Help Festiva not starting! Help ASAP

[Pedropete91]

Hey there people my head gasket has just recently went, and instead of replacing it I took it to the motor wreckers and they charged me $740 for a new motor plus installed with afew gaskets, and a fuel pump. Ripped me off so I had a go at the idiot. Anyway I've just got it back and it was running like crap so took it back had another go at him and he looked over my car and said my choke is stuck on that's the reason it's blowing black smoke and using lots of petrol and running like crap. so what he did was jammed a piece of wood near the carby on the choke lever to keep it open. Dodgy as. Just untill I find a new carby and get it re conditioned because he said mine was in bad shape. The dude doesn't know what he's on about he said he's never seen a choke design like this one before. absolute idiot. Anyway it was running fairly good better then It was anyway.
Then after I drove it to the shops and back, went to start it in my drive way and it wouldn't. cleaned the spark plugs and it fired up. then I was on my way back out it decided to stall on me and the traffic lights and wouldn't start. All the spark plugs are getting spark it just won't turn on.
The fuel pump is pumping the petrol threw I can hear that.

Can someone please help
Thanks

[bravekozak]

You have gas and spark. Just need air. Are you certain it's not flooded? too much gas?

Factory carbies are computer controlled. You can put a non-feedback carby on it with the use of an adapter plate. Rocketman has an adapter for sale.

[Pedropete91]

I'm not sure how can I tell it's not flooded what can I do?
What's a non-feedback carby? As u can tell I don't know much that's prob why I got ripped off will he ship to aus I'll PM him thanks

[bravekozak]

The Mazda carb has actuators that are controlled by the ECA + a snakepit of vacuum lines. Non-feedback carbs are Escort or Weber carbs, which have no need for a computer. Use the search box at the top of the page. See what other members have done. It's easy.

[Pedropete91]

Okay thanks will do. But I still need help from someone to get it going using my mums car ATM lol and the Festiva is parked across the road hopefully it doesn't get broken into

[bravekozak]

If you squirt some quick start into the carb, does it try to start?

[TominMO]

Gas, spark, air, timing. Check the cam timing and the ignition timing.

[Pedropete91]

I'll spray some carby cleaner will that work the same? How do I check the timing??

[harpon]

What year is the Festiva?-
I'm assuming 88 or 89- I used to have an 88 that always ran great-

http://www.fordfestiva.com/forums/showthread.php?54041-Festiva-carburetor-complete

Here's a used carb for sale- with good pictures of the part-

Does yours look like this?
The choke pull-off is the round copper colored part on the one side- when it gets to a certain temp, it pulls the choke off- which is a gate that cuts ff the amount of air..

If the choke is jammed open, you'd likely have starting problems- moreso as it gets colder-
if the choke doesn't open as the car heats- you'll get symptoms much like you describe-

Make sure the vaccum lines are on that run to the distributor- I think they work the vacuum timing advance.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Cardone-Distributor-31-520-/380933946781?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&fits=Year%3A1988%7CMake%3AFord%7CModel%3AFestiva&hash=item58b16ebd9d&vxp=mtr

the carburetors were available rebuilt a half-dozen years ago at one of the parts stores- Autozone or Advance - don't recall-
but aren't listed anymore.

I think other carbs may fit the intake or with some kind of adapter-
not that much of a mechanic myself, but you can find other carbs for Toyotas, Mazda etc listed on ebay- from about $120 to $150

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-replacement-carburetor-carb-for-4K-part-number-21100-13170-Toyota-4k-engine/321174563814?_trksid=p2045573.c100034.m2102&_trkparms=aid%3D555012%26algo%3DPW.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20131003150253%26meid%3D8979107282927022511%26pid%3D100034%26prg%3D20131003150253%26rk%3D8%26rkt%3D8%26sd%3D260646976448

http://www.ebay.com/itm/CARBURETOR-TOYOTA-5K-7K-ENGINE-FOR-LITEACE-COROLLA/181461036862?_trksid=p2045573.c100033.m2042&_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20131017132637%26meid%3D8978106614096969418%26pid%3D100033%26prg%3D20131017132637%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D4%26sd%3D181461036862

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-replacement-carburetor-carb-for-4K-part-number-21100-13170-Toyota-4k-engine-/321174563814?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item4ac77eebe6&vxp=mtr

This last one is for a Toyota 4K motor- a displacement of 1.3 liters

Might have to put a Toyota or aftermarket air cleaner on though-

You can also rig a MANUAL choke with a simple lever- then you choke and unchoke it yourself- like they used to!

Sounds like you could use a better mechanic though.

hope that helps.

[Pedropete91]

Thanks ppl yeah that doses help what it was is the electric fuel pump is getting to hot then need to wait 20mins for it to cool down.