ok. I might even be able to take video if I can get my phone rigged up right. (It's the only camera in the house that shoots video with audio.)

[Brocephus]

I went out to the shop, snapped that piece in place and spent the next twenty minutes freezin' my *** off, but I got it out. I know the camera is awful, but it's the best I have.

Snapped into place. Fits tightly with no movement at all. (No vibrating when you're at highway speeds.)

Fifteen minutes, a cup of coffee, and two smokes later, I have two of the bee sting clips out. You are correct; DEVILsEXA's, process for the top clip needs to be repeated on all.

One last nudge and...... it's out. You can see me tugging and pulling on those clips. They're not going anywhere any time soon.

Let me know if you want me to do the other side.
Modified by Brocephus at 10:48 AM 11/25/2008

[mazikowski]

I love you, you're magic :P

Interested for sure! Just let me know how much you want for 'em and we can work out payment and shipping.

EDIT: I must know what that wonderful brownish goop is that you're using, it's amazing

Odd request, but would you be willing to add the hood prop in with those? Mine kinda got losted...
Modified by mazikowski at 9:03 PM 11/25/2008