Zombies festiva prep / research

[Zombie Tech]

Hi everyone. My name is Travis. Travy, Trav, Zombie, Tech, ZT all work. Anyway I came here in hopes of transforming the festiva I'm claiming from my parents. I drove it for a while, then my little brother got a hold of it and did some interesting mods. I'll post pics tonight if I get a chance.

1) I plan on going for high mpg, and try as I might I couldn't find much with the search function. I would appreciate any and all ideas regarding this.

2) I plan on getting a new tranny, probably rebuilding the motor, and fixing the clutch.

3) I'm looking to remove/ move stuff under the hood so it looks cleaner / minimalistic.

4) I am going to paint try pulling the entire car apart to paint it with hlvp. So really since I'm tearing so much down what are other things I should do while its apart.

5) Regarding tearing it apart what should I do in order to remember how to put it back together as it will be apart for a looooong time due to the fact that I'm a car noob.

Thanks in advance.

-Zombie

[David88]

Welcome. You've come to the right place. Take lots of pictures for reassembly and put some up here.

[bhazard]

You need to post a little more info on your starting point.

Are you starting with a carby or EFI car?

You say you want mpg. Are you sure the motor needs rebuilt?

Why a new trans?

If youre a car noob you probably shouldnt pull the motor or trans apart unless theyre really shot.

With a stock festy basically the only improvements you can get in mpg are with body mods and such. Are you looking for city mpg or highway? Switching to 13" tires can help highway mpg but hurt you in town because of the bigger diameter tire. Stay with skinny tires, and keep the pressure up. Do an aspire brake swap and find some honda vx wheels, throw some 165/65-13's on. Those will probably be the lightest wheel/tire combo you can find. Youll also have much better braking and handling. Run the max sidewall pressure...

Are you ok with altering the outside appearance of the car? If so, block up the grill and lower opening, and put a belly pan of some sort under the car. Aerodynamics are not the best thing about these cars, so anything you can do will help. Lower the car a bit. Figure out an air dam for the front.

Dont listen to anyone who tells you to open up the exhaust or intake. Theyre fools.
Anything that causes the engine to flow more air is going to use more fuel. More air, more fuel.

Advance your timing...stock is 8 or 10*, run 12-14*. Run as much as you can without pinging on regular. Its not worth having to run 89+ octane.

Of course, the best way to improve mpg is to adjust the nut behind the wheel. Practice basic hypermiling techniques. Short shift, no need to wind these things out.

I used to average 47mpg with my stock b3/5speed with like 180,000 miles. Best I got was 53mpg.

[FB71]

If youre a car noob you probably shouldnt pull the motor or trans apart unless theyre really shot.

How else will he learn? 'Doing' is the best method for learning, but not always the best method for repairing!

Do an aspire brake swap and find some honda vx wheels, throw some 165/65-13's on. Those will probably be the lightest wheel/tire combo you can find. Youll also have much better braking and handling. Run the max sidewall pressure...

Ah, but you add rotating mass (due to larger and heavier rotors and drums and wheels/tires - even the VX wheels with 165/65/13s are heavier than the stock 12" steelies and tires), which increases the moment of intertia... good for highway, bad for around town. However, the increase in weight is negligable, just thought I'd pick out those nits...

Everything Brad said above is right-on.

[bhazard]

Yes, I thought about the heavier brakes, but the increase in braking and handling, and overall safety is well worth it.

Also going to the 13's is pretty much a requirement these days, in order to get new tires.

12's suck anyway. Finding a 13 thats similar diameter is the hard part.

[FB71]

honestly, I haven't noticed a significant change in braking capacity during normal driving. The only advantage I've found is a reduction in fade during repeated hard stops, while driving aggressively. In normal stop and go, they feel the same. I think the stock brakes are more than adequate for for the stock driveline. I think the stock brakes would be right in line with Zombie's minimalist/MPG goals. I will admit, the Aspire rear beam is very nice, though (nice swaybar!)... but I don't get the impression the OP will be doing much hairy driving. Not shooting you down, Brad, just don't want Zombie to feel like he MUST make those changes for him to be accepted.

and a set of 80's 323 wheels will get you (Z-man) to 13" tires without all the brake swap stuff...

[FB71]

Oh, and Zombie, regarding #5...

ziplock baggies, a sharpie and a digital camera!!! These will help keep parts in order, and aid in reassembly.

[bhazard]

It is nice to have that braking power on tap though, for when it is necessary.

I understand though, festy brakes are *adequate*... especially below 40mph or so.

[FB71]

It is nice to have that braking power on tap though, for when it is necessary.

I understand though, festy brakes are *adequate*... especially below 40mph or so.

festy brakes have been *adequate* for me, beyond the capacity of the speedometer...

[bhazard]

You must have a different idea of adequate than me then! LOL

Whats the 60-0 for a stock festy vs aspire swapped, I wonder.

[FestYboy]

8-10* Btdc stock!? try 0-2* btdc stock... 6* for the autos.

and i have to agree with Jim here, the factory brakes do well enough through 80, ALTHOUGH, having the capri swap, i now much prefer the higher initial bite and fade resistance over the stock parts.

[Zombie Tech]

Thanks for all the suggestions so far.

I by no means would do anything I don't want to in order to be accepted here, plus i already feel very welcomed by all of you so far.

I kind of want to stick with twelves but was thinking thirteens due to wanting newer tires, I know i can still get twelves just much harder to find.

The tranny is bad so it needs replaced (or so i've been told) also the stick is way too loose, feels like it's in neutral in any gear.

It's a 90/91 5 speed so it is EFI

Is it possible for me to edit my Original Post?

[FestYboy]

Travis, if the shifter is loose, you can replace the linkage bushings (6) and that should solve that issue. as for the trans being bad: more spicifics please. what does it do/not do?

[Zombie Tech]

Please don't call me that. So tired of being called Trevor even though it's travis. As far as the tranny goes i'm not sure, I'll find out. And yeah a big part of why i plan on doing all of this is to learn. (after this project (yes i know it will be a long time) I plan on doing a speedy festiva

[FestYboy]

^fixed, sorry i read it wrong