Advice needed on a turbo'd pinto

[scruffythefirst]

QUOTE

i would also think that pinto's were never designed for a turbo - its asking a lot for an old engine design..

The cosworth YB bottom end is just a pinto with steel crank and rods and LC pistons.  Nothing wrong with the design for a turbo.  Theres no real reason why a pinto turbo can't produce decent power reliably if mapped properly / looked after.  Admittedly it'll never get the same power outputs as a YB.

As Chris Good and Bill S will be able to explain, running too much boost for the Cr just leads to ignition thats too far retarded and excessive heat build up.  Do you know if you have an unleaded head as the pinto in my capri hasn't and now only has compression on 2 cylinders.  Highly retarded ignition will excaserbate this.  I'd do a wet and dry compression test or get a garage to do a leakdown test.