festiva Really Getting Bad !!!!!!!!!!!

[dwamare]

:shock: Ok First of all i have a 93 festiva with 200,000 + kms on it.A while ago it started to surge when in first gear (automatic) before it shifted to second ( did not do it all the time only intermittently). Now it is doing it fairly regularily ( but not always),and it now seems to semi stall (not totally die )when criusing at hi-way speeds (once again intermittently). Also it sometimes will not idle but stalls(also intermittently). Motor temp seems to make no differance or air temp. Anyone have any ideas????? Thanks in advance for any and all help. :shock:

[93 FordFestiva93]

i would check all connections, vacuum and electrical, check tranny fluid, run compression test basically give it a physical. Don't forget to have it turn its wheels to the left and cough.

[scitzz]

Don't forget to have it turn its wheels to the left and cough.

:laughing3: :laughing3: :laughing3: :laughing3:

I have had a few cars do this that were autos, turned out to be the TPS, Throttle Position Sensor.... might be worth checking.

[IL4Festiva]

check your air intake for cracks, breaks or anything, spray a solvent over the area it will show more clearly. this might not be your problem, air temperature usually has an effect on the problem.

[dwamare]

Thanks lots Guys Will check it out.

[jglutz]

Instead of coughing...I once had a nice pretty doctor say turn you head and say one-hundred.....so I said...one....two...three...four....she didn't find it as amusing as I did

[scitzz]

Oh, now thats a great one!

[dwamare]

Ok replaced the TPS have got a new fuel filter (not put on yet). According to what i have read to set the TPS you should have a reading of .50 to 1.0 volts at idle (on the SIG wire to GND wires). then go to 4.0 to 5.0 volts at full throttle> I do get around.60 volts at idle but jumps to 11.0 volts when i touch the throttle. I know this is wierd cause i am getting the correct 5.0 volts from the referance terminal. Adjusting the TPS position makes no dfference in the SIG to GND voltage. This is a new piece (118.00) so it should be good but is it possible i got a bad one??? Any ideas????

[scitzz]

Whooaaa, slow down Nelly, diagnose first, then replace!

I have had a few cars do this that were autos, turned out to be the TPS, Throttle Position Sensor.... might be worth checking.

Operational word is checking! I pray that you tested the old TPS before replacing, I am sorry if I misled you! I did sort pull that one out of my hindquarters, it has happened in the past that the TPS caused those problems...I hope you checked the old one out first. If not, check it out. If the old TPS tests the same, it may be good, clean up the new one, don't take it back just yet, but be ready to, and be ready to be convincing that you have never installed it
Other things that can cause these problems, and should be checked:
Vacuum leak can cause all 3 problems, test intake, intake manifold, and fuel injection system.
leaking EGR valve,or other emission system components can cause all 3.
not getting proper fuel pressure can cause all 3 problems.

http://www.fordfestiva.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=10488

That is a sticky for vacuum diagnosing.
Also, spraying carb cleaner on vacuum lines with the engine running. If it is sucking air, it sucks in the cleaner, and tries to kill the engine.
If you have the fuel filter already, go ahead and replace it, it is good maintenance. If you still have the problem, get a "borrow me " gauge from autozone, and check the fuel pressure at the rail.

Also, carefully check the intake tube that runs from the air cleaner to the engine for cracks, someone on here recently discovered a crack on the bottom of his, I think he was having similar problems...

Check first, come back, ask lots of questions. FB71 is a GREAT source of info, as well as Jglutz, to name just a couple of bright guys on this site,many more out there.......for that matter, IL4Festiva, and 93 FordFestiva93 gave great advice already....

Hope this helps, and good luck!

[Glease]

Or take a propane torch, open the valve and run it down the vacuum lines, if the engine speed up, you found your leak.

Obviously don't light the torch, lol.

[scitzz]

Obviously don't light the torch, lol.

LMAO!!!!

Wow, that is one I hadn't thought or heard of, I need to give that a try......

[Glease]

I thought it sounded slightly dangerous when I was finding my vacuum leak gremlin, but it actually worked for me.

[funky technician]

if your 3 spd is shifting funny, I can assure you its not you TPS, the 3spd in the festiva is vacume controled so the TPS doesn't come into play (thats y ther are no electrical plugs in it, just your shift lock plug), theres likely an in-properly seated ball inside your tranny valve body, my 3spd does all kinds of crazy things all the time, some times it works like new, sometimes it goes from 1st right into 3rd or it shifts fine into 2nd but slips and revs abit going into 3rd, (usually all this happens after a long, hard drive)but about 80% of the time it works great......oh and mine doesn't like being cold either :wink: . Have you ever had the tranny flushed/filter replaced?

[scitzz]

the 3spd in the festiva is vacume controled so the TPS doesn't come into play (thats y ther are no electrical plugs in it, just your shift lock plug),

Wasn't aware of that, I have NEVER looked under the hood of an auto festy ops:

The problem has been similar to a TPS in a few other cars, that was why I tossed out to check it....

[dwamare]

Latest update! Replaced TPS,Fuel Filter(looked like factory original so after 235,00 kms figured it should be replaced),and O2 sensor (was giving code for O2 sensor while driving down the highway-doesn't give that code anymore). Did the propane vacumn leak test but no change in motor speed. The car surges EXTREMLY bad when taking off but if you shift to second(manually...yes it's an automatic) it stops surging. It only seems to do it in first (no it's not a slipping trans). The wierd thing is it doesnt always do it.....every once in a while it doesn't surge. I have wiggled every possible wire under the hood to no effect. Also no code shows when it does this ( check engine light doesn't come on). No the tranny is not shifting wierd either.Any more idea's?????????? Thanks so far for all your input.