90 Festiva starts for a second then stalls

[jules083]

I've been messing with my car and can't figure out the problem, hopefully someone here can help me. It's a 1990 Festiva 5 speed. When I bought the car it would die if there was less than 1/2 tank of gas in it. I never messed with it, I just got gas early every time.

About 2 months ago it started cutting out on the highway and going up long hills. Would start missing real bad and lose almost all power. I started running fuel injector cleaner in it and it seemed to help for a few days, then it wouldn't start one morning. When you try to start it it runs for a second or so then dies. I haven't checked much yet, it's cold outside and I really don't want to be under it all day without knowing what to look for. Any ideas? Thanks.

[Pu241]

Welcome!

A little searching and you'd have found Claude's post concerning the same thing not long ago.

http://www.fordfestiva.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25925

Cheapest thing to do is open the drain bolt on the fuel tank, after spraying it with some BP-Blaster.
See what comes out.
My guess is accumulated crud is blocking off the pickup filter.

Give some though to adding your location to your profile as someone in your area may be in the area and can help you with this.

Go to User CP (top of the Page in the blue bar)
Control Panel(left side of screen)
Edit Profile-scroll to bottom of page to location.

[batstiva]

I suspect you have a deteriorating pick up tube on your fuel pump assembly.
The pump is accessed by flipping up the backseat, pealing back the carpet, and you will see the access point for the fuel pump. Here's a thread that might help you. Also, wouldn't hurt to put your location in you profile. Someone nearby might be able to give you a hand.

http://www.fordfestiva.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25925

Pu241, ya beat me to it.

[jules083]

Alright I'll go pull the pump and have a look. Seems like an easy enough job. I'll be back on here in a bit.

[eurotiva]

I'm not saying it's not the above, but a simple test of another culprit is....pull the vacuum line off of the fuel pressure regulator, and smell it. If you smell fuel in the line then the diaphragm has gone bad. It will stall out if it's bad like you are describing. Simple check. I've seen a few go bad with all the ethanol that's in the gas these days.

[Pu241]

Alright I'll go pull the pump and have a look. Seems like an easy enough job. I'll be back on here in a bit.

Opening the drain bolt on the tank is much easier and faster.

If were home I'm 15 miles from you and we could give this car a once over pretty quick!
Might be there next week, maybe you, 91dime, and I could get together!

[JPT]

This is unrelated to the fuel issue, but starting for a second and then dying can also be caused by an air leak in your intake. Check between the VAF and the throttle body. I'm not saying this is your problem, just something to check while you're under the hood.

[jules083]

Still haven't got it out yet. Making progress, I went and looked at it. I don't want to pull the drain bolt if I can help it, the tank's full and I can't really fit under the car anyways. might have to though. I'm going back outside now. Where's that vacuum line at? I tried looking for a diagram, I can't find one. I need to just go buy the manual and be done with it. PU241, sounds good to me. Hopefully i'll be running by then. Might have to hit the bars up with the festiva's.

[jules083]

Alright, it has to be crud in the tank. I took the top line off and tried to start the car to see if it was pumping and it was. I then put the line back on and the car started right up. I'm going to go out and drain the tank, pull the pump out and clean out the strainer on the bottom. I looked for an intake leak and couldn't see anything. What's a good cleaner I could use in the tank? I'm planning on taking a rag and wiping out the inside as best I can, I don't really know of any other way to do it.

[jules083]

Got it. The inside of the tank was pretty clean except for the dead mouse I pulled out that was right under the pump. I have no idea how a mouse could get in a gas tank. Runs good now though.

[wybnrml]

Might want to do some investigating to see if there are any holes that the mouse could of went through, like maybe the rubber inlet hose for the tank.

[JPT]

Got it. The inside of the tank was pretty clean except for the dead mouse I pulled out that was right under the pump. I have no idea how a mouse could get in a gas tank. Runs good now though.

When I got mine, it was full of mice in every single place you could think of (I still find reminders), but the gas tank? Even if there were no cap, what would make a mouse want to climb in there?

Anyway, glad you got it running.

[jules083]

I have no idea how it got in there. I didn't see any holes or anything. Best I can figure is the previous owner had it out and the mouse got in then and has been inside ever since. There's been some shoddy repair work that I've had to re-fix so I wouldn't be suprised if he left it sit with the fuel pump out for a while.

[batstiva]

A mouse in the gas tank?? And I thought I had critter problems.
It might be best if you and I never go junk yarding together.

Kidding, tho it does sound like we have about the same luck with the animal kingdom.

[TominMO]

A mouse in the gas tank?? And I thought I had critter problems.
It might be best if you and I never go junk yarding together.

Kidding, tho it does sound like we have about the same luck with the animal kingdom.

The mouse in the gas tank didn't bite him.