carbed festy starving

[neanderpaul]

OK I got my latest festiva a few weeks ago. I traded one of my festivas (230,000 miles needs head gasket) to a festiva buddy for the parts and labor to fix it. It is a carbed 88 LX. It had sufferd a carb fire. After some repairs it idles fine, and sounds perfect. When you shift into second it acts like it's starving for fuel. After it starts that mess it continues bucking no matter what gear I'm in. My buddy (oneeyepizzaguy here)
1. replaced all the vacuum lines
2. put in a new fuel filter
3. replaced the fuel pump
4. I checked the pickup filter and looked for trash in the tank (clear)
5. replaced the firewall mounted stuff??? solenoids?
6. replaced the carb
7 replaced the air cleaner housing with that whatever you call it thing on the side of it.
8 replaced the air filter
9. sprayed alcohol around the carb and whole intake, vacuum area to look for a revving up indicated vacuum leak

Still it bucks and won't go. :evil:

Next is plugs, wires, distributor cap, and rotor button.

Any suggestions for fixing the bucking mess? :help:

thanks

[88FestivaLX]

I have a carbed 88 LX also doing the same thing. I'm interesting to see what people think. I'll also post if I figure anything out. I did notice something that mine does. On a cold start, before it gets to normal operating temp, there is a click somewhere behind the dash and then it starts running like crap. Any ideas?

[WmWatt]

Don't know how relevant this is buy my carb'd Festiva bucked right after I put in the new ICM (ignition control module) in the distributor. Only did it for a few seconds as I shut it down right away. When I restarted it it was okay. Check the spark and timing?

[neanderpaul]

I have a carbed 88 LX also doing the same thing. I'm interesting to see what people think. I'll also post if I figure anything out. I did notice something that mine does. On a cold start, before it gets to normal operating temp, there is a click somewhere behind the dash and then it starts running like crap. Any ideas?

ARG! I forgot to mention that click. Mine is doing that too. We need to figure that out. I'll post when we figure it out. If you figure it out first please post a reply here. Thanks for bringing that up.

[88FestivaLX]

Thats gotta be the culprit then.....time to figure this out!

[88FestivaLX]

Do the 88's have an ECM?

[Fordverde]

Do the 88's have an ECM?

Yes It does. Guys check the fuel level in your carb. What brand of ing module did you put in??? as everything in the Festis(electric) is Mitsubishi, try to find one. I say TRY!!! Or not may be the timing when out
Hope it helps!!!

[88FestivaLX]

All i know is that when mine starts bucking and everything, if I press the gas to the floor it normally goes away...but when lightly on the throttle its the most irritating thing ever

[worfdog]

mine, a 1988 l also clicks under the dash about a mile down the road after a cold start.my rpms drop down to normal when this happens but mine is running fine.it must have something to do with cold idle operation.i did notice one time when my clutch pedal switch was not adjusted right my car would lurch badly unless i gave it more gas,when going to second gear.it will still do it now in any gear if i do not take my foot completly off the clutch pedal when shifting gears.

[Gomez]

sounds like choke issues to me

[neanderpaul]

Well it wasn't the computer (replced it), and it wasn't he firewall mounted vacuum sensors (replaced twice). It also isn't a vacuum leak. trying a known working carb, plugs, wires, dist. cap, and rotor button tomorrow.

[FestYboy]

umm you havent checked the most comon of problems... clogged cat.

[neanderpaul]

Have not checked it. Thanks for the heads up.

[88FestivaLX]

Yea, we need to figure this out.....mines getting worse....also, whenever I drive the car in the rain with a decent amount of water on the road it starts running like crap.....anyone have this problem? I was wondering earlier today if the cat could cause the problem

[FestYboy]

water will mess with the ignition system (heavy rain does it to my '88 ) new wires and a silicon spray (wire dry) should clear up the problem. also make sure your cap and rotor are clean and in good shape.