1991 L, help me!

[TheresGabe]

OK, so I have owned my share of festiva and festiva like cars. I have constantly told everyone I know how great they are. Well my brother in-law found a '91 with only 110,000 on it, all it needed was a clutch. He replaced the clutch and loved the festiva (his other vehicle is a 2000 Mustang GT gas guzzler....After only a few weeks of driving the festiva, the oil seals on the front of the engine started leaking like crazy. He replaced seals and timing belt, checked timing and timing was right, but it wouldn't start. Car turns over, but no spark at all. He was told that if engine was rotated backwards with ignition on that it would screw up the sensor in the distributor.

HELP! Does this sound right? We are planning on replacing the distributor this weekend, and it's 100% my fault that he is messing with it. He is really stubborn, and even though it will be seriously saving $80/week on gas, he hasn't really wanted to mess with it.



Thanks in advance!

[TheresGabe]

REALLY?

I am AMAZED I thought when i woke up this morning there would be ten responses. I guess it does sound like the distributor?

[mattswabb]

I've never heard that rotating the engine backwards with the ignition on will screw it up. Do you have another distributor from a different festiva you could try before spending the money?

[TheresGabe]

Nope, don't I wish....Oh well, if everything is good, it's turning over, but it's not getting spark...What else could it be?

[PaulLehr]

My 91GL lost spark and I've tried a different Dist. ECU, Coil, Ignition module, and still have had no luck. Ive also swapped out all my relays fuse able links and checked all my wiring

[mattswabb]

Check the fusible links, I think the one on the left. Mine was bad and it would crank but not start. I never checked the spark but I knew the link was bad. Replaced it and it started.

[miami man]

my car sat for 2 weeks and i thought i had a big problem but all it was the end of the coil wire was corroded into the distributor cap $10.00 later and after cursing myself for not looking for the small simple things that could be wrong it starts and runs well.

[WmWatt]

The usual way to test for spark is to pull one of the plugs and hold it against the block while turning the engine over with the starting motor and look for a spark. Alternatively just the wire or the wire from the coil to the distributor can be used. You'll get a shock if you hold the wire too far from whatever you're using for a ground. Wrap the end up in a rag to insulate you from shocks.

[ajb999]

i had a similar problem as mattswabb only the car acted like the battery was dead. tried jumping it to no avail. then by luck i tried pulling out one of the fusible links and it was broken. couldn't find one at any parts store though so had to make my own.