WooooHOoooo!!!! The Ghost made her maiden voyage today!!!!!
It is a sunny day today so I decided to take the Ghost to do my running around!! We started off about 10am and got home about 11.30am!!! I went to my local "beanery" (thanks to BluPinto for that term, LOL), and then to the "Going out of Business" sale at a local Circut City. I was hoping to find a car stereo for cheap. They didn't have any left, bummer! So after about 10 mins. looking around the store, I left empty handed and with my money still in my wallet!! LOL Went out and nervously went to start the car. First start since driving for over 20 mins. She cranked, and cranked, I was getting nervous, then she started to come to life, putt, putt, putt, vroom!! She blew a little white smoke out and then we were ready to roll. ( Our Ford truck does that too, when it gets to much gas) I think I was nervous and gave her some gas and that may have caused the problem. So off we go to the bank. Park out in the middle of the parking lot (don't want to be embarrased if she doesn't start right away, LOL) Go to the ATM, do my thing, go back and turn the key, VROOM, started right up!!!!! So, off we go to the Post Office!! Giving her the gas to go, she seems to ping a bit. I think the timing is still off a little. I go through the drive up mail boxes, which by the way, are alot taller when driving the Pinto!! LOL Almost had to take off the seat belt to reach high enough to throw the mail in there!!! LOL I drive on out and head for home!!
She runs ok, but at stops she seems alittle vibratey! I think she could probably run smoother. This may be the timeing thing too. I don't know how many people actually looked at me, I was busy making sure we got down the road ok!! LOL I was very nervous!! Now that I have got the maiden voyage over and know she will go all the time, I'm not so nervous!!!
Ok, got some questions now. 1. Her temp. gauge never even reached 190. Is that normal for a car to run so cool?? My old HD used to run at 250 or so, course that is with no radiator!! LOL 2. The oli pressure gauge would be down at about 25 at lights, then when I was going down the road it would be at about 75. Is that normal??
Ok, I am happy to say I have a Pinto I can actually drive now!!!!! ;D Now I can't wait for my personalized plates to come in!!!! :D
Kim
Kim ,
Good to hear you made it out of our local Monsoon and into the Sun ;D. Regarding the Pinging, How fresh is the gas? It could also be a bit lean on the Idle mixture, and that would lead to "vibratey' behavior. Cool weather and pinging usually are a mixture issue, as most cars will run better in the cooler weather. ( providing the Choke isn't hung up or misadjusted.)
If you check the mixture odor at the Exhaust (Rich smell, black soot) it's still needing adjustment.
Of course, this is all contingent on the Cam timing, and ignition timing being spot on First!
Mossy Pintosopher...
Quote from: pintosopher on February 18, 2009, 02:15:25 PM
Kim ,
Good to hear you made it out of our local Monsoon and into the Sun ;D. Regarding the Pinging, How fresh is the gas? It could also be a bit lean on the Idle mixture, and that would lead to "vibratey' behavior. Cool weather and pinging usually are a mixture issue, as most cars will run better in the cooler weather. ( providing the Choke isn't hung up or misadjusted.)
If you check the mixture odor at the Exhaust (Rich smell, black soot) it's still needing adjustment.
Of course, this is all contingent on the Cam timing, and ignition timing being spot on First!
Mossy Pintosopher...
I don't see any black soot coming out the back, and it doesn't really smell to much, but it may smell a little. I'm going to have hubby re time it and go from there! It was way out of line on the timeing before, so they had to get everything lined back up. Hubby then just did the "how it sounded" timeing. LOL I will have him time it with a gun this time!! LOL
Kim
The Baby vibrated at stops too! I'm thinking timing+carb idle needs adjusting? (yeah, like I know anything! lol.) You're welcome for th Local Beanery suggestion! lol.
Congratulations for being the curer of what ails your babies (Pintos!) I am SO jealoius! Baby is in the middle of her surgery. Because I really have no idea what I'm doing timing-wise I'm gonna let my neighbor have at her, at least a little. More on that in Project section...
Now, according to my '74 owners manual my Pinto has a recommended Research Octane Number of 91 and an antiknock index number of 87. Maybe that's why our girls are running so rough? I had put 87 reg. unleaded in her, plus her lead additive.
Quote from: blupinto on February 18, 2009, 02:44:16 PM
The Baby vibrated at stops too! I'm thinking timing+carb idle needs adjusting? (yeah, like I know anything! lol.) You're welcome for th Local Beanery suggestion! lol.
Congratulations for being the curer of what ails your babies (Pintos!) I am SO jealoius! Baby is in the middle of her surgery. Because I really have no idea what I'm doing timing-wise I'm gonna let my neighbor have at her, at least a little. More on that in Project section...
Now, according to my '74 owners manual my Pinto has a recommended Research Octane Number of 91 and an antiknock index number of 87. Maybe that's why our girls are running so rough? I had put 87 reg. unleaded in her, plus her lead additive.
My Pinto was on empty, and I went and filled her up using the 87 octane. No lead additive was added. Maybe I should add some lead?
Actually I have only got one of my Pintos going! LOL The green machine is down for the count on my end of it! LOL It has to be a hubby work on thing now!! LOL Who knows when that will happen!!! LOL
Congratulations on it's first maiden voyage! I wish that the first time I drove mine, that I could have been excited to. I had just got my license not an hour before I started learning how to drive mine (stick shift).
Can I pass along a hint to make almost any stock OHC Pinto run better? Two words: cam timing. Ask any engine builder "how important is cam timing?" and he will say "do you want your engine to run right?"
The problem with an OHC engine is the distance between the crank and cam can vary as well as the length of the belt, which also stretches with age. When they are built, they are made to be as close to 0 as possible but there are no adjustments so it can be off a few degrees. If the head has ever been surfaced, even .010", it retards the cam even more.
Back in the '70's (yea I know, I'm old) when my brother and I started racing Pinto's, I had the head shaved .060" to raise the compression ratio and when I put it back together the timing marks would not line up. When I put the crank on 0 (or TDC) the cam marks would not line up. After some serious head scratching I realized what had happened! Back in those days there was no such thing as an adjustable cam pulley, so I made one. With some careful measuring with a dial indicator I also found out that the factory cam pointer was not dead on as well. After some back-yard fab work I got the cam dialed in (actually 2 degrees advanced) and that little 2.0 screamed!! It sounded like an angry bumble bee! :lol:
These days adjustable cam pulleys are all over e-bay, and fairly cheap. If you can change a timing belt, you can put on a pulley and set up the cam. It's not that hard to do. How much difference can it make on a stock Pinto? Back then my wife drove a '72 Runabout, 2.0 automatic. (WHY did I ever sell that car??? :'() It ran OK, a little sluggish on take off and it seemed to downshift a good bit when climbing hills. It had a valve job and resurface before I bought it. I checked the cam timing and found it to be SIX, yes, six degrees retarded. I fabbed up one of my pulleys and advanced the cam two degrees. (Thats two degrees from 0, which made a total of eight degrees)I also adjusted the carb and reset the base timing. What a difference! My wife came home from work the next day and said, "what did you do to my car?!!" Seems she took off from a stop sign like she always did and spun the tires halfway up the road!! ;D
If this is of intrest to anyone, maybe I will post a thread on how to set up your cam, quick and easy. Oh and BTW, I said stock Pinto's, because if you have a built engine with a shaved head, you dang well better already have a pulley! (shaved head, lol :afro:)
Quote from: 71pintoracer on February 18, 2009, 08:47:16 PM
Can I pass along a hint to make almost any stock OHC Pinto run better? Two words: cam timing. Ask any engine builder "how important is cam timing?" and he will say "do you want your engine to run right?"
The problem with an OHC engine is the distance between the crank and cam can vary as well as the length of the belt, which also stretches with age. When they are built, they are made to be as close to 0 as possible but there are no adjustments so it can be off a few degrees. If the head has ever been surfaced, even .010", it retards the cam even more.
Back in the '70's (yea I know, I'm old) when my brother and I started racing Pinto's, I had the head shaved .060" to raise the compression ratio and when I put it back together the timing marks would not line up. When I put the crank on 0 (or TDC) the cam marks would not line up. After some serious head scratching I realized what had happened! Back in those days there was no such thing as an adjustable cam pulley, so I made one. With some careful measuring with a dial indicator I also found out that the factory cam pointer was not dead on as well. After some back-yard fab work I got the cam dialed in (actually 2 degrees advanced) and that little 2.0 screamed!! It sounded like an angry bumble bee! :lol:
These days adjustable cam pulleys are all over e-bay, and fairly cheap. If you can change a timing belt, you can put on a pulley and set up the cam. It's not that hard to do. How much difference can it make on a stock Pinto? Back then my wife drove a '72 Runabout, 2.0 automatic. (WHY did I ever sell that car??? :'() It ran OK, a little sluggish on take off and it seemed to downshift a good bit when climbing hills. It had a valve job and resurface before I bought it. I checked the cam timing and found it to be SIX, yes, six degrees retarded. I fabbed up one of my pulleys and advanced the cam two degrees. (Thats two degrees from 0, which made a total of eight degrees)I also adjusted the carb and reset the base timing. What a difference! My wife came home from work the next day and said, "what did you do to my car?!!" Seems she took off from a stop sign like she always did and spun the tires halfway up the road!! ;D
If this is of intrest to anyone, maybe I will post a thread on how to set up your cam, quick and easy. Oh and BTW, I said stock Pinto's, because if you have a built engine with a shaved head, you dang well better already have a pulley! (shaved head, lol :afro:)
I'd be interested in a step by step tutorial!!! With a pic of this "adjustable cam pulley"!!!
Thanks,
Kim
Congrats on your maiden voyage! I remember my maiden voyage in July 2003, on square tires and 1/8 tank of gas and no interior. We only went about a mile, as she just woke up from a 5 year nap. Priceless moments.
I'd be interested in learning how to set cam timing too, timing belt is on my list.
Chuck
Congratulations on your maiden voyage! Nothing quite like it, is there? Mine was a 165 mile drive down the interstate at 65-70 mph! I was nervous about it (after all, it was my first time behind the wheel of this 36-year-old car) but she ran like a top all the way home! What a ride! I got horn blowing, waves, and thumbs-up the entire way. I have never driven ANYTHING else that elicited that much attention going down the road! Enjoy!
Dwayne :smile:
Well..... the maiden voyage, congratulations!!!! I actually still remember my maiden voyage on my 1971 trunk model when I was in High School. I drove that thing to every friend I had, so I could show it off. It was great!!!!!!! The maiden voyage of my 1972 I bought in May, was completed by a young friend of mine, who along with my daughter, went with me to Chicago to purchase it. He wanted to drive it home, and being that "DAD" type of guy, I knew he'd be thrilled doing it..... so he made the maiden voyage, with my daughter as copilot. I didn't realize I lost the thrill of the maiden voyage when I let him drive it home, but that's okay, I drove it from his house after dropping him off, to it's new home in my nice cozy garage. Reed's Pinto (1971 trunk model) I bought in November, is still at the shop getting repairs, and I haven't even driven it yet. I will complete that maiden voyage. :lol: As far as the running of yours, I'm sure the timing is probably the issue; however, my mechanic has too mentioned I should use a higher octane fuel with a lead additive. It's on empty now, but the lead additive is ready to be added, when I fill her up. Good luck!!!!! Oh by the way, I know you couldn't tell if people were staring, because you were worried about keeping it going, but we all know......people stare.....because they're jealous of us Pinto Owners, yeah, it's a beautiful car......
Quote from: pintogirl on February 18, 2009, 09:07:18 PM
I'd be interested in a step by step tutorial!!! With a pic of this "adjustable cam pulley"!!!
Thanks,
Kim
I will try to work on this over the weekend and post a thread with pics. ;)
Congratulations Kim. You made me laugh when you said you parked in the middle of the parking lot, because that hit home. Back in the day (the 70's), before fuel injection, when everyone was carbureted...chokes setting...flooding...backfiring....excessive grinding....I was right at home in my Pinto's with everyone else. But today, when I drive my beater daily driver, I do the same as you do! So funny. Even when you kill it and it diesel's a bit, people will look at you. Not to mention a little water spilling out of the radiator overflow hose.
Glad yo hear you are rolling. You will gain confidence every time you take her out.
Have fun,
Dave
Quote from: Original74 on February 21, 2009, 09:18:30 AM
Congratulations Kim. You made me laugh when you said you parked in the middle of the parking lot, because that hit home. Back in the day (the 70's), before fuel injection, when everyone was carbureted...chokes setting...flooding...backfiring....excessive grinding....I was right at home in my Pinto's with everyone else. But today, when I drive my beater daily driver, I do the same as you do! So funny. Even when you kill it and it diesel's a bit, people will look at you. Not to mention a little water spilling out of the radiator overflow hose.
Glad yo hear you are rolling. You will gain confidence every time you take her out.
Have fun,
Dave
LOL, Yah, I actually took hubby to lunch yesterday in the Pinto and I was going to park in the middle of the lot and hubby say's, "park up by the doors so we can see Dazi and she is in the shade"!!!!! I was like :surprised: What if it doesn't start, that will be embarrasing!!!! LOL All went well though and I think the guard out front even took a pic!!! LOL
I tried to get hubby to drive it back to his work, but he didn't want to! (http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m247/myhrdly/pfft.gif) ;D