I live in springfield missouri, but took a vacation to south padre island texas, 1000 miles away from home. I made it with only a little issue with my control module which i was aware of before i left. I had a leaky exhaust fixed before i left. I replaced the only old tire that was left on the car, and had them all balanced. I replaced the timing belt, and both motor mounts,replaced the coolant with fresh antifreeze (has new radiator, new water pump, new tstat, both new radiator hoses). The tune up was relativly new already. (including plugs, wires, cap, rotor, and air filter). I had the oil changed (normally do it myself but i dont have a garage, and it had been and still was raining when i was getting ready to go) and had the shop check the grease in the transmission and rearend. I know the transmission leaks a little an i hadnt checked it in a while. I am sure i broke a tooth on one of the gears a while back, but i added more grease and havnt had any problems.
Now. I have a few questions. First off, now that i am here (and i noticed it alot when i was on the road anytime i took off) it seems to want to jerk alot, unless i put my foot way down on the gas pedal and get into the secondaries then its fine. I am thinking the carb nuts might be loose. I am going to check those. Its always done it some just now its worse. I did not reset the valve or ignition timing after i replaced the belt, and i did have to turn the cam pully just a half a notch or so counter clockwise to get the new belt to go on. (maybe i should have took it clockwise instead? i dunno. Anyways i had to move the distributor gear a hare also. I assume the old belt was a lil stretched but it wasnt broken. I just replaced it as a maintainence thing, to prevent a breakdown. It was pretty nasty looking (cracked, etc). I probably need to check and reset the ignition timing before i go home. Would that make it jerk too? How about making it pop a little on decel only once in a while, and stalling when i come to a stop, restarting, and being fine? It did that here and there too.
Also, I *hate* getting under the car and checking/filling the transmission with grease. If i pull the shift lever and boot, and dump grease in there, will it run down and into the case where it is supposed to go? that would be so much easier (its a 4 speed obviously). Ill probably use a bottle of lucas oil stabilizer or something real thick like that so it doesnt run out, unless somone in here thinks thats a bad idea.Can it be overfilled? I dont mind getting under the car and removing the plug, i just dont like trying to get grease down in the trans. Its a pain in the butt.
And (i think this is the last think) I have all 4 new tires, all been balanced just before i left. Still have a vibration in the steering wheel. Have a new rack and pinion with new inner and outter tie rod ends on it. New ragjoint. There is almost no slack in the steering at all. But all the tires are new all the way around, and the shocks are new up front. All thats left is balljoints, strut rod bushings, and control arm bushings. I am sure it probably needs both. The suspension makes alot of noise over bumps and things. Wheel bearings seem fine, there isnt any play in the wheels, not at 12 and 6, nor at 9 and 3. Only thing i can think of is 1) Control Arm Bushings. 2) Strut Rod Bushings 3) Balljoints.
I am sure ill make it back home in the car just fine, but before i go i thought id ask these questions and see if there are a few things i can do before i go home. My old car doesnt look like much right now with a wrinkled 1/4 panel and no hub caps but it got me here and around town! Thank you mr pinto!.
"it seems to want to jerk alot, unless i put my foot way down on the gas pedal and get into the secondaries then its fine"
This is screaming to me Vacuum leak, but I am hoping you did check the timing when you got the T-belt done.
"If i pull the shift lever and boot, and dump grease in there, will it run down and into the case where it is supposed to go?"
It will, but I am hoping when you say "grease" you mean oil. Manual trannies should have 80w90 in them, just like the rearend. Autos have ATF, make sure you use the correct type of ATF. I am going to assume though since you are talking about the plugs on the side that you have a manual.
"Can it be overfilled?"
Yes it can be. There are two plugs on the side of the case. A drain plug and a fill plug. Typically the level should be at or slightly below (1/8 to 1/4 inch) the bottom edge of the fill plug with the car on a level surface. This can be a pain if you do not have a lift or a pit, but do the best you can at leveling it.
"i just dont like trying to get grease down in the trans. Its a pain in the butt."
What you can use is a hand pump oil gun, and attach a length of fuel or vacuum hose to it to help point it into the trans hole.
"Still have a vibration in the steering wheel."
Rebuild the frontend. New everything. Bushings, ball joints, the whole deal. If it is still an issue, have your wheels checked for true. One or more may be bent.
Good luck!
--Doug
I did not reset the timing when i changed the belt. All i did was losen the tentioner and slip the old belt off, slip the new one one, tighten it down and go. I was working quickly to get everything done, i didnt even think about it until later on. I suspect vacuum leak as well, so i will check the carb mounting nuts, the air bell screws, and the one and only vacuum line i have as well as the ignition timing. When i say grease i did indeed mean 80w90 gear oil. My dad always called that gear grease so thats just how ive called it for years. Hard to break the habbit. I have never seethe drain plug you speak of but i do know where the fill plug is. I guess i'll just have to look for a pump to fill the trans with. I really need to pull the trans and put some sealer or something on that gasket at the input shaft on the transmission. I believe that is where it is leaking from.. Is the lucas oil stabilizer stuff OK to use in the trans at 100%? It will have some oil in it too, but id fill it up with the oil stabilizer if that is ok. It's real thick like honey and doesnt leak out as easy. The car is a 4 speed. I'll try to get the front end rebuilt soon. I have all the energy suspension bushings for it, but dont have the balljoints yet. I suspect a balljoint is bad on the drivers side but im not sure, it could just be deteriorated bushings making noise, and causing the vibration.
Quote from: douglasskemp on September 11, 2007, 03:56:29 PM
"it seems to want to jerk alot, unless i put my foot way down on the gas pedal and get into the secondaries then its fine"
This is screaming to me Vacuum leak, but I am hoping you did check the timing when you got the T-belt done.
"If i pull the shift lever and boot, and dump grease in there, will it run down and into the case where it is supposed to go?"
It will, but I am hoping when you say "grease" you mean oil. Manual trannies should have 80w90 in them, just like the rearend. Autos have ATF, make sure you use the correct type of ATF. I am going to assume though since you are talking about the plugs on the side that you have a manual.
"Can it be overfilled?"
Yes it can be. There are two plugs on the side of the case. A drain plug and a fill plug. Typically the level should be at or slightly below (1/8 to 1/4 inch) the bottom edge of the fill plug with the car on a level surface. This can be a pain if you do not have a lift or a pit, but do the best you can at leveling it.
"i just dont like trying to get grease down in the trans. Its a pain in the butt."
What you can use is a hand pump oil gun, and attach a length of fuel or vacuum hose to it to help point it into the trans hole.
"Still have a vibration in the steering wheel."
Rebuild the frontend. New everything. Bushings, ball joints, the whole deal. If it is still an issue, have your wheels checked for true. One or more may be bent.
Good luck!
--Doug
Hello pintoguy76,
Strut rod bushings.... and a lean condition in your carb.
Possibally a bit of dirt in the primary jet in the float bowl.
Since your Pinto is a 76?? It is possibally an MPG which are jetted as small as possible anyway.
An old speed trick is to swap the primary jet to the secondary jet and secondary to the primary. This would be an easy way to check for a lean condition in the primary circuit.
How old is your PCV valve??
I also have NEVER seen a drain plug in the manual tranny.
I have often wondered "IF" you pulled the bottom bolt out to the tailhousing if oil would drain???
Since your goal is to just get home.... then try dis-connecting and pluging the
Vac-Advance For part of your trip and see what happens....
From Pintony
I dont know of a drain plug either but i feel as tho they should have put one in thre. Ill try plugging the vacuum advance, and resetting the timing altho there shouldnt be any leaks as the vac line and the vac advance are both new. The carb is a good suggestion tho i really hate to tear it apart while im down here... in case i make it worse LOL. It is indeed an MPG model. It has two fuel filters on it but they dont seem to filter all that well to be honest. Ive had the bowl open a few times and always find crap in the bottom of the float bowl. So i am pretty sure you are right there is likly something in one of the jets. Ugh! Anyways. I guess i probably should look into it. Pcv Valve is new-er.
Pintoguy76,
Wow!!!! That sounds like a whole bunch of stuff. Is you accelerator plunger working correctly??? I would definitly check the pvc as Pintony recommended, make sure it is metering the vacuum duing idle and not just full flow. That in itself might cure the hesitation.
High_Horse
Its not really a hesitation just a jerk while accelerating. Ill check the PCV valve but i am sure its OK. There is a possibility that it may not be seated all the way tho. I have forgotten to check that latly. The new pcv valve i put in doesnt want to seat itself all the way down in there. I'm kinda leaning on pintonys suggestion that there may be dirt or something in the jets. 1000 miles is equal to alot of burned fuel which means there was alot of chance for dirt to get past the filter and into the jet. Its always jerked some, but not like this. Its fine when its not accelerating or accelerating down low i should say. And only when in the primaries, not in the secondaries.
Quote from: Pintony on September 11, 2007, 07:07:06 PM
I also have NEVER seen a drain plug in the manual tranny.
I am probably confusing it with the 4spd in my V8 M2. It has been entirely too long since I was under my 78. I am having Pinto withdrawl.
:'(
hehe, you should get back on the road with your lil pony :D I drive my 76 every day and my best friend drives my 74 every day. We love these little things. The guy at the muffler shop said i was very brave to take this thing on this trip, but here we are! Heading home tomorrow. Gonna stop and work on a few things, and probably stay the night in north texas or south oklahoma, on my way back into missouri. Can i plug the line for the pcv valve at the carburetor? It shouldnt be nessecary except for emisions reasons should it? I'd fix it when i got home, but if its a nessecary thing ill have to dig for a problem here should that be the issue. There is a big hose that runs from somewhere under the intake to this lil box thing, then a hose from there to the pcv valve and then from there to the carb base. I replaced the valve a while back. It wasnt bad i just replaced it when i went on a rampage of replacing everything in sight.
Hello pintoguy76,
U can block the pcv at the manifold but do not block the tube leading to the valve.
Unless you want to replace the front and rear main seals... ;D
From Pintony
I agree
High_Horse
I've made it to marietta oklahoma on I-35. I havnt done anything to the car i just drove it as is. Tomorrow im going to go the rest of the way home (6 more hours!) I'll figure out the problems when i get home. I did look at the pcv valve to make sure it was seated but i didnt do anything, just looked. Looked ok but ill inspect everything when i get home. That way if i go too far and mess something up... it'll be home already and wont need towed. I ran some carb cleaner additive thru several tanks of gas... kinda wondering if it didnt break something loose and get it down in a carb jet also. Not sure. I'll let you all know what i find out. Thanks for all the replies!
I made it home. I had transmission problems. It was making a loud awful noise that i cant describe this morning when i left the hotel in way way south oklahoma. It was fine in first but if i put it in 2nd 3rd or 4th it would start making this awful noise. Anyways i filled it with gear oil, and ran it in neutral with the engine running and clutch relased and it still made noise. I put it in first and took off and just like that all noises were gone. I drove the six hours home. However i did noticed the trans was leaking a decent amount from the rear (it usually leaks up front). In the time it took to get gas from 1/4 tank and then run in to pay for it, it leaked a spot about the size of an orange on the ground. Later on between oklahoma city and tulsa i stopped and it leaked a smaller amount, but i noticed also oil, assumingly gear oil, was dripped off the gas tank shield .(the thin plastic thing intended to keep the car from blowing up if rearended even tho i have an 8 inch rear having no bolts in the cover lol) So it sounds to me like the trans is leaking somewhere pretty well. I had stuck a bottle of lucas oil stabilizer (the honey like stuff) in it a few months back but hadnt checked it since then. It slowed the leak way down. But now that its been run low on oil maybe it messed something up to where the thick stuff wont even slow the leak i dont know. It may be time for another new trans (i wrecked the original one in 2004 when i lost a u-joint). I wont be putting in another 4 speed... if this trans comes out, a T5 goes in its place. ANYWAYS. The important thing is me and my pinto are home safe. I'll be working on it in the next few days and i'll keep you all posted on whats going on, what im finding and what im doing. Thanks for the help guys!
Hey pintoguy76,
Glad U made it home!!!!
Sounds like you need a NEW tranny...
Kep us posted on your progress/
From Pintony
The trans i have in it is rebuilt. Back in 04 i lost a rear ujoint on the interstate at an insanly high rate of speed which i will not mention ;D and it cracked the case on my original trans, as well as vibrating a few bolts loose. I replaced it with the rebuilt one thats in it now but it has always leaked a little. Now its been run dry twice. It was run dry once before i added grease and never had anymore problems until friday. I dont know if the trans is ok or not but it acts fine. I've been driving it since i got home without adding any more oil. I need to put some lucas oil stabilizer in it and see if it holds it better than the 90wt gear oil that i put in it in oklahoma. If it doesnt, its time for a T5. The place i got this trans at has other pinto trans (rebuilt as well) for $150 but i dont really wanna screw with another pinto 4 spd. I think its time for the T5 that i wanted last time anyways but didnt get because i was too poor at the moment. I bet that overdrive will be nice. a 2.3 turbo is next, but i hate to put the car out of operation when the motor thats in it is perfectly fine. Id like to wait until the motor gets so old that it wont run right anymore, but with it having only 150k on it, it may be another 150k before that happens. lol. Still havnt checked the timing or for vacuum leaks like id planned. the weather hasnt been doing what the forcast says, and i am so behind on stuff from being on vacation that ive just not had any time. Im curious to see whats going on tho.
PintoGuy76,
Wow!!!! That sounded like a hairraising drive down there to Texas and back. Godawefull noise....geeezzzzzzzzz....I was cringing. Somewhere on this site a bit back I explaned what causes a Sputter, Spit and Pop. Please allow my to explain what makes a GodAweFull noise. Based on what you have described here-in.
A GodAwefull noise is generally caused buy a loosening and worn-out-warped clutch assembly connected to a God only what is in it for lubricant leaking transmission connected to a terribly worn tailshaft bushing connected to a driveshaft with u-jounts so badly worn that your lucky it didn't scatter. This mechanical resonance would then transmit throughout the car...rattling anything that was not equipt with the proper arresting device like seatbelts. Your lucky you were properly arrested. Your visors had to take a beating. I would suggest the proper fluid to install in that Trans be Holy Water.
Now you have till next June to get that rattle trap running like a charm so you can make the Tulsa weekend without being a major leaky rattling embarassment....That's my job!!!
Oh....And quit scaring people. I havn't been that shook up since Pintony plugged up his fuel tank vent and collapsed his fuel take like an enema bag.
Puff...Pufff...Pufff.
High_Horse
lol! It only made the noise for a couple of miles the 2nd day. The rest of the trip was fine. Even then it only made noise in 2nd 3rd and 4th gear. 1st was fine as if nothing was ever wrong. After i added oil, everything is silent again. Id love to come to the pinto meeting next year but likly it will be in my wagon instead of the sedan. The sedan has a wrinkled 1/4 panel and a trailer tail/brake light assembly after my wreck last year. Kind of embarresed to drive it that way. ;D But it works and works great. I know the car sounds like its terrible but really its not that bad. The following things have been replaced. Radiator, radiator hoses, water pump, thermostat, carburetor (rebuilt it myself, maybe thats why it sucks!) distributor, dist cap, rotor, plugs, wires, air filter, coil, ignition module, starter, clutch, pressure plate, battery, battery cables, starter solenoid, belts, power steering pump, power steering hose, power steering rack and pinion, inner and outter tie rod ends, 1 new caliper, brakes up front on both sides, all three new brake hoses, new brake lines from the proportioning valve to the wheel cylinders, new wheel cylinders, springs, adjusters, and ujoints. The trans is new also but as you can tell it may not be in the best of shape anymore, altho it shifts as good as ever and is quiet now that its been oiled again. So overall the car is in good mechanical condition. Its also got new motor mounts, and fuel pump and timing belt. New exhaust except the muffler which it needs also. I have a sway bar to put on it, but i want all new energy suspension bushings and end links for it before i put it on. Also going to replace all control arm bushings upper and lower, and the strut rod bushings with energy suspension parts. I put new bushings in with the rack and pinion but i want to replace them again with energy suspension bushings. At the same time it will get new moog balljoints and wheel bearings. Then new calipers and brake lines. The rest of the brake lines... every one of them (having brake issues too, cant seem to keep the air out of the lines but i think it might be the cheap reman master cylinder which has already been replaced twice). The rear could probably use to be gone thru (rebuild with all new bearings seals, and gears), probably change to 3.55 gears from 3.00s, or something maybe like 3.27-ish if thats available for the 8". 3.55s in the wagon i have is a bit too uncomfy for me on the highway altho with a T5 it wouldnt be so bad. However having the overdrive would probably only knock the rpms down to those of the 3.00 without overdrive. Anyways. Ive done nothing to the interior or the body which needs some attention as well. Thats my story! It seems mechanically stabil (cept the trans which is no ones fault but my own and even then its working perfect right now).
Update! I took the carb off, cleaned it up, messed around with the jetting a bit. Reinstalled carb. Advanced the timing quite a bit. (The timing cover was off, bolts missing, so i cant set it exactly). Its overadvanced some I can tell. But. It runs SO much better. Starts easier, runs smoother and quieter. I had no idea how bad it was really running. It wasnt THAT bad, but there is a big difference between how it was running and how its running now. And i drove it to texas and back that way. I bet my fuel milage could have been alot better, had I played with the timing and stuff before i left after changing the timing belt the night before. I was in kind of a rush, nothing was going quick enough, and I hadnt messed with the timing, and didnt change the position of the auxillary shaft gear so I assumed it was fine. I guess the old belt must have been stretched (i did have to turn the cam gear a little to get the belt to go on). Anyways its running a hare rich I think, but it runs nice, smooth, and quieter. Next I need to work on the suspension, and getting some bolts for the timing cover so i can put it back on and get the timing set correctly.
Did you ever check the PVC valve??? Why did you advance the timing??? Isn't it set to the factory timing specification??? Just curious.
High_Horse
I did check the pcv valve and it was ok and was seated good. On the timing, I *had* set it 2 degrees over advanced on the stock timing specs. That was before I changed the timing belt. I never moved the crank pulley pulley but i did move the cam pully a bit to get the belt groves to line up with the cam pulley. That tells me the old belt was a bit stretched. I suspect the aux. shaft pulley might have moved just a little bit too in all that. I did not reset the ignition timing after changing the belt (It was late at night when I changed it. I was tired and had to get up early so I just went to bed without even thinking of it, after i verified that it still ran ok). I cant find the bolts to the timing cover, i think it took it off because it was rattling. It was off when i went to change the belt. I swore it put it on better later on and never did. So the best i could do was play with the timing a little and see if it would run any better, and it did. Starts easier too. It runs nice and smooth now and its quieter (between the timing and the carb work I did, there isnt a "jerk" in acceleration anymore and the idle is smoother.) I guess the cars performance changed a little here and there and over time it had gotten to where it didnt perform the best that it could anymore. I think it runs better now than it did before i changed the timing belt. :D
Quote from: pintoguy76 on September 26, 2007, 11:55:51 AM
...the old belt was a bit stretched....
The belts don't stretch, at least not to any amount that could be measured by eye.
I am glad that it is running better.
Bill
Me too. Its amazing the difference that made. I need to go to the muffler shop now. I had them make a new downpipe from the engine because the old one was really hanging too low and was vibrating and rubbing on the body. The noise was really annoying and for some reason everything i heard it it just made me mad. When i picked the car up the guy swore up and down that pipe wasnt gonna hit on anything. Then I changed the motor mounts and guess what? Its hitting. lol.
QuoteI think it runs better now than it did before i changed the timing belt.
Darn the luck!!1 You just keep at it PintoGuy76...I'm rooting for ya. And I'm rootin for that Pinto....Don't give up. I need to adjust ThunderPinto because it is not busting loose on the pedal slam like it did in front of Daves house. Of course anything will spin on wet brick. So now that you got the rockin and rollin solved at takeoff you need to progress to second gear rubber. I got my eye on you.
High_Horse
LoL Thanks. Im not sure about that 2nd gear rubber burning thing. That drop from 1st to 2nd gear is a deadly drop. And the 3.00:1 gears dont help any. But, its still performing great. I picked up another pinto today. A nearly mint 79, with 97,000 on it. It's been sitting for 16 years inside a garage. I bet it takes some hard work to get it going again but the body is great!
Hey Pintoguy76,
Just reading this post this morning. I wish I had known you were motoring through Tulsa a few weeks ago, would have tried to catch up with you. Sounds like you have quite a fettish going on just up the road. I need to pop up some weekend and meet you.
Dave
looks like the midwest members are growing....
Pinto Road trip huh Dave?
Frank
Heck yeah Frank! We have Pintoches in Joplin and Pintoguy76 in Springfield, me in Tulsa and you in OKC, looks like we have some representation on the mother road!
Dave
Thats awesome :) My 76 isnt much to see anymore but the 74 is decent (cept the trust which isnt too bad really, ive seen much much worse. Its floors are solid still atleast) and the 79 i just took home last night will look GREAT once its been cleaned up. (see my post "just got another pinto"). Would be great to meet other pinto guys tho ;) I wanted to make the tulsa show this year but just couldnt. :(
:wow:
High_Horse
Whats the wow for? Anyways, i put 1/2 qt of gear oil in the trans last night and took the car and hour to a party a friend of mine had. Zero problems. I hadnt put gear oil in the trans in about 500-600 miles (and one month now) and it was only 1/2 qt low. I did notice since i switched the jets in the carburetor around that when i was on the highway and put my foot down into the secondaries it would rattle like a spray paint can with the mixing ball in the bottom. Its probably something to do with the small jet in the big side of the carb. Or i may have the timing a bit overadvanced... which is possible. Ran great tho. Strong and problem free. Suspensions getting worse i think. The steering is nice and tight but its getting harder to keep it going down the road strait. It keeps wanting to wonder around. Had to jerk the wheel back the other direction some to keep it from goin across the lines a couple times. Ive got energy suspension bushings for it, but i cant take the car out of comission until the 79 is done. I depend on this car to drive me around town on a day to day basis. Its fine in town... just doesnt like the high speeds as well. By the look of the bushings i cant say that i blame it. Thats it for this update. Havnt really done much to it since the last posting i dont think.
Quote from: FCANON on September 30, 2007, 10:43:25 AM
...looks like the midwest members are growing...
Quote from: Original74 on September 30, 2007, 01:48:24 PM
...Heck yeah Frank! We have Pintoches in Joplin and Pintoguy76 in Springfield, me in Tulsa and you in OKC...
Quote from: High_Horse on October 01, 2007, 10:14:22 AM
:wow:
High_Horse
Quote from: pintoguy76 on October 15, 2007, 03:58:47 AM
...Whats the wow for?...
High_Horse
Location: Wichita,Kansas
I believe someone feels left out, that is why the wow.
Just a guess.
QuoteWhats the wow for? Anyways, i put 1/2 qt of gear oil in the trans last night and took the car and hour to a party a friend of mine had. Zero problems. I hadnt put gear oil in the trans in about 500-600 miles (and one month now) and it was only 1/2 qt low. I did notice since i switched the jets in the carburetor around that when i was on the highway and put my foot down into the secondaries it would rattle like a spray paint can with the mixing ball in the bottom. Its probably something to do with the small jet in the big side of the carb. Or i may have the timing a bit overadvanced.. . which is possible. Ran great tho. Strong and problem free. Suspensions getting worse i think. The steering is nice and tight but its getting harder to keep it going down the road strait. It keeps wanting to wonder around. Had to jerk the wheel back the other direction some to keep it from goin across the lines a couple times. Ive got energy suspension bushings for it, but i cant take the car out of comission until the 79 is done. I depend on this car to drive me around town on a day to day basis. Its fine in town... just doesnt like the high speeds as well. By the look of the bushings i cant say that i blame it. Thats it for this update. Havnt really done much to it since the last posting i dont think.
I'm luvin this guy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
High_Horse