Need Advice!!!!!

[Zivon23]

Ok.....So I got an 89 Festiva L, FI, auto. 106100 miles. Just bought it for 400.00. It sat for a year and a half before I bought it. I finally got it started(ran like crap....spiting and sputtering and stalling)and blew the crankshaft seal. It went into the shop. 400.00 dollars later....it still runs like crap. New Crankshaft seal, Camshaft seal, Water pump, Timing belt, Compression Test, (?)Wet test(?). I guess the (?)Wet(?) test said the rings were good. Compression test results....Cyl 1, 120lbs; Cyl 2, 100lbs; Cyl 3, 180lbs; Cyl 4, 180lbs.

OK, so it is running like crap cause of compression. So now what should I do? Should I continue to add money to it? I love Festies but this is my only car right now and I can't afford many more repairs......I still need to get all the brakes redone and get new rims and tires. Rims and tires......looking at 300.00.

This isn't even including the susspension. Another 200.00. I am wanting to put 14's for the rims, 185/45's for the rubber, FMS Sport springs.

So.......to the point of all this.......What should I do? Should I tear the engine down? Replace the engine(B3). Replace the engine with something else. I am looking for a 'popular' concenses. What would you all do in this situation?

Thanks for any advice.

~Z23~

[wybnrml]

If you are considering a enigne swap, maybe you could do a SOHC B6 swap, I read on here that a SOHC B6 with the '89 FI Vac Advance would possibly work well, but I would get the engine stuff done first, then worry about 14" wheels and FMS springs and stuff like that. My $.02.

[GenevaDirt]

well...you need to at least rebuild the engine. Or you could swap in a known good engine. From there you have to decide if you just want a stock Festy or better performance.

I would go bigger if I was going to go through the trouble of the swap (if you have access to a good junk yard).

[doylerl]

First things first. It would be kinda foolish to put money into springs, rims, tires, or anything else if it doesn't run. First, you should work on gettting it running right. If I were going to be pulling the engine out, I would upgrade personally, but that call is yours. You could probably get a lower mileage upgrade cheaper than you could rebuild yours. Also, if you are planning on replacing brake components, do the aspire swap. There are PLENTY of posts with information on both the brake swaps and engine swaps. Read up, and make an educated decision. There may also be some members in your area to help out with parts, tools, or knowledge. I'm sure if you asked nicely, people would come to your place and help just to be around another Festiholic. Welcome to the site and the wonderful world of Festivas!

[Zivon23]

Thanks for the advice.

Update: I believe the headgasket is bad so.....I am replacing it. A few guys I work with are going to help. The plan is to pull the motor and do a complete rebuild. I just need to gather all the parts and tools first. So now I have to figure out everything I am going to need to do this. I have never done this kind of thing before so, if anyone can help me with what I will need, it would be much apprieciated. I'm not even sure where to start searching.

Again, thanks for any help.

~Z23~

[Zivon23]

I found the thread......

http://www.fordfestiva.com/forums/showthread.php?t=27851&highlight=B3+Engine+Rebuild

Hopefully this will help me.

[batstiva]

Not to ask a dumb question, but you weren't running it on year and a half old gasoline, were you? I hope not. I pretty much concur with the train of thought that says get it running right before messing with tires/rims/suspension/etc. Doesn't matter how stable it is, or how well it corners, if it can't move.

[Tim]

Throw a B6 in there.

A friend of mine owns an '89 Auto with a B6, and that thing flies. Easy swap, plus it doesn't really hurt gas mileage.


-Tim

[perucho]

If you have never done this, it will be a lot cheaper to get another engine that is running well and just swap them up. The rebuild will cost you more, and will take a long time. If you still want to rebuild the engine, get a couple manuals for reference (Haynes and Ford shop manual). Good luck.

[Tim]

^^^

At the very least, replace the front and rear main seals. They are a pain in the butt to do when everything's bolted up...

[Mike McKown]

Me, being somewhat frugal, would put air pressure on the cylinders and find out where your compression is going besides out the head gasket. If the rings are holding, there's no need to tear that engine all the way down. You may just have some leaky valves. A valve job and a head gasket just may get you going for quite awhile.

[mattdickmeyer]

before you go getting hasty put some fresh fuel in it ,conferm adequate fuel pressure , put a timming light on all the wires ,make sure you have all 4 are firing,things like that .you go rebuilding an engine with no experience it may never run again ,no offense, ive had to re-rebuild many engines for people ,ive seen it all . besides ive worked on many cars that have had worse compression variations than that and ran ok, a lot of times a tech will run w/ the first thing they find cause they know you wont pay to have it fixed any way , they get their diagnostic fee and send you on your way. i dont work that way

[Damkid]

personally i would find it cheaper to just replace the engine, but knowing me i'd replace it with something bigger :lol:

[Zivon23]

before you go getting hasty put some fresh fuel in it ,conferm adequate fuel pressure , put a timming light on all the wires ,make sure you have all 4 are firing,things like that .you go rebuilding an engine with no experience it may never run again ,no offense, ive had to re-rebuild many engines for people ,ive seen it all . besides ive worked on many cars that have had worse compression variations than that and ran ok, a lot of times a tech will run w/ the first thing they find cause they know you wont pay to have it fixed any way , they get their diagnostic fee and send you on your way. i dont work that way

ok.......The guys I work with are well educated in rebuilds....I am just buying the parts and tools and paying them in beer(after the job is done). As far as gas.....the previous owner didn't have a gas cap on it and all the fuel evaporated. I have been running Gas station recently bought gas since I bought it.

My "rebuild" is going to be basically 'cleaning' any goo and build up out of the engine, replacing all gaskets/seals and if nessisary shaving the head. I work in a Machine Shop so most of this "should" be simpleish. The guys I have working on the engine have about 50years of experiance between them.

I am not interested at more power at this time......Stock Festies are fun to drive as far as I am concerned.

As far as FMS springs......I already have them....bought them years ago for a Festie that died.....never installed....So I figure.....why not put them on.

As fas as tires and rims....well we all know 12's are gone. I figured 14's since they are the most readily available. My 12's are bald and HAVE to be replaced.

And brakes. A year sitting......rusted and stuff. I am prolly gonna do the Aspire conversion. Has anyone done a all rotor brake system for the Festiva?

I just need to figure out everything I need to buy for the 'rebuild' The link I posted earlier has a decent list......So I am starting there. I just want to get everything to be covered during this.

Suspension and brakes and tires are next.

Hope this clears up my earlier posts

~Z23~

PS. mattdickmeyer, just make my life easier and give me your B3 rebuild.
Definatly a sweet thing you got going.