89 festiva won't idle need help please

[ricko1966]

I am new to the festiva scene and know little about these cars. I bought an 89 festiva it didn't run right but I really thought it would be an easy fix. Car races at idle for a few secones then idles down and dies I suspected an intake leak but couldn't find one with carb cleaner or by pressurizing the intake. The car revs slow so I thought maybe the timing belt was off a tooth checked it it is good.car has new timing belt and reman carb installed by previous owner. Pulled and checked egr valve it isn't leaking. Even compression.it doesn't idle well enough to get accurate vacuum readings driving it is not right it hesitates on acceleration and you have to play with pedal position to reach driving speeds it accelerates better at 3/4 throttle than full throttle. Something is going on with fuel oh yeah I changed the map sensor. What am I missing here incorrect vac routing?Bad control solenoid? I am lost.

[bravekozak]

Like I tell everyone else. Buy an Escort carb + adapter from Rocketman, plug all of your unused vacuum lines and you will have no more problems. Use the search engine to find out how others have done it. Carbs don't need computers. Good luck.

[WmWatt]

Iniital high rpm could be the automatic choke but given the sophistication of what you've tried I imagine you've alread looked into that. I have to tap the gas pedal right after the engine starts sometimes to bring down the rev's, and always tap the pedal after 10 seconds to disengage the choke although that doesn't work in cold weather when the choke remains engaged until the engine wams up a bit. Also I often have to pump some gas into the carburetor with the gas pedal to get the car started after staning for a few days. The owners manual says to pump the gas pedal three times and then hold down half way every time teh engien is started, but only really neccesary when starting cold. I've had the car 25 years and never altered the carburettor but do clean with carb cleaner once a year and clean EGR valve every few years when I notice the engine running warmer than usual.

The usual way to find vacuum hose leaks is to mist water or starter fluid on each end with the engine running and listen for change in idle speed.

If you want to test the vacuum advance on the distributor just pull and plug the hose and see if that makes a difference. I use that hose for the vacuum guage so have done it a few times.

Hope that helps locate the problem.

[ricko1966]

Thanks for the advice guys I have seen on this forum to use an escort carb or Weber , carb I really want to figure this one out for economic and practical reasons yes I have already checked the choke and checked for vacuum leaks with carb cleaner and when I couldn't find one I pressurized the manifold and checked for leaks like a blower car.I really thought the stupid thing had an intake leak which is why I went to such lengths to find one. Now I am thinking the guy who changed the carb hooked up some lines wrong or one of the many solenoid on the fire wall is bad. I really need help diagnosing the feedback carb and it's supporting components. I only need this car to run for a month.which is why I want to get it running properly with the new carb that is already on it.I know all about the W ebers I used to sell them and install thsm on vw's, audi's and audistill have a few of them in the shop.I just need it running for a month while I build my nice feisty 88 really good body and interior doing efi and engine and 5 speed swap as well as front end rebuild I am currently driving the efi donor car as my daily driver and need this carb model to get my to and from work just long enough to tear down the other two cars swap drive train wiring harness and fuel tank I drive 200 miles a day for work and love the festiva milage can't really afford to drive my truck that much on my pay which is why I bought this festiva as a temp driver then as a parts car.

[ricko1966]

Okay went out and tried and tried to figure this thing out did discover a bad vacuum advance bumped the timing a little to compensate. Still doesn't idle right pulled the intake hoping to find a leak no luck.Now the manifold is off I have 1/2 a dozen w ebers laying around and a few adapter plates for different applications I am going to go ahead and do the weber swap why are the Rickman adapters so tall? I am thinking of using a 2 piece adapter for a Nissan using the top weber 1/2 and making a new festiva lower 1/2 is there a reason the rocket man adapters are so tall? Where do I get a new vac advance? Thanks oh yeah how do I delete this thread since I am not going to try to get the O.E. stuff working?

[ricko1966]

please read this

Okay this is my first forum this was also my first post got my first p.m. Sunday I am learning about forums as I go learning how to text better as I write this.Anyway I don't know how to modify my post or delete it to keep people up to where things are going with this. I have over 30 years experience as a tech and more tools than a snapon truck. I have decided to put the manifold back on try to get some comprehensive information as to vacuum routing, feedback carb function description, and feedback carb controls and inputs.When I worked at the dealerships I have worked at it never would have been an option to tell a customer your d jet fuel injection is junk just put a Weber on it.I really think if I had bought this before it had been messed with it would be done now.I purchased a Haynes manual before ever getting on here, it is way to basic.Anyway I am going to try the stock stuff once more I have a weber here as a back up plan and if I have to swap carbs I think I want to go escort, but what years and models are right.If anyone can give me any info about vacuum routing basic feedback operation etc. Please do.If anyone can direct me as to how to update delete modify whatever is best on this post, please tell me.Thanks

[tooldude]

So when you get a chance to call back we will trace & compare our vacuum hose routing which would be way too much rhetoric to post on here.

[nitrofarm]

Okay this is my first forum this was also my first post got my first p.m. Sunday I am learning about forums as I go learning how to text better as I write this.Anyway I don't know how to modify my post or delete it to keep people up to where things are going with this. I have over 30 years experience as a tech and more tools than a snapon truck. I have decided to put the manifold back on try to get some comprehensive information as to vacuum routing, feedback carb function description, and feedback carb controls and inputs.When I worked at the dealerships I have worked at it never would have been an option to tell a customer your d jet fuel injection is junk just put a Weber on it.I really think if I had bought this before it had been messed with it would be done now.I purchased a Haynes manual before ever getting on here, it is way to basic.Anyway I am going to try the stock stuff once more I have a weber here as a back up plan and if I have to swap carbs I think I want to go escort, but what years and models are right.If anyone can give me any info about vacuum routing basic feedback operation etc. Please do.If anyone can direct me as to how to update delete modify whatever is best on this post, please tell me.Thanks

Best wish's to you hope it works out.

[Fordverde]

Which part of the vacuum diagram do you need? All of it?
Here is a starter:

[ricko1966]

All of it I do not trust that any of the lines are on the right spots.I asked the guy I bought the car from if he got all the lines on the right spots when he changed the care his response was I think so but I am no mechanic.So anyway first step is verify he got everything back on right.Thank you

[WmWatt]

Many of the hoses are colour coded, for example the ones that go into the solonoids on the firewall have dashed lines along their length the same colour as the solenoid. The ones going into the carb and EGR valve have (I think, some anyway) the same colour as a dot painted on the metal where they attach. That should get many of them hooked up right. There are photos taken to answer questions in this forum over the years. Try a search on "vacuum lines" and you should see some pics. Hope that helps.

[ricko1966]

Thanks I'll keep searching. I figured out that all the solenoid s were color coded didn't know about the paint dots. It's good to hear from someone that doesn't just say throw the new carb away and adapt and rejet a weber.

[bravekozak]

I first get a migraine and then an aneurism if I stare at a factory carb vacuum diagram for longer than one minute. The goal is to have only one vacuum line from my non-actuator controlled carb to the distributor for advance.

[zoe60]

Just throwing this out there, but I wonder if it could be a bad, or going bad, ignition control module?

[pete]

Please keep posting I am dealing with the exact same issue. The plugs aeem to foul quickly if it does start.