Talk to me about the Pinto engine...
Discussion
150 to 160 bhp out of a 2lt pinto will be OK for road use, but don’t expect much MPG. Best bet for more power without making it to cammy, is make it 2.1 of even 2.2. This will be a better road engine, and around 180 to 190 bhp without making it nasty!
If your good at tuning twin Webers etc, that will help!
In a Mk 1 or 2 Escort, it will move nicely
If your good at tuning twin Webers etc, that will help!
In a Mk 1 or 2 Escort, it will move nicely
crofty1984 said:
OK, if one were to shove a 150hp pinto engine into a MK1/2 escort. Would it be vaiable daily transport?.
Yes if very very very well rust protected and maintainedcrofty1984 said:
And how would you go about getting that kind of power? (Ideally closer to 200)
Forget the Pinto and go for a Vauxhall XE or Zetec.crofty1984 said:
Please no "Zetec it" I would love to but I have to use period modifications to keep it as a classic.
A well converted car will maintain its value and still be a classic. Minimal work is required for a Zetec swap that couldn't be converted back at a later stage. Since we are talking Pinto, I'm assuming its and RS2000. If it's not, we're in the realms of engine swaps already, and non-originality .... What difference does it make what decade the swapped motor came from? Your pinto is quite likely sourced from a later car anyway.
It's a well trodden path:
http://passionford.com/forum/general-discussion/14...
and to give you some idea of the work needed:
http://www.pumaracing.co.uk/PINTO.htm
Getting 200bhp from a 2 litre Pinto would be difficult and expensive. 150bhp would be more realistic, and you'll probably run out of money before then.
http://passionford.com/forum/general-discussion/14...
and to give you some idea of the work needed:
http://www.pumaracing.co.uk/PINTO.htm
Getting 200bhp from a 2 litre Pinto would be difficult and expensive. 150bhp would be more realistic, and you'll probably run out of money before then.
mat205125 said:
crofty1984 said:
Please no "Zetec it" I would love to but I have to use period modifications to keep it as a classic.
A well converted car will maintain its value and still be a classic. Minimal work is required for a Zetec swap that couldn't be converted back at a later stage. I'm in Italy, and they're a bit more stringent on Classic Cars, So in order to get Classic insurance/Low tax/etc. You have to use these modifications. I would love nothing more than a nice Zetec'd Mk2, trust me!
In fact if I get on with the car I'm tempted to do that anyway later on and run "a new car tax/insurance wise with an old body"
Edited because I'm a bellend.
Edited by crofty1984 on Friday 7th August 11:25
I agree Pinto's do need to be built 'well' to get good results.
Used to see all manor of variations in power from tuned Pinto's in RS2000's back in the early eighties.
Agree that mpg will be pants though, especially if running about 150hp via either a single 38DGAS or a pair of DCOE's. I used to think I was doing well, if I bettered 20 mpg in my old RS2000 with modded head, cam, 4 branch and 38DGAS.
Oh happy days......
Used to see all manor of variations in power from tuned Pinto's in RS2000's back in the early eighties.
Agree that mpg will be pants though, especially if running about 150hp via either a single 38DGAS or a pair of DCOE's. I used to think I was doing well, if I bettered 20 mpg in my old RS2000 with modded head, cam, 4 branch and 38DGAS.
Oh happy days......
I think the Pinto is a fantastic engine.
I have owned from new four Capris, 1 Sierra, 2 Granadas, plus built a Pinto engined Westfield, covered well over a quarter of a million miles over the years and never had ANY trouble/ breakdown whatsoever.
Just make sure oil/filter changes are done around every 6,000 miles or so as the spraybar can become blocked resulting in premature camshaft wear, but even so, these are fairly cheap to replace.
They are bulletproof engines (imo).
I have owned from new four Capris, 1 Sierra, 2 Granadas, plus built a Pinto engined Westfield, covered well over a quarter of a million miles over the years and never had ANY trouble/ breakdown whatsoever.
Just make sure oil/filter changes are done around every 6,000 miles or so as the spraybar can become blocked resulting in premature camshaft wear, but even so, these are fairly cheap to replace.
They are bulletproof engines (imo).
I had a Cortina with a 1.6 Pinto engine and it was horrible, really, really horrible and unpleasant to drive as the carb was full of flat spots. At the MOT the emissions were within specification but the smart-ass tester chortled "I can get it better than that!" and he leaned-it up. Next morning the car was so bad tempered that it kangaroo-ed and did its damnedest to throw me through the windscreen. I had to re-adjust the carb back to where it had been before. I have never been back to that test station since.
Things to watch out for are severe cam wear and troublesome V-V carburettors. There were batches of camshafts that were not properly hardened. The spray bars for the oil used to get blocked up too. Be extremely wary of non-OEM engines as many years ago I went to have a look at an engine reconditioning company in Worcestershire that had been highly recommended to me. What I saw horrified me as it seemed to be Ford Pinto week. Engines were being unscrewed with air wrenches and all the con-rods were being put in the con-rod bin. Cranks were being put in the crankshaft bin and so on. It was a pick-n-mix operation!
All reputable engine manufacturers match the con-rods for equal weight in sets of four. Flywheels are balanced, cranks are balanced and front pulleys are balanced. The three pieces are then bolted together for a Final Balance after which they are fitted to the engine block. By doing pick-n-mix all this good work is lost. As to it being a good reconditioning company - no way!
Oils are better nowadays and engines last longer so hopefully you will never get a pick-n-mix. IMHO the 2 litre Pinto is the only one worth having as on these if the cam-belt snaps it is no big deal (the valves and pistons don't hit) Allegedly the 1.6 has a similar head that is milled thinner so the valves are nearer to the pistons. With these if the cam-belt breaks the valves and pistons do hit. Allegedly the 1.6 was never sold in the USA, no prizes for guessing why! (Americans tend to be quick to sue!)
The Economax 1.6 engine or whatever it was called was much much smoother than my 1.6 Allegedly these had smaller ports in order to get a better flow speed of the mixture. The smoothness was similar to a straight six and there were no flat-spots.
Good luck in finding a good engine!
Things to watch out for are severe cam wear and troublesome V-V carburettors. There were batches of camshafts that were not properly hardened. The spray bars for the oil used to get blocked up too. Be extremely wary of non-OEM engines as many years ago I went to have a look at an engine reconditioning company in Worcestershire that had been highly recommended to me. What I saw horrified me as it seemed to be Ford Pinto week. Engines were being unscrewed with air wrenches and all the con-rods were being put in the con-rod bin. Cranks were being put in the crankshaft bin and so on. It was a pick-n-mix operation!
All reputable engine manufacturers match the con-rods for equal weight in sets of four. Flywheels are balanced, cranks are balanced and front pulleys are balanced. The three pieces are then bolted together for a Final Balance after which they are fitted to the engine block. By doing pick-n-mix all this good work is lost. As to it being a good reconditioning company - no way!
Oils are better nowadays and engines last longer so hopefully you will never get a pick-n-mix. IMHO the 2 litre Pinto is the only one worth having as on these if the cam-belt snaps it is no big deal (the valves and pistons don't hit) Allegedly the 1.6 has a similar head that is milled thinner so the valves are nearer to the pistons. With these if the cam-belt breaks the valves and pistons do hit. Allegedly the 1.6 was never sold in the USA, no prizes for guessing why! (Americans tend to be quick to sue!)
The Economax 1.6 engine or whatever it was called was much much smoother than my 1.6 Allegedly these had smaller ports in order to get a better flow speed of the mixture. The smoothness was similar to a straight six and there were no flat-spots.
Good luck in finding a good engine!
A 3 year resurrection??
I wouldn't recommend a Pinto with that sort of power. I had 176 out of my signal green RS2000 and it was terrible. A b
d to start in the morning, annoying neighbours, it was lucky to get 15 to the gallon but that was ok because unleaded was 50p a litre and the 45s seemed to always need adjusting.
Mighty quick with the 4 speed box though - would just manage 125 but no more due to gearing.
I wouldn't recommend a Pinto with that sort of power. I had 176 out of my signal green RS2000 and it was terrible. A b
d to start in the morning, annoying neighbours, it was lucky to get 15 to the gallon but that was ok because unleaded was 50p a litre and the 45s seemed to always need adjusting. Mighty quick with the 4 speed box though - would just manage 125 but no more due to gearing.
Edited by falkster on Monday 21st January 08:30
falkster said:
A 3 year resurrection??
I wouldn't recommend a Punto with that sort of power. I had 176 out of my signal green RS2000 and it was terrible. A bd to start in the morning, annoying neighbours, it was lucky to get 15 to the gallon but that was ok because unleaded was 50p a litre and the 45s seemed to always need adjusting.
Mighty quick with the 4 speed box though - would just manage 125 but no more due to gearing.
No one was discussing Fiat's I wouldn't recommend a Punto with that sort of power. I had 176 out of my signal green RS2000 and it was terrible. A b
d to start in the morning, annoying neighbours, it was lucky to get 15 to the gallon but that was ok because unleaded was 50p a litre and the 45s seemed to always need adjusting. Mighty quick with the 4 speed box though - would just manage 125 but no more due to gearing.
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