jumps and bucks help

[bill ford]

Hello. Im new to the festiva I just got a 1991 5 speed. it ran great for about 200 miles, then acked like it ran out of gas. 1/4 tank put gas in it. Stared right up ran fine. next day did same thing.
it will run great for a few days and do the same thing for a few mins thing come out and run just fine. I don't think it is fuel now maybe spark? I clean up all the grounds new fuel filter everything looks good. im lost help

[ryanprins13]

What are the similarities in times that it starts bucking? Always cold engine, warm engine, a certain gear, all gears, only starts in first? Any strange noises when it starts bucking? Any lights flicker or cel come on? Does it actually want to die when you press the gas like when you run out of fuel? Will it die or it just jumps and bucks? Always around a 1/4 tank or sometimes with more?

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[bill ford]

does it any time all gears. its like it shuts off and right back on, some times it dies and don't start for a few mins. no lights come on or anything. then all of a sudden it will clear up and run just fine. does it warm or cold. Never does it at home where I can work on it lol

[ryanprins13]

does it any time all gears. its like it shuts off and right back on, some times it dies and don't start for a few mins. no lights come on or anything. then all of a sudden it will clear up and run just fine. does it warm or cold. Never does it at home where I can work on it lol

Im bad at internet diagnosing so i hope someone else has a suggestion. Sounds like either your vaf failing or fuel pump failing. To check the fuel pump remove rear seat and make sure you have the tools you need to remove the cover. When it dies if it wont start again take a test light and see if theres power going to the fuel pump. May be a wiring issue. If there is then see if you can hear the fuel pump going when you turn the key.

For the vaf (airflow sensor by the air filter) search on the forum here about how to diagnose issues with it. Search for vaf, maf, airflow sensor. That should give you enough results to try something or to at least know if that may be the problem.

Oh, when it shuts off with the key still on you still have power to the radio, headlights, instrument cluster and soon right?

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[bill ford]

did the same thing on the way home last night. it always starts back up but cuts in and out like it gets shut off and on real fast. after 4 or 5 mins it clears up and runs fine

[WmWatt]

Sounds like spark. Pretty sure when a car runs out of gas it decellerates instead of cutting out. When I had problems with the ignition coil and ignition control modlule the engine would cut out suddenly. Try cleaning the ignition components and see if anything changes. Could be dirty or loose connection or old part needing replacement.

[ryanprins13]

I cant believe i forgot. I had the exact same issue. I would be driving and the engine would shut off for 1/4 second and come back on, it got progressively worse and one day it wouldnt start again. Its a replacable electronic thingy in the distributor. I replaced my whole distributor with a new one and it was solved.

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[harpon]

By 'replacable electronic thingy" do you mean the "ignition"?

Yeah- I had a Plymouth van where that went bad and it wouldn't run steady or start- can't really recall what was happening- a dozen years ago

Somebody told me it was the same unit used in Chrysler LeBaron ad had a reputation for going bad- put new one on and never had the problems again

[ryanprins13]

By 'replacable electronic thingy" do you mean the "ignition"?

Yeah- I had a Plymouth van where that went bad and it wouldn't run steady or start- can't really recall what was happening- a dozen years ago

Somebody told me it was the same unit used in Chrysler LeBaron ad had a reputation for going bad- put new one on and never had the problems again

Its a part inside the distributor, dont remember what its called

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[harpon]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Ignition-Control-Module-ICM-For-Ford-Kia-Mazda-LX623-/140985566538?fits=Year%3A1991%7CModel%3AFestiva&hash=item20d365054a:g:RocAAOSw8d9UsvJ9&vxp=mtr

It might be this?

[Shin Hayata]

Its a part inside the distributor, don't remember what its called

Rotor?

Carbon can accumulate on the tip of the rotor. It's dead simple to remove and replace. SMP JR163 was a confirmed fit on my Festiva.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B000C7Y71O/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The SMP JF144 ignition (distributor) cap was replaced at the same time.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B000C7Y6JM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[WmWatt]

Igniton control module (ICM), aka transistorized points. Opens the high voltage circuit which tells the coil to fire the spark plug, or something to that effect. When they "wear out" random stalling is common. Sometimes if you wait for to to cool down the car starts up again. However I'd try replacing the rotor first as the ICM costs more. And a weak coil can show the same sysmptoms. A coil is also cheaper than an ICM. I havn't figured out a way to diagnose these symptoms and know which component is causing the problem. I have taken ICM's to parts stores which test them for free but there's been confusion on how to hook them up to the tester. Last time I spent a lot of time on the ICM only to find the problem was an old coil.

[firebush357]

Most likely is a Spark Related issue by the sound of it. I would start with pulling your Spark Plug Wires and Coil Wire and make sure that they are all have clean connections. There is another thread that was posted just a couple weeks ago in the Repair Forum with a similar issue, there is a lot of info on how to test your Coil and Distributor to make sure that it is working properly.

[bill ford]

thanks guys I will look in to that. its to cold right not in Missouri to work on it lol

[bolokid]

I cant believe i forgot. I had the exact same issue. I would be driving and the engine would shut off for 1/4 second and come back on, it got progressively worse and one day it wouldnt start again. Its a replacable electronic thingy in the distributor. I replaced my whole distributor with a new one and it was solved.

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Ditto. The same thing would happen and got progressively worse. I swapped out the distributor and it hasn't quit again.