i will mail $20 to the person who helps me fix my festiva

[nabradley6]

ok my b/f has a 1992 festiva..he loves this car and its a great car..he doesnt want to park it but it has an issue..whoever can give me the right thought on how to fix it, and after i fix it and it works, i will mail that person $20 just for helping..(keep in mind it has to be fixed)
this car has had alot of new parts in the last 6 months and been taken to numerous mechanics!! NOTHING has helped..so here is the problem to the best of my knowledge...
you can sometimes get in the car and drive a certain distance...maybe 20 miles?? and then it starts jerking acting like it is starving for air...but if you get out of the car and unplug the mass air flow sensor then it fixes it for another 20 miles.

here is a list of new parts or things that have been checked out by a mechanic....the computer, throttle body position sensor, oxygen sensor, temperature sending unit...and maybe more....just cant think of it right now....he has spent over $1000 ON THIS one problem...any takers on what it could be?? please email me at nabradley6@hotmail.com and make sure and put festiva on the subject line.....thanks so much!!

[Pu241]

Not going to email my suggestion.
The best chance of you getting a solution to this problem is for the members here to work together to help you/your bf fix this problem by posting here.
That way you can also provide us with feedback and you wont get the same suggestion over and over.

1) DO NOT take this car to anymore "mechanics" those have already stolen $1,000 of his money.

2) Check the VAF connector, Festivas do not have MAF's, for burnt or corroded connectors.
If found, clean them up.
I believe a member here found a burnt and bent connector which caused running issues but not quite this mod of failure.
While in there lube the VAF door so it moves freely.

[shadetree]

Keep your twenty bucks and buy a vaf . Shot in the dark but its as good as your story on what's wrong ..

[Larry Hampton]

+3 Replace the VAF....

[koRnhead]

To agree with all the other posts......change the VAF, the so called mechanics have tried everything except replace the part that fixes the problem by in-plugging it.....that's actually funny, and sad at the same time.

[jamesmc]

To agree with all the other posts......change the VAF, the so called mechanics have tried everything except replace the part that fixes the problem by in-plugging it.....that's actually funny, and sad at the same time.

Heh, I had about 5 mechanics tell me a problem I had with my B3 was specifically NOT the VAF, when I had mentioned it to them. Of course it ended up being a faulty VAF.

[koRnhead]

Occam's razor........

[JoDan]

How bout a location to see if someone is close by that can possibly come and look at it and also have to parts on hand so you don't go blowing more money at the car without knowing if it will actually fix it.

[denguy]

What"s a vaf?

[hefty]

Vane AirFlow sensor. Relays information on the amount of air flowing into the engine to the computer. The computer then calibrates the about of fuel required as well as the engine timing to make the vehicle run properly. A faulty VAF sensor will relay the wrong readings and cause all sorts of problems with the operation of the engine.

[shadetree]

Can someone please tell me were the vaf is . I have been un/plugging the maf but I don't know what the vaf is .

[FeistyFesti]

The following is a picture of a VAF mounted sideways with the filter facing towards the front which puts my VAF connector vertical instead of the usual horizontal position like a B3 would have.

[bhazard]

You should NOT have posted that pic as its only gonna lead the OP into thinking the VAF is on the drivers side...

The VAF in a stock EFI festiva sits on top of the air filter box on the passenger side of the engine bay, behind the headlight.

[Pu241]

Shadetree don't you need to change your signature?

[Charlie1717]

Shadetree don't you need to change your signature?

Tehe