Pinto Car Club of America

Welcome to FordPinto.com, The home of the PCCA => General Help- Ask the Experts... => Topic started by: Leah_Scotia on September 11, 2012, 10:31:25 PM

Title: 1978 Pinto carburetor - HELP PLEASE!
Post by: Leah_Scotia on September 11, 2012, 10:31:25 PM
Hey there,
I recently purchased a 1978 Pinto 4-cyl 2.3L automatic & have done a lot of work on it but I think I really just need to replace the entire carburetor.  However, I'm not exactly sure of what model I need.  I think it is a 5200 Autolite or Motorcraft, 2-barrel, but can't seem to find one on eBay. I found a Holley listing, as follows:

*New Holley 2bbl carburetor (r8303) CA1981 is tagged Motorcraft D8EE-ama. This carb replaces several different number carbs and is listed as fitting

    1978 Ford Mustang  and Pinto with 2.3l 2300cc 140cu in 4cyl manual transmission*

Does it make any difference if it is an auto or manual for the carburetor & does this seem like the correct part that I need?
Thanks so much for any of your help!  I'm looking forward to getting this orange beast moving again.

-Leah
Title: Re: 1978 Pinto carburetor - HELP PLEASE!
Post by: r4pinto on September 11, 2012, 10:33:02 PM
Yep, that one will work. I actually have a 76 carb on my 77 & it does fine. Not really any difference with the Holley 5200 carbs. There are some but not enough to make much difference.
Title: Re: 1978 Pinto carburetor - HELP PLEASE!
Post by: amxtra on September 11, 2012, 10:40:18 PM
 Over the years I have replaced that 5200 carb with the 1bbl set up from rangers, very slightly noticable less power but everyone I did it for was way happier with the drivability. They had a habit of sticking wide open throttle in below freezing weather.
Title: Re: 1978 Pinto carburetor - HELP PLEASE!
Post by: Leah_Scotia on September 11, 2012, 10:42:07 PM
Okay, thank you!

-Leah
Title: Re: 1978 Pinto carburetor - HELP PLEASE!
Post by: ToniJ1960 on September 14, 2012, 03:26:12 PM
Quote from: amxtra on September 11, 2012, 10:40:18 PM
Over the years I have replaced that 5200 carb with the 1bbl set up from rangers, very slightly noticable less power but everyone I did it for was way happier with the drivability. They had a habit of sticking wide open throttle in below freezing weather.

Has anyone else heard of this happening? Not in my 26 years of owning my 78 wagon or the three others I had before it. I dont think this is something that should just go without comment.
Title: Re: 1978 Pinto carburetor - HELP PLEASE!
Post by: r4pinto on September 14, 2012, 03:40:21 PM
Nope, never had an issue with the 78 I used to have, or the 77 I do have. Not sure about the 80 yet.
Title: Re: 1978 Pinto carburetor - HELP PLEASE!
Post by: ToniJ1960 on September 14, 2012, 04:46:30 PM
 I always thought that 7-78 Pintos were nearly exactly the same. Oh well I wonder why I never heard about this it could be scary. I remember one time I was driving my dads old Vega and the pedal stuck in the up position so I couldnt give it any gas. Luckily I found a place to pull over and park (preetty darn lucky in downtown st louis) and my friend who was with me helped me pick up all the little pieces and we somehow got it to where I could drive it home.My father my sister and my brother in law all had those darn vegas.
Title: Re: 1978 Pinto carburetor - HELP PLEASE!
Post by: r4pinto on September 14, 2012, 06:31:22 PM
Oope.. I meant I never had the problem with the 77 either. the word "or" must have been left out lol...

Hey... I like Vegas lol.
Title: Re: 1978 Pinto carburetor - HELP PLEASE!
Post by: ToniJ1960 on September 14, 2012, 09:29:23 PM
 ok now I feel better then :)

Personally I dont like to even hear the word Vega I pushed one too many times. When I had the motor in my 1978 wagon rebuiilt back in 1988 my father asked the guy who did it if he could rebuild the motor in his Vega. He said no sorry the motors have sleeves in the cylinders and he didnt want to mess with it.
Title: Re: 1978 Pinto carburetor - HELP PLEASE!
Post by: r4pinto on September 14, 2012, 10:02:18 PM
Yup, that aluminum block on the Vega was a real mess. Not to mention the rust that always seemed to pop up in the lower corner of the windshield right at the A post.
Title: Re: 1978 Pinto carburetor - HELP PLEASE!
Post by: dga57 on September 15, 2012, 11:05:56 AM
Back when I was selling Lincoln-Mercury products in the late seventies, we took a lot of Vegas in as trade-ins on Bobcats.  I drove most, if not all, of them at some point or another and they were pure crap even back when they were relatively new!
Dwayne :)
Title: Re: 1978 Pinto carburetor - HELP PLEASE!
Post by: amxtra on September 18, 2012, 12:47:34 PM
  When I say cold weather I mean minus 20 or colder. I have had it personally happen to me a couple times where after getting in the car stepping on the throttle to set the choke it will stick and start up wide open or almost wide open and not kick down.  I have also seen this happen to 4 or 5 other cars with this carb over the years.
   Everyone that I did the 1bbl swap for, including myself, was way happier with the drivability.