I need the Festiva gods here!

[Festiva4SHO]

Hey, im looking at purchasing a 91 Festiva GL from someone and it has a major problem...NO START!!! I replaced the Fusible link labeled main already as the car had no power without that, and now im onto a fuel problem, i think...So far I know the fuel pump and filter are both good, it has fuel pressure up through the filter. Also when I removed the air intake I noticed that it will stay running as long as I spray starting fluid in it, once it burns that up, it dies. Im wondering if its an injector problem, so I guess I really only have 2 questions. First, what do the EGI and HEAD fusible links control, and secondly is there a fuse or something electrical that I can check that may have gone bad causing the injectors not to fire? Any help is GREATLY appreciated. Thanks!

[fastivaca]

On the drivers side rear shock tower, under a little cover, there's a fuel cut off that may have been tripped. Just push it back down and see if that helps.

Good luck

[Festiva4SHO]

On the drivers side rear shock tower, under a little cover, there's a fuel cut off that may have been tripped. Just push it back down and see if that helps.

Good luck

Oops Im sorry I forgot to add that. I checked that aswell, and that switch hasnt been tripped. Thanks for the idea tho!

[Festiva4SHO]

Ne1?

[jglutz]

Stay running with starting fluid ....that's a good thing....most likely not an ignition problem.

Could be fuel / air flow related....I would go after diagnosing the inlet air circuit first...it's easier.

The cover of the air filter where you sprayed the fluid has a paddle the moves to measure inlet air flow (VAF) does the paddle inside move freely and spring back into the closed position?

Are all of the air ducts and hoses between the VAF and the throttle bdy intact?.....no leaks?

Back the idle screw out a full turn. the screw is located under a plastic plug....front top right of the throttle body.

There is an air hose that leaves the right side of the plastic duct prior to the throttle and travels over the dist down to the intake manifold, driver side. From this device ISC, Idle Speed Control) a hose goes to the inle air plenum. Disconnect the forst hos from the ISC and connect it to the inlet air plenum, thus jumping out the ISC.

Couple of comments...if one fusible link was bad....the other's are probalbly in bad shape. Also Fuel injectors are pretty robust....not very common that the go bad....maybe a little clogged...but not bad.

Best of luck

[Festiva4SHO]

Stay running with starting fluid ....that's a good thing....most likely not an ignition problem.

Could be fuel / air flow related....I would go after diagnosing the inlet air circuit first...it's easier.

The cover of the air filter where you sprayed the fluid has a paddle the moves to measure inlet air flow (VAF) does the paddle inside move freely and spring back into the closed position?

Are all of the air ducts and hoses between the VAF and the throttle bdy intact?.....no leaks?

Back the idle screw out a full turn. the screw is located under a plastic plug....front top right of the throttle body.

There is an air hose that leaves the right side of the plastic duct prior to the throttle and travels over the dist down to the intake manifold, driver side. From this device ISC, Idle Speed Control) a hose goes to the inle air plenum. Disconnect the forst hos from the ISC and connect it to the inlet air plenum, thus jumping out the ISC.

Couple of comments...if one fusible link was bad....the other's are probalbly in bad shape. Also Fuel injectors are pretty robust....not very common that the go bad....maybe a little clogged...but not bad.

Best of luck

Thank you, I will check what you suggested. On a side note, I wasnt saying the injectors themselves were bad, I was asking if any of the fusible links powered the fuel injectors and told them when to spray. I really think it is a fuel problem. What do the HEAD and EGI fusible links do?

[Festiva4SHO]

Seriously nobody knows what those 3 fusible links on the drivers side strut tower brace labeled EGI, MAIN, and HEAD do???

[Festiva4SHO]

Well, I tried fixing those fuses but no go. It runs off of starting fluid and I suspect the fuel pump as the culprit. She wants $400 for it as it sits. I called Autozone and they tell me a new pump and pick up screen is like $175. I think im just gonna walk away from this one, I wanted a manual tranny anyway and this is auto...

[packrat427]

^^ Where are you located ??

I have never seen a new pump cost that much for a Festiva .
O'Reillys pumps were about $100.00 last time I bought 1 .

[scitzz]

An easy place to start when looking for a cause for NOT starting, is to pull a plug. Since it runs with ether, then you already know you have spark. Pull a plug, put it in the plug wire, and set it on a good ground. Have someone crank the engine, and look for fuel to spray out of the spark plug hole. Chances are you have no gas there. If that is the case, then yes, fuel delivery is your problem. You stated in your first post there was fuel to the filter, is it clogged?
Next, check for fuel at the fuel rail. There should be a fitting that has what looks like a valve stem cover(like on a tire) on it, unscrew the rubber cap, and the fitting looks kind of like the valve stem on your tire, with the little button in the middle(like a valve stem again). You can "borrow" a tester to check the pressure from most McParts stores to check it, or, very carefully press the stem to see if fuel sprays out, but BEWARE, if there is pressure at the rail, it can really spray! Watch out not to get gas in your eyes! If you have good pressure at the rail, then one or more injectors are not pulsing.
No pressure at the rail leads you to check the fuel filter. I suppose you can disconnect the line from the delivery side, and turn the key on. If gas flows, then replace the filter.
If you still have no fuel, then it is time to think about the pump, whether a blown fuse or a bad pump. The festiva has a testing circuit on it to make troubleshooting easier, search the site, the procedure has been posted a bunch. Also, an easy check to see if it is coming on, put a paper towel tube against the fuel fill after taking the gas cap off, and have a friend turn the key to the on position. You SHOULD here it hum for a couple of seconds, While this does not guarantee that the pump is working properly, if you hear it hum, it is getting power....However, at $175, that is a cheap pump, and the festy pump is a dream to replace, you don't have to remove the tank!
If you test like this, and discover more precisely where the problem lay, then peeps here can help you better.
Never discount Jglutz tests, either!(not saying you did!) He is a sharp tack...
Oh, yeah, if you do not get gas from one plug, but do have pressure at the fuel rail, check the other cylinders. If all are dead, then there is an electrical problem(most likely), but if one or 2 are dead, then the injectors themselves are bad.
Also, you should post in your profile where you are, there may be a member near that can help you. If you do give up on the car, I bet someone here would love to get it for $400, and try to fix it themselves! I would!
Let us know what you find out!

[scitzz]

whoops, pack posted while I was typing(I am slow at that!) $100? Wow, that is cheap! I never had to replace mine, but fuel pumps here run in the 250 to 400 range...

[Festiva4SHO]

Im thinking that the pump is working, just not putting out enough pressure, (I think its a weak pump) Yesterday it just cranked and cranked so we shot starting fluid into the throttle body and had it running on that for like 20 seconds. With the help of the fluid we got it to fire and it sat and idled for about a half hour! However, as soon as you shut the car off (even right after it ran) it will not want to start. Another odd thing is that when its running, if you try to give it gas, it wants to choke out and die. I've spent the last 3 days trying to get this thing going, but its giving me alot of problems...btw im in Findlay, OH.

[elcamino1]

You need to be careful using starting fluid!

[Levitan]

You need to be careful using starting fluid!

Brake cleaner is a safer option. We used it on Maude. Worked great and is less apt to "lock up" is the term my buddy Kujo used. He told me real bad things can happen with starting fluid.

[packrat427]

I always keep a new pump in my car at all times :p:p
I have had 2 go bad in 4 years .

It done the same thing , it started but bogged when I cracked it off idle , then it would die , then it just quit all together , and would not even start.