PINTO CAR CLUB of AMERICA
Welcome to FordPinto.com, The home of the PCCA => General Help- Ask the Experts... => Topic started by: captquake on June 22, 2018, 11:34:57 PM
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Hello fellow club members, I am a proud owner of a 1976 Ford Pinto Squire Wagon 2.3l 4 cyl engine, water pump went out and honestly, I have no clue how to change it out, I don't have a shop manual and really need step by step help to get the job done, determined to do it myself. I can't seem to find any diagrams that show which belt is the drive belt, water pump pulley, etc. Please excuse my ignorance and thank you in advance to any and all that reply.
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You will probably not find a step by step explanation. Even manuals can be vague and require someone with experience. Should you proceed: What I recommend is taking plenty of pictures how stuff is oriented, connected etc. The water pump mounts in the center of the front of the motor. Attached is a 2.3 Pinto engine that is mounted in a dune buggy. I selected it for illustration as there are no visual obstructions in the way. The pump pulley is circled in red.
It is a difficult call to advise someone to just "dive in" to learn so that is a decision you will have to make. Do be safe and that typically starts with disconnecting the battery (to avoid such things as accidental starts with your hands on the fan blade!)
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Thank you so much for the reply. I guess I need to start by removing the belts, fan, and pulley, I wonder if I need to remove the radiator. When I remove the belts will there be any issues with the timing when I replace them?
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The radiator is a matter of how close it is to where you need to turn wrenches. That involves skinned knuckles or possibly a tool hitting and damaging the radiator. Some items like the water pump pulley m-i-g-h-t be better unbolted with the belt tightly in place as it can help to keep it from rotating when loosening the bolts. The water pump (similar) is marked within the red outline.
Additional: The timing belt is under the large vertical cover (picture from the previous post) and does not need to removed, though the cover itself might need to removed. However..., the timing belt has a rated 60,000 mile life and YES any alteration of the belt to the toothed pulleys is critical!!! It is just not that the belt turns them, but it turns them in a proper synchronizatio n. The difficulty is you have to remove the lower crank pulley and observe the warnings listed below.
This is where a manual is helpful (try your public library). You are suppose to position the engine rotation in a specific position BEFORE you remove the timing belt to properly set the tensioner later. Frankly I just don’t recall that positioning. As to the actual belt replacement itself, the manuals have marker locations to where you are suppose to have everything aligned. But, what I do instead is mark a dot on the belt and each pulley with a different color paint, at a specific point. Spray paint on a Q-tip works great to mark with. Then I transfer those marks to the new belt. That way you KNOW you have the belts and pulleys in the same alignment you took them off. Frankly the manual marking points can be rather vague and the paint method is precise. Just NEVER-EVER rotate the engine or the pulleys with the belt off. There is an idler bearing that tensions the timing belt and should be replace too. Image #2 shows the markings on the belt and pulleys on my Mazda as an example ONLY (though I failed to follow my multi color rule). Ignore the "I" and "E" markings on te pulleys they were for another purpuse.
Again, do at your own risk. These are the basics of the process.
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Thank's again for all your help, I'm going to go slow and try and figure it out.
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Getting a manual would be a big help.
Here is a paper factory manual set.
https://diyrepairmanuals.com/product/1976-ford-pinto-service-manual/?gclid=CjwKCAjwgr3ZBRAAEiwAGVssnZ0Rm6_2L2WCHorGZdgU0fnU5KBYxbdfsGjFn9hMwvns90bTqAkZZBoCMq4QAvD_BwE
But even a Chilton's or Haynes, or even Clymer would be a good thing for you at this point.
https://www.ebay.com/p/Chiltons-Repair-and-Tune-Up-Guides-Chiltons-Pinto-and-Bobcat-1971-1980-by-Chilton-Automotive/851408?iid=162663320337&chn=ps
https://www.ebay.com/i/202341892392?chn=ps (I've seem them much cheaper, again this is just an example)
Just a couple of examples. A lot of the Ford factory service manuals are available for much less than the paper editions on CD rom.
https://www.themotorbookstore.com/1975-1976-ford-lincoln-mercury-factory-shop-manuals-cd.html?cmp=googleproducts&kw=1975-1976-ford-lincoln-mercury-factory-shop-manuals-cd&gclid=CjwKCAjwgr3ZBRAAEiwAGVssnZHDWGzN5puWh6k_BepUG3ojVSGyse-i_aLqRxyiEsNFkReewIdSyRoCCXcQAvD_BwE
Obviously the factory manuals are the best, but it depends on how much you plan to do with the car and how much you can/want to spend.
HTH,
Russ
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Thank you Russ Osborne on the links for the manuals, I will be getting one as I need to do more work on this car.
Thank you Wittsend, I finally got the pump off tonight, didn't have to remove the radiator, did have to remove the timing belt cover (not the timing belt), the biggest holdup was getting the pulley belts off, not sure how I'm going to get them back on but I'll figure it out, after that it was a breeze, tomorrow night I reassemble, fingers crossed.
Regards.
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Spend some time doing a google search for 1976 pinto engine and then view the images.. that can provide you with an overview of the locations of the parts, also search for info on chanving the timing belt.
Heres a link to another post here about replacing the timing belt.
http://www.fordpinto.com/general-help/2-3-l-timing-belt-replacement-and-engine-timing/
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The belts ar tensioned by adjusting the alternator, ac and air pump, etc. To install the belts, loosen these accessories if needed and retension them.
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Thank you to all that replied to my post, I finally finished the job up after work last night around 11:30 pm PST, tired, bloodied and bruised, took a test spin and she did just fine. Really appreciate all the help here on the forum, great place! Now, on to rear brake seals, but after some R&R.
Regards,
Alan
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"I don't have a shop manual and really need step by step help to get the job done, determined to do it myself."
And you now have the encouragement that you were able to do the job yourself. Enjoy.
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Great job on that , when you move over to the rear seal job make sure your careful , with those sharp rusty springs there you will leave some more of your DNA around that spot :o