How to Optimize Engine systems stock 89 Festiva 4 sp_105,000 mi_top speed 92_31 mpg

[Greywolf]

That's interesting about the metered vac line - I'm guessing it has an orifice in it somewhere to limit the flow. I don't know if anyone here has got into diesel engines - but diesels (because they have no engine vacuum) have a vacuum pump as an accessory and usually a small vacuum reservoir that could, maybe, be added to the metered line but I doubt it would make a noticeable difference to the accessories.

anyway~

Gasoline/petrol when it burns in the engine does in fact produce (for one thing) sulphuric acid, and that is horrible for engine bearings and valve guides. If any of you are in Southern California - do NOT be lured into buying fuel in Tiajuana because of the price, Mexican gas (PEMEX) is notoriously high in sulphur, and low in octane. You can destroy an engine with it if you use that.

I should know, I lived in San Diego for a long time, and watched my Dad kill several cars with it. One of them was a classic 1961 Desoto

A point of advice that I have from Old School (read: Ancient) auto mechanics is that you can run a pint of DIESEL FUEL in your oil before changing it, for maybe ten minutes or so. This will eat up sludge, loosen it, and flush out a lot of stuff - but NEVER run it in the oil system continuously.

One of the first things we do (my buddies and I) when we get a car or truck that shows signs of a lot of crud in the valve cover is to pull the drain plug, pour diesel into the valve cover, and let it run right out the bottom. THEN we run the pint of diesel in fresh oil for ten minutes, and drain the whole works out. The oil filter is trashed at this point too...

The next oil change after that is in about one day at the most - by then a good detergent oil should have carried most of the crud into the oil filter. The filter, of course, is instantly trashed once again. You can watch it to check the color and viscosity - but as a rule what you are doing is rinsing out the old built up crap in it.

The valve cover itself, and the top of the head collect a lot of junk that you want to scrape out or clean out however you can. For the inside of the valve cover - OVEN CLEANER works very well and is cheap. Just make sure you hose it out completely.

What the "Instant Tune-up In A Can" people are not telling you, is that they really haven't much improved their product over what can be done with a shot of kerosene or diesel oil

But I will guarantee you this! The reason a lot of built up crud is in there to begin with is because the PCV system wasn't doing it's job - and that is why you want to make sure you have a good one.

Also do a compression check as SOON as you bring a used vehicle home. It will tell you more than an analyser could.

If the basic mechanical system itself is bad, you got trouble. Expensive trouble.

But if it isn't - the rest can be worked with.


~Wolfie


*PS: The very last thing on earth you want is for the oil lines to the cylinder head to get clogged. It will destroy the cam bearing surfaces, and I'm not sure they even have bearings - so it could cost you a remanned cylinder head to fix, along with a cam and everything else.

CRUD in an ENGINE is VERY BAD....


So anyway, you were asking why I thought the PCV system was important?
There you are.... :tm:


OH BY THE WAY!
The ONLY recommendation I have on oil for these is CASTROL 20W50

It's a wide range of protection for all seasons, but not too thin.
These are older engines, and not diesel. They are also higher revving and more efficient, smaller, and make more power out of less volume.

10W40 was made for winter conditions, 20W50 is what Jim Wolffe of Import Auto Center in El Cajon California used in all of the Datsun Z cars he worked on

~I gather he has become somewhat famous around there now...

[FestYboy]

Wolf, it wouldn't be an orifice, but rather a pwm solenoid that controls the flow. This is assuming I remember all that crap anymore lol

[blowby]

The thrush turbo 2 muffler is rather quiet (not a fart can) and the resonator is there to help with the highway droan.
If you're looking for OEM sound levels, maybe an 80 series magnaflow would be better, but not sure if it will fit in the allotted space (the thrush will).

Thanks - I'll check the 80 series size numbers. Can I replace the stock cat and resonator - (I think it has s resonator) - with small mufflers that will flow but keep things toned down. Is the 1.75" dia mentioned before - the stock Festy pipe dia.

So the key for a small eng is no back pressure - which I assume can be had from larger or more mufflers that still keep thing quiet.

[FestYboy]

If you're doing a carb swap, you need to remove the cat, or it will melt. 1.5 OD is factory Festiva size, you want 1.75 ID.

[blowby]

If you're doing a carb swap, you need to remove the cat, or it will melt. 1.5 OD is factory Festiva size, you want 1.75 ID.

Thanks FestYboy ........ damn - I'm glad I asked. That's critical information and I haven't seen it anywhere - and I've been reading about mounting a Weber 32/36 for weeks. I would have been smoldering on the side of the road with a choked off exhaust.

Is going for a 1.75 exhaust worth the money on a basically stock 4 speed Festy with a Weber. Will I be able to feel the results - a little. I know not to expect very much.

How do I get a 1.75 ID system ......... take my pieces to a shop and have them mandrel bent or do I have to take the Festy in to be fit up and cringe at the cost.

Thanks again !

[FestYboy]

Is going for a 1.75 exhaust worth the money on a basically stock 4 speed Festy with a Weber. Will I be able to feel the results - a little. I know not to expect very much.

How do I get a 1.75 ID system ......... take my pieces to a shop and have them mandrel bent or do I have to take the Festy in to be fit up and cringe at the cost.

Thanks again !

Factory exhaust ID is too small for any real upgrades IMO.
Any good shop should be able to match the stock pieces, but having the car there takes any guess work out of it.

[blowby]

If you're doing a carb swap, you need to remove the cat, or it will melt. 1.5 OD is factory Festiva size, you want 1.75 ID.

Thanks for the info. Will it stop up the exhaust flow partially or completely -- or just destroy the cat.

[blowby]

Factory exhaust ID is too small for any real upgrades IMO.
Any good shop should be able to match the stock pieces, but having the car there takes any guess work out of it.

Thanks again. Darn that's exciting - now I have to - get to - spring for a new custom built high flow exhaust system on my stock Festy (with a Weber). I'd put a mild cam in it if I could find one. Want to give me any additional tips or a heads up on exhaust.

I'm not really sure how to keep it quiet yet.

[FestYboy]

Thanks for the info. Will it stop up the exhaust flow partially or completely -- or just destroy the cat.

It will melt the cat and cause a huge restriction in the exhaust, leaving you with no Rev range or power.

If the head were coming off, I'd say have the shelf removed from the exhaust runners, which is a nasty restriction right off the bat.

[blowby]

It will melt the cat and cause a huge restriction in the exhaust, leaving you with no Rev range or power.

If the head were coming off, I'd say have the shelf removed from the exhaust runners, which is a nasty restriction right off the bat.

Thanks - Sounds good . Like to see a pic of that. Just grind - contour it smooth - no danger of getting too thin in the process? Can I do that without removing the valves?

Any thing else while I'm at it? Port matching ...... etc

[FestYboy]

As soon as you think about porting of any kind, the valves have to come out.

[blowby]

Never done porting - always known about it - have a die grinder - may try it. I'm getting revved up about my Festy project.

Since I'm doing a 1.75 exhaust - if I decide to pull the heads, a cam is already baked in the cake - if a mild one is available.

Have most of the vacuum lines and associated hardware out. Have to identify and figure out the AC solenoid that raises idle. Can I use that on a Weber 32/36 ?