The Saga of Mr. Clinton Festiva... Please help

[clintorino]

I know this may be a large post but I have no idea what to do. Please help me. My car was running great and then one day I got my oil changed with them changing one little “L” shaped thingy….and one day later it began hesitating. Every time I would push on the gas pedal more than half way, it would hesitate. Once in a while the check engine light would turn on for 20 seconds, and then turn off for like 5 or 10 minutes. Eventually I made it to work, but when I went to turn the car on after work, the battery was dead. i got a jump start and 5 minutes afterwards i had to turn the car off for gas. It restarted without any problems..but the hesitations continued. I got half way home and I noticed my turning signals were getting dimmer and when i revved the engine, my headlights would get brighter. So i turned off my lights, and I noticed that the car ran a lot smoother. I got about 1 block away from home, and the car turned off on me. I cleaned the battery terminals really good and I had a friend jump start me. I removed the battery cables from the battery to test if the alternator was holding the charge, and the car did not stall. I turned the car off and it restarted, no problem... but still hesitation when driving. I checked the fuses, and noticed that the fuse for the cigarette lighter was blown but had a little copper wire connecting the metal conductors "jumping" the fuse. Perhaps this is the problem? However, i do not use the cigarette lighter for anything, so it shouldn't short out? I do not know what to do or what is wrong with the car. Perhaps an electrical shortage or the Alternator is starting to fail or the battery is bad?
I had the battery recharged and checked out. The auto store said it VERY low. So the recharged it and I put it into the car and it started right up. I removed the battery cables and drove it a little and then all of a sudden, I heard a very fast clicking sound like my turning signals going haywire and then the car turned off. Anyone know which fuse controls your turning signals?? In regards to the battery going dead I believe this short is what is causing it and not the alternator because obviously the alternator is doing its job since it continues to run without being connected to the battery or isn’t it?

So in the meantime I have been working to solve this hesitation issue. I have been looking over my vacuum hoses and stuff the past 3 days and I haven’t found the problem. All of a sudden i have been experiencing a sudden high idle, to the point that i don’t even have to step on the gas when i put it into gear.. even when starting out in second gear...

Please let me know what you think about all of these issues. Also how much would you think it would cost if i took the car to a shop and had them try to find the problem?

[freshtiva]

L shaped thingy ???

"I removed the battery cables from the battery to test if the alternator was holding the charge, and the car did not stall"

^ Ive heard that is a bad idea.

[festivaWES]

update your location in your profile.

[Fez]

oil change places like to up-sell you on the PCV valve (kinda L shaped, just a guess!)........ Maybe they changed it and knocked off a vacuum line? or disturbed an electrical connection? I'd check all the hoses and connections if that's what they replaced.

[jglutz]

The hesitation sounds like the base timing is off...or....the VAF...if you have one...has an air leak or loose connector.

I would doubt the timing changed if all that was done was an oil change...maybe...as a coincidence...the the internals of the distributor became crudded up...pull the cap and clean the internal post with a piece of steel wool or the like...also the rotor.

If you have FI you...you also have a VAF...the air ducts most be sealed...no leaks...also the connector if loose wil case the fuel pump to cut out. Thou I would dobt this since the idle conditions would also be affected if the VAF was not performing properly.

Not a good idea to run the car without the battery connected...the voltage regulator will not be happy.

[FestYboy]

"I removed the battery cables from the battery to test if the alternator was holding the charge, and the car did not stall"

^ Ive heard that is a bad idea.

it IS a bad idea, it causes the alt to full field and can burn out the internals.

[clintorino]

Thank you for all your information. Here is some more info that may help you. What i have is a 89 manual festiva. My first concern was the draining of the battery. I thought it had a bad alternator, so first i had the battery checked and recharged... now its good. In the meantime i have started it with the battery and removed it to see if the alternator was holding the charge. And it has. Then i witness it short out, so i checked my fuses and discovered a jumped fuse (with copper wire), so i removed it. Since removing it, it hasn't shorted out or died on me. As i previously mentioned, it was hesitating a lot as if i was driving it in 4th gear when i was starting out and excellerating... HOWEVER, out of the blue now it has decided to idle pretty high and it isn't hesitating anymore. Today I drove it up a 9 story parking garage without a problem (as before i bet it would have not made it up the entrance ramp). Is there an adjustment i can make to the throttle or i should adjust the throttle and tend to another thing that is causing this. I am affraid the car will overheat due to it running so high... also i am noticing it is smoking a little more than usual. Thank you so much for the feedback guys

[FestYboy]

umm yeah, stop removing the battery while the car is running, you're gonna damage things (over voltage). if you want to test you're alternator for output, start the car and turn on EVERYTHING, then check you're voltage at the battery with a meter. if the alt is good, you should see more than 13.4v and it should stay steady. if not, a new alt may be in order. i say MAY because a battery in poor condition can make an alt look bad durring testing (i've seen this on several ocations).

[clintorino]

update your location in your profile.

Miami beach, FL

[Ogrestiva]

About the high rpm's(reving) I would say that you will need to have the idle adjusted. I had the idle and timing done on my car for under $20. also check the fuseable links under the hood. I had one get corroded and all the lights started acting crazy. there are different typs of fuses that you can get from any auto parts store there are pic's and part numbers on here just search for "fuseable links".

[WmWatt]

Sounds like someone was plugging something into the cigarette lighter that drew too much power and burned the fuse, then bypassed the fuse to keep running whatever it was. The fuse is there to protect electrical components. There is a chance something overheated as a result and was damaged. I can't remember how the cigarette lighter is wired into the rest of the car but it might be always hot so emergency things can be plugged into it. Someone here will know more about it. Good luck.

BTW be careful when cleaning the distributor cap as the contacts have a a thin platinum coating which you don't want to rub off with abrasives, just use a rag. I ruined one that way because I was used to cleaning the old brass or copper contacts with sandpaper.

[Pu241]

BTW be careful when cleaning the distributor cap as the contacts have a a thin platinum coating which you don't want to rub off with abrasives, just use a rag. I ruined one that way because I was used to cleaning the old brass or copper contacts with sandpaper.

Uh, not on the ones I've seen!
The contacts are all aluminum surface to core of the contact.
Why would they Pt plate an already electrically conductive part?
Heck, could have gold plated it cheaper.
I use 400 grit sand paper or a stainless steel wire wheel on a dremel to clean off the corrosion caused by the spark jumping the gap between rotor and wire contactor.
The spark generates ozone which eats metal alive, especially in a humid environment.
Never had an issue.
Seems to slightly smooth out the idle, but could just be my imagination.
The distributor cap contact do get crudded up so cleaning them is a good idea.

[clintorino]

so, today i took off my distributer cap and noticed nothing was corroded or flawed... i even took out each of the ends and wiped them clean. Started the car up, No change in performance. Still idling high. Its not super explosion high, but a lot higher than normal. Then when i turned it off, it continued to run for almost 3 or 4 seconds... hmmmmmmmmmmm

I also tried to get the fan to work, i unplugged a wire located on the right side of the radiator, no response. Then I ran it for about 15 minutes.. no response. I even unplugged another wire close to the first one (which looked like it could be connected to the fan... No dice....Perhaps i am unhooking the wrong wire? My main concern is I am affraid i will get caught up in some traffic and the car will over heat since running so high... plus without a fan drawing the heat from the engine...makes me a little nervous


Let me know what you think. I really appreciate everyone's efforts. Thanks so much guys

Clinton

[Fez]

So what was the L shaped thingy they replaced? I still think you may have a loose vacuum hose which could be causing the high idle. Just my opinion!

[Mike McKown]

Still idling high. Its not super explosion high, but a lot higher than normal. Then when i turned it off, it continued to run for almost 3 or 4 seconds... hmmmmmmmmmmm

I also tried to get the fan to work, i unplugged a wire located on the right side of the radiator, no response. Then I ran it for about 15 minutes.. no response. I even unplugged another wire close to the first one (which looked like it could be connected to the fan... No dice....Perhaps i am unhooking the wrong wire?

If you get engine "run on" after the ignition is switched off, that's an indication your throttle plate is open and is allowing fuel to be drawn into the engine and being ignited by a hot combustion chamber. Find out what is holding your throttle open and you may fix your fast idle and your run on problem.

The fan temperature control switch is on the thermostat housing, just behind the top radiator hose connection. Unhook the hardshell from the switch and the fan should turn on with the key "on".