1977 pinto x 2

[rob289c]

Whatever it takes to get it going...good deal on the headlight kit.

[alwaysFlOoReD]

I ordered the wrong rebuild kit... Arghh! Ah well, I have a 60amp alternator that I'll use instead and utilize the kit in that if needed.
Also picked up a H4 glass sealed beam halogen kit with wiring and relays to upgrade the lighting. 2 glass Kioto, Japan bulbs included for under C$50.

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Thanks for the pic. That looks like a 60amp alternator. Mine is a 70amp and wires are connected on the side, not this back. Apparently same alternator was used on diesel f250/350.

[rob289c]

Good catch.  Hopefully that fixes it.  I hate when I create extra work and expense for myself.  I attached a pic of mine prior to disconnect and disassembly. 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

I had the field and stator wires switched. I'm guessing I blew the rectifier. Ordered a rebuild kit from amazon for $35.00. Hopefully that fixes it. Can't really afford a new one at $180.00

[rob289c]

Doesn't sound good.  Sparks from the connections or from inside the alternator? 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

I decided to skip cleaning this tank and used a pop bottle to feed this carb. Got sparks coming from the alternator! Not sure why. Perhaps that is the cause of a he original wiring fire? I will take alternator in for testing. I think I have quoth the I can use for now...

[rob289c]

I need to fabricate and plumb in fuel supply and return lines for mine.  Maybe this coming weekend.  I have to figure out where to mount the Duraspark Box and coil...I have no inner fenders to mount them to!  I hope to get it ready to run over the next few weeks.  Good luck with yours and wish me luck with mine!

[alwaysFlOoReD]

I've been busy with other projects, but tonight I mounted the duraspark module to the inner fender. Also turned the motor over with a clear PVC line hooked to the gas line, then down to a jug. Just a teaspoonfull of dark "gas" tried to come out so the tank must be pretty empty. Next step is remove the tank and clean it and the lines.

[Wittsend]

Things like that are SO 70's-80's emissions or drivability compensating. If the latter it might be helpful. That said it might not. Easy enough to remove and see which works best.

[alwaysFlOoReD]

So I decided to fix this hot idle compensator and stick it back in. When I went over my pics I saw that it was in a normally closed position. I bent the arm so that it was back to normally closed. There is a tiny adjustment screw underneath that can contact the bimetallic spring, I adjusted that so the spring was just touching the upper spring that holds the check ball. My theory is with enough heat the bimetallic spring will push up and allow a vacuum leak.

[alwaysFlOoReD]

From a member on The Ranger Station;

"It's a hot idle compensator, when the bimetal spring gets hot enough it flexes and allows a little air in to lean out the mixture. I don't think eliminating it will gain you anything but it also probably won't hurt anything. Run it a while and see how well it idles when the engine is hot, if it seems too rich you can stick it back on pretty easy."

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Put the carb together for my 1977 Pinto. Wasn't difficult but the choke system was a bit of a head scratcher. I think I got it tho.
However, there was a piece on the back of the carb that I've never seen before. I decided to delete it as from what I could figure it would be a major vacuum leak. It doesn't have bi-metallic springs. It seems like it might be some kind of pressure relieving device. Its connected to manifold vacuum directly under the throttle plates.

[rob289c]

Yep, 2150 is what I think came on the mid-70's cars.  Emissions 2100. 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

V6-2. 8l. I believe its a 2100 or 2150. That's what the carb kit is for based on the tag found on the carb.

[rob289c]

That came out nice!  Is that carb from the V6 car?  Is it a 2350 emissions carb?  Looks like my 2300.

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Pinesol works! I left the carb in pinesol full strength for 2 days. This morning I scrubbed with a plastic bristle parts cleaner brush and a small stainless steel brush. Came out really quite clean for how baked on some of it was. One barrel of the two throttle plates was caked black with baked carbon from misadjusted idle screw, it came clean.

[rob289c]

Do you mean the Pine Sol that people use to clean the kitchen floor?  I've never known anyone to use that for carb cleaner.  Have you used it in the past?  Hopefully it does a good job. 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Tore the carb apart last night. Very happy to see no build up of crusty hard corrosion anywhere. Putting the parts into pinesol this afternoon after work and check on it hourly.

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Pulled the carb for a rebuild. It still had fluid that may have been gas at one time. Going to try pinesol to clean it after disassembly. Then if necessary I have toluene and or various other chemicals to try.

[Wittsend]

Yea, the seat width area on the Pinto is kind of tight.  I used the seats out of my donor Turbo Coupe. The seats have adjustable side bolsters and I have to crank them in all the way. Good thing I'm slim. I wound up using the Pinto tracks.

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Picked up a pair of 2012 Ford Focus seats today... for free! They look to be in decent shape. Need a cleaning maybe. And one plastic handle needs replacing. Hopefully its new enough that ford has parts. No pics as its dark out and I didn't think of getting any when I was looking at them closer. They are grey. I'll need to die them to match interior color.

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Decided to do a compression test. Sparkplugs are indicating rich on every cylinder. Compression is not encouraging.

Dry/Wet

1) 75/

2) 100/

3) 120/

4) 100/

5) 75/

6) 70/75

Only did #6 for wet psi and got discouraged. I'll have to dig out my leak down tester and get my compressor operational. Which means running about 200 feet of "temporary" wire from the breaker to where I am. I only have 20 amp at my place right now, and need more to run the 5hp electric compressor motor. Probably won't get done tomorrow and were getting a big dump of snow starting tomorrow night for the next few days.

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Yesterday, I met up with a fellow forum member that is living close by in Calgary. We met up at Tim Hortons, and he was kind enough to bring along a manual where I was able to photograph some electrical diagrams, which will really help me figure out my wiring. Thanks to Toby!

[alwaysFlOoReD]

I went to the local public library the other day to look up some stuff on my 77 pinto. There are no hard copies of automotive manuals anymore...
Got the librarian to help me look online. Nothing... Then looked to see if any other associated library had anything. Nope. Kind of stupid of a library to get rid of books and not have a digital replacement...

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Found my other wiring harness. After I made a custom extension harness from the alternator to the regulator... Oh well, maybe I'll see about fixing the burnt harness, I'll need something for when I start on my first pinto. Not that that's happening anytime soon.
Otherwise I did some more electrical work. Found another regulator and mounted it on the inner fender after somehow fitting in a windshield washer tank where it doesn't really belong. Looks like I'll have to r and r the regulator to screw down the tank... oops. Got most of the ignition wiring hooked up and mounted the coil and the duraspark module. Hooked up the wiring on the distributor too.
Noticed there is a bunch of vacuum lines unhooked. Went thru all my Ford, Chilton, and other online and can't find vacuum diagrams for the 2.8l. Apparently they were put on California cars of that year but not the 49 states or Canada... FML. Oh well, I do have the books and will be reading up on the different emission systems and see if I can figure it out. Looks like there is a thermactor system, and a cat...

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Cool. Thanks. For now I'll make an extension using spade connectors. That should get me by until I find the correct plugs, or you find them. I have one old engine buried in snow and ice that may have the correct ends, but I haven't had the time or good enough weather to go look.

[rob289c]

There is an old, closed junkyard that is about 30 miles from me that has a 79 wagon that may have what you are looking for.  It's hard to get access and the owner is really old and had open heart surgery.  I will see if I can get access and see if that connecter is available.  It might be a while as I work out of state and not home too much these days.  It may be Spring before I get a chance to scout it out. 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

I'm having problems finding the connector ends I need. Anyone have a source? I've tried a couple local parts places and rock auto and eBay. Its the end of the short alternator harness. I already have a new alternator end. I want to build a short extension harness that will use a female and male end like pictured so I don't molest the original harness.

[alwaysFlOoReD]

So I was stymied at the alternator wiring last time I was looking at it. I couldn't figure out why the plug at the alternator wasn't matching with any plugs in the wiring harness. Today I took another look. It seems when I put in the new harness pulled from a 2.3 engine car, I didn't look close enough. Best guess is the 2.3 engine has the alternator on the drivers side compared to the 2.8 on the passenger side, and I didn't have a 2.3 engine with an alternator to compare to the 2.8 in the car. So now I may have to reroute the wiring harness, or extend the wires from the alternator plug to reach to the plug on the drivers side. Which is what I think will be easiest... Going to look a little closer after supper.