PINTO CAR CLUB of AMERICA

Welcome to FordPinto.com, The home of the PCCA => General Help- Ask the Experts... => Topic started by: Disco78 on October 29, 2011, 08:40:52 PM

Title: Pinto needs some TLC
Post by: Disco78 on October 29, 2011, 08:40:52 PM
Greetings all,

This might be a long shot, but anywho...

I've been the proud owner of a 1978 automatic wagon for the past six years. I live in Colorado Springs, CO and am looking for a local auto garage to perform a tuneup as well as regular maintenance. Does anyone know of a shop in the area that is knowledgeable of older Ford models?

Any advice is welcomed.

Thanks,
Miss Disco78

Title: Re: Pinto needs some TLC
Post by: ToniJ1960 on October 29, 2011, 10:54:43 PM

 My advice is only what I learned in my years of owning my Pinto. I had it for 26 years now.

 The more you know about what you want done before you call around, the less youre going to be susceptable (I know I didnt spell that right) to someone doing things you dont need or want.

 When I call someone and and say, I need this or that done, if they tell me they need to look in the book for the time it takes to do, I know right away theyre not used to working on older cars. I go with t he ones who know right away what they would charge me. And I like to watch while theyre doing whatever they do, when I can.

 Im sure you know a tune up to one person is different than a tune up to another one. Maybe you will find another Pinto owner on here who is close enough to you, and they can take a look at it for you and tell you just about what to do to it.

 Some things I know, with the electronic ignition ones, like a78 (mines a 78 t oo) the timing shouldnt hardly ever have to be adjusted. So a tune up may just be plugs and wires and a distributor cap. Or maybe some idle adjustments. If the carb hasnt been worked on for a lot of years, it might need the float adjusted ( mine would usually `load up` and try to die if idling for too long when it needed the float adjusted. If it ran with a real rough idle and wasnt getting good mileage, its always proven to be a leaky power valve in the cartb for me. Its easy to change because its in the top half of the carb,and comes off pretty easy. The hard part is getting the right one to replace it because different carbs ha different power valves.

 Basically Im just saying try to know exactly what you want done, and find someone who likes working on Pintos. :)
Title: Re: Pinto needs some TLC
Post by: Disco78 on March 14, 2012, 11:18:45 PM
Thank you for promptly replying with advice, and forgive me for not updating you sooner. After reading up on the Internet and thinking the problem was the u-joint, I took my Pinto to a small shop that came highly recommended. Mechanic did replace u-joint while in there, but said the main problem was the ring and pinion had way too much play. He replaced the crush collar to decrease the "thump," but $300+ later it seems the same to me. Mechanic advised that a Mustang ring and pinion would suffice because the Pinto one is not available unless it can be found in a junkyard, which is rare. I would rather stick to the original part because the other has its drawbacks. If I find the Pinto parts, someone said to get the whole axle.

We'll see if a Pinto Graveyard exists.
Title: Re: Pinto needs some TLC
Post by: 75bobcatv6 on March 15, 2012, 02:04:02 AM
a pinto graveyard does exist, User on here's name is Fred Morgan. hes got alot of them =D
Title: Re: Pinto needs some TLC
Post by: JoeBob on March 15, 2012, 09:13:53 AM
I am in Denver I am pleased to know another member is close by. There is a pinto grave yard in the Springs. I found it online last year. Now I can not find it. They showed photos of about 10 cars online. I feel bad that I can not find it for you now. They also had mustangs. If I figure it out I will let you know
Bill
Title: Re: Pinto needs some TLC
Post by: Disco78 on March 15, 2012, 06:04:36 PM
I this may be the site you are referring to. http://marc-mart.net/mymustangstore/id60.html

However, I think this maybe a yard picker and not an actual yard owner.