Ouch..warming this turd up killed my MPG

[Evil D]

So, the choke doesn't work, so i set it by hand under the hood and let it get up to operating temps before driving, and that extra gas usage really shows.

http://www.fuelly.com/driver/evilssp/festiva

Come spring/tax time i'm gonna be looking for a nicer EFI Festiva.

[neanderpaul]

Ouch

[TominMO]

Convert to manual choke maybe?

[xaero_81]

Mine is steadily declining as the weather gets colder. I only let it warm for about thirty seconds or so in the morning.

[Evil D]

Convert to manual choke maybe?

Mine is steadily declining as the weather gets colder. I only let it warm for about thirty seconds or so in the morning.

I already have a cable for it, but i doubt it's going to do much good...if either of you saw my "broken down" thread...this car has some issue with driving when it's cold, if you don't let it get up to operating temps it starts bucking and floods itself out. I can't get away with short warm ups...it has to at least get the temp needle to move a little before it'll drive without being pissy.

[drddan]

2 words....Weber carb!

Actually you should be able to fix the choke issue. Go to a junk yard, get another.
The same yard should have an Escort carb too, which IS a Weber.

[Pu241]

Block or oil pan heater!
Set it on a timer 2, or so, hours before you need to start it up.
Should cut warm-up time at least in the morning.

[Evil D]

I've been to 3 different junkyards, and not a single carbed Escort in any of them. Those cars are all but gone around here.

[brickdog2000]

You could order the weber carb if you got the money and time. I ordered mine on sunday and got it today. now for the time part of making an adapter plate.

[drddan]

now for the time part of making an adapter plate.

MWHAHAHAHA!!! :laughing3::laughing3::laughing3:



Seriously, good luck with it and remember, feel free to ask me any Q's you have about it.

[Evil D]

Yeah time, i have more money than time, and i'm broke so what's that tell ya? :lol:

[jesteratc]

Just thought id chime in. My choke wouldnt work for about 3 months before my alt went. Because i have an 88 there is a connector that goes to the alt. I replaced the alt cause it crapped out, and problem solved. Carb calms down after 30 seconds on a cold start. So in short, i guess check for signs of a dying alt.

[Evil D]

Eh, on mine the PO disconnected part of the linkage...apparently he's already looked into the choke issue and i was never told exactly what the problem was. I don't seem to have any charging issues though...i usually sit in my car on lunch and listen to the radio for an hour and i never have starting problems.

[Evil D]

Ugh...it just keeps getting worse...now my average is down below 30mpg.

How much of this can be blamed on "winter gas'?

[Pu241]

How much of this can be blamed on "winter gas'?

I would say very little, and Ohio as of 2005 doesn't get RFG, so I suspect most of your MPG loss is due to a faulty carb and heat loss to a much colder environment. My MPG is down too see the link to my fuelly page below.
I did install a grill block off plate on the festiva grill which seems to help.
You might want to give that a try.

http://www.epa.gov/oms/rfgecon.htm