I picked up a '72 or '73 Pinto a while back on a whim and it has sat in my garage for a couple of years. I'm thinking of getting back on the road, but don't even know where to start considering I haven't done very much extensive work on cars in the past. I do know my way around one though and I am wondering if anyone can give me nod in the right direction. Shop manual? Where can I find one? Also, how is it getting parts if I am looking to just get it safe and running rather than suping it up?
I posted about a year ago for this and never really acted on it. I think these are better questions to ask anyway.
I just took a look on www.haynes.com, and did not see a listing for Pintos earlier than 1975 - but if they ever did publish a manual in the past, you might try ebay or Amazon.com. If Haynes did not have a manual for the earliest Pintos, you might go with the "Ford Pinto & Mercury Bobcat 1975-1980." It may be close enough to give you the info you need. I have been very happy with Haynes manuals for everything from BMW motorcycles to Volvos, Hyundais, Ford, GM, etc.
A couple of months ago I brought a car back from a 10-year hibernation, a replica of a 1937 Jaguar SS100 that my uncle built. The power plant is a 1977 Pinto 2.3L that has performance mods including a warm cam, headers, high performance ignition, and a Holley 4 bbl carb. Lots of fun to drive! In any event, if your Pinto has been parked for awhile, you might consider the following:
Remove the spark plugs, and fill the cylinders with Marvel Mystery Oil and let that soak for a few days. After a few days, (plugs still out) put a wrench on the front of the crank shaft and gently pull the motor through a few revolutions. This will spill the excess Marvel Mystery Oil out, and assure that the pistons haven't bonded to the cylinders.
remove, drain, and clean the gas tank, blow out or (better yet) replace all fuel lines, replace fuel filter. Rebuild or replace the carberator. Change the oill/filter on the engine, put in fresh plugs and battery, and hopefully it'll fire right up. Once running, drain and replace fluids in trans, differential, maybe even put fresh fluid in the brake system.
Experience with my vehicles has been that after being parked for a couple of years, the valve stem seals dry out, resulting in a cloud of smoke when first started, and when getting back on the gas after coasting down a hill. Not real serious, and I have occasionally seen an improvement with something like a "smoke- be-gone" oil additive.
Good Luck!
--Richard
If it has been sitting for only a few years, you might get by without a lot of work, depending on it's condition when parked, but at least I would try. I had a couple that did not need much at all.
If you need to have someone else do the work, it could save you time and some bucks (for now anyway). Get an idea of what you have, need, and might need. Finding out what you have will help you with budgeting the project (or if you wish to do it, before you get in over your head). I would rather not spend lots of time and money to find out it has some major issue (rod knock,...).
I agree, pull the plugs and put some oil in for a day or two as mentioned. Turn it over, put new plugs in, and add some fresh gas and coolant if needed. Check the oil level too. Make sure it can not roll away on you, and that the throtle cable is not binding. Check for any leaks. Good idea to have someone with you as another set of eyes, and have a fire bottle handy too.
When you are ready, try to start it, see what happens. If it runs well, great, if not, find out why.
Look the brakes over well too, the last thing you want is to get it purr-ing, put it in gear and into a tree.
When you do get it going, keep an eye on the temp light, as the thermostat might be bad. Plan on replacing it at some point.
This is a list of things that I have HAD to do on mine to get them back running WELL (of the 3 I had that were sitting for years when I got them), and the number of cars that needed it:
Fuel pump 2, carb rebuild 1, lifters 2, cam bearings 1, rear main seal 2
This is a list of at least some of the other stuff that I have inspected or replaced on my pintos:
tune-up items, thermostat, time belt, gaskets, fuel hoses/lines/filter, brake hoses/lines/master/pads/shoes..., radiator/hoses, heater core/hoses/blower, waterpump, starter, tires, lights, exhaust, leaf springs, full "front end"....
Where are you? There might be one of us near-by that can help.
Bill
Someone might be near by, but I doubt it. I'm in Sudbury, Ontario (400km north of Toronto). I have a friend that's done some work with cars that I will get to back me.
I'll start with this and see where it gets me.
Thanks.
Chilton makes a bumper to bumper manual for the 71-80 pintos and bobcats. however the wiring diagrams are not included :( . but theyre not really that complicated. i learned my car front to back when i was 16 and that was only 4 years ago. but i hope you can find one, you probably will be able to order a manual from auto zone, Checker , shucks or kragen auto parts, or maybe even a napa store, but good luck and have fun!