Current Classifieds

72 Runabout for Sale- Washington

Date: 02/28/2024 02:07 pm
1973 Pinto Runabout

Date: 03/25/2019 09:02 pm
1974 points distributor for 2.3l
Date: 07/04/2022 07:55 pm
1980 pinto/bobcat floors
Date: 07/24/2018 08:11 pm
need a Ford battery for a 77 Pinto
Date: 02/21/2017 06:29 am
Wanted 2.3 engine mount brackets and mounts
Date: 02/14/2018 01:34 am
1.6 New Ford cylinder head with side draft carbs

Date: 06/12/2018 08:18 pm
Interior Parts
Date: 08/07/2017 03:59 pm
73 Pinto delivery wagon drag car

Date: 02/22/2017 01:58 pm
13" Style Steel Trim Rings

Date: 10/09/2020 10:35 pm
1971-1975 Pinto
Date: 01/09/2017 04:14 pm
door sills
Date: 03/14/2020 03:20 pm

Author Topic: How Much do you trust the 2.3  (Read 1295 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline pinto_one

  • Pinto Master
  • *****
  • Posts: 1008
  • FeedBack: +70/-0
  • Gender: Male
  • Pinto-One

  • Total Badges: 10
    Badges: (View All)
    1000 Posts Photographer Tenth year Anniversary Topic Starter Signature Poll Voter Mobile User Apple User Windows User Fifth year Anniversary
How Much do you trust the 2.3
« on: February 05, 2018, 09:18:17 AM »
Thought I would get some imput on this , this engine has been used in almost everything from trucks to industral equipment along with boats  ,  over the years you could not blow this engine up with hard use ., belive me I have , so now we have Land and sea and soon to be air , work in progress for my pinto powered airplane , aircraft is a plans built copy of a 1929 Pietenpol , it used a ford model A engine and they are still being built today useing other engines . I am using the 2.3  . I trust it
76 Pinto sedan V6 , 79 pinto cruiser wagon V6 soon to be diesel or 4.0

Offline dga57

  • Chief Moderator / Admin
  • FordPinto.com Moderator
  • Pinto PooBAH
  • ***
  • Posts: 7090
  • FeedBack: +208/-0
  • Gender: Male

  • Total Badges: 8
    Badges: (View All)
    Tenth year Anniversary Topic Starter Signature Poll Voter Mobile User Windows User 1000 Posts Fifth year Anniversary
Re: How Much do you trust the 2.3
« Reply #1 on: February 05, 2018, 09:38:19 AM »
I've owned several 2.3L's over the years and I trust them completely.  Good luck with your build!


Dwayne :)
Pinto Car Club of America - Serving the Ford Pinto enthusiast since 1999.

Offline dick1172762

  • Vintage Pinto Racer
  • PCCA Management Board
  • Pinto Sr. Master
  • ******
  • Posts: 2623
  • FeedBack: +362/-0
  • Gender: Male
  • I'm a llama!

  • Total Badges: 7
    Badges: (View All)
    Topic Starter Signature Poll Voter Windows User 1000 Posts Tenth year Anniversary Fifth year Anniversary
Re: How Much do you trust the 2.3
« Reply #2 on: February 05, 2018, 10:04:52 AM »
Aren't airplane engines required to have duel ignition? I too have leaned on 2.3L engines since 1974 and found the biggest problem with them was caused by dirty oil. The early ones (1974) were prone to eat camshafts as soon as the oil got dirty. GREAT engine!!!! How far is Oshkosh from you? Better start making plans.
Its better to be a has-been, than a never was.

Offline pinto_one

  • Pinto Master
  • *****
  • Posts: 1008
  • FeedBack: +70/-0
  • Gender: Male
  • Pinto-One

  • Total Badges: 10
    Badges: (View All)
    1000 Posts Photographer Tenth year Anniversary Topic Starter Signature Poll Voter Mobile User Apple User Windows User Fifth year Anniversary
Re: How Much do you trust the 2.3
« Reply #3 on: February 05, 2018, 10:47:40 AM »
On experimental airraft you do not have to have duel duel ignition , But I am , as you remember the later 2.3,s did , and also I know about them eatting the cam if you use crappy oil and clug up the oil hole and wipe out the cam , worked at a ford dealer changing those , had a 74 up and never ate a cam , for the duel ingnition I will use a duel mag off a Lycoming O-320 H2D engine off a cessna 172 ,( Yes I work on aircarft for a living ) and snaged one , as for Oshkosh I am miles away here in Missisippi , but I figure a year and a half , Then I will be retired  ;D
76 Pinto sedan V6 , 79 pinto cruiser wagon V6 soon to be diesel or 4.0

Offline pinto_one

  • Pinto Master
  • *****
  • Posts: 1008
  • FeedBack: +70/-0
  • Gender: Male
  • Pinto-One

  • Total Badges: 10
    Badges: (View All)
    1000 Posts Photographer Tenth year Anniversary Topic Starter Signature Poll Voter Mobile User Apple User Windows User Fifth year Anniversary
Re: How Much do you trust the 2.3
« Reply #4 on: February 05, 2018, 10:52:37 AM »
roller cam and magneto , also converted it to the round tooth timing belt , ford says change them at 3000 hours in industral use , I will change it every three or four years to be safe ,
76 Pinto sedan V6 , 79 pinto cruiser wagon V6 soon to be diesel or 4.0

Offline Wittsend

  • Pinto Master
  • *****
  • Posts: 2496
  • FeedBack: +241/-0

  • Total Badges: 8
    Badges: (View All)
    Tenth year Anniversary Mobile User Topic Starter Poll Voter 1000 Posts Linux User Windows User Fifth year Anniversary
Re: How Much do you trust the 2.3
« Reply #5 on: February 05, 2018, 12:29:51 PM »
The only negative I see is that the 2.3 is heavy - and then add cooling.  I'm thinking the Corvair engine is a lot lighter and has a known adaptation to aircraft. But, it obviously doesn't look the part.  Anyway, all the best and fly safe.

Offline pinto_one

  • Pinto Master
  • *****
  • Posts: 1008
  • FeedBack: +70/-0
  • Gender: Male
  • Pinto-One

  • Total Badges: 10
    Badges: (View All)
    1000 Posts Photographer Tenth year Anniversary Topic Starter Signature Poll Voter Mobile User Apple User Windows User Fifth year Anniversary
Re: How Much do you trust the 2.3
« Reply #6 on: February 05, 2018, 04:23:47 PM »
Yes it is heavy but so is the chunk if iron ford 'A' model ,  it was only 40 HP , the 2.3 is 50 hp so the weight is about the same , the corvair had crankshaft problems , they have some kind of fix but $$$  . I trust the 2.3 more , 50 HP max and will not see over 2700 rpm .
76 Pinto sedan V6 , 79 pinto cruiser wagon V6 soon to be diesel or 4.0

Offline dick1172762

  • Vintage Pinto Racer
  • PCCA Management Board
  • Pinto Sr. Master
  • ******
  • Posts: 2623
  • FeedBack: +362/-0
  • Gender: Male
  • I'm a llama!

  • Total Badges: 7
    Badges: (View All)
    Topic Starter Signature Poll Voter Windows User 1000 Posts Tenth year Anniversary Fifth year Anniversary
Re: How Much do you trust the 2.3
« Reply #7 on: February 05, 2018, 05:29:38 PM »
Fuel injection or carb? Snoopy would love it if you mounted a couple machine guns on it. Why is the radiator mounted so high. Did a model A not have a water pump? If your going to red line it at 2700 rpm, a Ranger roller would be perfect. I love it as I worked on airplanes when they had prop's. My ticket was A&E not A&P like now. Long time ago. First airplanes I worked on was a Stearman crop duster and a J3 cub. This was in 1949 I think. I was still in high school and the A&E class was run by the school in W Monroe, La. MY FIRST LOVE!
Its better to be a has-been, than a never was.