Converting a 2 LTR Pinto engine from a short oval F2 spec to a Mk2 Escort Rally car spec

[@rotax636nut5]

Just so everyone knows, pretty much the only time the centre cam bearing housing breaks off is when a timing belt lets go and a piston impacts a valve hard on no. 2 or 3 cylinders, also the broken housing can be permanently repaired by cutting another housing off a scrap head and after a bit of careful machining and fettling bolting it down on the head to be repaired, I did plenty of them and I used to give a 2 year race warranty on the repair. The cam recommended by Kent Cams (an HT1) is my old cam that I developed at considerable expense with the assistance and agreement of John Reid at Holbay Engineering (RIP John) and is a version of Holbays 4011F, HT1 stands for Hayes Tucker 1, we later gave the profile to Kent Cams FOC, Roland HTR Ltd

[@graceenginedevelopments]

Thanks for the import Roland, really awesome to know this.. thanks for sharing.

[@gothicpagan.666]

Foocking legend. Hope your still playing👌

[@graceenginedevelopments]

He is

[@LeonardSutton-r1m]

Definitely need some centre overhead lighting or a portable that follows the GoPro as the great detail of your adjustments are not visible. Also; I guess the centre of the camshaft will always deflect a bit compared to the ends and cause extra wear in the bearing but it looked like something had got trapped to cause the specific groove that this bearing had. Great stuff !

[@graceenginedevelopments]

Yes I'm going to order some more lights tomorrow, yes I think you're right about the centre, thank you

[@mikemccarthy1398]

great attention to detail

[@graceenginedevelopments]

Thanks Mike

[@mikes.2941]

Great vid as always. What I see other You Tubers do is they have portable lights just behind the camera.

[@graceenginedevelopments]

Thank you, yes I think we need to buy one.

[@RallyRobert976]

Love seen the old Pintos done a lot of them back in the day😏

[@graceenginedevelopments]

There a great engine. Thanks for watching

[@paulcrehan9523]

Lovely work James, attention to detail as always, I must see if I can find some photos of a stroked pinto I rebuilt for a Mk2 rally car and the original engine builder had cut the centre and rear cam towers off and made 2 dowelled and bolted towers for it, lovely machine work it was, hope alls well with you, as for the lighting I’d agree the lighting could do with some more in the build room 👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@graceenginedevelopments]

Hi Paul, yeah find them it will be good to see them. I've never seen the rear cut off but loads of different ideas on the centre. The lights are ordered and will be fitted soon. All ok here. Hope things are good with you.

[@1BCamden]

Great episode, nice touch with the centre steady. Don’t sweat the sound and lighting too much, but you have a point, it could be better, but it’s more a case of what works for the room.

[@graceenginedevelopments]

Thank you.

[@jfv65]

The first engine i learned to work on was an OHC Pinto engine. It was also the first engine that i did port work on...on a cast iron head! Man, that was a hard grind! I still have the magazine in which tuning a Pinto head was discussed.

[@graceenginedevelopments]

There a great engine to learn on, but not nice to port. I bet you'll look for the mag today.

[@davestephens6582]

Great build as usual james .Time for some steel bearing caps!

[@graceenginedevelopments]

Thanks Dave. I think we might build something better in the future for him.

[@philipclegg5792]

More light Fantastic inspiration 👍🏻

[@graceenginedevelopments]

Thanks Philip. Lights are ordered

[@paulkemp4559]

I used to make films and do photography for a government ministry (45 years) top lighting is not the best, I would recommend a more powerful LED light on a stand just off centre and little above camera, your looking for a small short nose shadow (or non at all) for Vlogging, you small media light can be used on camera as a fill light ( it didn’t do enough on its own) lighting can be adjusted by simply moving the light closer (brighter) or further away. Light and distance works on the inverse square law, double the distance away 1/4 of the light etc. A lapel mic is a must as your current setup is a bit echo ee. When you remember to turn the camera on your commentary and your image framing are pretty good.

[@graceenginedevelopments]

Thanks for the advice Paul, I will put all this into action.

[@paulkemp4559]

Part two Lighting for film. Overhead light for the folliclaly challenged causes a bright spot, we use a product called Matt Dulling spray or just don’t stand directly under an overhead light… a large white board can be used to reflect light on to the subject usually at an angle under the camera but either side works well.

[@graceenginedevelopments]

Awesome I will add lights on a stand and try tilting the white board to help. Really appreciate your advice

[@craigladewig3158]

What a coincidence , just what I asked about on your last video - plug indexing. Think row of center lights would work better than the pod light. + Mic

[@graceenginedevelopments]

Thanks Craig, I'm going to order some more lights tomorrow.

[@richarddrayson5980]

More lights down the centre of your ceiling. A microphone might be worth trying- see how it goes with the comments. Enjoy your videos and learning a lot. Can you do a vid on gas flowing and degreeing camshafts please?

[@graceenginedevelopments]

Thanks Richard, we are fitting more lights. Really pleased you like the videos. Yes what kind of head do you want us to gasflow?

[@richarddrayson5980]

@@graceenginedevelopments how about a Pinto head. Popular with engine builders for all sorts of cars. Do you have your own gas flow measuring equipment?

[@graceenginedevelopments]

Ok Richard. I do have to build a big spec one soon, I'll film it. Superflow sf240 is what we have with port flow analyser software

[@roygardiner2229]

I did enjoy the video because although I don't understand ALL of the content I do always learn something. I am no expert either on making videos or working on engines. So, for what it's worth: - Your spoken introductions are always good and critically important in explaining what you intend to do, and WHY. - I did find the video too dark (darker than your usual videos) and the camera position did not allow me to see what your hands and tools were doing. Maybe a stable wheeled camera platform would allow occasional overhead camera shots although I do realise it is important also to have a wider angle view so the viewers online can better understand the general situation. - The sound is very echoey. I think that the suggestion to use a personal microphone has merit. Thanks again for your video. Like all your videos It's educational for a novice like me. 👍

[@graceenginedevelopments]

Thanks for the feedback Roy, I'm pleased you enjoy our videos.

[@mrcogginsgarage7062]

More light is allways a good idea easier for us to see your adjustments and better for your eyesight there is a hollow sound to the workroom which will be greatly improved by the use of a mike but a great video nonetheless thanks.

[@graceenginedevelopments]

Thank you, we have ordered some more lights and my wife has sorted a mike this week.

[@chriswill7674]

I think a light stand would be good, set up anywhere, bounce the light of the wall or ceiling to fill in as required. Sound is goods on this on and my hearing is not the best, perhaps in the machine shop. Great content cheers

[@graceenginedevelopments]

Thanks Chris. We have ordered some more lights.

[@TechOne7671]

That was a nice video lad, no pish talking, just engineering. Your workshop must be bright enough to do intricate work which I am sure it must be with white walls and those led panels so I think your problem is not lighting but camera position. Try mounting the camera higher up looking down at the subject. Also make the subject around 75% of the screen avoiding bright light sources. You have the camera low looking across and up and the bright lights are causing the iris to close reducing the overall brightness of the picture, like looking at something with the sun behind it. Anyway that’s only some advice from 30 yrs in cctv where lighting can make or break an image. Regardless of video quality your content is superb and I would watch it in black and white. All the best.

[@redchemicalsltd2324]

Excellent lighting advice 👌.

[@graceenginedevelopments]

Thank you very much for the advice I'm taking it all on board. And a bigger thanks for the lovely compliment.

[@graceenginedevelopments]

Yes very clever stuff

[@markaddy53]

great work as always lad agree you need some more lighting keep up the great work next video please

[@graceenginedevelopments]

Thanks Mark, more lights coming... Yep next video happening

[@johnvcramer5517]

I love to work on the pinto engine i have worked on Hundreds of them. I worked for Ford at a dealership.!!!!!!

[@graceenginedevelopments]

Pintos are a great engine, awesome to tune. Must have been good when they were common in road cars.

[@horsepower711]

We used to race one of these 2.0's in a Pro-4 stock car and the head we had was originally done by Esslinger Engineering and had a easy to do modification that they said was good for a noticeable increase in horsepower and torque, what they did was to plug off the oil drain in the rear of the head with a soft plug and then drill a hole in the back wall of the head and put a 90° fitting that was a pipe thread on the cylinder head side and a -12 AN fitting on the other end then they would drill the pan and weld in an adapter for a 90° -12 fitting

[@horsepower711]

They would then fabricate a braided hose that would go from one fitting to the other. This would stop the drain from the head from drain all of the oil directly on the rear main bearing of the spinning crank, it would give an instant improvement in torque and a noticeable horsepower increase and also help with keeping some heat out of the oil and cut out a lot of foaming which is not a big deal if you are running a dry sump oiling system (which we were) this setup also used 4, 36 km Mikuni snowmobile carbs and we would run it with the 358 cubic inch stock cars on our local track until the last point race of their season we started dead last in a 24 car field on a 1/3 mile track in a 25 lap race and won it. They then decided that they didn't want us to come back again for multiple reasons one was they said we had a weight advantage and we told them that was not true because they had a 2950 lb. minimum weight and we told them that if they had to meet the same weight rule we did (one pound for each cc) their cars would have to weigh approximately 5700 lbs. The next was we had a tire advantage because we had 9" wide racing tires, that was wrong because THEY were running the 9" wide racing tires and we were running the DOT street legal 8.5" tires that our organization required us to run. They also told us a very easy way to install the cam with a 0° split and that was to use a solid engine stand and using a good bubble level to set the block so that the head surface was perfectly flat then with the head on turn the cam until the lobes on cylinder#1 were pointing up then put a flat plate that would set across the lobes and set the cam so the plate was level also then install the cam drive belt and using the adjustable cam pulley so the belt would slide directly on, then mark the cam pulley so it would be 0° regardless of the reading it was on. The reason it wouldn't read at 0° would be milling of the head and/or the block. They are the best engine Ford ever made.

[@graceenginedevelopments]

That's really interesting and funny as I said to my son Sam a few weeks ago we should try something similar on our Vauxhall xe..

[@graceenginedevelopments]

Thank you that's an awesome way to check 0° split, I will try it. Sounds like they didn't like you winning at all..

[@benfrancis4628]

Lighting definitely - something diffused and beside/around the GoPro? Mic for sure, lose the echo/hardness.. and shaaaahtin 🤣😘

[@graceenginedevelopments]

Thanks mate. We've ordered more lights and got some mega advice

[@tedzehnder961]

A little more light wouldn`t hurt. I had a 2.3L in my 77` Ford Pinto in the USA and I was always impressed by the 140 CI power delivery and the design of the engine since there weren`t hardly any OHC engines in USA cars except one style that Pontiac had tried out in the mid 60`s which was a straight 6 OHC. It cost the same as a V8 so most people avoided it. Not sure why American engines were hung up on push rod engines besides maybe packaging. They caught on again in the 90`s when they got turbo` ed in the Ford T Birds. But in the 60`s and 70`s they were unique for the average car guy in the States.

[@graceenginedevelopments]

We have fitted more lights. The pinto is a good engine for torque and power, so are v8s.. they sound incredible

[@waynewigger9904]

How many times have i read on FB from the google porters/builders that makita die grinders are to big to fast 😂 so they use a flexi shaft and a dremal 😅. Keep it up. Makita all the way chuck the dremal away

[@graceenginedevelopments]

Makita is by far the best grinder I've used.

[@kevinmartin9432]

Brilliant video, I think you could do with some better lighting when you are working in the build room, it was a bit better when you moved under a light, sound is good though, I presume the jubilee clip on the oil filter is to stop it fron coming loose?

[@graceenginedevelopments]

Hi Kevin, yes I'm going to order more lights, it's definitely dark. Yes that's exactly what the clip is for.

[@TheJessycam]

Your engine build room illumination is a bit more complicated. The LED panels are quite big which is great to create even illumination but as the camera is always on auto exposure, any ceiling lights in shot will close the aperture and hence under expose the foreground where you are. Having the camera a little higher to avoid as many lights in shot will help considerably. Know you have white walls, but your lights are a lot brighter than the walls. Did you notice the exposure was improved when you had the darker blue tool chest behind, as the lens opened up a little improving your exposure? Having more ceiling lights will help but not having them in shot so much will help even more. Adjusting your composition will help further. You tend to have your face in the middle of frame with loads of headroom (and lights), raise the camera and tilt it down will improve your images no end. Adding a battery panel light on a stand next to the GoPro is really the way to go, a bit of a faff but the results will be far better. Have a 2nd camera framed on what you are doing will help in the edit and let your fans see exactly what’s going on. The more you use it, the better you’ll get. Wear a clip on radio mic closer to your mouth. I love your manner and experience, your produce great content, just need more detail shots to make your videos come alive. 👍

[@redchemicalsltd2324]

Excellent lighting advice no2👌.

[@graceenginedevelopments]

Wow you know your stuff thank you very much for the advice. I will try all of that as I'm filming. So much to learn and think about so I really appreciate the knowledge.

[@graceenginedevelopments]

Awesome isn't it.. very clever

[@gothicpagan.666]

Always nice to be dealing with a customer with an understanding off what they want.Trying to get BDG power for pinto money is always a path to disappointment. That there is good solid work on a club level spec. If they want to go much quicker then the pinto is the wrong choice. Be nice to have follow up to see what power it made. I'll say 186bhp @7200 rpm🙂

[@graceenginedevelopments]

Yes I agree, I think Mike(my customer) will be happy with anything over 170bhp. I will put another video up once he's got the car done and up and running.

[@gothicpagan.666]

@@graceenginedevelopments Have to start the bidding somewhere 🙂

[@graceenginedevelopments]

@gothicpagan.666 you're definitely right..

[@Rovinman]

I Agree the lighting in the workshop is not great especially for Camera work ! Follow the UK Building Regs. Generally as follows : The ceiling "Probably" should be alternate Chequer-board pattern illuminated tiles ! Basic lighting : 300-500 Lux Work on Machines : 500 Lux Assembly work : upto 750 Lux Quality Controls : upto 1500 Lux With Spot lighting to Individual machines as necessary., wall fixed if possible ! Portable lighting on Poles / Floor Stands Particularly useful for the "Over the shoulder " lighting, where the camera should be ! Doesn't "Locktite" get affected by the oil, when adjusting the valve clearances ? Shame we couldn't see your procedures ! Stay illuminated ! Stu xx

[@graceenginedevelopments]

Thanks Stu. We have ordered some more lights etc.. yes if the valve clearance is adjusted it would need cleaning and new locktite

[@berkshirebodyshop6031]

Great video can never have to much lighting but might have to wear a hat coz when you bend you’re head might dazzle the camera 😂

[@graceenginedevelopments]

Thanks mate.... Lol😂😂😂😂

[@g0fvt]

I do understand that your workshop is not a studio, but we cannot see exactly what you are doing, needs a bit more light on the engine. Something random is that if you hung an old double duvet up out of frame it will do a lot to kill the echo. On a positive note it makes a pleasant change to see someone assembling an engine in a suitably clean environment.

[@graceenginedevelopments]

Hi. We have ordered some more lights and a mike to try and improve everything.. thank you I do like my build room..

[@g0fvt]

@@graceenginedevelopments thank you for the reply, your build room looks like a good environment to work in.

[@graceenginedevelopments]

No worries.. yes it's nice in there, we just want the rest to look nice

[@D3Sshooter]

Good video mate .... as always.... I learned a few new things ....so keep them coming these video's. I am running Pinto's 2L on my Formula Fords.... Maybe I need to get one of my engines to you for a rework.. I am still feel sad about the NASCAR buy due to the taxes situation. Did you sell it meanwhile ?

[@graceenginedevelopments]

Thanks Steve. Yes send them our way I'll help you out 100%. Yes a guy in Poland has paid for half of it so it's definitely sold just waiting for the rest of the money

[@christophercullen1236]

I am always terrified when I see videos of Pinto engines i think those cam mounts are going to brake of . Can't see what's happening in engine build room . My engine i have had a oil test done , a leak down test not had the bore finish measured yet , all the bearings were ruined the rings are being look at by the v8 supercar technical director . We will get to the bottom of it thanks for your help. Kit from down under

[@graceenginedevelopments]

You'll find it Kit. If I can help with anything just ask

[@gj91471]

Would have thought the customer would have used the same Engine Builder as before.

[@graceenginedevelopments]

He didn't build it for him. My customer bought it like that.

[@kizzerplowright]

DEFO MORE LIGHTING, MIC IS FINE....😛 GREAT VID VERY INFORMATIVE

[@graceenginedevelopments]

Thank you.. more lights have now been fitted

[@mustangj0hn]

Have you ever done the "Apple Port" porting on a Pinto?

[@graceenginedevelopments]

No I haven't but I'll have a look into it

[@mustangj0hn]

@@graceenginedevelopments There was an article in Street Machine magazine many years ago, "Haymans Haymaker", the chap built apple ports using Araldite, seem to recall it was well over 200BHP.

[@graceenginedevelopments]

@mustangj0hn I'd like to read that.. I'll have a Google. Thank you

[@mustangj0hn]

@@graceenginedevelopments Good luck, just tried!!!! It was a MK4 Cortina that had been bored and stroked to 2.3L and fitted with Nitrous, think it was Gold in colour. No Idea how I can remember that, it was around 40 years ago!!!!!

[@graceenginedevelopments]

Sometimes things just stick in your mind . I can remember school days but not last week

[@WHM_Engineering]

hi James, great video as always. for the feedback, in the engine room the subject is pretty dark, id say the camera is picking up all the LED's and darkening the subject automatically. a natural light behind the camera would be great. I also have a quick question id like youre opinion on - in the world of pintos, there has always been the argument of measuring the valve clearance between the lifter and the cam, or the lifter and the valve tip. this argument has been going on since pintos came out - from my experience there tends to be a 3-4 thou difference one to the other. the argument is that the only clearance that matters is the clearance between the valve tip and whatever is acting on it. whats your take on it? cheers

[@graceenginedevelopments]

Thanks for the advice on the lights we have ordered some more. As to the pinto you have now got me thinking... I will come back to you on it but I see what you are saying... It is valve clearance after all not cam clearance... I'll get my head around it tonight and message tomorrow.. thanks

[@WHM_Engineering]

@@graceenginedevelopments maybe I've just let out my greatest secret! ;)

[@graceenginedevelopments]

Maybe.. definitely got me thinking

[@graceenginedevelopments]

I've thought about this and spoken to Kent. I've got the answer

[@WHM_Engineering]

@@graceenginedevelopments what's your take James? ! Interesting to know

[@rotax636nut5]

Good content, thanks for posting, what are the rods and pistons in that engine? Roland Hayes, HT Racing Ltd

[@graceenginedevelopments]

Hi Roland, the rods are std as per the stock car rules.. how are you? Are you still doing engine and tuning? Thanks for watching

[@rotax636nut5]

@@graceenginedevelopments Retired now James, health not too good either, let me know if you are interested in any of the special tweaks me and Aaron discovered on the old Pinto's to get them powerful but more importantly reliable and we'll have a talk, cheers, Roland

[@graceenginedevelopments]

I'd really like that Roland. It would be good to listen to you and gain more knowledge.

[@rotax636nut5]

@@graceenginedevelopments Early forged rods or the later sintered type?, can you lighten them?, also what make of piston, Kolbenschmidt or Mahle, do the regs allow oversizes?

[@graceenginedevelopments]

@rotax636nut5 the rods are the later type. For the oval you can't lighten them, the pistons were mahle

[@davec3459]

Great video, is a bit dark in bits - youve probably already got some battery led floodlights for working under cars? Im sure theyd work as well as anything as long as indirect?

[@graceenginedevelopments]

Yes thanks David.. we've got some new lights to fit. So will hopefully improve soon

[@michaelgerassimou7625]

Audio seems fine . Extra lighting would help

[@graceenginedevelopments]

Thank you, we have put some more lights in now

[@williambramer8217]

Definitely do the lighting improvements and wear a mike. Great content but cannot clearly see what you are doing.

[@graceenginedevelopments]

Thanks William, new lights ordered so will be better soon

[@rosspage8499]

Why is head painted red inside ??

[@graceenginedevelopments]

Hi Ross, it's a special paint that protects the oil from the cast and also helps it return to the sump.