i bet somthin stupid...

[hellraiser6919]

ok this is probally somthin realy dumb that i have overlook.

i just did a headgasket on my festiva its a efi 5spd. and i got it back together start the beast up it revs up to 2000 rpm stays for a few seconds and idles down the missfires horibly and dies.

things i have check or tried adjusting:
air sesor, idle, timing, things i may have left unhooked. but have not found the source.

does anyone have a clue what it causing this i need my car on the road two days ago. any help would be greatly apreiciated.

[aithanmier]

any trouble codes?

does your car have any trouble codes?if the check engine light is taying on then you'll need to check for codes. in case you don't have the haynes manual you'll need an analog volt meter. then you just need to jumper the sti terminal to the chassis ground and connect the voltmeter to the sto terminal on the diagnostics plug and the other end to the chassis ground. the sti is a single wire plug thats not connected to anythign and should be right next to the sto plug which has 6 terminals in the plug (it should also not be hooked up.) I know on the carb models it's right next to the power brake resevoir. the sto terminal on the plug is on the left top of the plug. the flat part of the plug is the bottom. then just count the needle sweeps to get the trouble code number. that should narrow down your search for the problem. if it has a trouble code post it and i'll look it up for you.

[hellraiser6919]

no engine light, but i just started it and it just seems their is a real bad misfire. i need a crank pully so when i put that on im going to double check the timing, then start checking some other causes of a misfire. thanks

[FestivaBiker1971]

running concern after head gasket replacement

Sounds like you mixed up some of the plug wires. Switching two or being 180 deg out on timing can cause the symptoms you describe, and will not set a code/ turn on MIL.

[darkdan]

timing off or distrub cap problem

[hellraiser6919]

im checking the time the next time we get a decent day here thanks

[rotinaj13]

cam timming. u r either a tooth advanced*** or a tooth retarded. my guess is a tooth advanced. check the timming marks on the crank pully and the cam pully

[zoe60]

If you haven't checked timing with a timing light you really need to. Also make sure of valve timing. Did you check for head warpage?

[GenevaDirt]

Zoe....lol....this is almost a year old.....I made the mistake of not looking at one [prior to this that was 4 months old....but I won't forget again....lmao...I hope!