Festiva non running issue

[festers]

I have a 93 festiva. It will start and run for about 2 Seconds and then dies, does anyone know what this could be?
Thanks

[Team Lightning]

Check your vaf plug connection and make sure your intake piping is not leaking

[festers]

Okay I unhooked the battery for a short while and hooked it back up and she runs now like normal but the car is very doggy and underpowered, I speed up to 65mph in 4th gear and then shift into 5th at 65 and with the pedal to the floor, it loses speed down to 55mph and will not gain above that.. the car just had a full tune up
Thank you for the help

[FestYboy]

Vaf isn't getting full signal... re-check the intake tube for cracks.

[festers]

Okay I pulled vaf plug off and cleaned the contacts and pushed the plug back on tight and I made sure all the intake piping was tight and there is no cracks in the part that looks like an accordion. So is it going to need a a whole new vaf? Is there anything else it could be?
Thanks

[1990new]

Welcome to forum...

Possibly a VAF related problem causing fuel starvation or fuel pump/line/filter issue, among other things.

I see that your 5 speed has 140k on it and if it has been driven normally, the oil has been changed routinely and it has not been run hot, the engine should last for twice that. But as things wears the compression will gradually get lower and the engine performance will decrease.
You say it just had a tune up. So I can assume the plugs were changed...and what else was done? Was the timing belt changed recently?
The problem you describe could also be a timing problem. Do you know if the crankshaft timing sprocket has ever been removed?

[festers]

My 91 had been taken good care of, I change oil every 2500 miles. And I just bought this 93 this past week, it has 104k on it, and I changed plugs, wires, dist. Cap, rotor, and fuel filter. I gapped the plugs and everything. And yes it kind of runs as if the timing may be slightly retarded, but if it would have slipped, can it still run?

[1990new]

Sorry, I saw your 91 in the signature and assumed you had made a typo in your first post.

If it were me, I would make minor timing adjustments and see if the problem improved. If not, set it to standard and look elsewhere.

[FestYboy]

As far as timing, take a pic of your distributor from the driver side and post. The engine will run even if the cam is 2 teeth off, but will run like crap. This was the case with Willie's car and it was one tooth off. I shifted the belt and that cleared up the lack of power. So check your cam timing (this can be done just by removing the upper timing belt cover, you can see the crank pointer with a flashlight to find TDC).

[festers]

Okay I replaced the timing belt tonight, and the timing was off. I set the timing and she runs like a raped ape now. Perfect. Thanks for all the help.