1991 festiva gl recent tuneup

[WmWatt]

A hand held vaccum guage is about $15. The only one I know of is Equus(?). Any auto parts store should carry them. Take a look at the permanent thread at the top of this forum for info on what they do. I think you can get a combined vacuum/pressure guage which can also be used to check fuel pressure, etc. I find it hand and only use the voltmeter and tire pressure gauge more.

[ut76vol]

Thanks you sir!

[hotfordcat]

First thing I noticed, that no one else has mentioned is the fuel cleaner. You may have cleaned some crap from the tank, and now it's partially plugging your injectors. That's where I would look.

[nitrofarm]

First thing I noticed, that no one else has mentioned is the fuel cleaner. You may have cleaned some crap from the tank, and now it's partially plugging your injectors. That's where I would look.

Ahem, FUEL FILTER

[Britstiva]

make sure your o2 sensor is swinging (use a cheap gauge or a reliable DVOM). if your o2 is bad, the car will run rich and cut your milage. also, if your intake manifold engine temp sensor is bad, the car will run rich. if either of these are true, the elevated fuel mixture can cause premature cat failure which can cause lower MPGs and lack of power. if this continues, the cat can melt and clog to the point of causing the car to stall while trying to accelerate.

... And trust me, the cat can get hot and melt everything above it! Just check out this....

http://www.fordfestiva.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38265

[FestYboy]

Ahem, FUEL FILTER

AHEM, rotting fuel line AFTER the filter clogging the injectors and the fuel cleaner exatserbating (sp) the issue....

[ut76vol]

Thanks to all. Not sure how to check injectors properly but that is possilbe. The tank with the Lucas cleaner in it I remember for sure was running rough.
Without taking a whole lot of your time can someone give me the way to check/clean the injectors?

One other thing as well. Someone suggested the cat. may be the problem as well. Well just filled up again this morning at 30MPG. Came home and took cat off and cleaned it out. I am not sure how much light should show from one end to the other holding it toward the sun. Mine showed a maybe dime size or less from one end to the other.Will check later on who she runs now and if the gas mileage increases.

Still would like info on injectors clean-up.

With the cat cleaned out does this make the oxygen sensor irrelevant?

Thanks to all who have helped me out.

I will continue to post so maybe someone else can use what I have learned.

[TominMO]

Thanks to all. Not sure how to check injectors properly but that is possilbe. The tank with the Lucas cleaner in it I remember for sure was running rough.
Without taking a whole lot of your time can someone give me the way to check/clean the injectors?

One other thing as well. Someone suggested the cat. may be the problem as well. Well just filled up again this morning at 30MPG. Came home and took cat off and cleaned it out. I am not sure how much light should show from one end to the other holding it toward the sun. Mine showed a maybe dime size or less from one end to the other.Will check later on who she runs now and if the gas mileage increases.

Still would like info on injectors clean-up.

With the cat cleaned out does this make the oxygen sensor irrelevant?

Thanks to all who have helped me out.

I will continue to post so maybe someone else can use what I have learned.

I put a new cat on a MR2 a few years ago. The old one only showed a pinhole of light! The new one showed light like I was looking thru a screen door. Big improvement in power and fuel mileage with the new one.

And the O2 sensor is not irrelevant just because you cleaned the cat, BTW.

[Pu241]

With a clear cat you will only see a "dime sized" area straight through this has more to do with the geometry of the cat support structure and human eye than if it is truly clean.
Just need to make sure that "dime sized" area was seen all across the "surface" (left to right and Top to bottom). If so you should be fine.

No, even with a clear cat, the O2 sensor could still be bad.

[ut76vol]

Thanks to the replys. That most likely was the original cat on the car. I could not see any light anywhere other than the dime hole.

Any ways now I can see any and all light through it.

Thanks about the o2 sensor info. I will deal with that after the next fill up if no better mileage. 42 down to 30 mpg will not get it!!