Increasing Bhp On A Pinto

[Guest AndrewH]

Hi Nigel.

 

Right been thinking about this. Your advice has been hugely helpful. I have got hold of an injection head for a tenner and plan to get it skimmed by 1.5mm and use a Felpro gasket. I then will do a bit of porting to improve flow and install a Piper 285 cam with vernier pulley. I plan to stick with my DGV 32/36 weber as it is new.

 

Is this all I need to do or do I need to do the work on the valve seats you suggest - I cant quite visualise how this would look or why I need to do it.

 

My guess with rolling road that this should get me to about 130bhp for around £300-£350 (plus cost of rolling road).

 

Does this sound right and can you help me understand the need to do the work on the valve seats and what exactly needs to be done.

 

Thanks a lot.

 

Andrew

[Guest neil stobbart]

Andrew,

 

Try and get hold of 'How to modify Ford SOHC engines' by David Vizard - I found it invaluable when modifying my head. I've also heard 'How to power tune Ford SOHC' by Des Hammill is good but can't speak from experience on that one.

 

Try Burtons, Rally Design etc...

 

Stobby

[Snapperpaul]

I calculate your compression ratio at 10.5781 to 1 probably to much for standard unleaded and on the limits for standard cast pistons which are only any good to 10.5 to 1.

If you get the Des Hammill book and relieve the chambers around the edges where the valves get close you should get the compression ratio down to under 10.5 to 1 or use a standard gasket or only skim the head 1mm.

What rods have you got? standard rods 6800 injection rods 7200 to occational 7500

[Knock-on]

I will probably replace the engine next year so am starting to think about it now.

 

What's the easiest to go for? I was thinking a Zetec 2.0.

 

Anyone gone through a Pinto to Zetec upgrade and what was the process / problems / costs etc or is there a different engine that might be better.

 

I was toying with going for a Honda s2000 but think it might be a tadge optermistic

[Longboarder]

Having the three angle valve seats improves flow by blending port to seat and seat to combustion chamber. I suspect that this along with raising the compression is more than half the job for a home mod. I would not go with much 'porting', more just a clean up of obvious steps in the ports. The Des Hammil book can be found on the internet. How to power tune ford SOHC 4 cylinder Pinto and Cosworth DOHC engines for road and track. Catchy title! Theres a ton of info in there.

I would not go zetec again if starting from pinto. Duratec or XE if I did it again.

 

Nigel

[Guest mcramsay]

why not zetec?

[Guest charliems7]

Hi Andrew

you can download des hammill's "how to power tune ford sohc" from westfield world,technical,engines. a great read and free.

i don't know how to put a link in a post!

charlie

[Guest AndrewH]

Thanks guys for all the good advice. Much appreciated.

 

A

[Snapperpaul]

why not zetec?

 

The Zetec has the inlet and exhaust on the otherside to the Pinto

[Guest jasonmorris]

S2000 engine with throttle bodies, much better engine and loads of power. Tad expensive though me thinks!!!!

 

Jason

[Longboarder]

Same sort of reasons as people give for not going overboard on a pinto. Limit of what you can get for the money. Seems to me that the zetec tops out costwise at about 190-200bhp. Any more than that gets very expensive. Duratec and XE both give 180-190 almost as a starting point and getting another 30-40 bhp from them is not too hard or prohibitively expensive.

Definitely don't go overboard tuning a silvertop zetec.

 

Nigel

 

Better just add this is only a personal opinion.