Hi Guys.
Someone point me in the right direction for initial setting up of my engine. I had it running (in a fashion) with some borrowed 45's. Have put my 40's back on and it will very roughly idle at about 1200 but misfires and the whole engine gets very hot. Engine is a 2ltr Pinto with a fast cam and standard pulley. Timing was originally set with the cam pointer at 6 o'clock and the crank pulley marker in line with 10 deg tdc. Also the temp gauge seems to hover at 60 deg c. Could there be air in the block. When i loosened the temp sender, air hissed and a little water came out. Also wondering if the thermostat is the right way round.
Cheers,
Pat.....
P.S. I aint no mechanic......

Right, a few things. 60 deg C is not hot for a pinto, so don't worry about that!

However, there could be air trapped too, usually pinto's have a little bleed thingy on the water pump, it's like a rubber blank hose that is clipped onto the pump casting. If you take off the jubilee clip, add water till it comes out here and then put the bleed thingy back, you should be ok.

Next, for twin carbs, go to this link:

http://hometown.aol.com/dvandrews/webers.htm

look at this (Dave Andrews setup sheet) and follow it exactly, this will give you a very close to correct setup.

For the cam timing, you should be okish with the standard pulley, presuming that you are using a piper 285 cam or kent equivalent.

For the ignition timing, borrow a timing light if you don't have one, set the pointers up as per the haynes manual. Get the fuelling all set up right (as per the link above) then get someone who can hear pinking well, and go for a drive. Give the engine some full throttle in top gear at low speed/revs and listen for pinking, if it doesn't, advance the dizzy a bit at a time until you just hear the onset of pinking, then back it off a couple of degrees. This will be pretty close to optimum setup without going to a rolling road. Any better will need a visit to one.

Hope this helps

Nat.

Cheers.
Couple of problems though. The bleed outlet of the thermostat housing (not water pump) isn't blanked off on my car, it connects to the very top of my expansion tank so should self bleed?
Also, car is not yet SVA'd so can't go for a spin. Will try again with the Dave andrews thing, but I have tried this before. Maybe it's just me. Maybe I should get the thing trailored to a rolling road.......
Thanks....every bit will help in the overall solution....
Pat...

you mention crank pulley at 10 deg and cam mark at 6 oclock?you talking cam timing?if so its wrong,set crank at tdc and leave cam where it is

Doh, couldn't remember whether the bleed was thermostat housing or pump, guessed to avoid going to the workshop again........backfired,,oh well!!

There is a mark on the head just past 6 oclock which is BTDC. If you have changed the cam or cam belt you will need to set the crank aswell. If not leave it where it is.

Ok - just to clarify.
Fitted another cylinder head and cam recently. Before fitting the belt, had the cam pulley pointer pointing down towards the ikkle dot on the cylinder head and the crank pulley 1st mark in line with the stationary marker fitted to the block. Then fitted the cam belt. The engine was running fine (ish) with my friends 45's so I'm almost sure the belt is aligned right.
Pat....

It is almost certain that you have fitted it right, in my experience it can be a complete bitch to get the marks in line on a pinto at the best of times, one tooth one way and you are before the mark, a tooth the other way and you are after it. I am sure that this is very unlikely to be your problem, more likely carb/ign setup.

Yeah, that's what I think. Ignition system must be ok for it to run ok withmy friends 45's. So it must be definately my carbs and / or the dizzy angle of rotation. Where should I be setting it with my stobe light? It is at about 12 degrees BTDC at the mo.

I can't remember the "standard" timing at idle, Haynes manual will tell you, and when I get home this evening I'll post the timing. (when I can look at my manual!)

To be honest though, you would be as quick to just slacken off the clamp a little bit and tap the dizzy about a bit (little tiny bit at a time!) and see if it improves the running, but I doubt it will, it sounds like the carbs are the problem.

I set mine to 8*btdc but the recommended setting to run on unleaded is 6*btdc for the later 2.0ltr carbed engines and 4*btdc for the earlier ones. Have you put new plugs in. Tickover with idle disconnected and blocked. I fitted new plugs and they broke down in 3 months. The next set are still going strong.

[Edited on 18/5/04 by Peteff]

Would that be 8* with twin 40's and a road cam?
Pat...