1993 Festiva with blown engine. Do I Fix, Sell, or Scrap?

[drddan]

Yes it is roomier! Here is a cool trick you can do with a Festy:

If you unlock the back seat, but not fold it forward, but lift and push in where the upper and lower seats meet, the upper can be laid back and the whole seat will lay flat over the spare tire!

It's called "The Festiva Back Seat Trick"! You can fit a full size washing machine or dryer back there .... and close the hatch! Incredible!!!

[Crosshair]

Ok things are moving fast right now and and I need to make some decisions and need quick advice.

Do I need the engine computer from the 323 or will the one from my festiva work. Stupid question but I need to know so I can chose from a couple options that have popped up.

[Crosshair]

Ok. Someone told me that I will need the ecu and to only buy an engine and ecu that was from a manual as the wiring is apparently different.

[fastivaca]

You can run the Mazda 323 engine with the Festiva ECU. My daughters car has that engine with the Festiva intake and exhaust manifolds as well as the Festiva ECU. Not the best way to run it but run it does with much better performance than the stock engine.

[Crosshair]

Thanks. Good to know. The one engine has fallen through and the one from the local yard hasn't been tested yet.

[Chobobulous]

Ok. Someone told me that I will need the ecu and to only buy an engine and ecu that was from a manual as the wiring is apparently different.

You might want to just check the ecu for smiles and giggles if you end up buying a car to take everything out of. I got a manual under the impression that it would be 2 plug like the festiva. It was a 3 plug. Im currently using the festiva ecu. Runs like a champ.

[blueoval]

the 1.8 out of the 1990-1994 protégé is a real fun swap and is a simple bolt in but you have to massage the firewall alittle but the car will haul now

[Crosshair]

the 1.8 out of the 1990-1994 protégé is a real fun swap and is a simple bolt in but you have to massage the firewall alittle but the car will haul now

Can others confirm this? Looking for Protege engines I find A LOT of options available to me nearby. What sort of "massaging" are we talking about? balpeen hammer or 8 pound sledge?

I assume you are talking about the single cam B8 and not the dual BP?

[Crosshair]

Ok. From what I read a 1.8 swap will require that I remove the power steering and ac. Don't really feel the need to give up those two things so I figure I will stick with a B6.

On a 323 does it make a difference if I have one from a manual or auto? At first I saw that I should get one from a manual while I then find other info stating either is fine....

[bravekozak]

A good mechanic who knows what he's doing, same engine, about five hours (or less).

[sketchman]

My B6-ME also required a light firewall massage. Like literally the size of a quarter pushed in maybe 2-3mm.

[Crosshair]

Thanks everyone for your input, you have all been very helpful with helping me explore my options. Unfortunately, finding an engine somewhere I am willing to drive to and at a price I will accept has proved fruitless.

The good news is that not an hour after I posted an ad on Craigslist trying to sell it as a parts car I got a text from a Festiva connoisseur interested in buying it.

So the good news is that my Festiva will be stripped of every last usable part to keep other Festivas on the road and not just go into a crusher. In a perfect world I would have been able to fix it up, but this is the next best thing.

[Chobobulous]

You might want to just check the ecu for smiles and giggles if you end up buying a car to take everything out of. I got a manual under the impression that it would be 2 plug like the festiva. It was a 3 plug. Im currently using the festiva ecu. Runs like a champ.

That is what im doing. I having weird idle issues though.

[harpon]

Glad your Festiva has a happy afterlife-

I always wanted to put a small electric motor on the rear wheels- not anything of speed- but for parking lots, drive-throughs and slow-moving freeway traffic (Which I NEVER have to drive in much anymore thank god)

but too old and not that much of a mechanic really-

it got me wondering why we haven't had such "auxillary motors" for years now- not like a hybrid motor- just something to move the car out of the way or a few miles slowly that recharges-

the answers clear these days- It;s always been about SELLING GASOLINE!

You have got me thinking also- I just went through finding another Festiva, but I was looking at Geo's too. There's a lot of good unrusted old cars here in Florida, but more are out in the countrysides than here in Jacksonville at least- which beats the crap out of old cars apparently-

anyway- a forum like this may be a great place to start a delivery service, or find a runner/ finder for such cars-

I'm 60, and I hate to fly, so I probably can't- but it might be a great way folks north in the rust belts could get an older unrusted car-
especially if they can turn a wrench and willing to gamble on buying a distant car they haven't seen or driven in person
maybe they'd know some truckers to ride back with- NO SEX!

If I was younger- given the exploding cost landscape- I think I might be nterested in dealing older high mileaged cars like Festivas Aspires and Geos, or even a delivery service just dealing piecemeal with little inventory or operating costs.

nawwwwww.

[harpon]

A case on point-

This car has been up more thabn a month- and updated 6 days ago-

These go for crazy on ebay- I can't believe it's not sold- its too far from me, or it might've been sold:

http://tampa.craigslist.org/psc/cto/4569906460.html

Here's another here in town- too rich for my blood, and I like sticks...

http://jacksonville.craigslist.org/cto/4616623404.html

Good God!
It's raining Festivas suddenly!
This one wasn't here when I bought mine last week-

http://jacksonville.craigslist.org/cto/4623738600.html