Smoke/steam on startup

[Mike McKown]

If you're getting rhythmic puffs of smoke out of the valve cover, I'd do a compression check.

With the engine idling and the PCV valve in place, there should be a slight vacuum at the oil fill cap opening. If you have excessive blowby, leaky engine seals or an inoperative PCV system, you won't have vacuum at the fill cap.

[Oren09]

Ok. I jacked up the car to do an oil change.
I have pictures of the exhaust in my photobucket:

http://pbckt.com/sL.8P4

In the one where I'm holding a piece, that said piece is loose and just sitting on the pipe. Is it a heat shield?
Also, the cat has a bit of rotational play. I didn't see any holes or anything rusted through. So I guess it's leaking where the downpipe meets the cat, as previously stated by someone in this thread.

Also, where do you find Festiva tires?
I took my car into Les Schwab to have the tires rotated because I couldn't break the lugs bolts loose, and they said the right front has steel belt showing through. I checked it and there are two specs of silver on the inner edge. Apparently the camber is waay off because both front tires are worn down on the inner side.
Anyway, they didn't have this size in stock. They said they could order it for $49/tire.
No idea what brand/model/or even size.
I looked online for 165/70SR-12 tires and found one model for $54 at Tire Rack.

[Pu241]

Yes,the piece you are holding is heat shield.
In the close-up of your down pipe to front cat converter connection, the driver-side 17mm nut/spring assembly appears to have soots from your exhaust.
Indicating a break in the connection.
Hold the cat converter in one hand and try and pull the down pipe away(toward the front of the car) with the other. That flange has failed on numerous of my festers.
That or the donut gasket has failed, but I've never had one of them go.

Wear on the inside of your tires is most likely failed ball joints.
I'd replace the Lower Control Arms, integrated ball joint, before I spent money on an alignment or put new tires on it.
Otherwise, they'll put it on the rack for an alignment and then tell you they can do it because your ball joints need to be replaced.

[freshtiva]

It looks like the plug in the first cylinder is loose in the video. Your missing some plumbing on your air intake too.

[Oren09]

If you're talking about the "acoustic chamber" or whatever it is, I removed it. I plugged the hole with a PVC pipe cap. I'm sure it's a good seal because I had to hammer it in and I feel no vacuum around it.

I'll check the plugs next time I go outside. My legs are pretty sore today; I'm limping on my left knee and right ankle. So I'm not in a big hurry to move...

[GenevaDirt]

My legs are pretty sore today; I'm limping on my left knee and right ankle. So I'm not in a big hurry to move...

well hell....if you are walking on your knee and ankle and it hurts....I would stop walking that way. You may try your feet...I find them the best to use when trying to walk.

J/K

[Oren09]

Butthole...
Lol.. j/k


Anyway, good call on the spark plug. It took no force at all to remove it.
The others are fine.

I have more questions/problems:
(Sorry if I ask too many, or if they're really simple, but I like to make sure I'm doing things right. I figure this forum is a good place to bounce questions/ideas off of Festiva experts.)
Ok, first, the passenger door:

The handle is loose and hanging. Will a screw fix it? (See, simple, just want to make sure nothing's hiding back there I should know about)
Second, the window crank is broken off. I have the crank still. Can it be glued back, or would you recommend a junkyard part? How hard will it be to remove the broken part still in the door?

Now for something a bit more tricky:
My gas gauge stops working at 1/2. I just put 7.8 gallons in and it's been at 1/2 for a few days now. It ran out of gas at half when someone else was driving it.
I pulled the sending unit and it works perfect out of the tank. It moves to full, half, and empty. There are no obstructions in the tank, either. I cleaned the contacts and sending unit ground.

[freshtiva]

Anyway, good call on the spark plug. It took no force at all to remove it.
The others are fine.


Ok, first, the passenger door:

The handle is loose and hanging. Will a screw fix it? (See, simple, just want to make sure nothing's hiding back there I should know about)
Second, the window crank is broken off. I have the crank still. Can it be glued back, or would you recommend a junkyard part? How hard will it be to remove the broken part still in the door?

There is suppose to be a screw in the handle, Ive got at least two dozen window cranks if you need one.

I thought that plug wire was jumping around.

[Oren09]

Right then. I'll get a screw at ACE tomorrow.

How much do you want for a crank handle with shipping?

[freshtiva]

Right then. I'll get a screw at ACE tomorrow.

How much do you want for a crank handle with shipping?

Just pm me your addy. It might be a special screw for the handle. Might take the one from the other side for comparison.