A friend is wanting to buy a '79 Transit based Camper Van with the 1993cc petrol engine.
She is told by the present owner it is safe to run on unleaded petrol as it is, but would like a more reliable answer from an independant source.
Anyone out there got info?
Thanks
Simon
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Assuming its a Pinto OHC then the answer is no, but virtually no Fords pre 86 are safe on unleaded.
Jim
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If she says it's safe to run on unleaded then I guess she's been running it on unleaded herself! In which case don't buy.
I'd ask her though how she knows it's safe to run on unleaded: i.e.
- she can show you a manual that says so.
- she can show you a reciept or confirm that it's had hardened exhaust valve seat inserts fitted to the head, and has had its timing adjusted appropriately to run on 95 RON fuel.
If she can produce neither of these, walk away.
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Mike Farrow
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>- she can show you a reciept or confirm that it's had hardened exhaust valve seat inserts fitted to the head, and has had its timing adjusted appropriately to run on 95 RON fuel.
The current owner cannot confirm anything one way or the other......
I suppose there are two options:
1. Get the valve seats done.
What price would my friend be looking at to do this?
2. Put in a newer engine.
Are the newer unleaded fuel pinto engines easily installed in this Mk2 Trannie?
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Or other option is don't bother, the seats and valves will be well coated by now and some older cars don't suffer much valve seat recession on unleaded if driven relatively gently.
Pinto heads are around in their 000's so if you carry on and it eventually recesses the seats then just get a head from a post 86 Pinto (Sierra, Granada, Transit) and use that. Even cleaned & reconned before fitting shouldn't be more than £100. Its not worth changing the valve seats it would be circa £ 150 and its easier to get a later head. Also a saloon head on it will increase the compression ratio a tad and make it go better. Did this with a mates in the early 80s & was staggered how much quicker & economical it was.
Tranny Pinto is low compression, from memory around 8.2:1 so wouldn't need the ignition retarded for unleaded generally anyway.
Jim
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Would add that camper vans are brought entirely on body & interior condition. Oily bits are virtually irrelavent!
Jim
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According to the Autodata Unleaded Petrol Guide 2 litre Transits with engine code NA with the letters L,P or PP stamped on the cylinder head adjacent to no.4 spark plug can run on unleaded continuously.Otherwise every fourth tank must be leaded(or lead substitute treated).Ignition should be set at 2 degs BTDC at 800 rpm(no vac).
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I have seen quite a number of MK2's converted from petrol to diesel, using the early DI 2.5ltr engines.
Don't know if that's an option for you?
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How is the fuel consumption on this motor, ..
could one do a petrol to diesel convertion on the same engine and what would be the cost. What would you need, '85 model
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