Tuning Pintos

[Guest old_timbo]

Has anyone got a copy of Des Hamill's "HOW TO POWERTUNE FORD SOHC PINTO & SIERRA COSWORTH DOHC ENGINES" and/or the Vizard book on the same subject that I could purchase (beg, steal, borrow also considered). Both are currently out of print, so its second hand or nothing at the moment.

 

Drop me a PM or call on 01223 833174. I'm in Duxford Cambs.

 

Thanks

 

Tim

[Longboarder]

I think my copy of Des Hamils book is around somewhere and as I am pintoless you can have it if you pm me your address.

 

Nigel

[Snapperpaul]

Vizards book comes up on ebay for about 20 quid, i currently have both books and feel that Visard whilst he gives good advise, is more for the racer than the street machine, and very good if you are going to port your own head.

Hamels book is much more readable and offers some good street mods using the Ford parts bin.

[Dave R]

PLEASE DO NOT OFFER ILLEGAL MATERIAL IN PUBLIC ON THESE FORUMS.

[Guest old_timbo]

Nigel PM sent.

 

I've managed to get hold of a 2.0L injection Pinto engine so the plan is to work on it and then swap it for the bog standard carb Pinto engine I've got in my 2B. Quite fancy the idea of doing some headwork so it sounds as if I should take a look at the Vizard book too. Trouble is I think it was written in about 1980 i.e. before the injection engines came along so I assumed the Hamill book would be more current.

[Guest Takumi]

The Vizard Book is excellent, quite old now, but still nothing modern comes close to the level of detail expressed regarding port modifications. A++

[Guest gavinc]

hi dave r

 

i am not very computer literate but is there anyway you can upload the pdf to the

 

site for others to access..

 

cheers gavin

[Guest Takumi]

I wouldn't upload it anywhere , I would have thought it was copyrighted..!

[Guest gavinc]

good point. never thought of that

 

any idea where i can buy a PDF copy.

[Guest chris brown]

This site has lots of good info on it and you don’t have to speak Russian to read it.

 

 

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[Guest hypermick]

If any of you guys are thinking of modding the pinto head, bear in mind Vizard spends lots of energy concentrating on valve work, partcularly the shape of the valves.

I'd be interested to hear comments from anyone who has read his book for in many places he tends to build up enthusiasm then, at the end says things like.. "the standard shape is actually better ".

From my own experiences many years ago of gas flowing Lotus TC and 16valve BDA heads, he is right about one thing,. a highly polished surface is not actually needed, clean correct shape is what counts.

I'm just about to finish a head this week and my theory is choose the cam carefully for fast but flexible road use, skim about 40-50thou off the head (from standard), dont go OTT with the valve spring ratings,. since it will wear the hell out of the centre cam bearing and result in low oil pressure, purchase a vernier type cam sprocket to enable different cam timings to be tested, and take time to match up inlet and exhaust ports to respective manifolds.

 

Dont forget when grinding to get rid of the steps where the head material fits around the valve seats, taking care not to collide with the cutter into the seats themselves !

 

Finally,..if anyone is using an unleaded head (which has hardened valve seats of course) its a very debatable subject of whether you can actually use grinding paste to lap the valves in. Theoretically you shouldnt,. personally I have on several occasions and suffered absolutely no bad consequences. FINE paste only though and very lightly on the grind too !!!

 

 

mick

[Longboarder]

an unleaded head (which has hardened valve seats of course) its a very debatable subject of whether you can actually use grinding paste to lap the valves in. Theoretically you shouldnt,.

Why? Is it a question of can't (too hard or some other reason) or shouldn't (causes some problem)?

 

Nigel

[Guest salty_monk]

Some issue about "letting down" the hardness level of the inserts maybe?

 

I wouldn't have thought it gets hot enough though.

 

Only other thing I can think of is if they are case hardened in which case you could risk grinding away the hard top surface. Wouldn't have thought so though.

 

[Longboarder]

Can't be case hardened. After fitting they are cut, 45 or 3 angle. The case hardening would just be a swarfy memory.

 

Nigel

[Mat-Moo]

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