won't turn over, ignition control unit?

[tedraortega]

we have a 91 and it won't start at least not until we bypassed the ignition and used a remote starter

we have checked and replaced quite a few parts and the guy at oreilys suggested the remote starter to bypass the ignition control unit and see if it would start. and it DID!

so we have searched and can't locate the ICU (ignition control unit). where is it hidden?

i want to check out the wires around it. we did find some burned wires on the little brown box on the side where the three little loops are so i am suspcious of other wires.

our mechanic added a push button start and he spliced the line coming off the starter and have a feeling that this burned up the ICU. and / or the wires. (our mechanic had us buy 2 ignition coils and he still didn't know what was wrong with it - ARGH. we brought it home to fix ourselves)

an exploded diagram would help or a photo? i found a book online but it is hard to look through 285 pages. local store is out of stock on the book

[BigElCat]

Got a Walmart? Get some of these. http://www.fordfestiva.com/forums/sh...ad.php?t=15345

Don't worry about your ECM (engine control module), it's not the problem. You have at least one short circuit in the wiring running to the key tumbler in the steering column.

Search this forum for the wiring diagrams. If you don't have any luck, I'll try to scan some diagrams, maybe tomorrow. Good Luck, and welcome to FF.COM.

[tedraortega]

oh. ok.

well. i am just north of Houston.

it wasn't the ECM according to the guys at oreilys. one of them had a ford festiva. he said it was the Ignition control unit. we had already rewired those three little loops. only one was burned though (the middle one) i am pretty sure it was runing after we did the repair.

i did find a steering wheel column diagram but didn't find anything that looked burned or broken. i guess if that was the wrong thing to look at.

the little prong sticking up in the middle back was burned beyond usablity. so if i buy that plug it won't work. we had wired it direct. hmmm. suggestions?

thanks for the welcome :-)

[BigElCat]

Get an FLF block, the brown thing, at a junkyard. A regular fuse block won't work because a fusible link is not the same thing as a fuse. If you can't find a Festiva FLF block, use one from a Mazda, (or one that looks similar). Get the FLFs with it...pink, green, pink. Stock up on these, you'll need to replace them as you diagnose your wiring.

Keep your starter push button for now, until you can track down the short circuit. Your problem is going to keep getting worse, the way you have it wired right now, with direct (jumper) wires instead of FLFs.

There is no Ignition Control Unit, just the pick up module in the distributor. The motor runs, so that module is okay. I'm not sure about your guy at O'Reilly..he may not be okay

[DriverOne]

Welcome, Mr. Ortega! I would invest in a Hayne's manual. Lots of good info there. You may also find someone close by willing to give you a hand. I know Texas is a big ol' state, though! Good luck.

[tedraortega]

thanks for the info. and i am a SHE not a HE :-)

ok. here is a little history.

the mechanic added a push button start. wire connected to the battery and starter. and then almost a few days after that it started acting up. we had no problem previously.

it was running down the freeway and died.
it restarted finally.
i continued and it went about a mile and died
then a half mile, die.
then a 1/4 mile, die.
then less...

i could turn the key over and over, nothing but dash lights and click. as soon as the last light on the dash came on it would start immediately. (the light was the last one on the right)

it doesn't come on when we turn the key. but i thought it did before.

we took it to the mechanic and he said it was the ignition coil. (twice) and then he didn't know what it was so we picked it up.

we have replaced the distributor cap and rotor.
spark plugs
all the wires to the distributor.
2 ignition coils
checked the battery
battery cables
bench tested starter and starter solenoid at o'reilys

at some point we had the burned wire on that little brown box. i don't know if that was before or after this.

we took out the starter push button that the mechanic put in since it was ok up till that point.

i started it today in the driveway with the remote starter and it ran for over an hour and didn't die.

[GenevaDirt]

your problem is the middle wire on the fusable links...the little brown box....when it is no good...you will have lights but it will not turn over. fix those wires ( can be replaced with cartridge fuses) long leg ones.....pink, green, pink....should take care of it.

[tedraortega]

why do i feel like this is a multiple choice test? lol.

one person said it a "short circuit in the wiring running to the key tumbler in the steering column." (is there a way to test that theory? i have a meter)

someone says the brown box / burned wire.... hmm.

they both make sense. (i'll try and get that brown box fixed first)

so would the short somewhere in the ignition cause the middle wire of the brown box to burn out? or would it be the other way around? the wire burned out and that caused the ignition not to work? (the chicken or the egg?)

i hate playing pick-a-part till we find it game. LOL

i do APPRECIATE your advice everyone... so bare with me.

i did go to wal-mart and they only had 4 of those fuses not even the right size in with a MEGA pack of small /medium fuses with a tester for $19. I'll wait for oreilys

[Pu241]

Both theories maybe correct and related.
You may have a short in the ingition wiring and it may also have caused the middle fusiable Link to burn out.
Or the middle link just failed because of corrosion and age.
With the middle link gone your car will not start unless you circumvent this, as you must have done with the remote starter.

As mentioned replace with a green 40 AMP fuse cartridge as BigElCat has suggested.
If Walmart doesn't carry them any McParts(O'Riley's, Advanced Auto, Autozone) place will have them for about $3 each.
Buy one and make sure it fits, then get extras from the Junk yard.
It needs to have the long "legs" the shorter ones will not contact the connectors in the brown fuse holder.
As stated you will likely lose more than a few looking for the short, if there is one.

Send me a PM with your addy and I'll send down a half dozen along with a couple of the pink 30 amp one which flank the center, soon to be green, one.
Wont be for a few days because my stockpile is not with me.

DriverOne, smooth move assuming new member was a he!:p

[tedraortega]

thanks PU241.

we have numerous junk yards here that i plan on scavenging on saturday. if i can't find some i'll let ya know.

i know there aren't many ford festiva's here but there might be some mazda's. do you know which models are close?

[tedraortega]

thanks PU241.

we have numerous junk yards here that i plan on scavenging on saturday. if i can't find some i'll let ya know.

i know there aren't many ford festiva's here but there might be some mazda's. do you know which models are close?

[DON SVO]

The purpose of the fusible links is to burn up before the car burns up.

If the fusible link is torched, it's telling you that there is a short to ground or a circuit with a lot of resistance in it.

when the car is on and running, the key is turned to the "run" position. That competels the circuit for KO/EO power. If you pull the connector from the ignition switch, get a multi meter and start Ohm testing the switch with the key in all the positions... is should read "OL" when they key isn't in the position for the switch at that point, and should read very very low resistance when the switch is in that position. I'm betting you have a faulty ignition switch.

[Pu241]

thanks PU241.

we have numerous junk yards here that i plan on scavenging on saturday. if i can't find some i'll let ya know.

i know there aren't many ford festiva's here but there might be some mazda's. do you know which models are close?

Most of the mazda's earlier models will have a higher probability of having them. Check also earler model Ford escorts and Ford Aspires Just make sure you get the ones with the longer connects. I have collected too many of the short one just going by color.

[tedraortega]

update:

i put in the new female fusible links. it still won't start. i can't find anything broken, burned between the ignition and the fuse box.

i ordered an ignition from ebay Ford Festiva Ignition Switch With Two Keys, 2 Door Locks, and Hatch Lock Too. i hope it is the right one. it looked the same.

we had planned to do that anyway because he lost the key and has been staring it with a knife blade for 4+ years. we couldn't lock it before.

i also bought a manual for $10. it may take a few days to come in the mail but that will give me time to see if i can figure this out.

i am on hold till i get that in the mail.

until then....

[FestYboy]

hey! at least you're on the right path. diag, THEN replace!