Aqua Questions

[Oren09]

My Aqua GL has a few issues.

First, there are some front end noises and instability.
Rattling/light clunk noise on mild bumps with some louder clunks at times. Sounds like mostly front right but sometimes entire front end. Possibly steering rack? There is quite a bit of wheel play.
Also, at high speeds, when I hit a bump or dip in the highway, the car bounces funny- kind of like the front right goes lower than the rest of the car, and the car pulls to the right. A bit scary at times. Could this be a bad shock? The car has nearly 150K and suspension appears original.
The ball joints are probably bad as there are no boots on them. Everything up front feels solid when I try to move it.

2nd.
Emergency brake.
The parking brake is near useless. I have to crank it all the way to get it to hold the car in drive. The handle has little resistance and little braking effect. I pulled off the drums and reset the self adjusters, but no improvement. There is plenty of brake shoe left. Is there a way to adjust the brake cable? Or is something else not right?

3rd.
Automatic transmission.
When I accelerate mildly the transmission shift great. Smooth and quick. Hardly notice it.
However, if I put the pedal to the floor, the 1st to 2nd shift is harsh and jerks the whole car. Is this normal? Fluid level is at Full mark when cold. Should the fluid be checked cold or with car running? And if running, in Park, Neutral, or Drive?
Transmission downshifts great.

4th.
Hesitation.
I have intermittent hesitation. Only when accelerating from a dead stop. Never at speed. Usually only when I give it a lot of gas. Sometimes just a little bit of sputter, and sometimes the car falls on its face for a few seconds. The ignition timing is good, air filter nearly new. I have no problems with WOT throttle at speed.

I think that's about it for now.
Thanks!

[kellen302]

As far as the hand brake, You have the easier problem to fix than most of us. Most handbrakes seize and drag. There should be an 8 or 10mm adjustment bolt/screw thing next to the handle. (Most have lost the cover that goes over it but you might still have the little plastic cover.) Turn clockwise to tighten it. I believe the recommended setting is so it clicks 11-16 times when you pull to tight. It might not do real well anyway, it seems as though mine doesn't have enough "travel" between engaged and disengaged as if I tighten it anymore than it is it drags, but will barely hold it on a hill. This means that I can't drift... Also I try to not use mine ever because it freezes pretty easy. I had the bearings done last spring after I did the brakes and reset the adjuster. This is a little rambly but I give it to you as warning that the rear brakes on Festivas are a little finicky and reasonably inadequate.

[Flw Sock]

My Ford Ranger and Honda CRX sputtered really bad. I would be going 50mph sometimes and it would drop to 30 like I slammed on the brakes. Maybe yours could be the same thing, just not that bad yet?

For my ranger I took off the distributor cap and there was water in it, so I cleaned that up, as well as put in some new plugs and wires and it ran like new. Maybe that could solve your stuttering? I did the same with my CRX.

[TorqueEffect]

Yeah, the e-brakes on the Festiva's are pretty poor, I have my adjuster nut tightened all the way down, and I really have to yank on the e-brake just for it to hold on a slight gradient, though I am willing to bet my self adjusters are garbage, or my cable is stretched, that or they just had a poorly designed mechanism and never really worked well out of the factory.
Though it does grab enough so I can do snow drifting.

I am willing to bet you need change all your tie-rods, inner and outer, and replace the LCAs and bushings, also go ahead and check the swaybar bushings, if you still have allot of steering wheel play after that then it is a steering rack. Someone on here sells rebuilt steering racks for pretty cheap as long as you give him your old one, just do a quick search.

[Oren09]

When I did an oil change today and had the car lifted up, I played around with the front end a bit more.
Turns out the steering rack is very loose. The passenger side inner tie rod has a lot of up and down movement and makes a clunking sound kind of like what I've been hearing. I suppose the tie rod moving up and therefore pulling the tire inwards could cause the right side dip and curve.
Driver's side had some play but not nearly as bad.

I need a new rack, I guess.

Also, I tightened up the parking brake cable. Made a world of difference.

[TorqueEffect]

Here ya go, this is the guy you want. http://www.fordfestiva.com/forums/sh...+Steering+Rack