Hello, new to the forum and pintos so please bare with me. I currently run a ford pinto in a mini stock class on a 1/4 mile dirt track. From what i've gathered the car is a 77-80 chassis, 2.3 engine and stock tranny 4speed Rev and 1-4. I'm looking to pick up an additional 2.3 to rebuild for a back up engine. I've been told that most any ford 2.3 will bolt up with my tranny as long as its rear wheel drive. Is this true? Is there any specific engine i really should be looking for? I've been told the rangers are more durable and run cooler. My biggest concern is getting something that wont bolt up. Any help is greatly appreciated.
Andy
well i picked up a 89 mustang 2.3 FI engine from the local salvage yard. Hopefully all goes well in changing it over. I've been told I can use the FI intake and put my carb and air cleaner on it. Any suggestions on the mounting? If its too much of a pain i'll just bolt up my current intake. Second question is can I take my ignition from my original engine dist, module, coil ect ect and plug it into the new engine and all should go well?
The 89 engine should work fine. As you noticed, the oil pan, oil pump pick up, and oil dip stick tube will need to be transfered from the Pinto to the 89 engine. If you are running a mechanical fuel pump, the pump boss will need to be opened up to mount the pump. The 89 head has D shaped ports while the Pinto head has oval ports. If you use the Pinto intake, there may be some fuel puddling at the mismatch (just guessing, I have not tried it). Racer Walsh and Esslinger both sell adapters to mount a carb to the 89 lower intake http://racerwalsh.zoovy.com/category/4cylinder.induction/, http://www.esslingeracing.com/merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=SPCADP. The Pinto distributor should work in the 89 engine form what I have read.
This Racer Walsh tech sheet may be of interest (click on the "back 2 basics sheet" at the top): http://racerwalsh.zoovy.com/category/techinicalinformation/.
once i put on the carb adapter to the fuel injection intake any suggestions on what to use to seal the injector holes? I read that by using this intake i can pick up to 15hp.
To just get it running, you could leave the injectors and the fuel rail installed. The Racer Walsh catalog talks about welding them up. I assume this is to allow them to do their porting work. You could also fabricate something: epoxy in some aluminum dowel plugs, tap the holes & install pipe plugs, etc.
Maybe a actual racer will chime in.