"blow by" in my Festiva's motor?

[juryrigger007]

Back to your blow-by issue. Have someone run a compression test, on each cylinder. If you fine that one cylinder is way lower than the rest, then you probably have a big problem. I had an issue, with blow-by, where oil was collecting right after the VAF. It was so bad it actually kept blowing the dipstick out! Once I ran a compression test, I found that one piston had a broken ring, and was toast.

Good luck,

Scott

[bobstad]

I need to get under the hood soon!

Back to your blow-by issue. Have someone run a compression test, on each cylinder. If you fine that one cylinder is way lower than the rest, then you probably have a big problem. I had an issue, with blow-by, where oil was collecting right after the VAF. It was so bad it actually kept blowing the dipstick out! Once I ran a compression test, I found that one piston had a broken ring, and was toast.

Good luck,

Scott

Thanks to everyone; I have a good short list of simple and not much more complex things to check out, before I start to carry my bike and/or rain gear in anticipation of leaving the car alongside the road-anytime soon.

Once I've actually felt myself, the air pressure or lack of that, from the oil fill hole on the top of the valve cover gasket-the simplest thing I can do, then proceed from that point in short order as outlined here; I'll have an idea of where I'm headed.

The idea of there being any pressure inside the crankcase other than normal, is one I've not been concerned at previously; though easy to miss is one idea, since I'm not in the habit of taking the oil fill cap off with the motor running: Except once recently-when not noticing anything particularly amiss. I have only seen a small amount of smoke coming from under the valve cover-with the fill cap off, when the motor was particularly warm; which is something relatively new, I've been little concerned about-feeling this is fairly normal.

I've never had any sort of pcv valve problems in any cars I've had; so perhaps checking that out is another quick thing to do-since easy to be complacent otherwise, as well as a cheap fix to get a new one. The idea that the motor could be somehow ill fated, from before my ownership; is at that stage with about 180,000 miles, when I could be getting the bad news, more and more?

So, nice to get on top of things; when the car still runs excellently and the reliability is also unquestionable, or at least seems that way. Though my dreams of a 400,000 mile motor, or even better-with my toilet paper oil filter that filters to a micron rather than the 20-30 microns of a commercial filter; I'd been taking at least a little seriously are currently shelved, and surprisingly so-which of course is a disappointment.

While a person also has to wonder at such a society; where by the turn of the ignition key, so many of us are "operational." That's so impressive as jewelry-when also a style of same, one might seriously question. I can think of other things in my life I'd like even a marginal amount of that sort of energy devoted to, instead: On my end, to simply draw even with the general potential; too. Oh well...

[Banana Bonanza]

I can only speak to the carburetor SOHC B6, but fuel mileage is very comparable to when I had the carbed B3. Low to mid 40s as a rule with the 4spd tranny. If that isnt good enough then you need to obviously spend more money.... LOL

I have an old aftermarket Weber carb that I saved off an old VW I used to own. The VW was converted from fuel injection with this carb and it got better mileage than fuel injection ever did. It looks like a DGV but smaller bore. The very early non-computer Ford Escort carbs made under license from Weber are also good choice and very easy to find on Ebay and such.

Dont over carb if you want mileage out of one of these. The Escort carbs are jetted close enough out of box. So was my VW Weber, but a generic aftermarket Weber (or one OEM off bigger engine), you will need to custom jet it, will be way too rich out of box. I know nothing of fuelie Festivas except bit I read here. If you have carb, silly to convert to fuel injection. If you have fuel injection then unless its a mess and needs lot $$$, I'd try to keep it. If it was cheaper to convert then repair exisiting system, then I would convert to carb. I am old guy and personally much more comfortable with carbs. Each to their own.

The OEM Festiva carb fine, but complex with the bushel basket of black spaghetti hooked to it. I'd only keep one of those if I lived in state that did pollution inspections was anal about everything being factory spec. I dont enjoy unnecessary complexity. Lot of the complex carbs were only complex to lower pollution during cold start. Very difficult to do this with a carb. Once engine warmed up, then a properly jetted simple carb does fine pollutionwise. Give them credit, Festivas were meeting pollution standards really intended for fuel injected cars. One of last carb cars out there.

As to the old air cooled VW engines. Most people treated them like some sort of assemble it yourself kit in a box and didnt pay proper attention rebuilding them. Cases had to be straight and everything aligned properly. Somebody that paid attention could make them better than factory ones. Devil is in the details.

Then they over revved them. The air cooled VWs lasted forever if you kept revs low ALL THE TIME. They didnt like high rpms, not if you wanted longevity. VW really should have put a governor on them.

[sketchman]

Found this on an OLD mustang forum. Last resort kinda thing, just to eke out the last bit of life from ruined rings, or so the post seemed to indicate.

Use at your own risk:

OK, this works.
It's an old used car trick of mine and once you do it don't change the oil, just keep adding to it.
You will need one good oil filter.
Two cans of V-8 size Restore
Two cans of Alemite RED LABLE oil additive.
(says stops oil burning on the label)
Four quarts of 50 wt racing oil
Drain out what you have and dump the old filter.
Warm up the Restore and Alemite additive so it pours easier.
Install the new filter.
Pour in the 4 quarts of oil and start the motor.
Pour in the other 4 cans of additive while the motor is running and let it idle for about 30-45 minutes.
Take it for a hard ride and you are done.
This will help seal up your tired motor and last indefinatly.
As you consume oil (it will eventually slow way down) just keep adding 50 wt

I would assume this would work with any of the honey thick stop leak/smoke products as I've never personally seen the Alemite branded stuff anywhere, but then I wasn't looking for it either. Also the OP spec'ed Kendall brand racing oil, but again, I'm sure it makes little difference what brand is used.

Again, not endorsing this. I HAVE NO IDEA IF IT WORKS OR NOT.

Edit:Here's the stuff from the quoted fix. Now it's just CD-2 Oil Detergent.
http://www.amazon.com/CD-2-4111R-Oil...sim_sbs_auto_1

[getnpsi]

those are 2 conflicting remedies. thick old style SC oil if it helps the Rings on the festival will totally trashed the top and because it needs a thin oil to pump up the lifters. I suggest changing the oil with 1 size down thinner like a5 w-20. I would fill the crankcase with kerosene and crank the engine with the coil off and all of those other farmer folklore before I tried something thicker

[getnpsi]

also keep in mind that multiple oil changes that you do not normally do are going to cost about 25 percent of the cost of the junk yard engine!

I just remembered that both a nerd racing and Euro Festiva both stated that added boost and switch to synthetic they're oil consumption went down. I am NOT saying to turbo charger car but I think there is merit in stuff that doesn't burn as easy.

[jawbraeka]

Back to your blow-by issue. Have someone run a compression test, on each cylinder. If you fine that one cylinder is way lower than the rest, then you probably have a big problem. I had an issue, with blow-by, where oil was collecting right after the VAF. It was so bad it actually kept blowing the dipstick out! Once I ran a compression test, I found that one piston had a broken ring, and was toast.

Good luck,

Scott

I had this issue with mine.. little buggar wouldn't stay in either.. mechanic told me to strap it in there with a cable tie and see if the oil was leaking anywhere else. didn't do that.. used seafoam through the pcv valve and it seems to stop the issue. never had an issue with it since.

[gergorian]

If you think that you are having a blowby issue then a compression test really wont give you the whole picture as to what is going on. What you want to do is what is called a leak-down test. In a leak-down test, you need a special gauge called ( you guessed it) a leak-down gauge. How you use it is: you screw a tube into the spark plug hole and hook the gauge to it. You then hook an air pressure line up to it ( from an air compressor.) and you set the pressure to about 80 PSI. you then spin the motor over by hand until that cylinder gets to TDC and both valves are closed, thus trapping that compressed air in the cylinders. You then let the gauge settle as you hold the crank from spinning and see how much air is leaking out of the cylinder and if the leak is bad enough you may be able to hear it out of the oil fill cap, throttle body or tailpipe, depending on where the leak is coming from. Whether is is getting by the rings, past the valve stem seals, a crack in the head/ block, or possibly a crack in a valve.

I hope that helps and if you need more info about leak down testing just pm me because I do leak down test's a few times a week where I work so they have just become common place to me and it took me a while to realize that not many people know what it is.

[XFSE71]

I wonder if there is a way to test for excessive blow-by ....

A simple blow-by test for ATX is to block the wheels set the brakes. Pull out the PCV and vent tube then load the engine WOT (stall), observe the column of smoke, or none. Manual tranny it's too hard on the clutch to do a stall test without a dyno.

[XFSE71]

Back to your blow-by issue. ...... I had an issue, with blow-by, where oil was collecting right after the VAF. It was so bad it actually kept blowing the dipstick out! ....Scott

I tightened my dipstick up so that it does not come out. All the replacement o-rings in my Harbor Freight kit were too skinny or wrong. So I simply pulled the exsisting o-ring off the dipstick, cut and installed a very small piece of 3/16 Harbor Freight heat shrink tubing into the groove, shrunk it, reinstalled the original o-ring and done. Now the dipstick is tight in the tube. The thickness of the heat shrink is just enough to do the job.

[buck zeplen]

advice juncture. Take the 1.3 engine out. Have a person that knows how to do it. Purchase rings - $98.oo for a set.
Gasket set about $100.oo (full gasket set), main bearings, connecting rod bearings, new timing belt, new water pump.
Have them replace. You have a rebuilt, new engine. If you have a four speed, replace it with a 5 speed transmission.
J C witney may have the parts. All so paint the engine. Clean things up before installing. If you do all of this, the juncture
up rising will be complete.

buck zeplen

1993 ford festiva purchased in oct 1993 511k

[XFSE71]

1993 ford festiva purchased in oct 1993 511k

I'm impressed by your signature buck...purchased in oct 1993 ...what is your build date? My '93 was built 5/19/93 ... VIN 44468 ...

[Movin]

A simple blow-by test for ATX is to block the wheels set the brakes. Pull out the PCV and vent tube then load the engine WOT (stall), observe the column of smoke, or none. Manual tranny it's too hard on the clutch to do a stall test without a dyno.

You have obviously not spent a weekend cutting firewood hours from the nearest cell phone service , then loading your efforts into a trailer behind your Festiva in a somewhat soft meadow well below the grade of the nearest road out.

The tricky part is figuring out if the column of smoke is originating from the PCV vent, the clutch of your 5 speed, your tires, or the pucker point of...never mind!

[XFSE71]

You have obviously not spent a weekend cutting firewood hours from the nearest cell phone service , then loading your efforts into a trailer behind your Festiva in a somewhat soft meadow well below the grade of the nearest road out.

The tricky part is figuring out if the column of smoke is originating from the PCV vent, the clutch of your 5 speed, your tires, or the pucker point of...never mind!

You got me there, I don't even carry a cell phone.

[bobstad]

advice juncture. Take the 1.3 engine out. Have a person that knows how to do it. Purchase rings - $98.oo for a set.
Gasket set about $100.oo (full gasket set), main bearings, connecting rod bearings, new timing belt, new water pump.
Have them replace. You have a rebuilt, new engine. If you have a four speed, replace it with a 5 speed transmission.
J C witney may have the parts. All so paint the engine. Clean things up before installing. If you do all of this, the juncture
up rising will be complete.

buck zeplen

1993 ford festiva purchased in oct 1993 511k

This seems about the most accessible means of action to me; while the car has also since I began this thread, developed a new bad habit, of excessive oil leakage somewhere near the distributor end of the motor. I'm stuck in an apartment complex where I'm discouraged from working on my car, not officially so much as by neighbors apparently less than friendly; in the habit of asking stupid questions, whenever I even have the hood up. Plus of the moment probably until next fall; I've another project absorbing me more, financially: With my limited SSDI/SSI income.

I need lots of peace & quiet without constant disruptions, to be able to even think I might manage, the to me complexity of successfully working on my car; as someone at best an amateur at things which to be done right, require my total absorption and attention to every detail. I think if perhaps paranoiac, some people prey upon my vulnerability; for one thing since I'm not at all sympathetic to Tea Party type or worse to the right politics, as someone about as far opposite that as imaginable.

Anyway, things change; and one of my favorite fantasies has me somehow organizing my hopeless clutter of an apartment, then popping the whole motor out of the Festiva to rebuild that in my living room-with the car parked a few feet away, on the other side of the apartment's door onto the walkway, in front of my place.

There are just too many things now of a questionable nature, with the motor running fairly well at 180,000 miles; to make more piecemeal approaches with my limited knowledge, seem ultimately practical. When thoroughly going through the whole motor; would give me an excellent running car for at least as many more miles as the car has traveled now, and probably a whole lot more than that.

I think one big factor behind my thoughts, is the heat distorted timing belt cover; from before my purchase of the car, June of '99 with 85,000 miles. I've had the car very hot, driving without any water when the bottom radiator hose blew off in traffic about three years ago in downtown Seattle during Friday evening rush hour at five-thirty one night; and yet this still failed to produce anything like what caused the timing belt cover to become heat distorted, as that already was when I bought the car.

Thus, I'm thinking that the motor though basically sound; could well benefit by having anything feasible a weakness, somehow renewed. Sort of a dumb way to go about things; though I'm a pretty dumb person, compared to all the complexities involved with so many variables, only a talented mechanic could approach intelligently. For, I think some of the folks here, no more a difficulty than scratching an itchy spot on the back of their neck; and a lot of fun, like for me too, when the problems are solved.