project84

If anyone can help or offer suggestions please do. I am converting from 2.5 4 banger to 2.8 will my transmission fit Currently has stock Borg Warner 5spd from 4 cyl??

86camarodriver

I think it will hook up but you DONT want a 2.8 unless you got it for free, its not worth a upgrade, I would just get a 3.4 v-6 out of a 94 ish firebird or v-6 and drop that in and you will have A LOT more power then the 2.8
If you are interested look up the 3.4 boogie by KED85
David

Bluerocket

Since they only put 4 bangers in 82-85 cars, I would get a 350 because the ease of the swap the four has a totally difernt wireing harness from the 2.8 becuase all of the fours have tbi ingection. so your best bet would be to swap in a carberated v8 not the v6. you moust likely want the most power for your car and the v6 ant much more power. But if the engine is free then go for it. But there is hardly any aftermarket parts for the v6.

MikeS

You have the 4 cyl!? I haven't ever even seen one in thirdgen. Any pictures?

KED85

Yeah, they exist.
Neighbor had one with Trans Am kit on it!
FYI, the V-8 & V-8 MPFI fuel pumps are the same (pressure & part number).
Slipping in a 3.4 with your axle ratio would be great, too!
A V-8 weigh the optional effort costs & see.
Inform us.
I'm picking up a 3.4 for about $600 this time.

TomP

Awesome! We haven't had an Iron Duke 2.5 member in a while! Yeah, the trans will fit, V6 & I4 shared the same bellhousing. As a bonus, did you know your rear axle has 3.73 gears in it?

If Maine has the strict inspection like they do in NJ, you'll have a problem swapping in a plain 'ol computerless carb'd V8- or even a plain 'ol computerless carb'd V6! Even if you go with a carb'd V8, you'd have to run the computer controlled E4ME carb, and that means a big wiring harness swap anyway.

Drew

iTrader: (58)

you'd be further ahead to swap to a later 2.5L 4cyl. Or sell the car and buy something else.

Mikes86SC

Call me crazy but I would keep that car as is, and buy another thirdgen with a v8. The four bangers may not be the most desired, but they are few. Could be worth something to some serious collector.

MikeS

Anybody know what an Iron Duke does with a power adder? I figure there's got to be plenty of room to fit stuff.

TomP

I dunno; the 4cyl was more made for economy than being a collector's car. (Dammit a huge fly just flew into my office- crap. Now I've gotta chase the thing.) There's a whole section on the 2.5 in thirdgen.org's FAQ, accessible off the main thirdgen.org page. It might even go into power adders.

Drew, were there any late model 2.5 RWD motors? I thought they all became front wheel drive blocks.

MikeS

You're right! There is a whole section and it does go into power adders!

Here it is:

Q: Is there anything I can do to improve my 4 cylinder engine?

A: Yes, especially the Iron Duke 2.5L which came in the first 3rd gen cars:

Holley T.B.I. unit (20% larger unit)
Edelbrock Performer T.B.I. manifold
Hooker Super Competition Headers
Holley open element air cleaner
K&N filter air cleaner
NOS nitrous kit (single fogger, 40 or 70 HP)
Turbo Muffler
B&M shift improver kit for 200C tranny

AgentD

its gonna cost $1000 or more for the parts listed to hop up the duke. i own one in my fiero but dont have the cash to hook it up. if you do some of the upgrades let me know how much power you gained.

billsfirebird

iTrader: (1)

HEY, Ive been on these boards for about 3 years!

I still have the engine bone stock. I want to ad some power to it but don't know the resources.

I had planned on yanking it for a v8 but I just bought a V6 S/E and may do that to it instead. The 4 bangers are not much on the road any more. I hate driving the 4 banger because of the low power but I have upgraded the suspension with WS6 parts and WS6 16 Formula wheels.

I also added 4th gen seats. Everything else is 84 base model.

I just realized that I don't have any photo shots of my 4 banger. I guess Ive been too ashamed of it.

I'll try to remember to take some shots with my digital camera. right now my car is stripped on the interior because I need to fix a leaky firewall.

I got my 84 4 banger back in 98 and restored it. Still have the IRON DUKE in it and it is still kicking. The car is in temporary retirement because I just bought a 2000 Grand Am V6.

any questions or comments email me!

Crazy Firebird Kid

86camarodriver, I just saw your sig, when you getting the ZZ4, and when you planning on putting it ih :hail: 355 horse, 400 tq :lala:

89camaroRSV6

any pics of the engine man......??

85f-bird

the 2.5L has had apprent success in racing during the past. And GM had unveiled a version of a firebird with a 2.5L iron duke, the little beast made a total of arund 273 hp or so, not to shabby on a little 4 banger. And i also think iwas running a turbo or s/c setup, i do remeber seeing 4 different air cleaners, so...4 individual cars were probaly being used, it's in the Illustrated Firebird Buyers guide....eh, GL with it though, if i was gonna covert from a 2.5L to something else, it wouldn't be a 2.8L...a 3.4L would be as small as i'd go, instead i'd think a 327v8 (quick revin little motor) not a 350 cause it's been done a billion times....so yeh, true rever small block ... 327.

KED85

Iron Dukes originally arrived with the beginning of 1962 Pontiac Model Year, in Tempest. About the size of the Corvair.
There was also an over the counter SuperCharger (Judson).
That little 4/SC'd block combo was the terror of Super Stocks. 1962-63. (64 Tempest became the GTO)
The power to weight was incredible, especially with it's modified Corvair rear axle set up (just like a Corvette today, a trans axle)
You may know of the "real" Temepst A/FX Stockers w/421's, dual quads and the transaxle set up. Even a wagon was built.
These one of one, still exist today, both the two door hard top & wagon in a car collection.
This Iron Duke was also modified for the "Vega" era. Aluminum block, cam in head, cast iron head.
Hell, the 3.8 V-6 Buick was introduced same time!

AgentD

hey ked where can i find the sc for the iron duke. i got the duke in my fiero and really want more power.

TomP

Nice ride, Bill! Did you have to color the center of the seats, or did they already come that way? I wish there were 4th gens in the wrecking yards around here; I want a set of those seats! (I wonder if my girlfriend would notice if I swapped my seats for the ones in her '94?)

And yeah, if you could get some engine pics up, that'd be cool. I've only seen one 4cyl f-body.. it was in a wrecking yard, and the motor was pretty much stripped. All I saw was the head- "Is that the 4cyl?? Yep!"

I wonder if they have cams for that motor? I also wonder if the same cam from a front wheel drive 2.5l 4cyl would work. I guess the only way to tell would be to lay the cams side by side, eh? I assume the same rockers would work, a metric-hole'd 1.52 or 1.6...

Er; wait... -would- they be metric?

billsfirebird

iTrader: (1)

Nope, I didn't do a thing to the seats. Just cleaned them up and bolted them in. A lot of people have asked me if they are custom made. Nope. I like the camaro buckets because they resemble the original high back buckets that were once in the car. Love em!

KED85

My Friend,
That Iron Duke 4 Cylinder SuperCharger, is from Judson,
Known for VW superchargers, too.
IN THE 60'S!!!!!
Jusdon is/was in Chonsohocken (sp?) PA.
Beside, no, it's not legal AT ALL!
Again this item is from the 60's!!!
HONEST, ANY POWER ADD ON WILL WORK.
ANY
ANY
You only have to figure out how to plumb/run power to it & intergrate the item into the under hood design, then make it trouble free, reliable & powerful.
Don't forget, Smog legal, too!
Simple!