PINTO CAR CLUB of AMERICA
Welcome to FordPinto.com, The home of the PCCA => General Help- Ask the Experts... => Topic started by: waldo786 on October 02, 2012, 10:16:33 PM
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Just wondering if the 2.8L engines are any good. The search button here was not working, and I'm just curious what is thought of these engines compared to the 2.3L. Any major advantages/disadvantages? Thanks!
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I have 2.8 in the wifes Pinto. Would have rather had the 2.3 but this was original to the car so we kept it original. We worked it as much as we could without going overboard. Pretty much stock but bored .040 over, headers and I ported the heads. Not allot of power. 103 HP at the wheels with an automatic. Big improvement over the stock 75 at the wheels. (we are talking HP at the wheels through an automatic not the Ford rating at the crank) The motor can be difficult. We have to make adjustemnts to the lifters every so often, and someone who designed it put it in backwards and upside down. The distributor is against the firewall and the thermostat is under the car. The oil filter sits right on top of the cross member, so oil changes are fun. I deffinitely feel the 2.3 an easier motor to work on and has more stuff available. One of the members had issues with the heads cracking, I haven't had that problem. But somehting more to think about. It was rated as one of the ten worst motors ever built, but was a runner up to go into the Delorean when it first was being designed. If you have one I suggest going to the Ford Ranger site, they have allot of info on how to squeeze some power out of this motor. But I would never take on over 4500 RPM. They weren't built to be beasts and they have poor cooling on one side of the heads which can cause issues if you let the heat go too high. I would suggest an electric fan if you sit in traffic on hot days. Here is the link. http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/2_8L_Performance.html (http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/2_8L_Performance.html)
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I have the 2.8 in my Cruising Wagon.I have had it since new.Over all I think it is a good engine.I rebuilt it after about 120k because of bearings being worn which lead to low oil pressure.There was no cylinder ridge, and I was able to reuse the original pistons.The only mod I did was a mild cam.As Norm said the valves need adjusting every so often, but I can now do that in about an hour.I did have my heads crack, but it was my own fault for having a bad temp sendi ng unit when my fan belt broke.Although on paper there is little Hp difference berteen the 2.3 and 2.8 I find a big difference is driving.Accele ration is close but I find the V6 maintains speed much better on hills.Also it is smoother and quieter .Also the 2.8 handles the automatic trans much better.I dont like the 2.3 with auto, they are much better with manual.
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Thanks for the tips. I saw one for sale that supposedly has all the other options I was looking for at a price that was reasonable. I think I'm going to pass though as the 2.3 seems like it's a much better engine. I prefer the 4 cylinder anyway. I guess there's a reason you don't see too many of the 2.8L pintos. The wagon I'm restoring that was my grandfather's has the 2.3L with auto. There's definitely a much larger aftermarket for the 2.3 though. I'm actually thinking of switching in a newer 2.3L if it would be able to be done.
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Another reason you don't see many 2.8's is because it was an EXPENSIVE option. In 78 for example, it cost $554 on Sedans and Hatchbacks and $618 on Wagons (because on wagons you also had to buy PB at $64). Break down is $273 for engine, $281 for mandatory Automatic, and the aformentioned mandatory PB's on wagons.
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My partner in High School had it in a Mustang II that we bored .040" over, shaved the heads, had larger valves installed and the heads ported and polished, split long tube headers, Weber down draft carbs with velocity stacks, nice big loping cam, Mallory ignition distributor and a high output coil with 8MM Accell super stock wires and he put most every Camaro and Mustang running the streets in the late 80's to shame in the quarter!! Car would pack the front wheels for the first 12 feet!! With mechanical lifters and adjustable tappets you can punch out higher RPM,s if the engine is messaged just right inside! Looking forward to seeing what I can get out of my '76 Pinto with the V6 in it in the year to come!
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My partner in High School had it in a Mustang II that we bored .040" over, shaved the heads, had larger valves installed and the heads ported and polished, split long tube headers, Weber down draft carbs with velocity stacks, nice big loping cam, Mallory ignition distributor and a high output coil with 8MM Accell super stock wires and he put most every Camaro and Mustang running the streets in the late 80's to shame in the quarter!! Car would pack the front wheels for the first 12 feet!! With mechanical lifters and adjustable tappets you can punch out higher RPM,s if the engine is messaged just right inside! Looking forward to seeing what I can get out of my '76 Pinto with the V6 in it in the year to come!
Of course if you had unlimited cash, this would be your Ford V6 of Choice... :-\ Sigh the good stuff was all built in Europe!
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It's only money, lol... :D :D
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Mechanical lifters and adjustable tappets are the SAME PART which explains much. Sorry, I for one do not buy the idea of a fairly stock V-6 Mustang II pulling the wheels. And I've owned several cars that would wheelie, as well as a Mustang II, which did not.
Only someone who is out to lunch ports and POLISHES a carbed head car. Those ideas died many years ago. Or should have. We knew not to polish in the mid '70s, it almost always COSTS power.
2.8s zoop, not big enough increase in engine size to make something of the V-6, you could make a 2.5 four run circles around it. The weight difference alone is worth 20 HP. I'll take the four any day.
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I have regularly abused mine for 12 years, and I haven't killed it yet. I really should adjust the valves before I bend a pushrod. I haven't touched the since I put it together 12 years ago.
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MY 75 BOBCAT RUNABOUT HAS A ORIGINAL 2.8 IN IT AND RUNS LIKE A TOP!! BUT ONLY HAS 38,000 MILES
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In the '80's I had a 1976 Capri 2.8 V-6. The engine was terrific, too bad the body wasn't as good!