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Pinto engine - what should I be looking for
steves1966 - 6/6/03 at 12:07 PM

me again, not posted for a while but my garage is now finished and I have got hold of a Velocity chassis.

I need to find out what sort of sierras have the pinto engine, I have done a few searches on the internet but dont seem to be able to find a definative list.

I want to go for either a 1.8 or 2.0L (probably the 2L cos its bigger!) so what do you think should be looking for?

I have seen that the efi engines are a bit high but you can do a mod to a bit I hadnt heard of before (plenum or something) to make them fit so that would also be an option.

Any ideas?

Steve

chrisg - 6/6/03 at 06:15 PM

I think Conrod's doing the "plenum thing", it's been dissucsed on here before.

The later "205" block from sierras and granadas is Prefered and comes with the EFI- these are all 2 litre.

Most 1.8 Sierras will be CVH engined, but as these and 1.8 pinto versions were sold side by side you'll have to look under the bonnet.

The 1.8 pinto is quite rare, I've been told recently that they were used by ford to fill a gap while the CVH was engineered for the Sierra.

Get a 2 litre - They're almost (or actually) free

Cheers

Chris

CairB - 7/6/03 at 06:19 PM

Chris,

My main steed is a 1.8 pinto. Just gone round 200k.

If it's rare does it make it worth a lot?

[Edited on 7/6/03 by CairB]

chrisg - 7/6/03 at 09:45 PM

Yes

Cheers

Chris

steves1966 - 8/6/03 at 07:48 AM

So if I look for any fuel injected 2L Sierra I will have a pinto engine that can have the Conrod plenum mod done I 'll be laughing?

CairB - 8/6/03 at 08:00 AM

I think that conrodkid is going the carb route.

I did a plenum chamber lowering exercise on mine. Pictures in Cairb - photos.

There was a lengthy discussion about it on this forum a while back, do a search.

There was also much chat regarding suitable manifolds. James found one from Burton IIRC, again a quick search should yield data.

Quite a few have fabricated new plenums.

I would hold off laughing until after it's running ok though

Cheers,

Colin

theconrodkid - 8/6/03 at 08:14 AM

after an over zelous attack on the plunum i aimed it binwards and fitted a carb,its a lot easier and no learning curve to create.John the bottler

steves1966 - 8/6/03 at 08:28 AM

hmm, so it sounds to me a bit like dont touch the plenum unless you have a bit of skill, so what sort of age sierra should I be aiming for to get a pinto with carbs and if I look under a sierra bonnet what do I need to look for - should it say OHC on it some where or something like that?

Steve 'Clueless' Smith

PS, I'll be amazed if it ever works

paulbeyer - 9/6/03 at 12:37 PM

Steve,

Take a look at the Robin Hood owners club site (www.rhocar. summat.summat) There's info there on reducing the height of the plenum chamber, or a link to a few guys that have. There's even a way to cut and shut the aluminimum plenum without having to weld.

DaveFJ - 9/6/03 at 01:08 PM

the pinto injection engine has an improved cylinder head over the carb model, and you can just remove the EFI unit and fit a nice set of twin delorto's or webbers.

to identify such an engine your looking for a box alongside the cylinder head with EFI written on it in big letters.

James - 10/6/03 at 04:27 PM

quote:
Originally posted by protofj
the pinto injection engine has an improved cylinder head over the carb model,


A better block too..

quote:

and you can just remove the EFI unit and fit a nice set of twin delorto's or webbers.


Maybe, maybe not- depends who you talk to. The inlet ports are actually a different shape on the EFI (pear shaped not round) and Burton sell a conversion plate. See picture in my archive for this. It's £87+vat!!!

Do a search on this as just the other day ChrisG posted how to make your own plate using the two gaskets as templates.

quote:

to identify such an engine your looking for a box alongside the cylinder head with EFI written on it in big letters.


If only is was alongside!!! Would save EFI Pinto users a load of grief.
Instead, the selfish barstards at Ford didn't think that poor car builders in years to come would be using their engines and so they put the EFI unit on top of the tappet cover- causing us all sorts of grief!

HTH,

James

steves1966 - 11/6/03 at 06:23 PM

Thanks for the help, I have more of an idea now!! (I think)