Best ways to tune a 2litre pinto for maximum performance

[sierramad449]

i am rebuilding my 2litre pinto and want to no wat i could do with engine apart to make best performance please all advice is grateful.

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[tabetha]

Mostly depends on what you want from it, and budget.
A rebore if needed taken to +90 with V6 colonge pistons gives a usefull increase for no extra cost over a std rebore, as 2086cc results, lightening the fylwheel is next in turns of bhp/£, but also if you have the whole engine lightened/balanced it will just rev so much better, then there's different head, ie ported, start with an injection head as ports are better std, get 3 angle seats cut.
Like I say budget is the unknown, but the above with a nice cam and carb(or injection) will give the most bhp/£.
I always ran my pinto's with and extra 1 thouh bore clearance, made it so much freer, my last was a 2.1 with a 32/36 with a high torque cam(was automatic) exhaust etc, modded A4LD gearbox with adjustable valve chest and pumps, would obliterate my mates 2L pinto manual injection sierra, as would my 1700cc mk2 escort auto, again modded box with stall convertor based on 1300 vanes, again on a 32/36.
Sierra later went to 40DFI, god that woke it up, as did the fuel consumption, 40DFI is rare and was performance upgrade for old V6 3L essex engine.
tabetha

[sierramad449]

thank you so much appreciate it so sorry but i new to this i no basics but would i then ask to get it rebored to a 2.1 or to 90+? would i jst get v6 colonge pistons from like burton power and they fit on the cod rods or would i buy new codrods to fit the pistons ? could i use twin 45s on it atm it has got a injection head but is carbed?

[tabetha]

The V6 cologned pistons fit the std rods, whcih are more than adequate for the power you are running, if a little heavy.
When you've bought the pistons just take them to whoever is doing the machining and say bore to suit these please, there's stack loads of metal to get this bore size, try for prices from the machine shops as they can be very good, last set of 4 cologne pistons I bought were £24 for 4.
You could put 45's on it, but it would then need jetting to suit, a carb wonderful though they can be, doesn't stand a chance of matching a injection set up for driveability/performance/mpg, decide early on what you want to run, if going 45's it needs really to get the best a mappable igntion system, failing that you need to spend a day doinjg dizzy runs on the road to get your advance curve as best you can, it's easy but time consuming, but it is FREE!!
Basically with 45's fitted, you're going to need a shit load more initial advance but a lower total amount high up, this can be acheived by bending the stops inside a dizzy that has advance retard weights, these can easily and cheaply be converted to fully electronic even with the weights, if you don't do this would be a complete waste of time modding with extra fuelling.
tabetha

[Kverna]

2.9 v6 pistons is 93.xxmm bore. That leaves you with a 2.1L bottom end. Fit a fast road cam, with 45mm webers, a 4-1 exhaust manifold and a 2.5 exhaust all the way back

[v man]

just take it to harris performance mate thats all you need to know

[tabetha]

Originally Posted by v man

just take it to harris performance mate thats all you need to know

WHY?, pay someone else to do what is childs play on a pinto, you only need a bent screwdriver and half a spanner to put the thing together.
If outsourcing work I would use Roland Hayes(aka the mad professor), HT Racing.
tabetha

[v man]

Originally Posted by tabetha

WHY?, pay someone else to do what is childs play on a pinto, you only need a bent screwdriver and half a spanner to put the thing together.
If outsourcing work I would use Roland Hayes(aka the mad professor), HT Racing.
tabetha

yeh but you got to admit what them guys can do with a pinto is second to nun

with the pinto its all about head work and the right compression and they seem to have that dont to a tee

any engine is easy to put togeather
its all in the head work

[gingerturbo]

+1 for tabetha but i would go with gsxr carbs, and now burton do all the new ally bits

[tabetha]

harris bro's are no doubt very good, you know what it's like you get used to people you know, just I've known the mad man for longer than I care to remember(or admit!!).
tabetha

[sierramad449]

thanks people yeh i want to do the work myself as more fun that way and then i can say i done all the work myself . is it worth gettting engine bits balanced? could i buy these v6 pistons from burton power also shall i get forged conrods and pistons to advoid them breaking also is there anything to do to crankshaft or is the standard one fine ?

[a rs licker]

stick a cossie head on it

[Chip]

16v head and a turbo is the way that ford/cosworth answered the same question when they wanted to go racing.

Still the correct answer IMHO!

[tabetha]

Std rods will be fine, injection are slightly better, but not essential, certainly up to 180bhp will be fine.
If you have the cash get everything balanced, rods end to end, I would as a precaution use arp rod bolts, though I used to regularly hit 7200- 7500 with std ones, not advisable though.
16V and turbo is one option but weigh up cost first.
tabetha

[sierramad449]

thanks people yeh i dnt wanna go turbo route. yh i going to get everything balancedi know a fair bit but wanna do as much as i can as while it apart makes sense . my plans are re bore to 2,1 fit 93mm forged pistons but everything balance steel cosworth crankshaft obv everyhthin re newed so a full rebuild. stage 2 head twin 45s tular manifold decent kent cam. anything else any1 can think of please. all help very appreciated