Need some help

[Fordverde]

sure?? Mine is just like it and is an 89 carb

[FB71]

89EFI dizzy looks like a carbed unit, works the same, but the mechanical advance curve is different.

[Fordverde]

but why a carb dist in a FI car, it makes no sense to the vacuum advance to be there

[FB71]

but why a carb dist in a FI car, it makes no sense to the vacuum advance to be there

because the '89 EFI system did not have provisions in the ECM for electronic ignition advance. It controlled fuel ONLY. It is a unique system in the Festies, only offered in the '89 w/ auto trans.

[LauraZ]

Ok, I tried doing what you said, but still no closer to starting. I removed the distributor cap and re-located the rotor. It would only go on in two positions. Still nothing. The car had another brand new rotor in the glove box so I tried it too. It actually looks like it would go on there in three different positions, but try as I might, I couldn't get it on except in one direction. I took a couple of pics. The old rotor is the rounder one. The pic of the distributor/rotor is with the new rotor so that you could see the only position it will go on.

[hawg keeper]

Hello Laura, I hope this info may help with your troubleshooting your "no start" issue. I owned and 88 carb Festiva, it had a "cranks,but no start" issue too, left me and daughter stranded on cold night. Once I towed it home traced the problem to the ignition module located inside the distributor. Its under the rotor and under a plastic cover if I remember. They aren't cheap, but found one in junkyard for nothing, plugged it in,problem solved. Next time my 93, same issue, after thinking it was fuel pump, discovered it to be Volume Airflow Meter, sits on top of air cleaner box, big rubber hose from throttlebody goes to it, its aluminum housing etc. Anyway found one in junkyard as well, plugged in car fired up! These are only 2 issues I've ever had with these cars, and they were'nt too hard to troubleshoot with a Haynes or factory service manual. Hope this helps you.

[miami man]

i have two automatics and that sensor is not on my radiator

[Pu241]

hawg keeper could well have something regarding the ignition module, but that is a last resort!
Before we go in another round here.
you might want to put the battery on charge, with all the cranking it maybe getting weak.
If you can't get the rotor to move then rotate the spark-plug wires on the distributor.
We know you have the firing order correct now 1-3-4-2 CCW from the driver-side and top of the distributor.
Currently #1 is in the upper right corner.
Move it CCW one position (to were #2 is currently), keeping the order the same just shifting all the wires one position.
Now try to start it!
Once again you likely have to experiment with moving the distributor assembly CCW or CW to advance or retard the timing to get it were it needs to be.
Good luck!
Is it any closer to starting than it was when you began this morning this?

[Pu241]

i have two automatics and that sensor is not on my radiator

And what years would your ATX be?

[LauraZ]

Well, I moved the spark plug wires around, and it didn't even try to start. I mean, the starter would crank, but that's all. I moved the wires back to where they were, and it's back to trying to start again. Man, it comes sooo close to starting! But....close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.

The battery is new, but I will charge it tonight.

One of the many things that was loose was the cover over the timing belt. I took a peek and the belt looks brand new, but I'm wondering if they put in on correctly, with things lined up as they should be. I'm torn between checking that first, or removing the distributor to have it tested.

[Pu241]

This might help:

On the face of the head pulley there are two stamped lines 90° apart. At TDC they should be at the 12 and 3 o'clock positions, Aligning with marks cast in the cylinder head.

The crankshaft pulley has a notch that lines up at 12 o'clock with a mark on the oil pump casting.

From experience and other previous post....I know their are head pulleys out there that are stamped a tooth out. Do not be surprised if you have to rotate the dist all the way in one direction to get the car to idle. If so...move the timing belt one tooth in the direction you had to move the dist. This will bring the dist back to a normal position.

Joe's a great guy and might have insights into this issue, if we can bait him into this thread!

I just don't think it being off a single tooth would be enough to keep it from starting as you have a fair bit of compensation by moving the distributor itself.
I know you moved all the wires one position CCW, did you try 2 positions and or 3 (4 would obviously put you back where you started from)?
The other thing you can try is that if you can determine when the #1 cylinder is at Top Dead Center (TDC) then the rotor should be pointing at the post that the #1 spark-plug wire is attached too.
Too find when the #1 cylinder is at TDC will require removal of #1 spark-plug.
Please spray the plug base with PB-Blaster before trying to remove them. Cross threading a spark-plug makes for an unpleasant time.
Actually removing all the plug will make the next step easier
Rotate the engine by hand, via the crank pulley, with a straw (yes the plastic kind) in the #1 spark-plug hole. Watch for it to reach the top.
when it does check what spark plug wire the rotor is pointing to.
It should bet pointing to #1 or #3(I think)
If its pointing to #1 you've got TDC and should check the marks Joe is speaking of.
If it is pointing at #3, you need to rotate the crank one full revolution so that #1 is at TDC.

Someone correct me if I have the details wrong its been a long day!

[CharlieZ]

CharlieZ, I know you said it shouldn't prevent the car from starting, but what should I do with it? (be nice LOL) Just bunch it up and zip tie it to keep it out of the way? Laura Z

Last car I had with a radiator mounted sensor, it was only there to turn on/off the electric radiator fan.

I'm not sure what the function of the temp sensor in the Festiva radiator might be. So, I can't say it should be jumped, disconnected, or left connected and tied back. Does anyone know if it controls fuel delivery in a cold v.s. warm engine? Choke? Enrichment? Idle?

[Pu241]

LauraZ,

I've been on th road much of the day any progress?

[piratewilly]

I thin u still need to rotate the distributor to get it to start, i think when they told u to rotate it, it sounds like u pulled off the roter and tried to rotate it. If u need help i could probably come up this weeked and help u get it going! just call pm for number

[LauraZ]

Hi all. Sorry for not getting back to this thread until today. I had lots to do this past weekend.

Pu241, I was finally able to see how much spark I was getting (had to wait for a helper as I'm a big chicken and didn't want to fry myself) and I wasn't getting spark from two wires and the other two were weak yellow sparks. The spark is supposed to be a nice blue isn't it?

So I did some reading (uh oh, lol) and decided to test the ignition coil. The book I have said it's supposed to test at 0.8 to 1.5 ohms and it came in at 1.1 ohms. That should be ok, right?

I bought new spark plug wires and installed them yesterday. Tried to start it, and it acted like it wants to start, but then it made 3 metallic clanking sounds and I decided to stop until I can check the timing belt.

Piratewilly, thanks for offering to help. I didn't see your post until this morning. By the way, if you have a truck that can tow, I have a trailer that a festy will fit on. We used it to haul the festy in this thread to my house. If you need it to haul your new car, it's available. Just let me know.

It's raining up here today and the car is outside so I don't know if I'll get to mess with it today. I'll be sure to keep you all updated as I go along, but I really want to get the thing into the garage before doing anything else. The weather can get ugly here in a hurry.

Laura Z