Just drop it straight in. David
I am viewing a car this weekend with a 1.8 pinto in it. When asked about unleaded the owner says that he uses unleaded and fills up with LRP every
4th tank full. This seems odd to me that he is either risking it with unleaded or doesn't need the LRP.
Am I worrying over nothing - is he doing the right thing or should I walk away now...
Doing that will really make little difference. If its an unleaded head then it wont make any difference anyway. If its been made after 1989 then it
will be unleaded, if not you will have to check the head by #4 spark plug for an identification letter. I will post which ones to look for as soon as
i have found my list!
My pinto head isnt unleaded. The valve seats werent in particularly bad condition although it had been running on unleaded for some time. However it
was run using a fuel catalyst in the system which seems to have helped.
At the end of the day its unlikely you will be able to determine damage or otherwise until you get the head off anyway. At worst it will need hardened
valve seats fitted. At best maybe just a regrind and run on a fuel additive.
David
I wouldn't worry about it, you'll probably want to swap the engine anyway. Just run it till it breaks then put a better one in.
All Pintos are fine on unleaded doing Locost milage. The casting is very very hard.
Thanks for the replies guys. The engine itself has been rebuilt and only done 1300 miles since. I am suprised that they didn't convert to
unleaded during rebuild though?
The engine is definitely from a pre-89 car.
If he has done 1300 miles using one in 4 LRP will the engine have suffered any major damage likely requiring urgent attention or will me running it on
LRP or additives do the trick from now on?
Also if it has had an unleaded head fitted and the owner is just unsure, should I run it with additives anyway to be safe?
Flak - will either of the worst/best cases be very costly? Will I be able to do the work as an amateur or better with a pro - would the engine need
to come out for either?
If its only done 1300 miles I wouldnt worry about it Just drop it straight in.
David
Sorry, I don't think I was clear the Pinto is already in a Tiger that I am looking to buy. So with only 1300 on it then I should just use LRP or
additive from here on in?
Also which additive and from where or catalyst?
Additives:
Redex 4 star
Millers VSP Plus
Wyns
Red Line
All available from most motorfactors...
Theres a catalyst system called System4 which is fitted in the fuel line. Seems to have helped on my engine, but i dont know how many miles it had
done using the system....
http://www.ajrs.fsnet.co.uk/ss/system4.htm
Great thanks Flak - that looks useful - you just drop it in the tank then and it gently gives off lead I guess?
While I am here do you think buying a 7 with a 1.8 pinto is a mistake over a 2.0?
The additives are a liquid you add at the same time as filling up with fuel. It's added at a per litre ratio, ie 10ml per 10l.
the great thing about Pintos is that you can buy an entire 2.0 engine with all the injection bits for about 50 quid from a breakers (or the entire
sierra as an MOT failure for about the same!), so depending on how mechanically minded you are, all your problems are pretty small - just buy a head
with unleaded seats for 20 quid, or an entire 2.0 engine and fit it.
Gary
quote:
Originally posted by JustWhile I am here do you think buying a 7 with a 1.8 pinto is a mistake over a 2.0?
Or just fit it, blow it up and fit a 2l duratec/zetec/vx engine.
Again Pinto head castings are very hard. Just run it on good quality unleaded and you will have no problems. The valves wear faster than the seats.
When I fitted my 1.6 it had done 160K miles some of which on unleaded and there was no problem with the seats. I have since done 1000 miles thrashing
it to death and it'd due to be replaced in the next couple of weeks so I'll check out the valve seats again then.
A mate who is a pro engine builder has done 60K on unleaded with a Pinto and had no problems.
My new 2L will have seats fitted but only because it was an injection head with seats fitted to begin with and they aren't big enough to take the
big valves I'm fitting.
quote:
Originally posted by Just
the owner says that he uses unleaded and fills up with LRP every 4th tank full.
quote:
Originally posted by garyo
the great thing about Pintos is that you can buy an entire 2.0 engine with all the injection bits for about 50 quid from a breakers (or the entire sierra as an MOT failure for about the same!), so depending on how mechanically minded you are, all your problems are pretty small - just buy a head with unleaded seats for 20 quid, or an entire 2.0 engine and fit it.
Gary
Thanks guys, sounds ok then - I will just use a catalyst or additive and not worry about it - ta. As you all say if it dies I can always strip it down in the winter.
If its a 1.8 pinto then it WILL be a late variant of the E-max type. ALL these engines were suitable for un-leaded. If the engine was rebuilt and any
head work was done, ie. valve seats replaced, then the engine reconditioners were doing a sub-standard job if they were replaced with non suitable
soft seats for leaded petrol.
Enjoy.
The 3 tanks unlead 1 leaded was official Ford guidelines however I am pretty sure it dosen't apply to LRP.
As for fuel catalysts --- exposed many many times as snake oil --- this was major con trick that relied on the lead memory effect.
[Edited on 29/5/06 by britishtrident]