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Thread: tuning advice for a transit pinto please

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    tuning advice for a transit pinto please

    Hello,

    recently bought an really tidy 1992 transit 150 with a 2.0 pinto and have a load of questions about tuning it a bit, not after anything to hot just to make her a bit stronger right through. The van will be used as weekend camper with not much weight and as is (only 24k on the clock) it runs well but lacks a bit on hills.
    So after reading some of the posts on here I was heading towards a Felpro head gasket, piper 134 or kent fr30 cam and a weber 32/34? I want to keep the costs reasonably low and ideally looking for a bit more pull low down, to rev as easily or slightly better up top and maybe try for 10-15 more horses? Does that sound like the way to go about that?
    Also first question really is that the exhaust needs replacing and do I just get a standard petrol one or will that restrict any tuning and should I be looking a diesel exhaust (slightly larger bore) or something else?
    Just now she has a 5 speed box and a Weber 30/34 DFTH, think its a 202 block and no idea if the head is suitable for unleaded? Thats another question I guess?!
    Any thoughts and advice welcome,
    thanks,

    Luke.

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    Re: tuning advice for a transit pinto please

    Hi Luke, easiest way to give you Transit a bit more power is to swap the pistons. The 202 block is a really good lump, however was only ever supplied from the factory with low compression pistons, simply for load carrying purposes in the Transit. Swap them out for a set of high compression ones and you’ll instantly have more power ��
    Hope this helps.

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    Re: tuning advice for a transit pinto please

    what you really need to liven it up is more compression, felpro on its own wont do much because you have such low compression in the first place, but it will help. cheaper than a performance cam would be fit a standard 2.0 car engine cam, transit engine bay is pretty spacious so you should be able to get a cheap ashley escort 4,2,1 exhaust manifold on it, and either make up an exhaust or perhaps for a diesel one as you suggest. a weber 32/36 will probably give a bit more top end power but will do nothing for low down torque.

    if the head is unleaded it will have a letter stamped on the flat secton of head located to the rear and above no4 spark plug

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    Re: tuning advice for a transit pinto please

    Thats great folks thanks, shame it has lc pistons in it I was hoping for a simpler solution but all the good stuff aint easy! Graham I read your write up on the 32mpg pinto with interest which was why the leaning towards a towing cam and we may yet go down a similar build to end up with a really nice drive-able engine. I imagine that engine would work really well in a lightly loaded 150 transit.
    What would be the likely hp jump with just hc pistons? And does the stock exhaust mean that any tuning with pistons, cams and carbs would be a waste of time or just not as efficient? And if we fitted a 4-2-1 does the rest of the exhaust need to change or again is that a waste of time?
    Thought for a while the head didn't have a stamp but its just faint and has a definite 'P' so that's a step in the right direction.

    Luke.

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    Re: tuning advice for a transit pinto please

    HC pistons alone will probably show an extra 10bhp right through the rev range, 421 manifold and free flowing exhaust system will give an extra 10 b hp on a totally standard hc 2.0 pinto, both are worth doing at pretty much any state of tune.

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    World Champion Decade Plus User alladdin's Avatar

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    Re: tuning advice for a transit pinto please

    given that the LC is stated to be 75 bhp and the std HC about 99? i would expect a little more than 10 ?

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    Re: tuning advice for a transit pinto please

    Quote Originally Posted by alladdin View Post
    given that the LC is stated to be 75 bhp and the std HC about 99? i would expect a little more than 10 ?
    but you need to factor in lc also had a milder cam and single choke carb, compression alone wouldnt make 24bhp

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    Re: tuning advice for a transit pinto please

    selective memory

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    Re: tuning advice for a transit pinto please

    My old 2.0 ran a FR30 cam with LC pistons and it definitely made a difference. Car was much more pleasant to drive throughout the rev range.
    Rolling road showed 120bhp at the flywheel on bike carbs, vernier pulley and Ashley manifold.
    Not massive power, but was still nice to plod about in.

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    Re: tuning advice for a transit pinto please

    Quote Originally Posted by dt36 View Post
    My old 2.0 ran a FR30 cam with LC pistons and it definitely made a difference. Car was much more pleasant to drive throughout the rev range.
    Rolling road showed 120bhp at the flywheel on bike carbs, vernier pulley and Ashley manifold.
    Not massive power, but was still nice to plod about in.
    makes sense, similar spec with hc pistons is usually around 130bhp

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    Re: tuning advice for a transit pinto please

    Quote Originally Posted by Graham View Post
    makes sense, similar spec with hc pistons is usually around 130bhp
    Cheers Graham, you've given me my next target now.
    The 2.0 has recently been given 93mm HC pistons and decked flush. Also had some work done to the head to Stage 1 by Vulcan Engineering.
    130 bhp would be nice. More is always a bonus. :-)
    Just need to get some mileage on it to run it in now, then RR.

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    Re: tuning advice for a transit pinto please

    Quote Originally Posted by dt36 View Post
    Cheers Graham, you've given me my next target now.
    The 2.0 has recently been given 93mm HC pistons and decked flush. Also had some work done to the head to Stage 1 by Vulcan Engineering.
    130 bhp would be nice. More is always a bonus. :-)
    Just need to get some mileage on it to run it in now, then RR.
    where do you RR ?

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    Re: tuning advice for a transit pinto please

    Quote Originally Posted by alladdin View Post
    where do you RR ?
    Last one was at Moseley's in Llandeilo. Vince was very knowledgeable and let's you get involved a bit and explains a lot while doing it.
    have been recommended Nutts Performance Classics in Pontypool recently, as they are supposed to be good on carbs, which is closer for me.
    Also heard that Tommy's in Abercynon is back up and running, but he never really liked bike carbs. Give him a set of Webers though and he's good.
    Last edited by dt36; 03-07-2018 at 06:48.

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    tuning advice for a transit pinto please

    Not heard of nutts so will look up.
    Also seen a FB advert for one in Ebbw vale.


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    Re: tuning advice for a transit pinto please

    So if say a standard lc engine had a better flowing exhaust and an ashley manifold would it need to be re-jetted to produce more power or does just the fact that it can get more air through it bring in enough fuel to give the extra power? At what stages of tuning is a bigger carb or jets required and how hard is it to get good clean running without a rolling road? The overall result I would be looking for is better low down and midrange pull without giving poor economy, ideally better economy than it is at the moment which is about 22-24mpg on twisty hilly country roads running lighly loaded.
    I see there is a direct replacement weber 32/34 dmtl which gets rid of the 30/34 dfth with auto choke and stepper motor, would this carb give any advantages for torque at lower revs, reason I like it is all the airbox and warm air intake parts are all still used and I would look for a k&n filter.

    thanks,

    Luke.

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    Re: tuning advice for a transit pinto please

    to a certain extent with a carb will self correct fueling wise if you put more air through it you will get more fuel, but that only works if you have a bit more air, a lot more air will need bigger main jets.

    if you know what your doing and the engine isnt in too much of a silly state of tune you can get reasonable results without a rolling road, you would probably just want to up the main jet sizes a bit.
    the carb swap is unlikely to give more low down grunt.

    if your main goal is more grunt, just raise the compression, that's probably the only mod that will give you more of everything economy included

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    Re: tuning advice for a transit pinto please

    Right oh, so hc pistons it is. Where is a good place to get a set? and will they need machining to deck them in the block? The engine has only 24k so imagine the bores will be fine and just a hone for new rings and pistons. Graham you mentioned replacing the cam for a standard 2.0 sierra one as my lc transit cam will be a 'detuned' version, I see a lot advertised as for a 1.6 or 2.0 but are these any good?
    Has anyone tried making up their own stainless exhaust from clamp together components, the cost is quite reasonable and it should last well!? A larger bore with a 4-2-1 would be easy enough to make up, not sure how loud the mufflers are but see you can get them up to 22" long. Or would I end up with a good running exhaust that you can hear from 2 miles away?

    Luke.

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    Re: tuning advice for a transit pinto please

    re pistons, there are shed loads around from various sellers, just look around,

    as cam advertised as being 1.6/2.0 would normally be a standard 2.0 (car) cam, as the same cam was used in 1600gt engines.
    as long as you make a twin box exhaust it shouldn't be overly noisy unless you use very small silencers

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    Re: tuning advice for a transit pinto please

    Thanks very much for all the advice folks,

    Luke.

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