Pinto Problem

[Guest Pedro]

No expansion tank fitted just an overflow pipe down the side of the radiator , since I have had the car you only had to put in water to a level just above the tubes (looking into the filler neck). If you filled the rad to the top it would just blow the excess out of the overflow , although the car did not overheat and ran at a normal temperature 85-90 , if standing in traffic and the temp rose above this the electric fan would cut in. The old t/stat housing had a take off probably for an expansion tank but this was blanked off, my new t/sat housing has no take off.

 

Take your point about the valve seals, the valves themselves look ok in fact the whole engine is in good overall nick. The previous owner ran it on Castrol R , the engine uses virtually no oil and I have just topped up a minimal amount with the remaining Castrol R supplied with the car. I will be changing the oil and filter after the rework, which oil is recommended?

 

Thanks all

[agent_zed]

for a pinto i would say 20/w50 mineral oil as it was designed to use that. personally the cheapest i can get as it's going to be better spec than oil from the 70's and i'm only doing a few thousand miles between services. If you start going to things like 5w30 it will mostly pour out of the gaps in the engine you didn't know you had

[Guest Gargoil]

No expansion tank fitted just an overflow pipe down the side of the radiator , since I have had the car you only had to put in water to a level just above the tubes (looking into the filler neck). If you filled the rad to the top it would just blow the excess out of the overflow , although the car did not overheat and ran at a normal temperature 85-90 , if standing in traffic and the temp rose above this the electric fan would cut in. The old t/stat housing had a take off probably for an expansion tank but this was blanked off, my new t/sat housing has no take off.

 

 

You have had a new Weber kit installed. Presumably this has meant more fuelling to the engine and possible hotter temps. It could mean that you have tipped the balance of your cooling system and need a slight upgrade to restore the balance.

A blackened spark plug (from memory) can indicate a too rich mixture.

[alantoon]

Make sure that your manual choke is coming off completely as this could cause these problems

[Guest Pedro]

HI all, Nearly finished what turned out to be a top overhaul, head gasket, water pump, t/stat,filler cap etc , just oil and water to add tomorrow and hopefully fire it up. I am a little concerned about adding coolant and potential air locks, I have read all the stuff in the forums regarding bleeding etc and its getting a bit confusing.

I have a Pinto 1.8 with heater, an open overflow from the rad neck down the side of the rad, no expansion tank etc. I was going to jack the front of the car right up so the rad is highest , run the engine up to temp with the rad cap off and when the t/stat opens fit the filler cap.

Has anyone got a step by step procedure for bleeding the cooling system?

 

Thanks again for the advice

[Guest mower man]

Put 15mm t piece with a bleed in the pipe from the pump to heater / inlet manifold make sure its above rad toptank B+Q for parts , works a treat mower man

[Peter Bell]

Your plan sounds fine but fit an overflow bottle to the overflow pipe on the rad, a cheap bike drinks bottle will be fine (or Newcastle brown can) see following for explanation. http://www.s262612653.websitehome.co.uk/DVAndrews/wateroil.htm

[Guest Pedro]

This sound great and quite easy , wey aye man ( except finding a broon ale can) just got to find a location for the overflow bottle, is it ok below the rad level,

[Peter Bell]

Yes should be ok. it may be all you needed all along but! I was in Ashington a couple of months ago not with the hood though this time, also saw the couple standing in the harbour in Newbiggin.

[Guest Pedro]

I presume this was business not a holiday! Not sure what that couple at Newbiggin are looking for, I think they should have been further inshore.

 

Finished the car today and gave it a road test , its runs fine a lot better than before seems smoother with more power and acceleration. The water stayed in the rad although the heater is still cold, I have ordered two in line bleed valves from CBS , these will fit in the heater hoses so hopefully will overcome this issue.. I am also going to fit a overflow tank when I figure out where to put it. Seems the head gasket fixed the fault although I fill the rad just over the tubes not to the top.

 

Next job to finally fit some sort of steering column shroud which does not set my hazards off on a regular basis!

 

Thanks for the help and advice

[Guest Ian & Carole]

If the heater is running cold then YOU STILL have air in the system and you run the risk of popping the head gasket again.

 

Leave the car ticking over for ages with the rad cap off, the heater in the "Hot" setting and keep a close eye on things.

 

Water may flow out of the rad and level will drop, top up with warm / hot water and keep on doing this.

 

Leave over night with rad cap off and check the level.

[Peter Bell]

It was a social visit, my dad was bought up in Ashington went down the mines at 14 as they all did.

As Ian said there must still be some air in the system, can you disconnect one side of the heater hoseand pour water through? may encourage the air to move. Also when you have the overflow tank, fill the rad right up.

[Guest Pedro]

Fitted the inline bleed valves to the heater hoses, one in the hose from the water pump to heater and the other in the hose from the heater to inlet manifold. Ran the engine with bleed valves open and pulled the hoses from the heater until hot water ran through. Heater was eventually lukewarm I dont think I have bottomed out the problem yet.

 

On the plus side the car runs much better with more power since I replaced the head gasket.