Pinto experts

Find a xr4 motor/box, or better still a rover v8 because the pinto is seriously heavy, old, cast iron, and badly designed from the off.

2.1 will give you about 5% more torque. I doubt that you will ever notice it, Only a rebore/pistons needed 4 a 2.1. I had one, latr swapped for v8 in my own sierra.

I'm with the Burger on this.

Any effort expended on a Pinto is better used replacing it with a less crap motor.

Way back two friends of mine spent similar[1] (large) amounts of time and money fettling their motors. End result was that the Imp motor, in a Clan, made more power and remained more drivable than the Pinto, in a Capri...

Only one of them had a properly fast car, only one of them had a car drivable in traffic - not the Pinto owner in either case.

A [1] every Pinto upgrade broke a standard bit, the Imp block need stiffening if you're planning to go much past 140bhp...

Got Rovers in other vehicles and yes good engine but for durability and abuse taking the pinto is way above an ally v8, they wont take overheating ( heads warp ) you need to be so careful with bolts and threads as can strip ally. The good old pinto as far as I am concerned is virtually bullet proof strong bottom end and steel block and head no problems with threads stripping on this, and before you comment, I do know how to do up and undo bolts, its not the fact I don't know whets going on, I just enjoy working on steel so forgiving, probably why they do over 100,000 miles and then get rebuilt and go on to do thousands more parts are cheap and good old engineering. Not for some who want loads of power but each to their own.

Rich

Burton but they will charge you for the privilege

Has anyone heard of puma racing?

Rich

Yes.

If it's a replacement engine you're after, join

and post in the "Wanted" section saying you want a Pinto. Loads of 'em about at this time of year, many people replacing "Boat Anchors" TM with bike engines.

Just make sure it's a Pinto first and not an I4[1].

[1] Yeah yeah, I4 isn't an official designation, but people know what one is (the TC 2l)

Yes, wasn't that Dave Barker?

Anyway, he used to be a regular poster around these parts.

Don't really want another, got 2, one in a car and a spare, want to start playing about with it tuning wise seems the chap at Puma knows his stuff with regards to Pinto's !! I know I am a bit late in the day as it's a well old engine but I have the opportunity and I like steel engines.

Rich

-- To reply remove " spam "

Seems with bigger pistons and larger inlet valves could be good for about

150 HP

Rich

[...]

My Pinto tuning friend broke two cranks and one block and was going through cam followers like sweeties without achieving close to that, admittedly on carbs. Even when working "well" it was horrid in traffic.

The Imp motor, bored, and stroked with a spacer plate to ~1.1l was making a reliable ~115bhp with an identical pair of DCOE40s never broke a thing and remained drivable.

At the same time Alfa 2.0s with similar carbs were giving 130bhp out of the box and would happily pull 5th gear from

But the Pintos that'd be for sale on locostbuilders wouldn't be "stock" :)

I'd go either bike carbs and megajolt, or bike throttle-bodies and mega-squirt, cheap enough and a major power upgrade. Lots of people doing this now.

You don't need to be 'so' careful with the bolts in a Rover V-8 - just use a torque wrench and some sense.

I'm on my sixth Rover V-8 engined car and have never had a head gasket blow - despite hoses etc going as on any old car.

To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Yes quite agree with you, the V8 is a great engine, produces a glorious sound, I always use common sense and a torque wrench, I have two vehicles with V8 in them, don't get me wrong, but there is just something about the pinto which I like and the fact it's steel, I cant explain it but that's me I suppose..But in my experience alloy engines are more delicate than steel.

Rich

Would you be able to tell me what the I4 is ? Are you referring to the DOHC

1998 twin cam engine.

Yeah that's the one, not a bad engine, weighs the same as a pinto but not many "go faster" parts around for it.

Well thanks for the advice, as I have a Pinto already I will see what happens, see if I can pour loads of money in to it for nothing, as some people have already done but I want to do it !! going to see if Puma can work the head and go from there !!!

Rich

-- To reply remove " spam "

In news:nX3jf.14389$ snipped-for-privacy@newsfe7-gui.ntli.net, Rich decided to enlighten our sheltered souls with a rant as follows

I'm seriously considering replacing the Pinto in Ye Olde Capri with something more interesting..

Either a Merc 5.0, or the easier option - a Rover V8.

Obviously not using enough Nitrous! We ended up not using head gasket at all just a smear of gasket goo! Nothing to blow.