91 Festiva No Spark

[Pu241]

You do not have a MAF you have a VAF.
I'd say you have something else wrong.
On a normally operating festiva if you disconnect the VAF it will start and then shutdown in 3 to seconds.
It will not idle.
But your VAF could be part of the problem, swap it out with a known good unit if you can.

[Illogical]

Care to explain the difference between a VAF and MAF? All the parts stores showed it as a Mass Air Flow sensor...what's a VAF do? And it would only run if you hit the gas, but as soon as you let off at all it would die. But if you plugged it in, it would crank but not start.

[Pu241]

^^^ I can go one better, I found this with a quick search:

http://www.fordfestiva.com/forums/showpost.php?p=199404&postcount=20

Funny how many "gearheads" don't bother with the electronics end of a engine, when that's what make it work anymore.

As I previously said, a normally function VAF, when unplugged, will let the car start, but will shut down within 3-5 seconds.
So you have a malfunctioning VAF.
I suspect someone jumper-ed the switch in the VAF that permits the fuel pump to run only when air is drawn past the spring loaded Vane.
Just a guess!
And since you haven't bothered to add your location to your profile, I don't know if anyone is close enough to you that they could lend you a known good VAF.

[Illogical]

New "VAF" fixed it. Thanks everybody for your help.

[sanjeet]

With electrical problems it usually pay's to look for simple faults first, so what I am suggesting is checking you do have volts at the coil when the key is turned on, check the terminals for corrosion and make sure all the wiring connectors are where they should be.

I agree the most common fault is the module, but a faulty earth connection will do the same

basically the module switches off the the coil to give a spark and then turns the coil back on, the circuit also has a condenser (radio interference capacitor) that can short out, I've checked my 1992 carburettor Festy and their is a condenser mounted on the Dizzy, this is a cheap part to replace but it must be the correct value.

With a limited knowledge of electricity it is a little difficult but hopefully you can find a simple solution and you are going to learn heaps anyway and it's good to have a go your self, years ago I had a Vauxhall (GM) and the distributor key had snapped off meaning the rotor was not turning, so check all that stuff.....and good luck

[V8Festiva]

New "VAF" fixed it. Thanks everybody for your help.

Great that you got it fixed.

If you have any other problems, just e-mail me.

I have some left over stock parts from my swapped cars at no cost to you.




Dean
Raleigh, NC