Got my pinto up and running today after a bit of re-wiring, it starts really well and idles quite nicely too, just a couple of problems, has anyone experienced similar or got any ideas what they could be?

The exhaust got VERY hot VERY quickly (I'm talking steaming after only a few seconds), is this just one of those things that can happen the first time you start up?

The engine seems to misfire every now and then, at pretty regular intervals, approx once every 3 seconds at a guess. I think the mixture may be running a bit rich at the moment, could this be causing this? I'm pretty sure it sorts itself out once it gets up to temperature

Finally there is a knocking sound as the engine runs. This wasn't there a few weeks ago when the engine was running in the sierra and I haven't made any major changes to it. The only thing I can think is that the modified oil pick-up pipe is vibrating and knocking on the sump, does this sound feasible?

Other than that everything went quite smoothly, got a big grin on my face now

Pete

Steaming is the grease/dirt burning off from handling it... perfectly normal.

Have you checked the oil level ? Whats the oil pressure ?

[Edited on 5/6/04 by Ben_Copeland]

Actual smoke and stuff off the exhaust is indeed just "stuff" burning off - but if it felt very hot quite fast (this is subjective I guess, exhausts get hot anyway!) then check the mixture - our toyota engine seemed overly hot fo the short running time and was missing as well, when we checked the CO it was practically zero. Upped it to 2.2 and all was then normal.

you got the same symptoms as me scooby. the hot exhausts is normal, i melted a marker pen onto it in a few seconds! the misfire on mine sounds more like a warbling sore of noise. holding the revs up smooths it out for me. Mine too is running very rich, very sooty black exhaust. at least it help show up the small holes in the exhaust!

if the oil pickup pipe is fitted properly it should be ok, 2 bolts at the top and a bracket halfway down.

congratulations anyway!

stainless tube headers (manifold) do get hot SO much faster than a cast iron job. RE the knocking noise - I once put a car back together with flywheel bolts only finger tight.... that made a dull knocking type of noise. gave me an extra days work & now fasteners are ALWAYS torqued up or not put in (hard lesson no. 1007...)
Cheers
Bob C

Hee Hee .... wait till NS_DEV gets to recount his story about loose flywheel bolts. Made me take my engine out again to check mine .... glad I did as i'd only done them up finger tight as well!!!!

Thankfully I remember distinctly torquing mine up, otherwise I'd be worried! I took the sump off today and it turns out the crankshaft is hitting the oil pickup pipe (which was shortened) and that was causing the noise. See my post in the MK section for more details

Cheers

Pete

>> Made me take my engine out again to check mine .... glad I did as i'd only done them up finger tight as well!!!!

Glad I'm not the only muppet on here.....

Bob C