New-used Festiva here, many problems.

[festivareal]

Hey I'm new to the forum. I had a 89 Festiva once and convinced a broke friend of mine to get one since gas prices are outta here and now it's in my custody while he gets the papers. So I chose the name Festiva Real, to match the spanish name. Pronounce it like Real Madrid the futballsoccer team. I thought I'd fix it up some but ran into some impasses. Hopefully you guys can help me.

It's a 92 GL 5 speed without ac, without tachometer.

#1 When pushing it down the driveway my mechanically genius g/f threw up the hand brake when I told her to push the brakes. The hand brake now seems frozen but just the right front tire is stuck. It's not stuck so bad that I can't turn it by hand but trying to go in it is rough. I discovered this anomaly by jacking up each tire, one at a time. Now here's the hitch I can't unbolt the tire to check out the frozen brake because my +cross wrench doesn't have a socket on it small enough and the bolts are on so tight/rusted I don't want to force my only socket wrench into breaking. (I did this with my last socket wrench on the last festiva). So what is the remedy to a frozen/broken hand brake? How much is a brake job for all 4 wheels + hand brake?

#2 The trunk latch is damned. It's damned stuck. I have no idea how to get it to pop. I turn the key right something moves, pull the latch nothing. Vice versa nothing, Yank yank yank. I poked it with a screw driver, hopped on the back bumper singing the low rider song, nothing. I unbolted two bolts hoping that if I could just get the door away from the car I could figure out what's wrong with the latch. The latch still refuses to part with the door and the car. It's engaged in a death grip. Anyone have any idea how to pop a trunk latch when the conventional means don't work?

#3 I was told the catalytic converter is clogged? Has this ever happened to anyone here? Where can I get the cheapest/best replacement without tossing $400 out the window at a muffler shop?

#4. Help. I'm used to fixing cars the conventional way with bolts that turn and latches that open. The festiva has won this battle but I want to win the war of making the sucker in great shape. This thing reminds me a of stubborn mule you're trying to lead to water.

[WmWatt]

The hand brake only go to the back wheels. If it's a front wheel you have a caliper problem. Probably needs lubricating. I think you have to use a special brake cleaner/lubricant because petroleum solvents and lubricants ruin brakes. Somebody else will know.

Spraying the wheel lug nuts with penetrating oil or solvent might free them up. It could take a few applications over several days. Once the lug nuts are free if the rim is stuck to the wheel there was a solution posted here recently which says to loosen the lug nuts and jack up the wheel and let it down again so to use the car's weight to free the rim from the wheel.

If it were the handbrake which is stuck you'd look at the clevis pins behind the back wheels. They get rusted and don't move but they usually rust in the off position.

[5.0zone]

#1 What WmWatt said. But if it’s the back wheel, look on the back side, you will see a small arm with the brake cable attached. You should be able to tap it back in.

#2 Try pushing on the hatch like you a closing it, really hard. Mine got stuck like that one time and that’s how I got mine open. I hope it works for you.

#3 The catalytic converter bolts in. Its about $80 at Advance Auto. I would take it off and check it before I would buy one.

[festivareal]

"The hand brake only go to the back wheels. "

I thought this was the case at first until I checked each of the wheels. Afterwards, I thought it had something to do with the festiva being kind of an oddball for example, how keys from different festivas will open other festiva doors.

I used WD40 on the latch and lugs yesterday but I think I also have a special bolt loosener chemical. Stuff stinks. I'll get back to you after I try the tips today. Thanks loads!

[freshtiva]

Hopping on your festivas bumper while singing the low rider song and calling it an " oddball " will only cause resentment. Festivas respond better to kindness. :love3: It must be contagious,,

http://www.fordfestiva.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3476

[festivareal]

Oh I got that from this forum from a post that says "10 ways you can tell you own a Festiva." http://www.fordfestiva.com/forum/vie...ht=trunk+latch Just thought reusing it would make some laugh. I was just hopping on it because it's bent slightly up from having been rear ended once. Did no good though. Tough little cars. I think it was from a search on 'trunk latch'. Thought that post was well known. Hey I love the car. It's great. I once got rear ended in the 89 I once had by a big Chrysler New Yorker. Her car was all smashed up the left side and she couldn't open the door. The festiva only suffered a big gouge on the right rear quarter panel and bumper but other than the panel there was no structural damage.

BTW your festivas are also BEAAAAUtiful. I notice you have the seats I once had in my 89. The seats I have in this 92 are torn wrinkly and dirty, not nice like the tweed ones you have.

[festivareal]

#2 Try pushing on the hatch like you a closing it, really hard. Mine got stuck like that one time and that’s how I got mine open. I hope it works for you.

That's what worked! Thanks. On to the other things. Wrecked my short extention on the wheel. Can't get it off. Put some liquid wrench on it.

[Pgh5spd]

I've never bought a Festiva that didn't need brake attention, so don't feel bad. Lug bolts on a neglected Festiva can be tough. I have a 2ft breaker bar that was one of the best things I've ever bought. Get a long breaker and a quality 6point 14mm socket and you should be able to break them free. (In 17yrs of working on these, I've only broken one lug bolt, and that was on a parts car.) A lot of what holds such a mighty grip on them is the taper on the side, and not the threads.

(Last time I had mine inspected, I had to use this breaker bar, and I was worried I might break a bolt, they were on so hard. What made it really aggravating was that I asked the guy, to his face, to please tighten them easy. But, they did come loose and at least they only took the wheels off one side.)

From the sound of it, you may have a broken emergency brake cable - another feature of neglected Festivas. When you get it working again, keep the cable oiled periodically. The self-adjusters inside the rear hubs are probably frozen too. Disassemble the brakes and take the adjuster out, apply WD40 equivalent and get it flexible again. I wish those came with stainless pins and a nylon washer between the two pieces!

Good luck!

[festivareal]

Ok I loosened the lugs! Those lugs were on TIGHT. I bought a 1/2" breaker bar 9/6" socket (although 14mm would have been better but wouldnt work for another job I have. Before undertaking I squeezed liquid wrench onto the lugs and let it soak in some. I then mounted the breaker bar and then slipped the end of the breaker bar into a heavy iron pipe I have. I thought at first the breaker bar was going to break itself as I tried to loosen the lugs with so much force the festiva was trying to roll. Anyway, I jerked the bar quickly and the lugs screached free. This is after I nearly broke a 1/2" to 3/8" adapter. I can't believe they would have put them on so tight. How is anyone with a normal lug wrench supposed to change a tire if they get a flat?

After loosening the lugs I gave up because the mosquitos were starting to bite. Small victory.

Anyway, on my personal Christmas list is an impact wrench and a torque wrench. Life would be so much easier with those. They should make breaker bars even more sturdy.

[ramichael]

My caliper hung up on me and got so hot that i broke 4 sockets trying to get the lug nuts off.

[Cancer]

Just get a breaker bar and hammer the lugs loose is what I did

Good luck on your buddies ride

[WmWatt]

Service stations use power wrenches to tighten lug nuts. I always have a hard remove wheels afterwards. The most recent Time I had to stand on the tire wrench to get them off. Maybe they worry about getting sued if the wheel falls off.

[packrat427]

They don't need to be put on by a service station to be hard to get off.
I tightened mine with a 3/8 ratchet ,not too tight , the next time I took them off , I broke a Snap-on extension , a socket , trying to take them off ??
Do a search , you are not the only one to have this problem ,
The first time I took the steelies off , I used a 12 lb sledge to get the rim off the car :shock: