89 carbed Festiva, light spark

[hand101]

Hello everyone. I just bought my first Festiva. 1989 carbed L.

Here is my problem. It ran fine, then while I was working on it while it was running, just testing and looking at a few things, it died. Would not restart. I wondered if maybe tarnished up gas as the car had sat for awhile. put some gas I had in garage for mowers etc. it still would not start. kept cranking off and on then it started to fire. would fire but not start. pumped gas a few times and started but rough. then died. then started and ran ok for quite awhile. Tarnished gas maybe. put some carb/injector cleaner in it along with some sea foam later. done for the night.

went out this morning and car fired right up and ran great. was working on breaks so finished them. had wife help with bleeding breaks, car running. then it sputtered and died. started back up 2-3 times again.

now will not start. replaced rotor. cap is on order as parts store here carrys very LITTLE parts. been testing everything.
seems to have very strong spark out of coil
seems to have very strong spark out of wire from coil to cap at the cap end.
checked plug spark. seems like the spark is very faint as same as testing just the plug wire. also tested out of cap, same thing, light spark.
tester: test light on wire ends, holding other end to grounded body panel or valve cover.

if cap does not work any other ideas? as i wont know untill i get off work tomarrow, get part and try. if not to tired. work 12 hr days and starting a 7 day work week.

have checked "fuseable links" as mine are just jumper wires and all seem ok. pulled them off and on many times to clean off and get better connection.

And yes I have checked for gas. when throttle is pulled, under hood, or pedal is pushed, in car, gas squirts into carb.

i really dont want to put alot more money into this vehicle, distributor, if i can keep from it.

thanks in advance all.

Im just really frustrated about this as the car ran great untill it sat in my back yard for a week before i could work on brakes.
Im a back yard mechanic like most of us here and usually do not have problems diagnosing and fixing problems.

[WmWatt]

I'd take the ignition control module out of the distributor and get it tested for free at selected auto parts stores. When they start to go they can cause the engine to cut out intermittently.

[1988redfordfestiva]

sounds like the electronic points module is going bad do u have the fuses ? or the wire links on your box ? right next to the bettery if u have the wires get some 30 amp ford fuses

[hand101]

ok....i replaced: Rotor, Cap, Ignition Coil, All 3 fused links with power on both sides, and plugs.
Car ran fine then cut out and died 3 times....Still wont start and has light spark at coil, but dont know for sure how strong spark should be comming off of coil wire to metal.

Distributor maybe?? Ignition module in ditsy? both are very expensive new and cannot find them at local junk yards. hummm....damn it im stumped!!!!

where to look now?

thanks all of you...you are awesome.....

[FestYboy]

replace fuel filter.... if you have any spark at all, it's not your ign modual. other option would be run a long fuel line from the pump into a bucket of clean fuel sans filter and see how she runs.

[hand101]

thanks for advice but does not pop off with starter fluid though.....

can anyone tell me exactly how to check the timing on an 89 carby?

i dont see a white anything on crank pulley but there is a "notch" on edge of it though. and there is also the little plastic piece on the timing belt cover...what marks am i looking for on the cam pulley? there is a small line and a long line on it.

also any one had hard time getting ditsy back in? pulled mine out to check it (for what i dont know) and it will not go back in now...ugg...im getting mad.

anyone wanna give me $475 for it?

thanks

[JohnGunn]

also any one had hard time getting ditsy back in? pulled mine out to check it (for what i dont know) and it will not go back in now...ugg

I can't help you with the timing on a carbureted Festiva, but I think your distributor fits the same as the one on my '90L.

Look carefully into the hole where the distributor goes. Notice that the slots inside that hole are offset from center so that the distributor will only fit when it is installed so that the tabs on the distributor drive shaft match up exactly with the slots inside the hole.

Another possible problem could be the o-ring/seal/gasket on the distributor. Sometimes you have to put some grease on the o-ring and gently rotate the distributor while pushing it in to get the o-ring squeezed into the hole.

Hope this helps.

John Gunn
Coronado, CA

[1988redfordfestiva]

ok the coil is most likely supose to have anywhere from 11.89 to 12.8 with engine not running test with volt ohm meter on dc volts aslo remove spack plug wire and test center should be getting 12 voltsmake sure u use battery groung the coil and connectors are all power

[1988redfordfestiva]

well if u need a disty i can get it but i need a pic of your old one to confirm i might be able to get it for $95 new or even cheaper so will c let me know i'm ordering 2 as of right now for future references for whos interested