The Festiva will fire when cranking but wont keep running.

[fieldd]

Hi All

I am a newby to this forum and in desperate need of help to get my Festiva back on the road. Yesterday in a brain snap moment I pressure cleaned the motor and now it wont keep running. I have checked the usual things like condensation in the distributor cap, fuel pressure and the spark all appear to be good. the coil wire throws a good spark when cranking and the coil has current when not cranking. I have checked all of the electrical connections and then sprayed them with WD40. I have checked all tubes and all appear ok. I drove the car from the back yard to the front yard after the engine cleaning and all went well. However today it wont keep running any advice would be greatly appreciated.

99 Ford Festiva GLXi
Fieldd

[SiliconSoul]

Check for water inside your distributor. Almost always happens when I pressure wash a new motor for the first time.

D'oh... Nevermind, I see you checked it already...

What is it doing? Stumbling then dying, or does it stop as soon as you let go of the key?

[william]

Do you have spark at the plugs ? Or just the coil?

[shadetree]

Pressure washer knocked vaf plug loose or full of water .

[bolokid]

I would still open the distributor and let it dry out. Just because there is no apparent water under the cap does not mean there is not water inside the distributor itself.

[fieldd]

Thanks for the responses guys.


The engine fires while cranking and stops when you take the key off of start. Yes there is spark at the plugs. What is a VAF plug and where do I find it?

[william]

Plug going into the air box.

[fieldd]

thanks William

Found it looks ok no water or condensation. Tested at 1.8 ohms and the wires have 4.98 volts. Is this normal?

[Movin]

All good stuff, go with bolokids thought and run with it, open up anything electrical or air and leave the hood up., let the sunshine in, for all the spare time you got. Use wymwatts usual electrical help when done, add wd-40 , assemble all and let er rip!

[ryanprins13]

I once pressurewashed my festiva then drove it in -35c for 2 hours. It was fine till i shut it off, then 20min later it would only start with the pedal on the floor and would die if i let the rpm's drop below 2000. My battery was nearly dead by the time i figured that out. Happened to be in the capital city of this province and had to get out o it and drive 2 hours back. Its actually quite difficult to keep an engine above 2000rpm....
But i put it in a heated shop with lotsa fans and it was fine 24hrs later. What about your plugs on the fuel injecter harness? They full of water?


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[fieldd]

Hi Guys thanks for all the advise. However things are going from bad to worse. Today I have no spark from the coil. I have taken the cap of the distributor and sprayed it with electrical cleaning spray and still nothing. I have heard that Commodore distributors fail when they get wet is it the same with Festiva distributors?

Getting desterate
Fieldd

[SiliconSoul]

Have you checked your three main fuses?

[shadetree]

Where is Queensland ?

[Damkid]

Where is Queensland ?

Australia I believe

[jennifermohn1]

Idk

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