I cant believe this stupid little thing... We've had like, 3 INSANE winters in a row, weeks and weeks ov well below zero weather, and nothing. Every year i start that thing up and it runs. THIS year, we get NO winter, i think it dipped below zero (just below zero mind you) twice. I go to start it up today, rusty water puking out ov the bellhousing, near the fork. This is bullshit, i am so pissed right now. I needed this thing to rip me around for the next few months. Was actually looking forward to it, i used to love driving this car. Now, it seems, i need to find a new engine.
Anyways, 76 MPG Pinto, 2.3 4spd. Is there a chance it just popped a plug behind the block? Or is there nothing back there? My Caddy popped a plug once, fixed 'er right back up with a rubber plug in twenty minutes, still runs great 12 years later. Any chance with this car? Not that i expect pulling the trans would take 20 minutes... Or am i insuring my 68 Cadillac instead...???
yes
You could have that trans out in 30 min. I dont know if you could change that plug with the engine in the car or not. You cant do the one in the back of the head with it in the car for sure tho.
So to clarify, there IS a plug there...???
I'd hate to bother pulling the trans not to find anything, because otherwise that thing goes back onto the lawn and waits for a new engine.
YES definitely a plug there You can see it at:
http://www.joe-escobar.com/pinto.html (http://www.joe-escobar.com/pinto.html)
Just scroll down a few pics and you will see the rusted out plug that was in my original engine.
Joe
Nice car.
I can see one big plug, and some small screw in plugs. My car had almost no water in it. I ran it as dry as i could before winter. I dont know 2.3 blocks, but wouldn't the block have to be full to pop out a higher-placed plug like that one?
Either way, i'm not pulling it apart now until i've got another engine to put in it. If i pull the tranny and it IS wrecked, i dont want some half-parted car sitting in my yard, better that it stays together until its time to be done.
Unless it is common to pop that upper plug out...???
Id pull it and find out what the matter is. No sense in replacing the engine if its just a simple freeze plug or a hose somewhere.
No coolant probably accelerated the rust out. Rust feeds off air so a dry block could not have helped. Even most brass core plug kits I've seen, the large plug at the back was steel. Quality coolant with a rust inhibitor is cheap compared to pulling engines/transmissions. My $0.02 for today. JT
Hmmm... either way, i'm doing something major that may or may not end in having a driving car. Guess i'm gonna find a nice running 2.3 and have it kicking around, just in case that block is cracked.
Regardless, its getting pushed into the backyard for now. Sadly. Funny, i have a badass 68 Caddy hearse hotrod, and a pretty hot 72 Charger 440 set up for corner carving, plus other cars. Yet i really was looking forward to rowin' gears in that lil stock Pinto. DAMMIT!!!