93Festiva Problem

[Speechless35]

Really? The night before I tried starting it and it wouldn't even overturn. Then I buy all new links and it starts. How do I explain that?

[Speechless35]

Well I just got out of work and I go to start my car and guess what,it's not starting. Ugh this is getting frustrating

[FestYboy]

ok so this is a no CRANK problem, correct? when the car cranks, it starts, but if it doesn't crank, it won't run.

main relay or ignition switch would be my next items of inquary.

[Speechless35]

The car overturns but wont start. IDK Y

[FestYboy]

ok, we now have to see if there's spark when cranking.

pull center wire of dizzy cap and place it near a metal object close to the strut tower (NOT the Coil or ICM). Crank the engine, you should see sparks from that wire. if not then we need to find the fault in the ignition system.

[TominMO]

So sometimes it turns over/cranks, and other times not. Diagnosis: loose battery cable or loose starter cable.

Sometimes when it turns over, it starts, and other times not.
a. If it was running, then you parked it, then came back out a short time later to start it and it cranked but would not start, I'm still thinking something overheating in the ignition system.
b. If it cranks when cold but won't start, like first thing in the morning or when you get off work, I'm not sure. Might be a sensor that is operating intermittently.

BTW what year is your car, what transmission, carby or EFI? If it's a carby, I'm thinking failing ignition module, inside the distributor.

[Speechless35]

It's cranking but not starting. I went to work at 12pm-6pm came back and the car didn't start. I don't think it's overheating because it was sitting for 6 hours. 93 Ford Festiva GL Automatic & I think EFI. This car is new for me,I've only dealt with 77 and unders. This is my first car with a computer.

[purg3d]

Welcome to the club. Grab yourself a copy of the Haynes Manual for 88-97 Ford Festiva/Aspire if you haven't already. Crank, but no start could mean no fuel or no spark. Take to heart everything Festyboy says- he'll point you in the right direction.

[Speechless35]

Just got a call from Tire Kingdom,Neighborhood mechanic shop,and they said there nothing wrong with the vehicle. They said it could be a battery,even though I just bought the battery in January.... I mean,I guess..... The same battery there talking about is the same I'm using in my 76 Ford Maverick... They drove it around for a couple days and they tested and nothing. Now,I'm going to pick the car up and lets see what happens and thanks purg3d for the help.

[Speechless35]

It was the battery terminals!!!!

[Bert]

I'd check the fuseable links on the drivers side strut tower. I had this exact problem with my 93 automatic and those fusable links were all corroded. I cleaned them and put a little di electric grease on them and it fixed the problem completely.

And this happened to you out in the desert! God forbid you happen to live in the rust belt.

[mudder]

He called us inept geeks!

Someone had the same problem online at this site.http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/ford...bad-62958.html
its sounds like the same problem I have. It could be distributor,ignition switch,bad ground somewhere, or ignition module

[FestYboy]

It was the battery terminals!!!!

REALLY!?!?!? that's something that should have not been looked over in the first place, no wonder none of our suggestions had no effect. you gotta have a good power source before any other diagnostice can be done.

[Speechless35]

Battery cables is as tight as can be,but still no go. I think it might be in the column like he says because the lights are on by themselves sometimes and once I flipped the turn signal the lights came off

[FestYboy]

ok, that last sentance made no sense to me.... sry. what's in the column, who says, and what exactly were the conditions of which lights?