Oil Leak: Still trying to find it...

[drumnerd33]

Re: Oil Leak: Still trying to find it...

Yes you probably have excess crank pressure which makes oil leaks worse. First sign is dipstick popping up, so if it's really bad that means you will have low compression and will be losing a lot of power. You will want to rebuild or swap, but remember swap still gives you another used motor, so just depends on what you want to get out of it. If you rebuild you now have a brand new motor vs another motor to deal with leaks and low compression unless you find a low milage one... The aspire one with 50,000 sounds good at least it's fairly low mileage

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[ajbremer]

Ok, I think I've made a decision.

I'll put my festiva back together (water pump pulley, belt, ect.) and sell it for $500 and let someone else fix it up. It's a 1990 5-speed with good tags and title. No back seat. The car has 342,000 miles on it and the engine has 280,000 miles on it. I'm just going to buy another festiva this payday - that's an easy fix for me at this time. It's wiper switch doesn't work so I put a toggle in for it. There IS a passenger mirror also and a small crack in windshield on lower right side. I'm here in mid-east oklahoma - let me know if your interested. Oh ya, I put a new clutch in it only around 50,000 miles ago.

I'll be putting the craigslist ad up very soon with pics.

[drumnerd33]

Re: Oil Leak: Still trying to find it...

If that's what you want to do that's fine but just remember you get another one that's going to have its problems also... Selling this one and buying another isn't going to get rid of problems... When you own a 20+ year old car these are things that happen but are completely fixable and is cheaper for you to maintain rather then just keep buying another car... When you maintain it yourself then you know what has been done to it and know what's reliable... You buy another one and who knows what's gonna break next... Sorry not tryin to tell you what to do just been there and been frustrated before and been through a lot of cars.

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[ajbremer]

I've owned and sold around 10 festivas. I've just never had to get into one of their engines. I've been driving this one here for 4 or 5 years and it still goes down the highway 85mph no problem (it does tend to slow up going up hills though)...it's just that it's leaking oil. I have learned a lot about them over the years but just never had to deal with these engine problems before. This is kind of like: 'If it works, don't fix it'. I know a lot about festival and their problems - I might as well keep on keep'in on with 'em.

[drumnerd33]

Re: Oil Leak: Still trying to find it...

I agree just hate to see you sell just because the engine leaks... Its always fixable and it's really easy... This is by far easiest motor I've ever worked on

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[drumnerd33]

Re: Oil Leak: Still trying to find it...

In fact on my rebuild this is the first time I've done all the performance stuff so it's new to me but still easy

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[crazyrog17]

The engine doesn't have to come out to do the cam and crank seals. You're going to spend more money on the new oil and filter than you will the seals. If you decide to keep it, we'll coach you through the work.

If you decide to sell it, glws. And good luck with finding another!

[hotfordcat]

Couple of things to remember if you're just gonna change seals. 1- never put a new OEM seal on the cam or crank unless you install a Speedi-sleeve first. This will cover the groove made by the old seal. 2- If you don't know what a Speedi-sleeve is you can buy offset seals the move the seal ring away from the groove made by the old seal. I have not been able to find either for the 93 large snout crank!!!

[ajbremer]

Ok, I put the festiva up on craigslist here:

http://tulsa.craigslist.org/cto/3593112181.html

[ajbremer]

Ok drumnerd33,

I'm going to remove my craigslist ad and try to fix this thing myself. You guys have presented me with great information and the best route to go. Hopefully I won't be bugg'in you guys too much as I come on here with questions once I start (which is now). Here are my beginning questions:

My main concern about diving into this high milage engine is the piston rings. The car still seems to have power, it can get up to 80 pretty fast BUT I can feel it slowing down on the steeper grades. If my rings are worn then doesn't that mean that the block/cylinders can be worn, and loosing compression? And if that's so, then all that gasket and seal work may be for nothing?

I do have a 1993 Festiva Shop Manual so I guess I can follow that - unless you guys know of certain things that the manual says to do that you might say there's a better way?

So what's the first thing I do? Follow the manual to remove the valve cover, remove the timing belt? When I remove that timing belt, is it just a matter of lining up marks to get it right again? Every one mentions gaskets and seals, they haven't mentioned rings - why's that? It seems rings don't wear that often?

Thanks for all of your help...here i go.

[drumnerd33]

Re: Oil Leak: Still trying to find it...

Ok first off with the mileage on that engine yes your rings are probably worn... Does it smoke some once it warms up? That would be rings... And you would have to check compression also to see just how bad the rings are. Now if all you want to do is fix the leak and keep it running do the seals. And you will be good but if you want to check the rings that would be the compression test or even better is a leak down test. The reason nobody talked about rings was we were just trying to help you fix the leak... In order to do the rings that would be a rebuild. Now if you want a brand new motor then do the rebuild, it's not too hard just takes some time and there is different levels of a rebuild. You can do basic if the engine is in good shape but you would need to check your bearing clearances and check the cylinders for out of round... If you bore the cylinders and get new pistons and have the machine shop go through your head and mic the crank... Now you have a literally brand new motor that would last you 200,000+ miles

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[drumnerd33]

Re: Oil Leak: Still trying to find it...

On this forum you have all the help you need just have to be patient for people to answer. Now when you get into the timing belt the best thing to do before you remove the belt is get a socket and ratchet and turn the motor till you are @ tdc(top dead center) that is the cam pulley has 2 marks the top one lines up with a mark on the valve cover and the mark to the right lines up with a mark on the head itself.... If you look down into the play on the crank you will see a notch(this is on the pulley that has teeth that turns the belt) this lines up with a mark on the engine(actually it's the oil pimp but just right behind the pulley)

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[drumnerd33]

Re: Oil Leak: Still trying to find it...

Also the most common problem that causes Loss of compression on these motors is out of round... Only way to check that is tear the motor down and use inside mics or telescopic gauges to Che k the roundness of the cylinder. Obviously you would only do this if you were doing a rebuild. So I would say the biggest thing is do you just want to fix it and keep it running? Or do you want to make it last a long time? And of course I would at least do a compression test to see just how much longer this engine could last. You can get a compression tester @ any auto parts store pretty cheap I think they might even rent them out, to check compression you want the engine @ operating temperature so drive it around for a little but and warm it up... Then open hood and be careful cuz its gonna be hot but remove #1 spark plug and screw in compression tester, also remove the coil wire so engine does not start when you crank it over... Now crank the engine until the needle on the gauge stops going any higher, usually takes a few cranks... Not long though. Now do this to all cylinders. If you are above 100 then that's not horrible but not optimal anything below 100 is bad and all your cylinders should be relatively close in numbers if they are way off that's bad also.

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[ajbremer]

Man thanks drumnerd33!

I just lined up an Aspire 1995 engine with only 38,000 miles on it. I've been told it'll bolt right up in the Festiva. He'll give it to me for $500 bucks. I know this yard too, I've gotten a Festiva hatch back from them a couple of years ago. I just got off the phone with the guy. He said the motor was lost for awhile and it just showed back up on the racks (paperwork lost?). Anyway, he said the motor has been there since 1999. He mentioned the possibility of the injectors being clogged but that it would be unlikely. He said the gaskets and seals would have no problem from sitting. They guarantee the motor for 30 days IF it is professionally installed. He remembers the actual car it came out of, it was hail damaged.

I'm told this Aspire 1995 engine will bolt right in, is that true? I just swap all external things?

Ok, what's the first steps to removing the old engine?

[drumnerd33]

Re: Oil Leak: Still trying to find it...

Yes that motor will swap right in... And it has a little better head on it... Has roller rockers so a little better power. Well first off did you want the guarantee cuz he said it has to be professionally installed for the 30 day guarantee... If you do it yourself first thing to do is start disconnecting vacuum lines and sensors off engine and tranny. Make sure to mark everything so you know where to plug things back in. If you follow your book it will walk you through it pretty good any other questions just ask on here. This engine is pretty easy to get out, just be patient and take your time. When you start to pull sensor & or parts I put things in zip lock bags and label everything so there is no guessing when you go to put it back together.

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