Thinking of purchasing a 1988 Festiva, a few Questions....

[bravekozak]

Can you do me a big favor? The next time you lift the hood on that 88, Please check if the rad has plastic or metal reservoirs. You should be able to visually tell or by a slight tap of your fingernail. Thanks.

I thought all Festivas had hydraulic lifters.
Maybe you just have a bad lifter. I would drive it to the nearest garage and have a mechanic find the reason for tapping. You could cause damage by driving a long distance. If it is a bad lifter, make sure that some parts store has a good one in stock before you drive all that way and have to drive back empty handed because you can't get parts that day. Good luck.

[Tyler11]

Good move.

I found an 89' one in Canton Ohio It needs alot TLC in areas but the motor is solid!

You buying it?

[Festy46]

I thought all Festivas had hydraulic lifters.

Even (at least some) of the '89s had mechanical lifters. I have an '89 shop manual and it shows you how to adjust mechanical lifters to .012" clearance for both intake and exhaust.
I've personally transferred a set of mechanical lifters from a B3 to a B6 to see if I could get more revs without valve float. I got more revs alright. I snapped a valve stem off at the valve keeper and the valve dropped down and the piston turned the straight valve stem into a letter "S".

[muleskinner]

You buying it?

Yes I purchased the 89' not that 88 with the valve problem.

The one I got is pictured below. I have removed all those stickers now.

[Tyler11]

Yes I purchased the 89' not that 88 with the valve problem.

The one I got is pictured below. I have removed all those stickers now.

Awesome! Congrats! I'm still looking for a good one. It's hard to find one with a/c that hasn't been mucked with and isn't rusted to bits!