Festiva '89 - firing seq and distrib. question

[joeydoey]

Hi All,

I have a Ford Festiva '89 L (bought new in the US) - 4speed , manual tx, 2 bbl carb. (1.3L) engine without any frills on it. The question I have and it is my first time posting and have not looked at other posts yet for a potential answer, is: What are the firing sequence (or piston numbering on the engine if I were to stand in front of the car (Left to Right - timing belt on the left to distributor on the right side of the engine) and how the spark plugs out of the distributor cap (numbering?) relative to that unused/plugged connector on the top of cap are? Just want to make sure I have the spark plugs and timing all still in order.

Please, post only.

Thanks much,
Joe.

PS. I will later post a case of how I can't start my car and I hope I will get much needed help.

[phantorn]

1-3-4-2

#1 is by the timing belt

#1 is the top of the dist cap and it goes counterclockwise

You probably need to verify where the rotor is pointing on the compression stroke #1 clyinder

[Levitan]

Removing my post cuz I think I am wrong judging by the above post.

[jglutz]

Really never thing about it....next time take the cap off with the wires attached...swap the rotors without interruption put the new cap on.. swap the wires on at a time...position for position...bullet proof

[joeydoey]

Thank you all who replied! All is well for the seq. The story of why I needed to check the seq and the rest is interesting but I will get to that later. I have difficulty starting the car, but the engine turns over (cranking is good). I have not touched anything myslef ( I will post about the symptoms later), a friend helped me find out more (he deals a lot more with engines than I do) about why it does not. He tired to diagnose it as to why. The rotor and the cap after 19 years could be changed (that's why I wanted to make sure the seq is still there). There does not seem to be a spark coming out of the coil (the cables seems to be good). I kind of changed to a new ignition coil, but that still does not give a spark. I am told that the control module inside the distrib might be bad and so this might cause for the spark not to come out, so I like to test the ignition/control module (a shop can apparently do that.)

So now, I need to remove the module (which is about $220) and have it tested, before I do anything else. The module can be unscrewed easily, but it is seating being the shaft (?) in the distributor.

How do I go about removing the control module inside the distributor (steps please)? (Do I remove the distributor or what?)

Another question, is there a range for doing continuity testing for the coil itself?
Q: What steps/tests do I take to make sure I can fix it, before I think it is more serious and I really have to take it in for the "experts" to look at?

Let me know all your thoughts, things you look for that will help me get this car going?

Thanks a lot again,
Joe.

PS. I will read the replies tomorrow.

[packrat427]

If it needs a disty , just post a [WTB] in the For sale forum .

You will be BIG money ahead by installing a good used one , rather than spending the BIG money on those little parts , and that may not be all of your problems .

[worfdog]

a rebuilt distributer is a lot cheaper than buying the module.they can be gotten for around $150.00 to $175.00.

[WmWatt]

You can take the ICM out of the distributor on the car. I'm looking at a junkyard distrubutor for a carb'd '89 as I type. Unscrew the cap, pop the rotor and plastic shield, and you'll see the screw holding on the ICM. Make a drawing showing where the different coloured wires go before removing it so you'll know where they go when you put it back. When putting it back bed it in some dielectric heat transfer grease, the same stuff they use to bed the CPU in your computer, for sale cheap (I paid $1) at electronics stores except Circuit City (Radio Shack) where it is very expensive. For more info on the ICM go to www.ncf.ca/~ag384/top.htm and click on "Cars". The advice to buy a rebuilt distributor is good because the ICM in a junkyard one might be no good and they don't give refunds on electronics components, which I why I have this spare one. P.S. Save the reciept for any new ICM as it's guaranteed for 5 yr or 50k km whichever comes first. Good luck.

[freshtiva]

Here is a picture of the ICM at the bottom. There are a couple of members here who have a dist. they might sell you. I was in the market last week. I think Quickslick444 and MTBOX had some. Sorry if I didnt get the user names exact. ops: Im bad with names.

[joeydoey]

Thanks guys! I am back after some time off (have not touched the car since then). In the picture, I need to take off the round donut piece (at the top left of the picture next to the screw). This piece is at the top of the dist. shaft and seems to be blocking the module. How do I take it off?

Thanks,
Joe

[freshtiva]

[Pu241]

Me thinks you are jumping the gun.
Replace the spark plug wires first.
You can't tell by how they look as to whether or not they are any good!
20-$25 for a good set which if you don't know how old they are need to be changed anyway!
much cheaper than a new distributor or module and much easier to find at a McParts place!