Festiva Picnic is Over

[georgeb]

I put 130K trouble-free miles on my '93 until it went down with a botched snout seal job. Got a '92 auto with (supposedly) rebuilt motor which dropped a cylinder after one month. Then I got an '89 carby which dropped several cylinders last Nov. Retagged my patched '93 that only has 70 PSI on one cylinder. Did leakdown test on two supposed turnkey motors I bought for $100 each. Both are leaking through valves. Pulled head on one that had a new head gasket but there was a chunk missing from a valve! Hoping 3.5 cylinder '93 will get me through winter or until I can get '89 head done. Head rebuild is $200!

[FestYboy]

i had mine refinished and decked .020" with all seats and valves re-cut for $160. If you take some time with it you can get it done cheaper than that. i recomend you familiarize yourself with the action of laping valves. mix and match parts to make a good engine... and clean clean clean!!!

[FB71]

valve lapping hasn't been recommended for 20 years! The proper way is to grind the valves and cut the seats.

[Bert]

Why is it an old Bill Maudlin war cartoon, of a beset American soldier covering his eyes while preparing to put his 'broke a wheel' Jeep out of it's misery with a pistol, comes to mind? Kidding aside I wonder if you might be able to come up with an upgrade cam and roller rocker arrangement for when the official rebuild and install takes place in the spring.

[1990new]

To bad that Festivamotorsport is longer in the business of selling the new 1.3 engines. I bought 3 several years ago and all three Festivas are still going strong after six year and more.