92 Festiva Slow Start / No Start

[jimdigs]

I'm stupid. I was trying to loosen the wrong bolt. I felt around and fount the other bolt like you say and got the thing out. Have you tried a new starter? I'm putting the new one I have in tonight if that don't work oh well, I'll always have a new starter. If it don't work its gotta be some wire shorting or loose, which I thought I have checked for or the ignition switch? Or, Or Or Or the list goes on....I'll post later on tonight, gonna take a break from the snow.

[Timothy]

No I did not try a new starter. I took mine to auto zone and they said it was ok. I do have a new and interesting new lead. I read an article that says to remove the electrical connections from the vane air flow meter. Well I did that and now I have spark coming out of the coil. So that is a step in the right direction. Good luck with your new starter.

[Timothy]

Good news, I removed the connection to Vain Aif Flow Meter and the car fired right up. I mean right up. There was no hesitation or anything. Now the only problem is the engine idles fun but when i hit the gas she gets rough and the car dies. So I'll have to fix that now, but this is certainly a step in the right direction.

[FestYboy]

The VAF is required to run past idle. If everything is working properly, disconnecting the VAF plug will cause the engine to die shortly after firing up because there's no fuel pressure due to the pump relay not being energised by the VAF.

[Timothy]

The VAF is required to run past idle. If everything is working properly, disconnecting the VAF plug will cause the engine to die shortly after firing up because there's no fuel pressure due to the pump relay not being energised by the VAF.

Cool, thank you for explaining how that all works.

Yikes, I just found out its a $100 part. I'm watching youtube vids on how to fix them. Maybe I can get lucky and there will be a cheap fix. Or maybe I hope I can find a good one at a junk yard or something.

[william]

I've got a few good ones here but that's not making sencer to me that unplugging it gives you spark. I've never had one that would run more then 1 or 2 seconds with it unplugged unless the fuel pump was jumpered. As it required to run the pump after the key is released from the crank position. As FestYboy said.

The one I'm going to is on Finney Ave saint Louis, MO

[FestYboy]

Ok so plug back in and try again. The vaf is there to do 2 things: measure the volume/mass of air entering the engine, and trigger the fuel pump relay.

[Timothy]

I've got a few good ones here but that's not making sencer to me that unplugging it gives you spark.

Im getting confused. Are you saying you have a few good sensors also or were you still talking about the ignition switch. If your talking about the sensor let me know how much you want for one and I'll bring some cash Witt me Wednesday. Thanks for your help in this thread.

Ok so plug back in and try again. The vaf is there to do 2 things: measure the volume/mass of air entering the engine, and trigger the fuel pump relay.

I couldn't tell if you were directing this to me or William. I did plug it back in and nothing, unplugged it and it came back to life and idles fine. I actually reattached the electric connector to the sensor while it was idling and it died as soon as the harness clipped back on.

[WmWatt]

Re starter motor; overhauling a starter used to be one of the first things they got you to do in HS auto mechanics course. I only took a "look after your car" night school course and it was the first thing they got me to do. Assume you could still do that and avoid purchase of a new starter
.
PS I you try jumping the terminals with a screwdriver make sure the car is not in gear.

[jimdigs]

Well, I changed my starter and the thing turns over like a champ now but won't start. Just to let ya know Tim. I also put on a different distributor cap and coil wire I had laying around. Nothing. I'm in the same boat as you. I'm thinking coil but don't want to spend all the money if that is not the problem. I just threw $80 on a starter. UGH

[Timothy]

Well, I changed my starter and the thing turns over like a champ now but won't start. Just to let ya know Tim. I also put on a different distributor cap and coil wire I had laying around. Nothing. I'm in the same boat as you. I'm thinking coil but don't want to spend all the money if that is not the problem. I just threw $80 on a starter. UGH

Sorry to hear things are running for you yet. Did you try unplugging the air flow meter sensor? I'm wondering if lightlight can strike twice here.

This link is jammed packed with good info. http://www.justanswer.com/ford/3a9n7...ing-spark.html

[FestYboy]

I couldn't tell if you were directing this to me or William. I did plug it back in and nothing, unplugged it and it came back to life and idles fine. I actually reattached the electric connector to the sensor while it was idling and it died as soon as the harness clipped back on.

To you, and given your findings, it seams that there's a short (likely a power feedback) that is disturbing the ground control to the ICM or to the pickup in the coil. So, time to break out the DVOM and EVTM and start tracing!

[Timothy]

To you, and given your findings, it seams that there's a short (likely a power feedback) that is disturbing the ground control to the ICM or to the pickup in the coil. So, time to break out the DVOM and EVTM and start tracing!

So you don't think that the problem lies in the actual air flow sensor or the electronics inside it.

[jimdigs]

Sorry to hear things are running for you yet. Did you try unplugging the air flow meter sensor? I'm wondering if lightlight can strike twice here.

This link is jammed packed with good info. http://www.justanswer.com/ford/3a9n7...ing-spark.html

I did try unplugging the vaf sensor and it wouldn't start. Thanks for the link.

[FestYboy]

So you don't think that the problem lies in the actual air flow sensor or the electronics inside it.

Not ruling it out, but the symptoms don't point to it.