3.8 Fiero Swap Tips (Brackets/Mounts and Tensioner)

The Supercharged 3800 swap is a very popular one for the Pontiac Fiero. Here is a look at one approach to a custom tensioner/dog bone mount assembly. Also some tips on where to source all of your 3800 Fiero engine mounts if you are starting a new swap now!

[@CarputingYT]

Hell yeah thanks for another 3800 Fiero video! This is such a great build, love the videos on it.

[@Toys4Life]

I appreciate the feedback and support, fun and relatively inexpensive car to build!

[@LostNotForgotton]

Thanks for the channel plug! I enjoy all of your videos and it's always nice to get a nod by another fellow Fiero KZbinr. Keep the videos coming and let me know if you need anything.

[@Toys4Life]

Hey, thanks for your excellent Fiero content and I appreciate the comment sir!

[@RearEngineShop]

I need to redo my heater hose outlet on the lower intake manifold. I need to tap the lower manifold and install a barbed fitting instead of what I have now. Thanks for the motivation! 👍 I used Fiero Rog’s brackets on my 3800 swap. Well built and shipped fast.

[@Toys4Life]

Yes tap it for sure! Thanks for the comments and yet another thumbs up for Fiero Rog mounts!

[@fastclient1232]

Another great video! Thanks for putting it all together.

[@Toys4Life]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@daren9721]

Awsome you can build that stuff from scratch . You got a lot of knowledge on fiero swap builds. Might be good little side business for you.

[@Toys4Life]

Thank you sir!

[@JBsC6]

I enjoy your videos and insights. Great video. Awesome car

[@Toys4Life]

I appreciate that!

[@PNW_Car_Mods]

At first I was thinking why bother if what you have works. Once finished though I liked the improvement. Stock parts are always best when you can so I can relate to your thoughts there.. If you weren't 2k miles away I would love to show you some terrible welding tips lol. I'm no pro but I do enjoy it. Welding exhaust tubing pretty is still a nemesis sometimes for me.

[@Toys4Life]

Thank you sir - next one is getting better scrap and perhaps some tig welding. Did I mention I NEED a tig welder? Cheers!

[@PNW_Car_Mods]

@@Toys4Life I would like to try my hand at tig welding someday. I don't know if I have the patience for it though.

[@Toys4Life]

@@PNW_Car_Mods I learned how to weld with oxy acetylene in high school - which I think is a similar concept- but harder. I couldn't do it today without a ton of refresher but tig seems like it would be easier than that. Plus I really want to be able to better work with aluminum. Xmas present 2022?

[@PNW_Car_Mods]

@@Toys4Life Gas welding is really hard that is for sure. I had to pass a gas welding test course to get my A&P license years ago. Have you ever tried stick welding? even that is hard to me.

[@leenozatc125m5]

Hey. Love the car man. About to help with a series 1 swap into an 86. Has a getrag already on the 3.8 from a 95 SSEI. Can you recommend any helpful sites, or companies for the needed swap parts? Cheers

[@Toys4Life]

Unfortunately, the vast majority of information is on the series 2. The main benefit of the series 2 over the series 1 (besides additional horsepower and efficiency) is how much easier the computer is to program. You could try pennock's fiero forum and search for 3800 series 1 swap in there. Unfortunately I'm really not up to speed on the differences between series 1 and 2 so I don't know how much different the series one would be.

[@Way2EasyDIY]

What vehicle is the dash from? And is it plug and play or did you have to splice all the wires to the connector ?

[@Toys4Life]

97 buick regal gs. Donor car. Took engine, trans, pcm, harness & cluster. Most of the wires go to the pcm. blinkers etc splice into fiero harness.

[@AndieBlack13]

Did you research or otherwise measure the amount of force each differing tensioner is applying onto the belt? If a tensioner is applying force between two pulleys that are far apart, say 24 inches, vs. a tensioner that is applying force between two pulleys that are only say 16 inches apart...we're dealing with two differing amounts of force. If you'll notice the "throw" on your old tensioner is longer than the newer one...you'll note the new one might not have enough "throw" to impart sufficient force...making for squeaking under revs...

[@Toys4Life]

There you go bringing up physics! In the limited testing I did (-2 degrees for a high here today) no squeaking so far. I will have to keep the old one out of the trash for a while until I am good and satisfied the new setup is perfect. Thanks for the thought provoking comment!

[@AndieBlack13]

@@Toys4Life Myself as a retired mechanic, I've replaced my fair share of those spring loaded tensioners...the "fun" ones are those that self-destruct, explode, breaking in pieces. just some food for thought. Too tight, too much tension, too much force, can prematurely wear out bushings (not bearings) in water pumps, Alternators & AC compressors.

[@rimbam2250]

Where is your cluster dash from. Was it easy to install?

[@Toys4Life]

97 regal GS. Easy depends on your still level and how much time you are willing to spend. If can do mild fabrication and figure out wiring diagrams - it is do-able on a 97 at least. While doing the swap I bought the whole donor car and knew I wanted to transplant the cluster too!

[@michaelshanewilcher634]

What gage cluster and year is that?

[@Toys4Life]

Gauge cluster is out of a 97 regal GS which was the donor car for my computer wiring harness transmission and engine. Cheers!

[@Zen-sl7de]

What transmission did you use?

[@Toys4Life]

4t65e- HD

[@leenozatc125m5]

@@Toys4Life what other trans COULD you have used, same motor?