Hi guys,
As the subject suggests i have a problem with my pinto. basically it starts fine from cold, revs freely all the way up the range and has good torque
and power. except once it gets hot it starts to missfire. and will stall.
Then, if the engine is stopped once hot it will not start again. It won't even turn over. thought it was charging or starter problem but have new
battery, alternator and starter. It just seems like the engine itself is semi-seized.
Take the plugs out and it spins on the starter faster than i have ever seen an engine do????!
Only thing i have done recently is change the timing belt and change the crankcase ventilation to atmosphere rather than inlet manifold.
It seems like there is huge compression stopping the engine turning. is this possible. engine is also getting pretty hot, i.e. just under 100 celcius
max.
Running out of ideas at the moment. head is coming off tonight and going to check n replace the head gasket, but am i barking up the wrong tree?
Rich
btw its a 1597cc LS pinto running standard cam, standard electronic ignition and twin 40's.
when hot can you turn it over by hand with the plugs out?
Rupert
have you checked the timming with a light?
Just thinking that you might have knocked the dizzy round?
Rupert
when i replaced the timing belt i retimed it with a light to 12 degrees advance. Although timing could be an explanation for the overheating it
isn't stopping the engine turning do to pinking as it will not trun with coil disabled either.
Didn't try turning by hand when hot. thought of it after i went home.
Just re-read your post rupert, yes did try it with plugs out n hot, turns easily by hand
[Edited on 24/7/06 by jamesbond007ltk]
[Edited on 24/7/06 by jamesbond007ltk]
Just seems odd that it will turn when hot with the plugs out but not with them in?
So it could not be the cylinders or crank which has gone bad
Sounds like a compression thing? Sticking valve or somthing?
It seems like you have 2 problems here:
If it turns freely when hot without plugs in then it isn't seizing up.
If you are confident that your new starter and battery are good, (you haven't been supplied with a duff starter for instance) then check and
clean the engine earth and battery earth in fact all the connections.
Also check that you had the new timing belt properly aligned, and perhaps give it a little more advance on the ignition timing.
It sounds to me like something is breaking down when hot like the coil or the condensor if you are still using points try swapping these for ones that
you know are working.
HTH
Mark
have cheched starter and battery, all is good. Ignition has no points.
Like i say it will not turn on starter with coil disabled so can't be ignition timing.
My only thought is that i am getting a build up of pressure in my crank case. is this possible?
I find with mine which is running a high compression ratio, that it is reluctant to turn over due to the high compression ratio.
however with the ignition timing right it should fire on the cylinder under compresion and help it get going.
If you are worried about crank case pressure, check your PCV valve. If you have just changed from plumbing it into the manifold to venting to a catch
tank, you need to remove the innards from the PCV valve to give free flowbreathing to the catch tank.
I find it hard to believe that crank case pressure would stop a starter motor from working.
Are you confident that your valve timing is right? (cam belt)
Cheers
Mark
Yup, tdc on cam is tdc on crank. how hard can it be?
quote:
Originally posted by mookaloid
I find it hard to believe that crank case pressure would stop a starter motor from working.
I am just in the process of replacing my starter motor as it gave up.
I have just recieved this email from a supplier:
Hi Mark. That is our S859 OE number Lucas 26626 in stock in the shop at just around £40.00 it is a 0.9kw rated unit. We do build a Hi-Torque 1.4kw
version we developed for a friend a few years ago who had a Pinto engine in a Stock Car. He used to buy 2 or 3 of the 0.9 units a year and the car
would never restart when hot, he still has the original Hi-Torque one we built for him going strong. They are £128.00 plus £10.00 post, if you want to
buy one let me have an email I can send a Paypal invoice to.
Regards Ray
Do you want his email address?
Cheers
Mark
thanks mark, but my starter is already a hi torque version. not sure how powerful but far better than standard, so i'm told!
does not explain why the car missfires and stalls when it gets hot though??
Very odd
Is a good idea like someone siad (cannot remeber now) to take on plug out at a time.
Rupert
when hot if you leave it in gear and leave all the plugs in. (i.e. in the situation where is will not start)
Will the engine turn over? If it will then you know that it is not a mechanical problem with the engine.
Rupert
Sounds to me like you are having some massive heat soak issues. Starters will not work when they get too hot and the miss/stalling is probably from
some electric part getting too hot as well. Like the ign module or ign coil. Let it sit for a while and it will start fine right?
To end any thoughts about your engine seizing, bring a wrench that fits on the crank bolt and turn it over while cold (with trans in neutral, key off)
then compare that to it when hot.
If your exhaust is near the starter either move it, or get a starter heat sheild. The miss could be harder to deal with but it sounds like a ign
module or coil. You will have to look up the specs to test them.
Good Luck.
Thanks for all your suggestions guys. Having spoken to various people it seemed pretty certain that my head ghasket had failed betwwen bores 2 &
3. So i changed it, and then it worked.......
for a while.....until, bang, it stopped, and i mean stopped, dead!
So i went in from the bottom and discovered the big-end bearing shells on number 1 where now half the size, both on the same side of the crank and to
use a techincal term i picked up from Mark at Mac#1..Fooked!
So now i have; new h/gasket and new big-end bearings. And she is running good!