1CAMWNDR

iTrader: (21)

Oh *****.

NonGoggleGuy

There's nothing better than dick & fart jokes.

rodrigo

hey man why didnt u tryied putting in a norhtstar since ur no doing a turbo set up

NonGoggleGuy

Basically, because I wanted an LS1. I have a T/A & would like to build & become more familiar with one of GM's greatest motors in history. Plus, I wouldn't want a DOHC; at least not to build.

Another reason I went with the LS1 is because of simplicity. A bolt-up kit is available to just bolt the LS1 to an F40 tranny. It comes with shift cables, custom flywheel, adapter plate, custom starter, clutch, motor & tranny mounts, etc. Basically EVERYTHING you'd need to bolt that LS1 into a transverse application.

I don't have the knowledge, ability, tools, availability, or connections to make my own motor mounts, adapter plates, etc. It's just not feasible. Also, I wanted a 6-speed tranny (which I have). The Northstars are only made to bolt up to the 4T65E (or similar) trannies. If you choose to do an F40/Northstar swap, an issue occurs with the starter mounting location. The starter on the LS1 & other pushrod V8s mounts to the bottom of the block. The Northstar starters mount above the flywheel in a really strange spot. In other words, the bellhousing has to be cut/modified for any starter to work with a 6-speed Northstar.

NonGoggleGuy

I found a running LS1 for a good price!!!! Going to look at it (and most likely pick it up) probably next weekend.

I'm waiting for a call today from my welder friend so he can look at my frame repairs. I'm also awaiting a call from the sandblaster.

When the powdercoat happens, I'm going to do the frame & cradle in black, and then control arms, brackets, coolant tubes, etc. in gunmetal grey. At least that's the plan until I change my mind again; which is very possible.

I also started a "budget" for this project. While it's not written in stone, I'm trying to only allow myself $1,000/month. We'll see how it goes.

rodrigo

people want an arm and a leg for an ls1 engine here in tucson az and i can easly get me a seville sts with a 300hp engine for less than 1000 and thats the whole car that way i can use the stock computer for my fiero project i did a 4.9 from a 95 deville iam tryimg to put a picture but dont know how so you can chek it out..on the 4.9 i send the cadi computer to the fiero factory to get reprogrammed but i heard that u cant reprogramme the northstar computers and i dont want to use a stand alone computer they are very expencive any tips will help

rodrigo

[IMG][IMG][/IMG][/IMG]ther it is thats my baby has a 4.9 5 speed

rodrigo

NonGoggleGuy

I'm not sure what that last sentence meant... it's unclear what you're asking...

What I'm doing with mine is using a stock (to be tuned later) LS1 ECM & using it with the Fiero wiring system. There's A LOT of wiring issues you have to splice/swap, etc.

What tranny are you using? If it's auto, you have a whole different animal to deal with..... ....another reason I wanted a 6-speed: NO ELECTRONICS!! If it's an auto, you'll have plenty of wiring/ECM issues to iron out. Also, I plan on using the stock Fiero cluster, which may require some modification.

NonGoggleGuy

Autos are #1 at the race track

but...

They're also #1 on the "boring list"

NonGoggleGuy

Oh, and nice-looking car, rodrigo!! I hope I can just get mine back together.

subtlez28

iTrader: (15)

If you don't mind my asking:
How much for the f40 trans?
How much for the kit to bolt the LS1 to it (are you talking about V8 Archie)?

I have an 87 Fiero that I was going to do a 4.9 swap into. I have the Fiero Store Harness and 4.9, but I lost interest in it (almost 10 years ago now). If I had a cheap way to go LS1 or even 5.3 in it, maybe I would build it.

NonGoggleGuy

The F40 was $475 brand new shipped from Schram Auto Parts in Michigan. They had about 20 lying around (brand new), but if you want to do it, do it soon because these GM trannies were only used for 3 years (06-08), and will not be used again. There's actually 2 F40 trannies:
RPO code MT2 - 2006
RPO code MU9 - 2007 & 2008
They are both basically the same except for a slightly different gear ratio.

And as for my swap, yes, I am using Archie. His kit is about $5000. It comes with everything you need - both axles, intermediate shaft, motor mountr, tranny mount, cheese grater, electrical instructions, adapter plate, clutch, flywheel, etc. For the 6-speed swap, you'll also need a 4-speed Fiero shifter and the 5-speed Getrag shift cables, which both have to be sent to Archie for modification. Also, if you want an LSD, Quaife is the only one who makes it for the F40, and it's around $600. And it's a little hard to find.

After all said & done, I'll be looking at a total of about $7300 for the entire powertrain swap. And that's NOT including my plans of rocking out the motor to a 383 twin turbo.

Here's the tranny:

rodrigo

my question was wear can i get a cheap ls1 engine because wear iam at they are very expensive and will an ls1 bolt right to my 5 speed getrag?did u say that u can use the stock computer and harness from the fiero to manage the ls1 engine?
i also think that a northstar engine looks more impressive once its in the car just because of its size thats why iam thinking about the northstar swap but i guess the whole wirirng issue and getting the engine started with the computer and harness from a cadillac because like i said i can get a cheap cadillac sts as a donor car and sts come with a 300 hp engine

subtlez28

iTrader: (15)

No the LS1 will not bolt to your getrag 5 speed. You need an adapter kit. It is $5k.
And NO the fiero computer/harness will not manage an LS1.

The thing that keeps me from doing this swap is the adapter kit price. $5k is easily twice as much as the engine...

NonGoggleGuy

Where can you get a cheap LS1? I have not a clue. And, how much is "cheap?" You can try mypartshop.com and do a search through 100s of junk yards. The cheapest one I found on there was $1600 plus shipping. I was lucky enough to find one running in my area for $1000.

Also, try this forum for more info: Pennock's

I don't know if the LS1 bolts to the Getrag, but I can guarantee you'll break the Getrag quickly with that kind of power. Remember: the Getrag was from a stock 130hp/170ft-lb motor. Unless you get AN EXTREMELY heavy-duty built Getrag, it won't take much beating from a V8 before it breaks; and even if you get it cryo'd, it's still gonna snap under V8 torque.

As far as wiring goes, no, the stock Fiero ECM will not run the LS1. I need an ECM out of an f-body or a Corvette (Corvette is better because EGR is already tuned out). The stock Fiero wiring & instruments (that is all the power accessories, power locks, cluster) will "play well" with the LS1 computer, but it does have to be cut/spliced/wired in to work with the LS1's connection type.

Another popular choice for the Fiero swap is the 3800SC V6 mated with the 4T65E out of a 6th gen Grand Prix, or the LS4 V8 from the 7th gen Grand Prix.

A DOHC is A BITCH to work on in a FWD, so I could imagine it being 100 times worse in the Fiero... another reason I leaned on the LS1.

I did consider the LS4 for awhile, having it been setup as a transverse V8, but the bottom line is: I can buy a 1-time kit from V8 Archie that requires everything I need to put the LS1 (or any SBC) & F40 in the back of the car. That's what I wanted - ease.

NonGoggleGuy

subtlez28 beat me while I was rambling....

rodrigo

how about the northstar how can i make it work on the fiero using the computer from the cadillac wich the engine will coming out of i dont want to use a stand alone computer

NonGoggleGuy

I don't know... I haven't gotten that far yet. I do know that you're going about this the wrong way for information.

Go to:
Pennock's
V8 Archie - read "Installation Information"

NonGoggleGuy

I made a dolly for the cradle today. I stripped the cradle down, so that's ready to be sandblasted - minus burning out the old bushings. I went intake window shopping and found this, as some already know:
The Harrop Hurricane from Australia - used on the Commodore (G8, GTO):


Wow. That thing looks so pretty.
I called about it to get more info, and Mike from the company sent me some literature & specs on it. It's got 8 52mm TBs with cathedral-style inlets, so it bolts right up to the stock LS-family heads. He also told me it was upwards of $3,000 + shipping. Anyways, if I'm looking at the dimensions right, it won't fit in the engine bay - it's 24 inches wide. So is the engine bay. I'd have to trim part of the trunk area I think. Once I get the engine "fitted", I can know for sure what I'll have to do to get that thing in there. Or I might decide against it.... don't know yet.

Here's some pics of what I have now: