Ford Pinto Engines
The Ford Pinto was equipped with several engine options throughout its production. The Pinto OHC (overhead cam) engine was introduced in 1970 and was the first Ford engine to feature a belt-driven overhead camshaft. It suffered from excessive cam and follower wear initially, but this was later addressed by nitriding the cam lobes and followers, and the fitment of a spray bar, which sprayed oil directly at the camshaft. The standard production Pinto engines had a cast iron cylinder block and a cast iron, crossflow, single overhead camshaft cylinder head with two valves per cylinder operated by finger followers. The Pinto engine was available in displacements of 1.3 L, 1.6 L, 1.8 L, and 2.0 L. The 2.0 OHC Pinto engine was known for its reliability and tuneability, and it was used in various Ford models until 1990 or so. The 2.3 L (2302 cm) unit, also known as the Lima engine, was introduced in 1974 and lasted until 1995 in various guises. It’s worth noting that the Pinto engine was phased out towards the end of the 1980s to be replaced by the CVH engine and DOHC engine, the latter being a twin-cam development of the Pinto unit [[6]].
The applications of the Pinto engine included various Ford models such as the Ford Taunus/Ford Cortina, Ford Escort Mk1 RS2000, Ford Escort Mk2 RS2000, Mexico, Ford Capri (Mk2 & Mk3), Ford Sierra, Ford Granada Mk1&2, and Ford Scorpio/Granada Mk3.
In summary, the Ford Pinto was available with a range of engine options, including the Pinto OHC engine with displacements of 1.3 L, 1.6 L, 1.8 L, and 2.0 L, as well as the 2.3 L Lima engine [[6]].
Contents
- Why was the Ford Pinto bad?
- What was the Chevy version of the Pinto?
- What went wrong with Ford Pinto?
- How much horsepower does a 1974 Ford Pinto have?
- What is the difference between a Pinto and a Lima engine?
- What was the GM version of the Pinto?
- What engines were in Ford Pinto?
- Did the Ford Pinto ever have a V8?
- What year did Ford fix the Pinto?
- Was the Ford Pinto a death trap?
Why was the Ford Pinto bad?
The Pinto, a subcompact car made by Ford Motor Company, became infamous in the 1970s for bursting into flames if its gas tank was ruptured in a collision. The lawsuits brought by injured people and their survivors uncovered how the company rushed the Pinto through production and onto the market.
What was the Chevy version of the Pinto?
In honor of the Thanksgiving that just passed, let’s pay tribute to two of the biggest turkeys to ever roll out of Detroit: the Chevy Vega and the Ford Pinto. The big wigs at each company probably thought that these cars would be their saving grace when they introduced them in 1971.
What went wrong with Ford Pinto?
The NHTSA concluded: 1971–1976 Ford Pintos have experienced moderate speed, rear-end collisions that have resulted in fuel tank damage, fuel leakage, and fire occurrences that have resulted in fatalities and non-fatal burn injuries …
How much horsepower does a 1974 Ford Pinto have?
New for ’74 was the 2.3-liter version of the Ford Europe-designed Lima engine, rated at 86 horsepower.
What is the difference between a Pinto and a Lima engine?
It looks like a Pinto, with it’s inline 4cyl 8 valve setup and iron block and head, but the Lima is, aside from de-stroked race engines late small bore versions, 2.3ltr, 0.3ltr more than the biggest production Pinto, which is a bonus for tuning from the outset.
What was the GM version of the Pinto?
After structural design on alternate body styles encountered obstacles, Ford offered the Pinto solely as a two-door sedan, with entry-level models priced at $1,850, undercutting GM’s Chevrolet Vega and directly targeting imported models – which included such new competitors as the Mazda 1200 in 1971, the Subaru DL in …
What engines were in Ford Pinto?
The Pinto engine was available in five displacements: 1.3 L (1,294 cc), earlier 1.6 L (1,593 cc), later 1.6 L (1,598 cc), 1.8 L (1,796 cc) and the 2.0 L (1,993 cc). Later 2.0 L (1,998 cc).
Did the Ford Pinto ever have a V8?
The Ford Pinto came from the factory with one of several straight-four engines or the occasional Cologne 2.8 liter V6, but Ford never saw fit to install a V8 in their lightweight econo-commuter.
What year did Ford fix the Pinto?
In 1978, following a damning investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Ford recalled all 1.5 million of its 1971–76 Pintos, as well as 30,000 Mercury Bobcats, for fuel system modification.
Was the Ford Pinto a death trap?
As a result, the Pinto was highly vulnerable to lethal fires in rear-end collisions and was in fact a “fire trap” and a “death trap.” Ford decided to ignore the defect anyway, because re-design would have delayed the entry of the car into the market and caused a potential loss of market share to competitors.