1990 Ford Festiva, Many Issues

[Pats9917]

Alright, I bought a 1990 Ford Festiva

First off, it has a problem with cylinders 2 and 3 were missing, I think it is mostly corrected. It still backfires when you slow down at times so I advanced the timing and it got quite a bit better but still backfires at times. The oil was just changed and smells like gasoline again because it is obviously running too rich.

Today, I was driving it down a country road and I got to the top of a hill and as I was coming down, the engine just stopped. It was like someone pulled the key out. I put it in neutral and rolled to a stop. We disconnected the fuel line between the filter and the engine and tried to crank it, the battery and starter cranked fine but it didn't even attempt to start and no fuel came out of the line. I changed the fuel pump but it didn't help.
My best guess is a relay or the inertia switch...I do not know where either is located...

Any help on these problems is very much appreciated.

Thanks

[collegeboi]

An introduction would be a better 1st post with pictures . Just kidding. This sounds like one for the pros, sorry I cant help ya.

[festiva351w]

if i remember correctly the intertia switch is on the drivers side, in the rear near the shock tower, assesible from inside the hatch storage area

[perucho]

Why would running rich make your oil smell like gas?

[JohnGunn]

Welcome. I can't imagine a better place for you to come with Festiva problems save for one. Amazon.com. There you will be able to find a Haynes manual for Ford Festiva and Aspire. If you have that both your problem and ours in helping you with yours will be immeasurably simplified. None of the things you have done would be among the things I might suggest you try.

For instance you seemed to be convinced that you problem is related to the fuel delivery system. I would be interested in what gave you that idea. Maybe you're right, but when an engine suddenly stops running I don't first think it's starved for fuel. I would tend to suspect some failure in the ignition system.

You can check to see if the problem is fuel starvation, but spraying some carb cleaner into one of the hoses leading to the plenum, e.g. the hose that comes from the brake booster. Spray a few seconds of the cleaner into the hole where the hose is attached and replace the hose. Then try and start the engine. If it fires the carb cleaner, then you may well be right to have suspected the fuel system. If that doesn't help, you have been wasting your time working on that assumption.

So, do that test and report back what happens. That will give us all some useful information with which to work. Oh, and by the way, did I mention getting a manual?

John Gunn
Coronado, CA

[Pats9917]

A step ahead of you. It runs on starting fluid

[Papabug]

Check the plug on the MAF / VAF (never can remember which one it's called) Also check for vacuum leaks. There is a fuel pump start/stop switch inside the MAF / VAF that is activated by the vacuum cause buy a running engine. If you have a loss of vacuum this switch will remain in the off position and the fuel pump will not run.

Hope this helps

[scitzz]

If it fires the carb cleaner,



John Gunn
Coronado, CA

OK, I have to be misunderstanding what you are saying here. I have used carb cleaner in the past to check for vacuum leaks, with engine running, because the carb cleaner tries to kill the engine.....

What do you mean fires the carb cleaner?

Or did you mean to say Ether?

[Team Lightning]

Welcome, Might want to add your location to your profile. There could be a fefllow member close by that could help.
Couple of ideas:
Did you check for gas flow before the filter? Filter could be the plugged up.
Make sure that you don't have a leak in the VAF hose/pipe going to the engine/Throttle body.
This can cause it to quit running as the above member stated. (I found out the hard way
when mine came loose and it quit in the middle of the road).

[scitzz]

Quick thought, he played with the timing and got some improvement, and it runs on starting fluid......

Pull a spark plug out, remove the coil wire, and have a friend crank the starter for a few seconds, whilst holding a finger next to the hole for the plug. See if gas is coming out.

IF so, check the timing marks on the crank and camshaft sprocket, see if they all line up, it MIGHT be that the timing belt has slipped, or was never installed properly....

That would allow gas into the crankcase, since the valves would still be slightly open at the wrong time, as well.

Cylinders 2 and three might have been missing because the plug was firing BEFORE the gas, rather than during or after it was injected....

And it can cause backfiring!

To check timing marks, if you don;t know how, consult the manual you bought, like JG suggested Or search, or ask here, or PM me !

[Pats9917]

looks like the problem is the MAF...it actually looks like it may be the root of all my problems. We will see. When the MAF is unplugged, the fuel pump actually buzzes.

[JohnGunn]

OK, I have to be misunderstanding what you are saying here. I have used carb cleaner in the past to check for vacuum leaks, with engine running, because the carb cleaner tries to kill the engine.....

What do you mean fires the carb cleaner?

Or did you mean to say Ether?

Sorry for the delay in responding. I thought I was subscribed to this thread.

The misunderstanding may be on my part. I have read the suggestion to test for vacuum leaks by spraying connections with carb cleaner. But I thought if there was a leak it would cause the engine to speed up, not die.

I've used this technique before, but never found a vacuum leak, so I don't know from my own experience what should happen when carb cleaner is injected into an engine. Maybe I should have suggested using starting fluid instead. I'm happy to be corrected on something this fundamental.

John Gunn
Coronado, CA