Author Topic: Is it worth fixing my pinto ?  (Read 4931 times)

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Offline h4inf

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Is it worth fixing my pinto ?
« on: Jul 5, 2008, 01:57AM »
Hi, thought I would start a new thread for this... Got a few more problems.. but i have fixed so much on the car it seems like it'd be worth fixing it some more.. but not sure..

So far I have done:
- head gasket (new)
- water pump (new)
- brake rotors, pads and bleeding (new)
- tyres (new)
- spark plugs, leads and a coil (new)
- Throttle position sensor (from wrecker)
- distributor, cap and rotor (wreckers)
- headlights (new)
- alternator (wrecker + new brushes)

I have already changed alternators once, but again my alternator is no longer charging.. luckily i have a beast of a battery, I can drive for weeks on that lol.. just headlights are a bit dim at night!

The other problem is that when I accelerate or try to, the engine stutters, like it is misfiring every second cylinder and the revs hardly increase... this is really bad on hills!! Sometimes if i kick it down (its an auto), it will actually work.. I beleive I've had this problem before!! Possibly distributor or cap related.. possibly TPS.. but I never really narrowed it down! :(

http://stuff.pw.cx/panto%20issues.MOV

Have a look at the above video - after the second time i indicate, i am going up a hill with throttle more than half way! It's quite bad.. Nothing has really changed recently, this started as an intermittent fault but now is becoming quite regular ! :(

Any tips would be appreciated!!!  ???

Offline rathies

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Re: Is it worth fixing my pinto ?
« Reply #1 on: Jul 5, 2008, 02:56AM »
your accleration issue is either very worn spark leads or scv's that are stuck shut. the swirl control valves  (scv's) are butterflys in your intake that are actuated by vacuum, sometimes they get stuck shut, but its easy to free them, just find the actuator arm and move it a couple of times so it springs back.
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Offline h4inf

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Re: Is it worth fixing my pinto ?
« Reply #2 on: Jul 6, 2008, 02:00PM »
Hmm ok i will check them...

Just found another issue :(

Heater core is leaking into the passenger compartment!!!! I have already changed this, and all new hoses!! Damn. That was a big job lol... I like the pintara though, I think I will go through all that again just to make it better :)

Offline Smiley Of Terror

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Re: Is it worth fixing my pinto ?
« Reply #3 on: Jul 6, 2008, 06:30PM »
lol I thought you were actually talking about a Pinto



nissan enthusiast who... umm... drives a toyota.

'95 n/a Mr2

Offline h4inf

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Re: Is it worth fixing my pinto ?
« Reply #4 on: Jul 8, 2008, 02:28AM »
Haha, I didn't even know they existed!!

I often call my pintara a Pinto or Panto :P (Panto after that awful car in GTA heh)

I dropped my alternator in today to be fully reconditioned for a maximum of $120. Will pick that up tomorrow :)

Nissan quoted me $202 for each transverse link assembly (including ball joint) but recommended I try Bursons or Repco for better prices (as these would need to be ordered from Japan).

Pedders are flat out because its school holidays so I can't get them to do their 28 point safety check until later in the week.

Still thinking about the heater core... If I am going to pull the whole dash out again, I think I'll take lots of pics and write up a guide on doing it as fast as possible. Hopefully I'm able to fix it without doing all that, but last time I checked, all the hose connections were right up the back against the firewall!!! I'm guessing the core itself has sprung a leak, because I replaced all the hoses and ensured all the clamps were secure! Damn :(

Has anyone put in pedders suspension? They have either their Comfort Gas setup or the GSR Sports Ryder setup... I am thinking comfort gas would be fine, I don't want it to become too hard really.. Whatever goes in will be a huge upgrade compared to now lol.

Cheers :)

Offline ZEXTCY

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Re: Is it worth fixing my pinto ?
« Reply #5 on: Jul 8, 2008, 04:53PM »
To answer your first question - Is it worth it?
In a financial way then definately not as won't recoupe any more money you put into this car as aren't worth pinch of salt anymore

But does this stop car enthusiasts who love there car to stop spending the $$$? NO WAY!!!
If you love your car and are prepared to spend the $$$ and time upkeeping it then kudos to you +++

Plus karma going your way bud for spending funds and time needed to upkeep an older car  ;D
What is the point of a signature, who REALLY reads it??

Offline h4inf

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Re: Is it worth fixing my pinto ?
« Reply #6 on: Jul 8, 2008, 09:58PM »
Hehe I'm not so good with finances... but hey the pintara is a simple car and I reckon I could make it run forever with a small injection of $ every now and then and doing all the labour myself..

I have my refurbished alternator, looking damn fine... will post pics later. Unfortunately its a whole 8 degrees outside now, but I got to put it in :)

Also found ball joints at repco for $40 each... noice! When pedders do the suspension I'll get them to put those in too provided it will not cost me anything..

Feels good to be extending it's life :P

Offline Smiley Of Terror

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Re: Is it worth fixing my pinto ?
« Reply #7 on: Jul 8, 2008, 10:09PM »
Haha, I didn't even know they existed!!

I often call my pintara a Pinto or Panto :P (Panto after that awful car in GTA heh)

...
as far as I know they didn't make it to Aus.

The Ford Pinto is regarded by many to be the most dangerous motor vehicle of all time, they had a slight exploding problem or so the story goes.
If you were restoring one of those, I would be morally required to stop you.

other than that I say go for it, there's nothing quite like getting your hands dirty and fixing up a bomb. and it probably won't really cost you all that much if you do the work yourself.
nissan enthusiast who... umm... drives a toyota.

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Offline h4inf

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Re: Is it worth fixing my pinto ?
« Reply #8 on: Jul 8, 2008, 11:42PM »
:) I will avoid the Pinto at all costs lol..

My new (refurbished) alternator!: :)


Just put it in and of course it works fine.. yey.

Unfortunately still some issues accelerating smoothely.

Do these cars generally have grounding issues? I might run some extra grounds to see if it helps.. could just be something like that I hope...

Offline h4inf

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Re: Is it worth fixing my pinto ?
« Reply #9 on: Jul 28, 2008, 02:11AM »
Well I replaced the distributor (for the second time) and now it accelerates perfectly :-)

ALSO Had another problem... my heater core sprung another leak!!! ARGH. That was the worst job to do... BUT Just this weekend I pulled everything apart and fixed it again. I think because I had the valve closed at one point and did high rpm while engine was cold (thermostat still closed) - too much pressure caused the pipe to fail and leak water...

Anyway I overkilled the repair job so it will never happen again!!!! (it is the worst job as the whole interior/dash of the car has to come out)..


While i did this i also ran some wire so i can have front speakers at some point... and another wire so i can do a door lock/unlock switch :) also planning on fixing the rear demister switch too which had a meltdown lol. Then I might look at fixing the auto-cancelling indicators... they dont auto-cancel :P

After doing the heater, all of this seems like it could be achievable in a couple of hours :)

Offline Vithy

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Re: Is it worth fixing my pinto ?
« Reply #10 on: Jul 28, 2008, 10:19PM »
good to see someone spending lots of time and effort fixing up there care great wrk man :D
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Offline h4inf

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Re: Is it worth fixing my pinto ?
« Reply #11 on: Jul 29, 2008, 12:14AM »
Thanks :) I enjoy it too (when I dont mess it up lol).

After spending 9 hours saturday doing the whole heater core and putting it all back together.... the fan didnt work :( Then i had to pull everything apart again. A wire with the fan and ac plugs on it had got jammed under the demister ducting... GRR. so sunday after work i managed to fix that up.

Also a week ago I got new ball joints in the front, new shocks in the rear, and all new suspension bushings and a wheel allignment :) Feels awesome now!! Just got 4 more suspension bushings to install in the rear in the bars that link the rear axle to the diff which will stop this squelching noise as i go over speed humps etc.

It's coming together nicely :)

if anyone needs to do their heater core and gets stuck - let me know i have done it 3 times now lol.....