Car died while driving down the highway.....

[jimdigs]

I was driving down the highway about 65mph, engine just stopped. Everything else was working fine, electrically. No noises or anything, all of a sudden the engine was off. It turns over but just wines, the starter whinning is all I hear. I knew I needed oil and I checked and there is some on the dip stick. Hope I didn't seize the engine from lack of oil. Any suggestions for what it might be? Its a 1988 carbureted 4 speed. Thanks for any help.

[1990new]

I was driving down the highway about 65mph, engine just stopped. Everything else was working fine, electrically. No noises or anything, all of a sudden the engine was off. It turns over but just wines, the starter whinning is all I hear. I knew I needed oil and I checked and there is some on the dip stick. Hope I didn't seize the engine from lack of oil. Any suggestions for what it might be? Its a 1988 carbureted 4 speed. Thanks for any help.

timing belt break?

[jimdigs]

timing belt break?

Nope, first thing I checked because that happened earlier this year.

[jimdigs]

Well, checked the timing belt, sure enough, broke. I did one a long time ago, forgot if its a hard fix or not. With the weather the way it is and me not having a proper garage to do it in. I might have to take it somewhere. Sorry to you 1990new. For some reason I thought you meant alternator belt, that is what I changed earlier this year Thanks for the heads up.

[WmWatt]

Have to remove plastic splash shield under fender and timing belt cover but not crankshaft nut so not too bad. I used open end wrench on crankshaft nut to rotate engine to bring pulley bolts down to get socket on them.Seem to remember removing spark plugs to turn engine with wrench. To drop crankshaft pulley I pried engine away from fender with a wrecking bar in top motor mount, again when replacing pulley. To keep water pump pulley from turning while losening nut I laid shaft of long screwdriver between other two bolt heads. If taking to shop that should help them too. Haynes manual has good directions and photos. Good luck.

[1990new]

Do you still have two Festivas? Is this the Festiva that you mentioned in this post back in 2019 about engine running hot after changing the timing belt?

https://fordfestiva.com/forums/forum/maintenance/repair-help-forum/1245240-ever-since-i-changed-my-timing-belt-engine-overheats

If the temperature is near freezing and you don't have a heated garage to work on changing the belt and you need to get it fixed before Spring, you probably should have someone who has a garage do it for you. I would not want to be out in freezing weather doing this job.
The hardest part will be getting the engine pulley off so you can put the belt on the crankshaft. I have never had a carb engine so I don't know the pulleys are easier or harder to remove on those engines. I know I usually loosen the nuts on the top motor support to the point where they are holding the engine up with about three thread rings showing inside the nuts. This allows the engine to drop down enough to get a socket on the big crankshaft pulley nut if you have to remove it. If you have a pulley that has small bolts that you can remove to get it out of the way to give you access to replacing the belt.. all the better.

[WmWatt]

Subject covered here before too. Use search to see. Yes crank shaft pulley slips on over crankshaft bolt, no need to remove bolt. Work from below, rotate engine to bring each pulley bolt to bottom to remove. No need to loosen motor mount, just shift engine with crow bar in mount to drop pulley out and again to put back. Remove phillips head bolts with phillips head on socket wrench. Try not to move when replacing belt to maintain timing position otherwise read about how to position camshaft using mark on block.

[1990new]

Since your belt broke while the engine was running you will definitely need to use the line up marks and follow the instructions to be sure your new belt installed correctly.

[LEWWIST]

Well, checked the timing belt, sure enough, broke. I did one a long time ago, forgot if its a hard fix or not. With the weather the way it is and me not having a proper garage to do it in. I might have to take it somewhere. Sorry to you 1990new. For some reason here I thought you meant alternator belt, that is what I changed earlier this year Thanks for the heads up.

Too bad the timing belt broke. I also had this problem recently. I was out of town, so my fishing was not very successful that day. But it's all right now.

[jimdigs]

Have to remove plastic splash shield under fender and timing belt cover but not crankshaft nut so not too bad. I used open end wrench on crankshaft nut to rotate engine to bring pulley bolts down to get socket on them.Seem to remember removing spark plugs to turn engine with wrench. To drop crankshaft pulley I pried engine away from fender with a wrecking bar in top motor mount, again when replacing pulley. To keep water pump pulley from turning while losening nut I laid shaft of long screwdriver between other two bolt heads. If taking to shop that should help them too. Haynes manual has good directions and photos. Good luck.

Thanks WmWatt. Appreciate the info. I know you have the same carbureted 88 as I do. Thanks again

[jimdigs]

Do you still have two Festivas? Is this the Festiva that you mentioned in this post back in 2019 about engine running hot after changing the timing belt?

https://fordfestiva.com/forums/forum/maintenance/repair-help-forum/1245240-ever-since-i-changed-my-timing-belt-engine-overheats

If the temperature is near freezing and you don't have a heated garage to work on changing the belt and you need to get it fixed before Spring, you probably should have someone who has a garage do it for you. I would not want to be out in freezing weather doing this job.
The hardest part will be getting the engine pulley off so you can put the belt on the crankshaft. I have never had a carb engine so I don't know the pulleys are easier or harder to remove on those engines. I know I usually loosen the nuts on the top motor support to the point where they are holding the engine up with about three thread rings showing inside the nuts. This allows the engine to drop down enough to get a socket on the big crankshaft pulley nut if you have to remove it. If you have a pulley that has small bolts that you can remove to get it out of the way to give you access to replacing the belt.. all the better.

I still have both The one I changed was in my 1993 Festiva. Thanks for the link. I forgot all about the overheating thing. I decided to have someone else do it. Hope they don't kill me with the labor charges. Thanks 1990new

[jimdigs]

Too bad the timing belt broke. I also had this problem recently. I was out of town, so my fishing was not very successful that day. But it's all right now.

Yeah, its a pain.