Project: Get my car Driving Again.

[collegeboi]

Ok. you guys should know the problem I am Having with my Festiva. It is stalling very bad now.

Now it even stalls when in neutral (4speed carb) [Might be a clue]

Now I realize it could be anything from as simple to a loose ground to devestating like the transmision.

Yesterday I looked under the hood and well, Its very dirty and most of the wiring/ connectors are covered in grease ( will add pics) so thats where I am starting.

Heres my plan.

1. Check/ clean all wiring in engine bay ( would just a basic rag/ paper towel do it?)
2. Check for vacuum leak *thnx 25horseplay (wear do i spray the carb cleaner exactly)

Worst case scenario!
1 Its either the trans or clutch. If it is, will have to find another car.
**** I dont feel like it could be the trans/ clutch because the car only has 83,xxxx miles and i did do a trans fluid change a few months back.


Any advice on my plan, please lmk.
Will be working on it today.

[gotrootdude]

There's transmissions for sale close to me (4 hrs). One manual , two auto. $125 each.

http://charlotte.craigslist.org/pts/778759033.html

and

http://greensboro.craigslist.org/pts/778766952.html

Hell, I thought about picking up a spare at this price.

Doubt it's the trans though. Probably a vacuum leak or bad ground. (check the small hose behind the engine almost directly across and centered from where the heater hoses go into the cab wall, make sure it's not crimped. We left this unhooked by accident when replacing the heater hoses and had the same symptoms from it.)

[MeeMo]

Didn't see anyone suggest fuel filter. I had a Cutlass that started and idled fine, could rev it up, but when you tried to drive it it would stall out. Turned out to be the fuel filter.

[Ogrestiva]

The fact is that it could be alot of things, but your starting in the right place...the small stuff! Keep working on it, I think you just need to keep fidgeting with it until you figure it out. now it sounds like it might just be an airflow or fuelflow problem, but manual transmissions are alot easier to replace. I plan on replacing mine and from what I hear it takes about 6hr if you don't know what your doing, so don't give up.

[25Horseplay]

I doubt your trans is bad and even if it was it shouldn't cause your car to stall when in neuteral.

[Handyman]

I started with some engine cleaner. My son settled on "Formula 88" brand because the Festy is an "88. Then we went to
Fuel filter
plugs
wires
cap
rotor
Fuel pump(leaking)
O2 senser
carb rebuild
ICM (on order)
Next will be coil and timing belt.
Clutch will only get work after I get it to idle at 650 and run respectably.

[collegeboi]

Pictures

Update: Might be trans because for 10 minutes i ran it in neutral.

I tryed to clean all wires that was dirty but damn there was a lot.

Here are pictures.











^^^^^^ is this where i spray the carb cleaner, in the middle?????

^^^^^^ unplugged the temp sensor? so fan runs automaticcly

[Pu241]

Have you checked the fluid level since you changed transmisson fluid?
You did use ATX fluid, mercon III right?
Doesn't look too bad, most of that is from the valve cover gasket that is leaking.
Easy fix!
I'll put your money on a fuel filter failure!

[collegeboi]

i think i used napa brand, it said comparable to mercon III
yah gasket leak but my oil has the same level for months.

ok will change the fuel filter tommorow. thnx 4 the positive reinforcement :p.

[collegeboi]

Ok, i only changed the trans oil, so the furl filter is for the trans oil????

if so what brands are good.

[m715]

The two leads in the pictures.... did you have those disconnected, or were they like that before? I am trying to remember what the ?yellow? wire is for. The green goes to the cooling fan switch on the thermostat housing, and needs plugged back in.

Michael

[collegeboi]

yellow is the temp gauge, thats my next project. gonna try get a connector but dont know excatly whats its called and what it looks like.

[collegeboi]

Update: Napas dont stock the url filter and its 30$ as well.

Any fuel filter from other cars that work on the carb festiva?

[Ogrestiva]

easy to change, basically just unscrew I think, but I have a FI not carb so I don't know for sure. my truck is carbed though, and it was a simple unscrew and unplug from the fuel line then replace. I used a clear one so that I could see when it needs to be changed, but that is not necessary. but it does now seem to be a fuel/air problem. Either your not getting the right fuel-air ratio because the filter or line is clogged or the electronics aren't allowing the mixture to properly mix or get there.

[Pu241]

Ok, i only changed the trans oil, so the furl filter is for the trans oil????
if so what brands are good.

No, two concepts here.

One) just a good idea to check fuild level after driving it for a while even if "your positive" its at the right level.
If it was your tranny it would be making horrible metal on metal noises in gear by now and you'd know it was the tranny.
But would probably run at idle fine, in neutral.

Two) it doesn't idle, high probability it isn't geting spark or fuel.
I'm betting on fuel.
I base this on the fact that it progressively got worst over time?
Filter slowly clogging.
Normally, the correct fuel filter will run about $20.
But in HI everything is more expensive, multiply accordingly!
Believe, Genevadirt, use another "non-standard" filter and has had good service from it.
Ask him and he might elaborate!