megadodo

I run an R55 Mini diesel as a daily, I also have an E46 M3 and a Mk4 Golf VR6 4 motion as fun cars. I have too many hobbies, plastic model kits, OO gauge railway, Gauge 1 steam engines, radio control drones, planes, helicopters, boats, cars and a tank. I love vintage aircraft and as I live near Duxford and Shuttleworth I'm well served. I've just started playing with a 3D printer. If and when I'm able to retire I will never by allowed to say I'm bored!

I'm not sure how but some idiot (me) has put way too much oil in the sump! Probably why its smoking under load, off to hang my head in shame

Its time I got my 2B back on the road. The problem I have is that its suddenly started to smoke under load. The engine has done circa 3000 miles since the head came off during the build 2010ish and all I did was replace the valve oil seals as when in the donor car it smoked on the overrun. The bores looked very good and the engine ran very well but on the last run when it started to smoke it felt "not quite right". I'm think its probably rings this time but have any pinto experts got an opinion on what it might be! Its a 2.0 EFi and if the donor history was accurate it only has 88000 miles on it. The plan is to do a leak down and compression check, pull the head, check the bores again and fit new valve oil seals but should I go further and pull the pistons if there is no bore damage? Thoughts please folks.

When I built my 2B I didn't do anything to the engine apart from change the valve oil seals as it smoked on the over-run and at idle. It ran very well with no noises so I just dropped into the 2B. Its ran absolutely fine for 3.5k miles but over the weekend it started to blow smoke out of the exhaust under load. At the same time its developed a slight misfire under light throttle. I'm no Pinto expert but I'm thinking a ring has let loose possibly? There are no mods to the engine, its set up as it was in its donor Sierra Sapphire.

Angle iron running across between the rear subframe mounts, useful for both the handbrake cables and the inner seat belt mounts.

This is how mine was mounted

Agreed, its a tough beast, just support where its most useful for the job your doing.

The 2B is NOT difficult to get through the IVA as long as you follow the IVA guidelines. I did first time, it cant be that hard!

I jet wash first, then use Wonder Wheels or Auto Glym wheel cleaner working with various "stiffish" brushes to agitate. Leave to dwell for a couple of minutes then agitate again followed by a jet wash. If it a long time since they were properly cleaned I follow up with Iron X which dissolves iron particles that are stuck in the paint/lacquer. Even with very clean looking wheels you'll see contamination being dissolved and turning purple. Another jet wash, dry, tar remover (IPA), then a wax with Poorboys wheel wax. Now I know you are sitting there saying ffs! But now they will almost hose rinse clean the next time you wash them.

Every year I just take the screen off for my MOT with no issues

I'm 6 foot 2 and fit my 2B fine although I would disagree that it takes normal width seats. I initially bought some Recaros from a Rover and they simply wouldn't go in. You can "force" the sierra donor seats in but you sit right to the outside of the chassis if you do.

Welcome to the club, just one question? Living in Morecombe, do you really expect any sunny days? (I used to live in Caton so I remember the weather in north Lancashire!)

I can't see the magic button or option that allows me to delete a vehicle from my forum garage, anyone know what I'm doing wrong?

Cremation isn't very green though Bob, lots or energy required to incinerate body. When I go (my daughter has already planned my demise for the money, little does she know that if there's any left is going to charity!) I want to buried in a wicker coffin under a freshly planted native tree, preferably an oak!

I can leave my 2B for 3 months and she'll still start without charging the battery!

Because I'm sad I went out last night and measured my current drain, "ignition on & engine off" Pinto EFI with LP and HP pump running, struggled at first as the HP pump cuts off after a few seconds unless the engine is running and the LP pump pulses but the most I could get it draw at steady state was 11 amps. It would peak to 18 admittedly!

My gut feeling is that your "ignition on & engine off" draw is high even with both pumps running. I have no data to back that up, it just feels wrong. What is your measurement device?

Having had "true" flu just once with symptoms like yours you have my sympathy, get well soon.

This is an interesting discussion, I like this sort of debate. My thoughts, I would agree with Big Jim that as much of the old fluid as possible is extracted from the reservoir ensuring both chambers are emptied. This will be quicker than bleeding out the whole mass of old fluid and probably reduce the risk of mixing old with new although the amount of mixing will be negligible if bled though to clear fluid anyway. However, given there are 2 separate chambers, Big Jim, I would say it makes no difference at all whether the front was bled first or second! As to which side you do first I have always done the longest path first but I don't know why. Thinking about now in this context, I'm not sure it matters. Again the chance of mixing more than the tiniest amount of old fluid with the the new at a junction is so insignificant to be ignored. If the system was completely empty then I would think that due to the compress-ability of air in the system then bleeding the longest path first would give a slight advantage, but only just. Just to further complicate the issue, as I vacuum bleed would increase the risk of mixing and if so would that be significant enough to worry about?

The "goo" has got me home in the past and yet it has also failed so I'd say its worth carrying as well as a spare! Personally, I like the look of the spare on the back, it's traditional!

I have the same issue with 3 small VDO gauges, sidelights on for a few minutes warms them up enough to clear it as already mentioned. Unless they're sealed there is always a risk the moist air can get in and condense on the cooler dial glass.

Merc with IR/UV vision pack? Can see right through fog, problem is, no one can see them coming!

Fast diagnosis and treatment always bodes well for a good recovery. Best of luck and here's to a fast recovery.

My dad helped develop one of the first electron microscope stages that allowed images of things that were still alive, early ones had to have the item frozen. He delighted in bringing home images that we as kids had to identify. Even though I found it fascinating at first it did get a bit boring after several weeks of trials, but keep 'em coming now boys!

Steel block, steel head, new gasket, bolts tightened correctly and it leaks after 100 miles? You have a problem that needs resolving or you'll spend sometime at the roadside cursing that you didn't pull the head off again!