Question about idle issue(s) on 88 L 4-spd. carb. model

[festyxfi]

Hello Fellow Festy fans,

The weather has finally broke here in Mn. enough for me to climb out of the snow bank and fix that idle issue on the black (okay, charcole grey) 88 festy I bought a couple months ago. I would like to explain as best as I can what it's doing, so I have the best approach as to what to fix.

The car will easily start, even when cold, but pedal needs to be feathered, once it starts, it will rev up high, and will continue to stay running as long as you feather the pedal (it will run down the road no problem, and even get 45mpg. I even drove it from Idaho after buying it) but as soon as you let off the pedal, it will slowly die. I've noticed that once it's warm and has run for awhile, it will idle high, but eventually it will die again.

My gut tells me it's: choke? Massive vacuum leak (perhaps at the base?) a hose, or hoses have cracked or broken?

The young couple I bought it from most likely was monkeying around under there.

I do have a blue 88 daily driver that runs excellent parked next to it for reference.

Any advice and/or places to begin will be much appreciated.

Thanks ya'll, Brenton

[FestYboy]

sounds like fuel pressure (lack there of) to me...

[88festiva1.3l]

adjust idle and chec your timing how many miles and check if carb is flowing enough gas if pressure is not uptained u might need a new fuel pump also check fuel filter located under brake booster box check to see if it black then change its like $4.00 for a fuel filter i have an 88 i'm working on now that has all the above while your under the hood check your Ported Vacuum Switch under the throttle body if the filters on these are black when u take the cap off of them then u need to replace of if u c it broken like i have so yeah u can tell i have done alot to my festiva 88 l

[festyxfi]

all very helpful guys, thanks a bunch for this. I'm on it today, and I'll post finding asap. Brenton

[scitzz]

An easy way to look for a vacuum leak is with carb cleaner, if you suspect the base, spray some there while engine is running, if it tries to die, that is where you are sucking air

[88festiva1.3l]

well usually is mean bad tps i have carb parts coming in soon for 88 gota another parts car from craigslist.com

[festyxfi]

Q: what is a "TPS" again?

[88festiva1.3l]

throttle position sensor

[25Horseplay]

Carbed cars don't have a TPS.

[festyxfi]

I sprayed carb. cleaner while my wife kept it running, no change, I'm switching out the fuel filter now, but the old one looks fine. Should I check the fuel pump next? All the vacuum lines look in place. My manual unfortunately is for 93 (EFI) so much of what I need is missing. Any more ideas? Thanks, Brenton

[festyxfi]

Got dark on me, here's what I did today. Replaced the fuel filter, major improvement (stays running now) sprayed around the base of the carb, it revs up when I do it. So I pulled the carb, the black "spacer" (as auto zone is calling it) is now in two pieces (I broke it while taking it off) I'm pretty sure it was already faulty. Auto zone had on their computer two seperate gasket/spacers, both cheap, so I ordered both (here Tues.) though I'm not sure exactly if they are the same one I broke since my manual is nearly useless in this particular job (and AZ's computer didn't have pics)

Here's my best discription of it: Black, with a metal peice that settles down into the intake. It has two wires plugging into the back of it (though these don't seem to want to come off, I haven't traced them down to see if there's a plug further down the line yet) it's about 1/4th to 1/2 inch thick.

Festy experts, please tell me this is an easy part to replace (and I ordered the right one from AZ) and isn't some "oh, you broke THAT thing! too bad, they come from Ford, or Kia, and cost big bucks."

last quick question: The white turn knob on the back, left side of the carb (when standing in front of the festy) what is that? Seems to have something to do with idle? But the idle screw is on the other side, correct?

I wish I had the right manual...heading over to eBay now.

I can post pics if this still doesn't solve the mystery.

thanks ya'll! Brenton

[worfdog]

do'nt know about the carb parts but the white knob you are talking about is the idle adjustment.

[festyxfi]

Hello again,

okay, here's a quick pic I took tonight. It's turned 180 from how it sits between the carb. and the intake. It's also missing a chunk.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7182626@N05/2305944115/

What's it called!...

PS: Someone sell me an 89 service manual!

Brenton

[scitzz]

Looks like your problem to me! I would hope that AZ gets it right, depends on who you were dealing with, in mcparts, I always try to get an old guy to wait on me if I can, they generally know more, or if they don't they do not try to fill you full of BS. Never having removed a carb on a festy, I am not too sure, but I believe that spacer should be pliable, so if it broke, it was prolly alreadt bad, IMO. Chances are really good that that is where you were sucking air.

[festyxfi]

Well it certainly wasn't pliable. It feels like hardened plastic (did it start out as rubber'ish?)

Q: Does that metal center piece remove from the black "spacer? or come with the new part from Autozone?

I realize this thread reeks of a helpless newbie, I''ve been working on metros for too long...

My driver festy never gives me a lick of trouble, I guess that's why it's my driver.

Seriously, thanks for the help guys.

Brenton