Ouch..warming this turd up killed my MPG

[Festiva Time]

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.

Pu241 has the right idea. The problem is two-fold; 1. Engine oil is cold and fast idle choke ruin gas mileage. You need to keep the oil in the oil pan warm. Oil pan heater is good for this. You may want to run lower weight oil during the winter.

[Justin2129]

I did this and had no overheating issues. Festivas are overcooled even with the tiny radiator they have.



Heat was better though once it warmed up.

The only thing you can do after that is block up the bottom with a belly pan.

niceee..hypermiling FTW

[bhazard]

I did this and had no overheating issues. Festivas are overcooled even with the tiny radiator they have.



Heat was better though once it warmed up.

The only thing you can do after that is block up the bottom with a belly pan.

[Pu241]

I have no proof that it would be better!
But over at ecomodder.com the grill bock is a common mod.
In the winter you need to keep the engine from loosing heat by the incoming air cooling the entire engine.
There are two "air intakes" on the front of the festiva.
The obvious grill area and the lower bumper area.
I've block the grill area with a piece of clear polycarbonate and I'm considering at least blocking half of the lower bumper area, my just do the whole thing and just watch how the engine temp reacts.
This leaves room for the fan to pull air through the radiator but at a reduce rate, but if your fans coming on in this weather you have other problems.
I still think you have a carbie issue.
But those are hard to diagnose via the internet.

[Evil D]

I've got a piece of cardboard in front of the radiator...would i be better off with blocking the grill openings instead?

[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

[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'?

[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.

[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]

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

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.