Dodged a bullet

[neanderpaul]

Alternator went out slowly last night on my 88 LX. I was 2 hours from home. First I noticed the wipers were slow. Then I noticed my phone barely charged. Then I noticed the dash lights were dim. Then the headlights dimmed. Then I got a hiccup in the engine. Then it wouldn't idle as I approached a light. Luckily I thought ahead and pushed in the clutch while still rolling. It died and I popped the clutch to restart. On that take off the spark was only good until 2,600 rpms under load. Luckily I was able to cover almost all open highway with few stop lights and no traffic. When I got home and parked I tried to start it. no juice All in all it's a typical, festiva not gonna leave you stranded, story. . I think I have a good carby alternator too. Driving the aspire today.

[Movin]

Got to love these cars! Newer ones with more computers would have most certainly left you with a long walk!!

[bravekozak]

A magneto + carb would not leave you stranded at all if the alternator failed in the middle of Death Valley.

[Movin]

Mags are awesome!! Non feedback carbs rock..easy to jet from fuel to fuel. Keep a wood gas unit handy though, if the time came we were worried about all that traditional fuel will disappear before the news would get the story!

Speaking of story, you never know where Paul's stories are going to go!! lol

[sc72]

Hmm not sure we can adapt a Vertex Mag to a Festy and DON'T grab the plug wire, talk about a jolt.

[sc72]

About Paul's stories, i'm surprised we haven't heard a song about sittin on the porch with his dog by his side, jug of moon shine to the right, singin the Festy blues.

[neanderpaul]

I got a new dog today!


I'll post a thread in the picture gallery with more.

[bravekozak]

Is her name "Bullet"?
Just make sure it isn't "Help".


I wonder if I could make a magneto for the B6?
Thanks neander for giving me another project.
Now I have to make an adapter to bolt over the distributor hole.

[nitrofarm]

I wonder if I could make a magneto for the B6?
Thanks neander for giving me another project.
Now I have to make an adapter to bolt over the distributor hole.

Of course it could be done,but you want to leave that hole to install it in.Just make sure you have a CPS in it if you want efi.If you run a carb,that much easier.Nitro/Supercharged guys run em for all the right reasons. No blowing out those sparks !

[AlaskaFestivaGuy]

I had a similar experience in my 88LX two weeks ago after 11pm when the alternator/waterpump belt departed the vehicle. With multiple breakdown-lane stops to cool down the block, I made it home 12 miles in about two hours.

BTW, airplane piston engines use magnetos -- always two per engine (two spark plugs per cylinder). You can literally turn off the entire electrical system in flight (by turning the "battery master" switch off) and the motors keep purring. If one of the two mags fails on an engine, you only lose about 5-10% power due to incomplete combustion.

[Festiva_Fred]

If you need a Alt I have a good one I had on my carby, only a year or so old, was brand new when I got the car.

[neanderpaul]

Might take you up on that. Let me make sure the one I have is what I need. I'll get back to you. Thanks man!

[Festiva_Fred]

No problem!