thoth@tellab2.UUCP (Marcus Hall) (07/16/84)
Well it FINALLY happened. Pontiac has released some V6 Fiero engineering prototypes for reviews!! This means that it will be available for '85!! The following is from the July 15 Chicago Tribune: After the encounter with the new Fiero, we can only say it might be wise to get in line for one of them now. ... The 3-liter, fuel-injected Chevy V-6 is a powerhouse in the lightweight Fiero with quick response when you hit the pedal. Fiero breaks from a trot to full speed; the claimed time for 0 to 60 m.p.h. is less than 8 seconds. The real beauty came from the new four-speed manual transmis- sion. It slipped through each gear without doing battle with the driver. ... You'll still be able to tell the '85 easilly from the '84 Fiero. Look for a little bulge on the rear deck lid, which was needed to allow for the engine. Our conclusion: the '84 Fiero with the base 2.5-liter engine is still a great-looking economy job that will deliver lots of mileage in exchange for lackluster performance. The '85 Fiero with the optional V-6 engine is a sports car, a go-out-and-get-'em machine that doesn't have to back down anymore. They also had a picture of a Fiero adaptation by Cars & Concepts of Brighton, Mich. that was a T-top. It looks very nice (even more like the X1/9). Well, I'm about to get in line for a V-6 Fiero. If anyone on the net knows of sources for aftermarket parts for the Fiero, please mail me information. In particular, is there anything available to re-gear the steering so that it has faster response? Other suspension mods? I need to know how to option the car when they finally get my order. Thanks. marcus ..!ihnp4!tellab1!tellab2!thoth
keb@tellab1.UUCP (Kenn Burk) (07/16/84)
(one for the line-eater) I've read this article in the Tribune...and the one that preceded it that explained that Chevvy intended to punch the current 2.8L V6 out to 3.0L. That same article also mentioned (though, not in the same breath) that Chevvy had changed the oil recommendations for the 2.8L from 10W30 or 10W40 to 5W30 or 10W30. Well... After owning a 1982 Citation with the X-11 package that includes the 2.8L HO V6 and following Chevvy's *old* oil recommendations, all I can say about the 'new' 3.0L engine is *watch out for oil problems*... I am dumping the X-11 because of numerous problems, many of which are peculiar to the X-body cars and have no bearing on this discussion. However, the straw that broke the camel's back and *DOES* relate to this discussion is this: I, thinking that Chevvy knew what it was doing, followed the old recommendations and used 10W40 because of its heavier-duty capabilities and ended up pounding out a rod bearing (#3 cylinder). In an attempt to get it fixed, I talked to 3 independent mechanics who, **UNIVERSALLY**, stated that, yes, this is a fairly common problem with the Chev 2.8L V6 AND the 3.2L V6 used by Pontiac and Buick. Pontiac and Buick had, according to the mechs, released a service bulletin that deleted the 10W40 oil recs AND had extended the warranty to 30,000 mi. because of numerous failures of connecting rod bearings. When I contacted Chevvy, no one was aware of a Chev bulletin that addressed the problem. When pressed, someone 'vaguely remembered' that 10W40 was now verboten but didn't know why and didn't know anything about an extended warranty. To make a long tale of woe a little shorter, the car was fun to drive but unreliable -- ergo, yeahbye. If anyone in netland is contemplating *ANY* incarnation of the 2.8L V6 or the 'new' 3.0L version, be kinda keerful you don't get saddled with Chevvy's Vega fiasco for the 80's...BTW, the 2.8L has the smallest journals of ANY V6 ever in production...Chev claims small journals reduce friction :-) (of course, small journals = a crankshaft that's a little "bendy" :-( ) So, while the Fiero (pron. Fire-O ?) is , at least, actually built by Pontiac rather than the GMAD monkeys (General Motors Assembly Division), watch out for Chevvy's light-duty 'Hi Performance' almost-completely-engineered motors. PS: This year is the last chance for an Oldsmobile actually built by Oldsmobile...they're tearin' down the Olds Lansing, MI plant assembly lines and converting them to build the new C-body cars. Goodbye to pride in assembly, hello GMAD (grrrrrrr....) Ask the man who owns one ...and wishes he didn't Ken Burk
kek@mgweed.UUCP (Kit Kimes) (07/24/84)
[] According to the latest issue of AUTOWEEK, this car will only be available with the 5 speed transmission. Maybe they didn't have the 5 speeds available when they built the prototypes. Kit Kimes AT&T Consumer Products Montgomery Works Montgomery, Il. 60538-0305 ..!ihnp4!mgnetp!mgweed!kek