Good Trusted Local Garage Pinto Experience

[Guest mrinverted232]

Hi Guys,

 

Well after trying all the suggestions on here over the last 2 days to try to cure air bubbles in the radiator , no joy ... which leads me to the head gasket possibly blowing into the waterway.

 

Thanks to everybody who has offered suggestions, trust me I have done all of them.

 

Anyhow, can anyone recommend a garage that could do the head gasket and also set up the 45`s as they could possibly do with being set up properly after the rebuild.

 

Anyone heard off or had experience of Burtsmotorsport in Ely, they seem to have experience with Pintos and have access to a rolling road?

 

I know the head gasket is a straightforward job and I have done them before, my problem is time, I dont have any spare so:>>> happy to pay to have this put right just looking for some recommendations local to me please?

 

Thanks again

 

Craig.

[Guest mcramsay]

45's will need to be set up by a rolling road to get proper performance from them, preferably by an old school garage that can set carbs up properly.

 

As for the pinto the head gasket is a really easy job and can be done by any one that can read and move their fingers. Get a sierra Haynes manual and follow the step by step guide!

 

Along with changing the head gasket (garage or at home) you need to ask why it failed, as you may have a warped head that needs machining flat again

[kevin the chicken]

Not sure about the garage but I can put you in touch with my rolling road man. He is just outside chatteris so only 15 miles or so from you. There isn't much he doesn't know about webers and he changed the chokes which I supplied, rejettted the carbs,adjusted the dizzy which was giving too much retardation at idle and too much advance at high revs and then did a full power run and only charged 80 quid cash which seems cheap for 3 hours to me. Let me have a ring around to see about the head gasket, I know several people who may do it, this area is thick with people who know these engines like the back of their hand. The advantage of living in stock car country.

[kevin the chicken]

My mate did recommend somebody to me but I although don't doubt his skills he didn't turn up here once when he was supposed to so he is crossed out of my phone book. He did think though that it was worth asking the rolling road chap as he may be interested if he was going to tune it afterwards. He does build them from scratch for race cars. Let me know if you are interested and if you are i will ring him Monday.

[steve in stockport]

Before you go chucking more and more money at something that may not even be a problem fill it full of coolant, 1/4 - 1/3 fill the expansion tank, fit the rad cap and take it for a decent drive.

If it has any trapped air ticking over on the drive won't really shift it like a decent drive will. Keep an eye on the gauges and if everything operates as it should let it cool down and the following day check the levels etc and top up if necessary. If it takes a lot of water you may well have a problem, but a small top up isn't unheard of while the thing finds it's own level. Now repeat the decent drive and cooling process and level checks.

By a decent drive I mean about 50 miles not just around the local village, the expansion tank will get warm/hot as it will fill with hot coolant as it expands but this should get sucked back into the radiator as it cools.

 

You have got the correct cap with the return valve as found on Capris and Cortinas haven't you?

 

And if that rad fan is one of the cheap 80 watt things that needs changing too as they're not worth the plastic they're made from, a decent fan from a good maker will set you back around £80 - £100 but is a world away from the cheap ones.

 

Getting the carbs and ignition tuned will help too, if it's running lean it will be running hotter than normal. Once you know you have a sound cooling system you should only ever have to add a drop of water to the expansion bottle every now and again if the level in it drops.

Edited July 8, 2017 by steve in stockport

[Guest mrinverted232]

Thanks guys,

 

Really useful information, will give it a good run asap and check the levels, still always on the lookout for good pinto experts and garages. Has anyone heard of Burtsmotorsport in Ely? seem to be Pinto experts anyone had experience with them? thanks again always a good crowd on here.

 

Craig

[Guest mrinverted232]

Oh sorry,

 

The fan is 120 w and I think the make is Accuspark???????

 

It could be an ebay special but when its on I can feel the warm air being blown at the seat area of the car, guess its ok?

[MarkBzero]

45's could be on the large side for pinto a proper rolling road will help but what size chokes and jets are fitted?

[steve in stockport]

It may be ok but as their fans range from £19.95 - £34.95 it probably won't be anywhere near as effective as one from the brand leaders that are considerably more.

I used a comex high power from Revotec which was £80 for a 10" fan but it was well worth the money. It cooled mine from 95 to below 88 degrees in a couple of minutes.

[Guest lotusPaul]

2.1 pinto only needs 40s. With the 45s you will loose torque almost everywhere in rev range. Look throught my posting history and you will see a spec of settings that may help you

[Guest mrinverted232]

Not sure about the garage but I can put you in touch with my rolling road man. He is just outside chatteris so only 15 miles or so from you. There isn't much he doesn't know about webers and he changed the chokes which I supplied, rejettted the carbs,adjusted the dizzy which was giving too much retardation at idle and too much advance at high revs and then did a full power run and only charged 80 quid cash which seems cheap for 3 hours to me. Let me have a ring around to see about the head gasket, I know several people who may do it, this area is thick with people who know these engines like the back of their hand. The advantage of living in stock car country.

 

Hi

Thanks much appreciated, any contact details would be welcome.

[Guest lotusPaul]

Once choke size is worked out multiply it by 1.25 for carb size. That would make mine as 32 x 1.25 = 40mm. In fact 36mm in 40 dcoe worked well and gave a torque curve that was very flat.

 

As a point of reference.

 

2.0 with peak power at 6000rpm.

36mm choke x 1.25 = 45mm barrel.

A 36mm choke will also fit in a 40mm too.

Choke x 4 = main jet size (initially )

Main jet + 50 = air corrector size

 

These will get you started for now and are very close to a 2.1 too, to get you started.

 

 

Found them. These are good for a base line

[Guest mrinverted232]

Thanks.

 

Great advice.

 

Craig.

[Guest lotusPaul]

Rather than edit the above ill add this seperatly.

 

Use the deepest air filters and the best you can afford, inside fit air trumpets. Always leave 25mm between trumpet end and filter depth to allow for airflow.

The longest and deepest combo will generally increase torque in the lower rev ranges. It may need slightly different jets from the above but ive used 100mm depth filters with 75mm trumpets using those settings and a warm cam 2.0 was fine.