peter_m7uk

Hi Dan, Thanks for the info. I see on the Premier Wiring site that the Pinto one is 38mm O/D, which is the size of the feed from the bottom of the radiator. I was assuming that the fan switch was in the top pipe back to the rad, but I suppose that just tells you that the engine is hot rather than the radiator itself. So, I'll stick the switch in the bottom pipe, unless I'm mistaken?! Also thanks a lot for the wiring tip - I like the idea on the NW site, simple but effective Thanks, Pete

Gents, The viscous fan does not fit into the Lightweight, so a Honda electric fan is supplied with the kit. However, this means that it will have to be switched on and off automatically somehow. Could a kind person tell me the best way to do this (the DVDs say nothing)?! I noticed this for sale by Westfield, but is there a cheaper alternative? Also, anyone drawn a wiring diagram for a switched fan system? Cheers, Pete

Morning Guys, Just been scratching my head over how to do the cooling circuit for my Lightweight, as there may be some differences to the way that many Hoodies' cars are. For a start, I won't be using a heater matrix, so my first question is: Can I block the coolant pump exit and intake manifold inlet pipes which normally connect to the heater matrix on the Sierra? Or, does this circuit *have* to be completed to keep the intake manifold cool? My next question is about connecting the coolant reservoir/expansion tank. The RH-supplied radiator only has a top and bottom pipe, whereas the Sierra rad also had a middle pipe fed from the bottom of the expansion tank. I suppose this means that the expansion tank will have to feed back into the bottom hose on my set-up? That will immediately put hot coolant back into the engine, although I suppose it's a small amount compared to the main feed from the bottom of the rad? In that case, I'll need a T-piece - Any suggestions, please, on where is the best/cheapest place to get a suitable hose? Also, where are people getting suitably compact expansion tanks? Hope you can help, Peter

Thanks chaps, bought the silicone spray in the end. Pete

Just coming to re-fit the injectors onto the rail of my EFi Pinto, but Haynes says I need some silicone grease (to a Ford spec) for the O-rings. I can get silicone spray from my motor factors, but just wondering if the Ford stuff will be any different? Wouldn't want to use the wrong stuff, then get fuel spraying all over my engine bay! What has anyone else used for this job? Cheers, Pete

Great

It all becomes clear now Thanks chaps

Just wondering aloud.. What's the bell-shaped metal thing all about at the earthing point on a Type9 box? I was wondering whether to keep it, but it's so odd that it must have a purpose?! Is it something to do with static arcing from the gearbox, otherwise I haven't a clue! Pete

It's in the title! I'm going to use an electronic speedo and considered just removing the circlip and whipping the cable out, but I imagine it could leak unless there's some sort of internal seal?? Any electronic speedo guys tried this? Or did you just cut the cable at the base and let the end spin? Cheers, Pete

Thanks for the reply, John When you say the most you would do is to fit new std size rings, do you think it would be fine to leave the ridge? Cylinder 1 is the only one where it's really noticeable. Cylinders 2 to 4 you can feel a tiny hint of a ridge (0.03mm), but you can definitely feel it in 1 (0.055mm). As for treatment of the car, I'm not intending to race it, but I'm going to have fun and maybe the odd track day! I suppose I'm interested in piece of mind, as I don't want to burn loads of oil, be down on power or break the piston rings, but if it's a waste of £200+ to sort out this little bore wear, then maybe I'll just stick it all back together! Cheers, Peter

Thanks for the reply, Chris. I wasn't thinking about weight, more about lengthwise space in the engine bay of my Lightweight. It looks like a very tight fit in the build DVD and in pics from other builders with single belt pullies, so I'm worried that the twin belt pullies will be too much. And I was thinking of replacing the Sierra alternator with a small one, which will not require 2 belts, so the existing pullies would be a waste. I think the standard engine is neater as well! Pete

Hey chaps, Just to combine 2 queries into one posting: 1) I am thinking of a rebore for my Pinto 2.0 EFi and just wondering if anyone knows what is the maximum oversize I can go for without needing a special head gasket or further machining work to sort out the compression ratio? I'm happy to go for just the basic 0.5mm, but why not go for the max! 2) My donor had power steering, so I have big fat crankshaft and water pump pullies. Is there any problem with sticking non power-steering pullies onto my crankshaft? Probably not and if so, anyone want to sell me some?!! All the best Pete

I got hold of a bore gauge and found the the biggest ridge was at the top of cylinder 1, with a step from 90.83mm at the very top to 90.885mm just below the ridge (0.055mm in total). Using calipers I also found that piston 1 had worn 0.1mm (can't be any more accurate) than the other three. It does seem like s0d-all, but I'd be interested to hear the opinion of more experienced gents. I am now half considering a rebore, hone, and oversize pistons and rings, though. Anyone know what I should expect to pay for the rebore, hone and to have the old gudgeon pins pushed out and the new pistons fitted? Cheers

Graham reckons 610kg for his Lightweight with a full tank and no spare wheel. Although ScotMac is aiming for more like 500kg by attaching light suspension components etc to his chassis.. Pete

That sounds disastrous Let's hope it's just a rumour I hate the so*ding EU! They have no moral right to dictate anything to the UK and they can shove ideas like that up their Sooner we get rid of our pathetic government, the better!

I have access to a honer at work for free! But surely it's the wrong tool for the ridge removing job? I can't get a ridge reamer from work and no one knows much about it either, as we only work with brand new engines.. Pete

Gents, I'm about to start the rebuild of my 2.0EFi Pinto, but there is a tiny wear ridge at the top of the bores. I will be fitting new piston rings, so I'm not too keen on having this ridge present. I'm considering using a ridge reamer to cut this away, but I wanted to hear if anyone else had tried this? Any comments in general on ridges in the bore and what to do? Cheers, Pete

Hi Chris, So you're not using the breather pipe from the oil filler cap and you've connected the two sides of the plenum together, so how exactly is your crankcase breathing?! Have you just left the pressure valve open to atmosphere, 1960s style? If so, did you get it through the SVA emissions test like that? Also, do you lose any oil that way? Just wondering, cos it would be easier to do it your way and you wouldn't end up covering the throttle butterfly in cr*p. The engine might also perform better and be more reliable without any crankcase gunk getting back through inlet, but what would Mr SVA say? It will be more expensive for me to do it as the Ford design, cos I need a replacement rubber pipe, which I bet is expensive from a Ford dealer, so it would be nice to know either way. Cheers, Pete

Adam, That is indeed the servo. Makes life a lot easier and neater without that big ugly lump in your engine bay! Pete

Hi Simon, Thanks for the reply. So did you use the deceleration valve? If not, ever had a rear wheel lock-up?! Also, how did you adapt the master cylinder for the Lightweight? It clearly has to go on backwards relative to the Sierra, but there's a kind of plunger on the Sierra that goes through the servo and into the master cylinder. Did you re-use that somehow, or have a totally different idea? Cheers, Pete

Guys, I'm just wondering about brakes at the moment. As the Lightweight is light (isn't it?!), I would imagine that no one has used a servo? But what about the Sierra deceleration valve? Searching the forum for comments on the 2B, some say they needed it and some say they didn't. Any experiences to report? Also, it looks like the Sierra master cylinder will not fit the Lightweight without cutting an enormous hole in the scuttle! What have people used to replace it and where did they get it from? How did you connect the brake pedal to the master cylinder - It seems that it will have to be very different to the method used on the Sierra? Hope you can help! Pete

Hi Graham, I saw your comment about the propshaft, just wanted to tell people what I'd done as a precaution against diff movement. Hope your problem is now solved?! On my figures, I was just taking the gear ratios for a Type 9. A gearbox acts as a torque multiplier, so it's straightforward to see the difference between engine torque and gearbox output torque. The build is coming along slowly but steadily! I am getting close to the stage of fitting the engine and gearbox into my rolling chassis now. Would love to be ready for the summer, but God knows if that's possible! Check out the rest of my Build Pictures. Pete

"richard has said that the forces when decelerating in gear are larger than when accelerating , this is when i have the problem. the car that spun its diff has a large ammount of horses , and mine has a high compression engine which may account for my problem." Graham, not sure that this is true.. In the worst case, engine braking from high rpm in 1st gear with a type 9 box, the maximum torque applied to the diff is 3.65 times the torque of an engine spinning with a closed throttle at high rpm. (The engine naturally decelerates rapidly anyway, so if you brake hard a lot of the work in slowing down the engine is done by the engine) I doubt if these forces are greater than accelerating hard in any gear other than possibly 5th, where the torque applied to the diff is only 0.82 times the torque of the engine. Any comments? Pete

Hey Lightweighters, Just wanted to show you what I did in response to these worries - I decided to use the holes in the back of the diff for a bit of extra support. I got a couple of bits of 3mm mild steel and made up a bracket. Was a bit fiddly to retrofit given that you can't see what you're doing in the diff box and that I already had the fuel tank in! Anyway, please click on the links to check out the Diff Brackets and Diff Rear Mount. I reckon that should do it! My only worry is that the original Sierra rear mount used rubber to connect the chassis and diff. Presumably this was done to account for movement of the rear suspension subframe relative to the chassis and would damp out any shocks? The Lightweight does not use separate subframes, so hopefully this method shouldn't be too stiff! After all, it's there in the first place to stop movement. Cheers, Pete

If it's any help, my 2.0 Pinto EFi idling problem was cured 100% by simply cleaning the butterfly valve. I took the valve apart and scraped every last tiny deposit off it, so that the butterfly would close cleanly and completely. Went from hunting up and down in speed to a lovely smooth idle. I'd be willing to bet that this may be your problem too. Pete