Once again i got yet another pinto that does not run. LOL. I have rescued the two i already had from god only knows what since neither of them ran when I got ahold of them (but they run now!). Now. This one ran when it was parked............sixteen years ago. LOL. Inside a garage... for sixteen years... it has sat. The paint is dirty, but you can tell it shines as tho it was new. Ive only seen one rust thru spot and thats on the passengers door. Its a chocolate brown 79. Pretty basic except for the automatic transmission. It was parked in 1991. The guy says the engine or transmission knocks but he doesnt know which. I cant get it to start, yet. The fuel pump i am sure has dried up and maybe the lines are clogged now too who knows. It wouldnt start even with fuel poured in the carb. I noticed a gooey mess that had dripped from under the control module when i picked it up before i ever tried to start it. It was the sticky stuff on the back of the module that i guess had gotten hot and melted off. (boy that sure doesnt sound good!) But i am going to replace that, the fuel pump and clean the carb and put a kit in it, run a section of fuel line from a gas can to the pump and try it again. I need to find out what it is that was knocking so i can fix it. The brakes are gone from sitting for so long. the pedal went way down when i stepped on them, and finally i heard a loud click or a pop and the pedal went the rest of the way to the floor. Sounds like i need some new brake hoses, im betting one of them burst. The hard lines should be ok where it was only 12 years old when it was parked and has been inside on a concrete floor since then. The engine is a 2.3, and the trans is automatic. I dont know if its a C3 or a C4. I know it has a 6.75 rear but not sure of the ratio yet. I have alot of work ahead of me but this car is awesome. The interior is nice, and except for a spot on the passengers door, and a dent in the drivers fender, the exterior is solid and strait. Even all the emissions crap is still there, minus the air pump. I went from 1 vacuum line on my 74 and my 76 to about 20 on this 79 lol. It even has the hoses going inside the inner fender. I am strongly considering cleaning out all the vacuum BS, with the exception of the EGR and distributor unless somone can give me a good reason not too. I'd like to run it first and see how it drives the way it is, the gas milage, etc but if if its the motor, and i need to put my spare 2.3 in, i may not mess with putting the vacuum stuff back. If, by some chance, it should make better gas milage and power with the emissions stuff in place, then i shall leave it otherwise i see no reason why it cant go. I also have to leave vacuum for the aftermarket cruise control that was added and i assume there is one for the transmission modulator too. And of course the PCV.... and uhh well the one that runs the flapper on the air intake. Maybe i should just take note of where everything goes..... and leave it alone. LOL. Anyways it will take some work to get this going again, hard telling what i'll have to do to get it going again. I may have to blow the fuel lines out with air., and clean the fuel tank. The gas guage reads "E" with the key on (and a new battery of course). So either the float is gone, the sender is bad, or the gas all evaporated or something. Maybe i'll be lucky and the lines will be clear. and i can pump what remains of any fuel that might still exist in the tank. It will be discarded of course. I wouldnt try to burn 16 year old gas. I dont think it would run very good if at all. Anyways upon cranking the engine i did get a little smoke in the carb after trying some to get it to start so i think there is aa little fire. The engine didnt sound right, it sounded like the timing belt was not on it. I guess i should check that, maybe it snapped from dry rot or something. Or maybe its just a different starter than i am used to. Who knows. Anyways I thought id share my story with you guys. Im excited. thank you all so much for your help and comments on all my posts and things prior to this.
Hey pintoguy76,
Nice story... I love the ones that has saving another Pinto from the BIG hydraulic press...
Post a photo B4 & after you get her cleaned up...
From Pintony
I started cleaning on it some already in the back you can tell an amazing difference. I'll try to remember to take a pic before i finish cleaning it up tho. :)
I finally got it to run. Its got a nasty rod knock. Gonna pull it soon and see what i can see. Maybe i can get away with a new rod bearing. I have done that on a 2.3 before, without doing any crank work. Otherwise i have a spare 2.3 but ive never seen or heard it run either altho it did supposedly run. Dont know if it would run as nice as this one does (except for the knock, It runs nice and smooth and just overall seems better than my other 2.3s. But maybe its just me ;)
Heres my rod knock. Need I say more? heehee. ;D :D :o
Same thing happened to our 78. Broke the piston skirt. Nice pile of aluminum chunks in the bottom of the pan. Hopefully that is the worst of it. Good luck!
--Doug
I hope thats all it is too. Gonna wash the snot outta the outside of the engine with the power washer... covering all holes as good as i can... then take it apart and clean it and dry it inside... get it ready for whatever work i do to it. Almost tempted to rebuild it... but kinda hope i dont have to. Rebuilt engines never seem to last as long. Bad enough having to put new pistons and rings in it lol. At this rate the car might not see the road for a while. Should go thru the trans too.. but... $$$$$. This car cant sit here too long with expired tags. The city will be on my rear quick. $250 fine and have to go to court. Thats alot of money i could spend on the car instead. May have to tow it to storage while i redo the engine. Or take a risk at the "spare" engine...Half tempted to bolt it up with just a bellhousing and starter... no trans attached..make sure it runs good or decent... and then put the trans behind it if all is good.
How did the cylinder look?
What i SAW of it looked ok. I only saw a little bit at the very bottom. I have not pulled it apart yet, im leaving it altogether so i can power wash it clean then ill take it apart. Raining today tho not sure ill make it that far. Plus now im not even sure if i should fix it or not. I could spend that money on a good used 2.3 turbo and probably have the same amount or less money into it. Ive got the wiring harness and throttle cable already. All i need is a computer, VAM, engine and fuel pump. (i think). Then it will have to live in front of my C3 :( for now atleast.