Automatic festy hesitates .....

[muleskinner]

.....And stalls. It hesitates from a stop and hesitates & stalls going up hills. I have checked the air meter and fuel filter already. Anyone with experience with this problem please help. I'm out of ideas.
Thanks in advance.

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[FestYboy]

So severe hesitation and bucking/stalling under moderate to heavy loads... Sounds like ignition loss. Start there by using a spritz bottle of water on the cap and wires, you should hear the spark if not see it.

[Studebaker]

or check for sparking at night. Tune up may help. If sparkiing clean cap and plug wires

[muleskinner]

Can I replace an ignition module in the distributor or do I need to replace the distributor itself?

Also can I replace an ignition module from a stick shift to an automatic?

[FestYboy]

You have an 89... That is year specific for the auto EFI... And I don't have an example in my stable to verify what all can be swapped from other years.

Given that, you aren't having issues with the ICM or pickup, if you're loosing spark, it's after those components. Diag as described above. Report back.

[muleskinner]

You have an 89... That is year specific for the auto EFI... And I don't have an example in my stable to verify what all can be swapped from other years.

We have 2 Festivas with the same problem a 92' & 91'. They are both Auto EFI and have the same problem. The 92 is the one we drove down to the Madness and you did the front wheel bearings on it. The hesitation has gotten worse to where we had to pull it up the hill where we live. I will try to diagnose the problem.....

The 89 I have has another issue called rust. The 2 tow rings at the rear ..... I noticed the other day they have rusted away, gone! Who ever had the Festy before me did some major repairs to the drivers side underneath and in the rear wheel well. Some of that is all failing. I only noticed that when I had to replace the left rear spindle and had to remove (cut out) the strut (Lower bolt rusted in the strut) & put in a new one. The wheel well itself had welded plates on it. I am going to take it down to the welder I know to see what he thinks he can do and if its worth it. He repaired the frame around the right rear axel 3 years ago, so he knows this car.

[FestYboy]

My bad. I was working off your signature, and the other 2 festys aren't on the list... Now that I have that information, any parts from any 90-93 ignition system will interchange. As well as the ICM from most b series engines from 89-95.

[muleskinner]

I have ignition loss on the 92'. The one I drove to FMX. I went to do the test and got shocked when I touched the distributor while the car was running. I'm going to go ahead and do a tune up by replacing the wires, cap, & rotor. Also the spark plugs. I will give you an update when I get that changed & test drive the festy.

The 91' had a different problem. Sludge in the gas tank. We replaced the filter, fuel pump and cleaned out the gas tank. From my understanding the festy sat for a long time. It runs great now!

[muleskinner]

Well. I changed the distributor, rotor, wires, and spark plugs. Still hesitates going up hills!

I'm at a loss now. The only thing I can think it being now is sludge in the gas tank ....... Ugh! I guess I will take the fuel pump out and take a look in the tank.
If anyone has any other ideas, please let me know.

[ryanprins13]

Pulling pump out is easy.
Checked fuel pressure yet? Prehaps the pressure regulator is failing and your not getting enough fuel.
Prehaps timing is off.
What spark plugs did you use?

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[FestYboy]

I've come across several auto festys with the belt off a tooth....

[muleskinner]

I've come across several auto festys with the belt off a tooth....

I don't get it. it ran fine for a year and when we drove it down to FMX. Its when we got it to FMX, it started acting up. Now it runs fine except when I go up steep hills with it. It cuts out bad and sometimes stalls. I have to get a run at the hill just to barely make it up.

[FestYboy]

Check for spark leak.... Get your spritz bottle and go to town.

[muleskinner]

Check for spark leak.... Get your spritz bottle and go to town.

I checked for spark leak & everything checks out good. . .. ... ... . . .. .. . ........

[FestYboy]

Did you play with the throttle while spritzing? You'll rarely catch spark leak at idle, there needs to be a load on the engine (like blipping the throttle, or having someone power brake it).