Big Jim

Could be a few things, but probably either your cam belt, too tight, (you should be able to twist it, on it's longest run, through 90º with your finger & thumb) or it could be your water pump. Get the cooling system filled up and see if it still squeaks then. after that it could be almost anything.

Try themostat QTH370. They will not have one in stock, so get them to order it for you. When it comes, it will have a baffle plate attached, this in the engine it was designed for, closes off an internal waterway as the thermostat opens. Remove this plate (usually just held with a small wire circlip) then grind down the 'peg' that it was mounted on. Do this slowly, don't get the peg hot. Then when you fit it into the housing, the copper 'bulb' should be in the engine side, not the hose side.

Winter project Mitch???????

The biggest problem with thermostats in the Pinto, is people putting them in arse about face. You should use a stat. You can get stas with different opening temps, I use one that starts to open at around 76º and the engine runs nicely all day at 80 - 82º (see build tips on NW web site) make sure that you have a true reading on your temp gauge, remember the sender must match the gauge not the engine / car.

Dave Tomlinson, our very own tame AA man, has kindly set me copies of wiring diagrams for all the Sierra igntion types. These can be found here. Northwest build tips he's also sent me some fault finding cribs, but I will need to do something with them, as they are poor quality scans, and are unreadable when posted.

Once you've cut the bottom off, shorten the oil pipe and keep sitting it inside the upturned sump by holding the bracket down onto the workbench, that will show you just where the oil basket will be when you put it all together. You will find that you just have to cut into the bend of the pipe, so just putting the oil basket straight back on won't work, you have to manipulate the hole in it so that it will finish up parallel to the bottom plate when brazed up. you'll see what I mean when you actually start to do it. There are 2 other points that will help, once you've cut the 2 inverted 'V's in, make sure that one of them goes as far as possible towards the joint of the' coal bunker addition' this will stop any air locks and make sure that you get maximum amount of oil in. The other is, the sump plug hole, you need it as low as possible (the dimension on the drawing is correct) but not low enought for it to be unscrewed, should you 'rub' over an obsticle. (and use a new washer on the plug afterwards!) Another thing is, do not touch your dip stick. the top level of the oil stays the same, just keep it at that level because you don't have another 1½ inches of oil underneath now. Put new rubber seals into the main bearing caps before refitting (unless they are fairly new)

If you look at the photo's of his 'Gold plated' super-duper, you will see the 'cat' just in front of the silencer box.

Come on! it's not that hard! run a piece of string around the whole edge of the fibreglass, multipy by 2 (2 wings.........) add a bit for good luck, then get your wallet out. Oh and by the way, it just pushes on, that's why it's called 'snap on' edging.

No! cutting lumps out of the car, then trying to weld them up later is definately NOT a good idea! :angry: :angry: Take the bloody engine out if you can't get the sump off with it still in, it'll only take about 45 mins to get it out. Next time, listen to your Uncle Jim, you've all been told to shorten the sump BEFORE you put the engine in, but you can't bloody wait, can you? That's why we are old and balding, (By-passed the grey stage through owning a Hood!) we've already made the mistakes for you youngsters!

That's the point that I was making, 16K for a bog standard 1600cc Pinto. Just looking on 'another' site, and someone paid £65 to a garage to fit his new silencer that he'd bought, another waited (off the road!) 3 weeks for the garage to do the same on his car! It just goes to show, some people have more money than sense!!! Glad I'm a HOODIE!!

If you can get a blow lamp to it, get it hot, bloody hot, then try tapping it undone with a centre punch. it's the rust that's holding the original bolt, you need to 'burn' it away. Good luck!!

And with an out-of-date 1700 cross flow engine, or a bog standard 1600cc Pinto?

To see a couple of reports about this excellent weekend, go to the write ups on the Northwest site. Yorkie weekend

I think you mean 'more robust' ie heavier, Andy. The Robin Hoods will never be as light as a Dax, West.... or Cater....... as our's are made from shinny metal & a few pieces of fibreglass, whereas those are made from using much lighter materials, ie. ally & much more fibreglass. If you want a serious track car, then a bike engined plastic one is the thing.

I do not profess to have any knowledge about cams, but I looked at Dave Andrews site when I wanted a cam for my Pinto, and it seems that the more radical you go with the cam, you will get more 'top end' power, but to the expense of low rev drivability. Also with the 'wild' cams, you really nead to do the head work, valves, valve gear, springs, etc. so that the engine will not explode on you. Then you will need twin carbs to feed the thing with Go-Go juice, This can obviously cost lots of cash, and will reduces your MPG to bugger all, costing more every time you go out in it. So if you want to be the "balls-out" nutter on the high street, when the sun shines, go radical! I personnally fitted an FR32 cam, with a 38 DGAS carb, I also altered the ingnition as per Dave's instructions, and was well happy. (until I put the Vauxhall engine in )

and if Ade doesn't want them, I will have them. Jim

It depends on your engine mounts. Uncle Henry changed them when he brought out the CVH engine, to bring them all in line. You will probably have the early mounts (see piccy) Your local ford agent will tell you that they are no longer available, so ask him for the ones fitted to the 2.8 inj 4x4 sierra, they are the same fitting, possibly a little harder. Alternatively find a 4x4 sierra in your local scrappy to rob, but be aware, you'll need him to lift the engine off the mountings once you've undone them. For silencers, either another RH special (deaf by 2000 miles) or a Custom Chrome, or a Wunoff (both around £150) I've had the Custom Chrome, now got a Wunoff, (far superior) check out threads for 'exhaust' or 'silencer' Also note that the silencer should be rubber mounted. Conking out could be a multitude of things, blocked air breather in fuel cap, *bleep* in carb, electrical fault, water in fuel........ take your pick!

The area set aside for clubs usually are all in about the same general area, and can't be missed. This isn't a big show like Stoneleigh or even Stafford, and over the last few years has be going downhill. This year however, I am told that it has been taken over by the same guy that runs the Exeter show, and he has put a lot of effort into advertising etc. so it could be better. The NW contingient will be there as usual.

You actually want the gaiter to be "too long" as what you do, is push the excess down into the hole (which needs to be big enough) so that when you change gear, say 1st to 4th, the gaiter isn't pulled tight. PHOTO posted as promised!

No he didn't! There were straight tie bars already fitted, but the wheel caught them on lock, so I moved the mountings forward, made new tie bars with an offset in, (similar to the anti-roll bar) and relocated them. Obviousle it left me with a pair of bolt holes in the side of the car, so I incorporated them strengthening plate also.

Try a new coil. I've come across similar problems and it was the coil. A new coil is only around £15, or just borrow one to try.

It would have been much cheaper to have bought her a new pair of trousers!!

The RH trick is to get an interior "Festoon" bulb, solder wires to each end, then araldite it to the little 'Window' bit where the sidelight should be. Worked OK for me until I went Halogen.

Are you running socks on the carbs? if so, try it without them, I had this on the Vauxhall engine, it took ages before we twigged it. It was sucking the socks onto the trumpet and choking the engine. I now have elastic bands around the trumpets half way up, so as to stop them going right up against the trumpet ends.