general problem, fuel pump? help me fix my baby!

[mxracer170]

My deal.

1989 Festiva 1.3 2 barrel 130,000 miles

Symptoms: For the most part the car ran Ok, from time to time it would spit and sputter. Then over the last month the spitting and sputtering got worse and worse. Two days ago the car just up and died. I pushed it into a parking lot, let it sit and about 5 min later it started right up and drove home (about 15 miles) with no stuttering.


What I've replaced over the last month: spark plugs, cap and rotor, coil, air filter, rear view mirror dice and fuel filter

I thought the cat might be plugged so last night I busted the inside of it out and repaired some of the many exhaust leaks. After I got it back together I wanted to see how my baby purred and now it won't start at all. If I pump the gas like a madman it'll fire once but doesn't smell at all like gas so this is leading me to believe it's the fuel pump. I didn't have any extra gas lying around to pour down the carb but does this sound like a decent conclusion?

[Damkid]

i would suggest tryin to pour gas in the carb, it'll help diagnose it

[freshtiva]

Got me, I figured changing the rear view mirror dice would have fixed it. :dontknow:

[WmWatt]

Intermittent stalling followed by death could be a dying ICM inside the distributor. They're not cheap but can be tested for free at some auto parts stores. (I should have that advice made into a rubber stamp.)

[mxracer170]

If it's the ICM will it make spark? What are the typical symptoms of an ICM going bad? Now I'm thinking it may not be the fuel pump since it doesn't smell like a bomb. I'm going to try to pour some gas in the carb. My gut feeling is that it isn't getting gas. If it does fire then I'm going to take the fuel line off and put it into a liter bottle and turn the motor over for 30 seconds. If it fills the bottle then I know the pump is working. The guy at AutoZone this morning mentioned there might be a check valve in the fuel line controlled by a solenoid. He said the purpose for this is to keep gas from flowing back into the tank but he wasn't sure if the 89 Festiva had one or not. Does anyone know if it does?

[Fordverde]

Same problem i had a couple of years ago in a 86 vw polo that I had (God I miss him so much, 1.05L and still I had drove him up to 150km/h) I changed the ICM first, but the problem remains, then I changed the ing coil and put new terminals to the wires, and problem solved. Hope this help you!!!

[mxracer170]

Well, I pored gas down the carb today an it started which I thought it would but here's the kicker, it stayed running. I figured it would die after a few seconds then I would know I was dealing with a fuel problem but it didn't. I didn't have much time to play with it and it was up on jack stands so I couldn't take it for a drive but it sounded like it was running OK. Now I'm totally confused. I don't want to drive it too much because I'm afraid it'll die on me. I have some time this weekend to look at it more closely but it's really starting to frustrate me.

Why do we chose to continually do this to ourselves?

Oh yeah, because the ladies dig Festivas.

[Fordverde]

Why dont you try to clean the carb really good, and if you can buy a carb kit and change the jets. One quick test: remove the hose which comes from the fuel pump and have somebody to turn the key and see if the amount of gas coming out is enough and if the pressure is good.

[cappyg]

I have two possiblities you might try the next time it dies. If the engine will run at all, remove the air cleaner assembly and while the engine is running, rev the engine up to high rpms and at the same time manually close the choke fully closed momentarily. This will force any debris in the jets to flow right on thru. You might also check the fuel strainer in the fuel tank. Mine would have the same symptoms and i finally narrowed it down to a 90 percent plugged fuel screen. Hope this helps some. Ketch Yawl later.

[mxracer170]

I have two possiblities you might try the next time it dies. If the engine will run at all, remove the air cleaner assembly and while the engine is running, rev the engine up to high rpms and at the same time manually close the choke fully closed momentarily. This will force any debris in the jets to flow right on thru.

I'm a little unsure how to do this. When I rev the engine with the air cleaner off I tried to close the choke butterfly and it wouldn't close. Please elaborate on how to do this. I'm currently running my 3rd straight bottle of carb cleaner through it right now.

[fishgoddess]

I would do what Fordverde said and disconnect the hose to see if you are getting fuel when you turn it over. If you are getting fuel I would look to the carb. Have you had any work done on it lately, ie. had it rebuilt? It sounds like there is something in the carb. It would explain the sputtering and the sudden dying. Pouring fuel down the carb may have cause the obstruction to move out of the way so that it could contintue to run. Just something to think about.

[mxracer170]

I'm going to try and disconnect a fuel line and fill a liter bottle this weekend. I'm thinking this is a fuel starvation problem so before I tear apart the carb I'm going to check the screen in the gas tank. I've heard people say that on some festivas (fuel injected ones) there is an access plate on the top of the gas tank that I can get to from inside the car. Since mine is an 89 carb do I have an access plate to?

[Fordverde]

yes you do, is the same, just remove the rear carpet and is there.