1990 festiva running problems

[Festivachuck90]

So I bought this car a week ago and it drive fine for a few days then while I was driving it one day it just shut off and wouldn't start. It does this alot now or it will jerk a bunch then lose all power nd won't idle. I'm gonna replace the fuel pump but have also been told to check fuseable links which I will tomorrow just wondering if anyone else had advice or a similar problem and could help me just incase it's not these things. Thank you

[Levitan]

Check the plug on the vaf. Passenger front corner intake area.

Check coil wire.

[runner406]

Yep that is what mine did and it was the stupid vaf air box mass air flow plug oil inside the mass air flow dealie sprayed it out w brake clean and cleaned the tube out no oil , no issues runs great

[2xclutchin]

So I bought this car a week ago and it drive fine for a few days then while I was driving it one day it just shut off and wouldn't start. It does this alot now or it will jerk a bunch then lose all power nd won't idle. I'm gonna replace the fuel pump but have also been told to check fuseable links which I will tomorrow just wondering if anyone else had advice or a similar problem and could help me just incase it's not these things. Thank you

I can't help you as mine is a carby, and I know nothing about that whole EFI stuff, but may I suggest adding a location to your profile, there could even be someone close to you that could help!

[Festivachuck90]

I'm in nevada. And ya it leaks oil on the passenger side do thts a good idea about checking tht thanks alot Guys

[georgeb]

Before you start throwing money at it, jump the fuel pump test connector. If the problem is fixed, it is the VAF or connector.

[Festivachuck90]

So I replaced fuel pump now it doesn't wanna start I'll check it more tomorrow but there was oil in mass air flow deal but I broke the plug when I opened it so I ordered a new one I'll clean the oil in the air intake tube tomorrow and cons monday I'll install the new MAF sensor see what happens

[georgeb]

If you would have done post #6 you would have saved the hassle and expense of a pump.

[Festivachuck90]

I had already ordered the pump on sunday. It needed one anyway the old one was all plugged and corroded

[Bert]

So I bought this car a week ago and it drive fine for a few days then while I was driving it one day it just shut off and wouldn't start. It does this alot now or it will jerk a bunch then lose all power nd won't idle. I'm gonna replace the fuel pump but have also been told to check fuseable links which I will tomorrow just wondering if anyone else had advice or a similar problem and could help me just incase it's not these things. Thank you

Fuel pump is an educated guess and likely a good start, and may well be the answer, but unless you have a mountain of swap-able spare parts, proceeding with this method is going to cost time and money. What is happening to you happened to me a month ago and ultimately turned out to be the 'pick-up' unit within the distributor. I would never, in a month of Sundays, have guessed that.
Car is entirely and completely dead simply because EFI Distributor didn't recognize it's self? Welcome to the new world.
Go slow and careful on this. A pointy-sharp electrical tester (to test/check the two wires on either side of the coil high tension lead when the key is 'on') will tell you if the computer is sending a signal. That simple 'light on' trick will tell you fuses, ignition switch, computer, relay, coil, and ignition module are still 'live'.
Try some of that first and then report back.
There are a number of unsung and highly-knowledgeable diagnostic 'wizards' on this site but they rarely respond to "duh, car won't start" scenarios until they get more and better information.
And, Good luck!

[miami man]

i had two festivas at one time and both were prone to have a bad distibuter cap and the coil wire going into the cap were always getting corroded and it even broke down a few feet from my house and i just changed the cap and distibutor cap wire going to the coil and it fixed the problem and i learned to keep a spare coil wire in case.

[Festivachuck90]

No it was starting before but after it ran for a few min or drove like a mile or so it'd start losing power and die then not wanna stay on.

[Festivachuck90]

Will a distributor from a 89 work? I have an 89 with a bad engine I can pull parts off

[Levitan]

No. '89 is a one-off year. You need '90-'93

[Festivachuck90]

Well I'm pretty sure its not the distributor cuz it will start and run for awhile I'm thinking between the new fuel pump and air flow sensor it will run better I'll clean the oil out of the intake and see what happens I'll update when I know more. Thanks for all the help so far guys