Need a New Speedo. Have Many Questions.

[RedHornet]

New user here. Hands-on novice mechanic level.
I have a 91 Ford Festiva 216k+.
I do not know much about it, therefore I have a few questions.

First things first, the speedometer. I hear a cyclical grinding noise under the dash as I drive. Can I repair this? I have little money and no source for used parts here in central WA. I love how-to videos.

Now for many questions: Which instead of many posts, may we can keep this to one post with many answers?
As I said I'm new here, and It may just be me but, how do I figure out exactly what my car is?
I ask because I'm searching for the service manuals, which seem to by vague and cover many years/models. How do I confirm what's in my car without going by the title and registration (I think it's wrong). Also the title says "FE" on the Model line. Nowhere does it say Fiesta or Festiva.
I want to get that all right so I can use the correct Service Manual and take home the right parts from the auto part store every-time.
Also, I will be looking for a mass of how-to videos. Are there any Festiva owner YouTube channels anyone may know about?
I hate breaking plastic clips and tearing up harness plugs.

Thank you very much in advance,
-Jon

[drddan]

Hi Jon, and welcome to the forum!
You can ask away. You can also use the search function, and under "forum" at the top left side of any page, click and takes you to lots of "sticky's" that can answer Q's.

Open the drivers door, and there should be a white sticker on the door jam, by the lock. This has the info about the car, as in month/year it was made and stuff.
Also check your VIN on the drivers side dash, and make sure that same number is on your title. Your title should also say Ford Festiva and the year and model.

There is a downloadable FSM (ford service manual) on a members signature here. I don't recall who ATM. My bad! I'll find it here shortly.

Most of the plugs come apart pretty easily. Most have a tab to depress to remove. Careful, the old plastic sometimes gets brittle!

It is wise to add your city and state to your profile. There may be members close to you, and like to help. We are kinda like that!

The speedo can be taken out. Trace speedo to tranny. Unscrew the speedo from tranny. Remove speedo cluster from dash panel. Reach around and remove speedo cable from cluster. Pull the inner cable from the cable housing and grease it up. Easy.

[F3BZ]

you're pretty safe going with any factory service manual from 90-93. not much changed except possibly wire colors. all same 1.3 EFI engine, same OBD, and either 3 spd ATX or 5 spd MTX. there are a couple 91 service manuals on ebay now but the free one on this site should do for most repairs. also good to have is the 91 electrical/vacuum troubleshooting manual if you're chasing any electrical problems. easy to understand explanation of the component operation and wiring diagrams of the individual systems.

[Studebaker]

Is the speedo needle jumping? First thing I would do is remove and clean the cable. Do this by unscrewing the cable assy. from the trans. Do not unbolt the pinion gear from the trans. Just follow the cable assy. down to were it gets fat. that is were you unscrew it. Once it is unscrewed look and see what position the notch is in so it will reengage the pinion gear at reinstall. Then pull the cable out. You do not have to remove the speedo. Clean the cable. I used gas. Tilt the cable assy. up. Spray in a lot of grafite. I use a can of lock grafite from the auto parts store. Spray the cable and reinstall. Make sure notch engages pinion gear. Screw back on. Hand tight is good. Only other thing it could be is the speedo going bad. Hou many miles on the car? Good luck, Festivas are good first cars. They are easy to work on.

David

[bolokid]

New user here. Hands-on novice mechanic level.
I have a 91 Ford Festiva 216k+.
I do not know much about it, therefore I have a few questions.

First things first, the speedometer. I hear a cyclical grinding noise under the dash as I drive. Can I repair this? I have little money and no source for used parts here in central WA. I love how-to videos.

Now for many questions: Which instead of many posts, may we can keep this to one post with many answers?
As I said I'm new here, and It may just be me but, how do I figure out exactly what my car is?
I ask because I'm searching for the service manuals, which seem to by vague and cover many years/models. How do I confirm what's in my car without going by the title and registration (I think it's wrong). Also the title says "FE" on the Model line. Nowhere does it say Fiesta or Festiva.
I want to get that all right so I can use the correct Service Manual and take home the right parts from the auto part store every-time.
Also, I will be looking for a mass of how-to videos. Are there any Festiva owner YouTube channels anyone may know about?
I hate breaking plastic clips and tearing up harness plugs.

Thank you very much in advance,
-Jon

Jon,

Where are you located? I am in Pasco, if you need another speedo I have one you can have. Come over and we may even give you a hand installing it.

[RedHornet]

Thank you all for your answers. They are great. So are the Festivas! Very easy to work on and fun to drive. I will be onto that cable very soon and I'm happy that it may only be the cable! I will update soon, can't guarantee pictures.
Answers:
Bolokid: Thank you very much! Unfortunately, unless I can get my hands on a different vehicle, Red Hornet isn't highway ready yet as I have only 1st, 2nd, and barely 3rd,.. and a threadbare tire, so I couldn't make the trip.
We are in Yakima. Will update profile.
It is a 91 Ford Festiva! Totally forgot about the door sticker.
The needle is motionless, the gas gauge and oil(or temp cant remember) seem to work. Gauge ilumination lights only come on when brights are on.
The odometer says around 216k and is not moving.

I guess this is the best time as any for introducing ourselves.
Our Festiva is owned by my loving girlfriend Christina; it is her first car. My name is Jon. I am her mechanic/PC service/carpenter/driver/boyfriend. We currently dont make alot of money so Red Hornet will be a slow to go thing.
Christina just received her car as a gift from her father. He bought it for a temp car because his main car wrecked and is in the shop.
I have little mechanic experience. The work I've done I may have never learned the names of things. I am learning. I have done countless repairs to vehicles including radio, knobs, dome fixtures, etc. and some under the hood when I can like hoses, belts, plugs, radiator, fluid reservoirs, etc.
Red Hornet is definitely a fixer upper.
Currently that we know of:
1. Only 3 gears.
2. There is a slow leak somewhere in the brakeline(s).
3. Somewhere is leaking oil at about a quart or more a week.
4. No speedo.
*5. Lamps/electrical weirded out. *explained below.
6. Battery drains after 48 hours. Also the light that comes with that on the dash, turns off after about 3 hours of driving.
7. Parking brake dash light, only seen it off one time, now it just stays on.
8. No check engine light, and it does work.
9. No AC
10. Heater only gets hot if blowing on ground.
11. No radio OR speakers in the back.
*I have not figured out why I was instructed to use a wire under the hood to turn the lights off. I am not so great with knowing electrical right away. As far as I can tell the switch inside is broken stuck on, but I hear clicking in the fuse box when I switch... ssooo... fuses possibly??? Also with this method the brights have to be on so the running reds will come on at night.

I haven't even gotten to the radiator or belts and hoses and plugs. Everything looks fine, belt squeaks a little after moving, and maybe low on coolant.
I have been underneath Red Hornet before with its previous owner to help attaching the old transmission and new clutch to the motor. Then axles and arms. I wasn't there for the teardown or finishing connections. Before that Red Hornet even needed a new/machined rotor before driving it. Thats it, as far as I can remember right now.
Thankyou everyone!
-Jon & Christina

[Festivahopeful]

I am in Yakima from time to time to visit family, might have to meet up, welcome to the forum Jon!

[drddan]

1) 3 gears. Is this a manual tranny? Check the tranny fluid. Auto? Check tranny fluid.
This is done by removing a screw on the same housing that the speedo cable goes to on the tranny. Unscrew the cable, then remove the screw that holds the housing to the tranny. The housing is sometimes hard to remove. It just pulls out, but sometimes is stuck. DONT pry on the little tab that is used to hold the housing on the tranny with the screw. Take a channel lock plier, or a decent regular plier, grab around the outside of housing, and twist on the housing while pulling up on it. Prying on the tab will break it, and you don't wanna do that. Once you have the housing out, it is also the tranny fluid Dipstick. There is a gear drive that sticks out of the the housing, goes down into tranny. Look there, there are 2 marks on the side of the metal between housing and gear. This is the dipstick. Fluid should be at the top line or between the 2 lines. Any lower causes weird issues and if not on dipstick at all, you may have a bad tranny. BUT, regardless, fill it up to the lines and drive it. It may work after driving a bit.

2) Brake leak. Check around master cylinder on firewall, check calipers in front and wheel cylinders in rear.

3) Oil leak. Look at the passenger side of engine (front). Is it really oily there? Cam seals are known for leaking with age and are replaced easily
Known culprits are the cam seal, the crank seal and the valve cover seal.

4) No speedo, and you also said above that, needle is motionless. If you meant the speedo needle and you hear grinding, my bet is the cable is broken.
Props to Bolo for the cable offer!

6) You most probably have a short somewhere draining the battery. Look around for nicked or worn wires. This topic is best answered by BraveKosak or tooldude (members here)

[RedHornet]

drddan your Advice and help is stellar! I love communities for just this very reason, this is definitely a good one!
It is a manual 5 speed. I'm very excited to get to it. This is great.

At the moment I have nowhere to work on RedHornet, but I am in possession of the detached-garage door key, which is currently being used as a junk storage. Once I get enough of the piles out; I may be able to work inside it SOON and man it sure will be so nice to have that . So far the piles average 5ft high and contain 20% deteriorating heirlooms and 70% trash. I'll have to use a mask and hazard suit for the remaining 10%:p. So knowing what I'm dealing with it may be awhile before I get to do some of these things and put your advice to work and to update.
I have a little 58peice mechanics tool set which I think will get me by for now. I'm thinking I may be borrowing or going to the pawnshop to get by when I need something. Again thank you very much!
-Jon

[Team Lightning]

Welcome Jon!! Pawn shops are a good source for tools. I bought both a Snap-on 3/8 and 1/2 battery impact wrench. I love those things although they are 14.4 volts not the 19 I had used before.

[koRnhead]

And fyi.....you will only get hest on the floor/defrost settings. Not the vents. So no issue for you there.

[drddan]

^ Good point!

drddan your Advice and help is stellar!

Well.... Thank You , Thank you very much! (in Elvis tone lol)

I got to thinking, and you will also want to look at the shifter bushings, that connect the shifter rods to the tranny, from the shifter. They run under the car, shifter to tranny. Bushings at both ends. Yours are most likely bad and need replacing. May be part of your issue with the gears

[RedHornet]

Thankyou much.
I am starting work on the garage this weekend. I may post a before and after picture after I'm done with it maybe. Iits a big job and increment pictures would be interesting probably.

[bolokid]

It's good to know that you are as close as Yakima.

I will be parting out an 88 shortly so hopefully I will be able to help you out some.

Keep in mind that Westiva is coming in July.

Bob

[Studebaker]

10mm 12mm and 14mm are used 98% of the time. Buy these first. 6 point, 12 point, deep scocket.