Pinto Car Club of America
Shiny is Good! => General Pinto Talk => Topic started by: Wittsend on April 20, 2011, 03:27:15 PM
I've got 5 weeks left on my daily driver '91 Mazda 323 before the registration expires and I'm due for a smog test. I know it won't pass and am waiting on the Air Resources Board to approve a $1,000 smog abatement "buy out". For the car to qualify it must be running.
Wouldn't you know the radiator started leaking. It's a plastic/aluminum deal that crimps to seal. I re-crimped it but to no avail. I then opted to put in the previous radiator knowing the leak was minor. Ahh... not so minor anymore.
Not wanting to pay out for a replacement for just 5 weeks I started to spin the gears in my head. I grabbed the 17" radiator out of my '73 Pinto (I had replaced it with a 20") and sure enough the hose inlet/outlets were in the right places and the right size. I had to reverse the lower hose, but ultimately things typically don't go this easy for me.
The radiator fit snugly and I just used water pipe foam to cushion "rub" areas. A few twists of baling wire and it was secured in place. Maybe I should make up a little round, pink sticker that reads "donor" and place it on my Pinto. :lol:
Tom
Funny. But again, why not drive the pinto as a daily driver? I enjoy driving mine every day! Thats two hours a day I spend with my gal!!
Actually I would make the '73 wagon my daily driver except.... I did a 2.3 Turbo/T-5 swap. It was a clean swap but the car has always had issues. With the Spout in it misses all the time. With it out it runs decent... except right around 2,500 RPM (where it is driven most).
I have tapped the brain trust of PCCA, NATO, Turbo Ford, the Ranger Station etc. and collectively we can't get to the bottom of the problem. I've invest 60-80 hours in searching the net and "dialogue" to no avail.
I have replaced the Computer, VAM, TFI, PIP, O2 sensor, pressure regulator, fuel pump, injectors (cleaned and tested) - every ignition and fuel related component. The same results. Otherwise, yea it would be my daily driver.
Tom
WOW! Sorry to hear that! Another reason why I am starting to shy away from the turbo swap and just get a eslinger high performance kit that will jump the HP to 1,000HP on the stock block! Of course, a gt500 would be the nuts!!