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Author Topic: New Pinto Owner  (Read 837 times)

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Offline Chphung

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New Pinto Owner
« on: May 17, 2020, 04:51:00 PM »
Hello everyone my name is Zach. I just purchased a 1974 Pinto Squire with a 2.3L this past week and I'm looking forward to getting it in good shape. I actually got for my wife since shes been wanting a wagon for a while now. The wood paneling is almost completely gone and there's no carpet inside. There is leak in the radiator as well but I'm not sure how bad that is yet. Other than that it seems to be in good order.

My first question is just about what kind of oil I should get? I plan on changing the oil and air cleaner before anything else. I don't have an owners manual and the Haynes book I ordered doesn't get here until next week. specifically I would like to know which weight more than anything, but if you have any other recommendation s I'm all hears.

I'm also looking to replace the radiator as well. I'm thinking a new aluminum one. I live in southern California and have been stranded on the side of the road more than a few times due to cooling issues.

Thanks for any advice,
-Zach

Offline 71pintoracer

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Re: New Pinto Owner
« Reply #1 on: May 17, 2020, 06:05:33 PM »
Welcome! And nice looking wagon! Welcome to the Pinto community, you will find a great group of people here that love Pinto's and are willing to help out. For oil use 10w-40 and a Motorcraft FL-1A filter. For the radiator l would check Rock Auto, they still have lots of Pinto parts at a reasonable price. Also check e-Bay, lots of stuff there and a lot of NOS parts but they can be a bit pricey. There are lots of places that sell carpet, e-bay and Amazon are your friends! Now here's a question, Pinto people help me out here. Does he need a zinc additive? Zinc has been removed from oil including diesel oil. When l had the 2.0 in the Pintoracer l used a racing oil that had zinc because of the cam riding on the rockers. Even though the 2.3 has hydraulic lifters the cam still rides on the rockers.
 
If you don't have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?

Offline dga57

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Re: New Pinto Owner
« Reply #2 on: May 17, 2020, 10:56:08 PM »
Welcome aboard, Zach!

The information Jimmy (71pintoracer) gave you is spot on!  He's a longtime Pinto owner, a Ford Certified mechanic, and an all-around great guy.

Congrats on the '74 Squire wagon.  I have a '72 myself as well as a '74 Runabout that is currently at a friend's house in Oceanside CA.  While there it has undergone a fairly extensive refurbishing, both mechanically and aesthetically; looking forward to bringing it home to Virginia before too long! 

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

Offline Reeves1

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Offline Chphung

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Re: New Pinto Owner
« Reply #4 on: May 18, 2020, 09:25:10 PM »
Awesome! Thats for the advise. I'll pick some up tomorrow. 5 quarts right?

Offline 71pintoracer

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Re: New Pinto Owner
« Reply #5 on: May 18, 2020, 09:35:45 PM »
Right!


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Offline Reeves1

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Re: New Pinto Owner
« Reply #6 on: May 19, 2020, 07:00:12 AM »
Quality oil filter as well ...... NOT Fram !

Offline 71pintoracer

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Re: New Pinto Owner
« Reply #7 on: May 20, 2020, 11:18:43 AM »
Motorcraft!!!!! You can get them at most parts stores and l think at Walmart. FL-1A. And of course at your friendly Ford dealer! lt would be funny to see the reaction when you ask for a filter for a Pinto lol
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Offline Chphung

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Re: New Pinto Owner
« Reply #8 on: May 20, 2020, 04:02:35 PM »
Second round of questions: there's a hose going into the air box that is leaking oil on the air filter. I'm assuming this is coming from the breather or oil separator. The hose going in doesnt seem to be the right size or I'm missing a connection. Any thoughts?
It didn't seem to get into the carb at all,
I'll send some pictures when I get home tonight

Offline Chphung

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Re: New Pinto Owner
« Reply #9 on: May 20, 2020, 06:36:21 PM »
So this is the hose that is leaking oil. It's just stuck in that inlet. the previous owner had wrapped a small rag around it and shoved it in there.

I'm also thinking of repainting these covers this week end

Offline 71pintoracer

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Re: New Pinto Owner
« Reply #10 on: May 20, 2020, 09:40:49 PM »
Pretty sure there is supposed to be a little plastic dude in there with a filter in it.


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Offline Wittsend

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Re: New Pinto Owner
« Reply #11 on: May 21, 2020, 10:56:19 AM »
Yes, the barbs on the connector indicate that a (larger) hose is intended to go over rather than inside of it. I searched Google Images and found a few that showed the hose connected. However, it goes downward and forward to who knows where? The oil separator is on the side of the block and it is not going in that direction.

On my '73 2000 motor I recall a "similar" hose went to a round canister in the lower/front, drivers side. I assume it was part of the vapor recovery system. And by the pictures it seems the hose intended for your car goes in a similar direction.

Offline 71pintoracer

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Re: New Pinto Owner
« Reply #12 on: May 21, 2020, 11:47:09 AM »
Yep you’re right. I think that connection had a flexible fabric type hose that goes to the vapor canister. The one with the filter goes to the oil cap on the valve cover. There is also a pcv valve in a little canister that goes in the block and that hose goes to the bottom of the intake


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Offline Chphung

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Re: New Pinto Owner
« Reply #13 on: May 23, 2020, 05:30:05 PM »
Just changed the oil today. Ended up taking out almost 10 quarts! I think thats why oil was coming up and out of the breather and into the air cleaner.
When I put in the fresh oil it was really hard to read, like it's short or something. Anyone have a stock 2.3 that can measure their dip stick so I can compare?

-Z

Offline Wittsend

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Re: New Pinto Owner
« Reply #14 on: May 23, 2020, 06:35:51 PM »
If you drained the oil and put the proper 5 Qt's in (including pre-filling the filter, it's a good idea to do that) then your oil level is correct. I would run the engine (to circulate the oil) and then let it cool. Wherever it reads on the dipstick is the proper amount. Do check to see that the insert stop at the top of the dip stick doesn't move. Otherwise that will throw your readings off. Make sure you wipe the dipstick clean, slowly insert it (to avoid splashing) and then see where it reads. That is the correct reading - regardless of what the stick indicates.

Offline LongTimeFordMan

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Re: New Pinto Owner
« Reply #15 on: May 26, 2020, 11:09:19 PM »
Non roller cams need zinc mainly for beakin..

But I like valvoline VR1 20-50 especially in hotter climates it has like 1200 ppm zin

.and use the large Motorcraft FL1 filter.

Autozone should have both in stock.

Autozone also stocks a lot of spares for fords including pintos.
Red 1973 pinto wagon DD, SoCal desert car, Factory 4 speed, 3.40 gears, Stock engine, 14" rims and tires, 60 K original miles