89'Festiva cuts out under load, fixed once now broke again?

[yogaslackers]

fuel pump works great better than 5lbs.

[yogaslackers]

Festive cuts out under load

I have an 1989 Festiva with a carbureted engine and manual tranny. 215,000 miles 100,000 on the rebuilt engine and 50,000 on the new tranny


3 weeks ago the car started to cut out when a load was placed on the engine or if I floored it in any gear but first.

This happened 10 mins after revving it up to power down a muddy road. I came to a stop light and it died. I restarted it and limped it home as it would die when ever I would stop or if I gave it too much gas. At home I found the #4 wire burnt up on the inside.

Since then,
I replaced all wires and plugs good spark in all cylinders:
Car idles great.
Car starts fine.
Car still cuts out while climbing small hills or when gas pedal is floored
Car will climb in speed if I find the “sweet spot” not to hard not to soft.
Car will not go in 5th gear no matter how gentle I am.

Then I replaced the fuel filter
Same problems

Then replaced the Catalytic converter
Same problems


Then took to a shop
They tested fuel 5.5lbs
Tested the timing good belt and right on
Tested vacuum don’t remember the # but they said it was good.
The told me it was a Carb problem

Then I rebuilt the Carb
Same problem

Then I took out the emergency shut off in the carb. The piece that the black wire goes to. Vacuum activated switch, a C ring holds a stopper in place well any way I took that out.

Still the same problem, cuts out when floored in 3rd gear, cuts out when going up hill in 3-5th, if in the sweet spot on level ground I can go in 4th, will not drive unless down hill in 5th.

The last thing I have checked it the tank pick up, which is clean, when the gas tank is pressured gas streams out of the petcock.

Please help I am stranded in Missoula, MT for 3 weeks I was suppose to be back in class 1000 miles from here 4 weeks ago. Any Ideas please call 2187918421 or email yogaslackers@gmail.com

Thank you for your time.

Sam Salwei
Proud owner the Peace, Love and Be-Happy Car for the last 4 years, it has provided me with 121,000 out of its 215,000 mile life so far.

https://www.yogaslackers.com

[Bowls]

If the engine it self is sound, one of two things only can course a miss under a load:

1. fuel system = A dirty fuel filter, low fuel pump pressure or wrong metering rods in your carburetor.

2. electrical system = plug fouled, bad plug wire, coil getting to hot braking down. I first start with the electrical. At idle, one at a time pull each plug wire at the distributor to see if one makes NO change in the missing (removing one at a time and replacing it). If one makes no change, then you have a bad plug or wire. Also with your carburetor choke set at a high idle at night (dark condition) look to see if the plug wires are sparking or shorting out from being grounded.

Now knowing that the timing and points are correct, you find no trouble, then it must be a fuel problem. Check fuel pump pressure with a pressure gage (should be around 7lbs), change the fuel filter, clean the little fuel filter in the carburetor.

If you got the car second hand, they may have changed the carburetor or used parts from another carburetor and could have miss-matched or installed other METERING rods. Hopefully, they may only be out of adjustment. To correct them or check them, remove the two screws on the top cover and the cover at the top front area of the carburetor, now with the choke off and at high idle throttle rod closed, push down on the SRING T assembly, holding it with your finger using your other hand JUST start to pull back or open the throttle rod and as you do, you will see the metering rods lift (if not, loosen the large set screw and adjust it so it does just starts up as you pull on the throttle rod). That's it for adjustment of the metering rods (if the rods are correct for that engine). As a matter of fact , I always loosen the screw and re-adjust them any ways.

P.S. if thats you whos doing the wind power thing, count me in on anything that i can help with.

[yogaslackers]

Thank you for your time It is an ignition problem all it was was the cap and rotor I checked here first ironically and thought they were bad but when I brought it in to mitous to get a new cat they said they were fine. Well that is what you get for not trusting your judgment. I just jumped to conclusion that it was the carb which was rebuilt. I also discovered the egr valve was completely clogged up and lots of other great improvements. So looking forward to see if I get some better MPG out of all this hassle.

As for the wind power that is Me Sam Salwei and we are currently working on Starting the New Human potential Movement. Harnessing the achievements of great endurance athletes to bring awareness and inspire action about environmental issues. Hence the snowkiting to show the potential to harness the wind. I hope to use a sail-bike to cross ND this summer, wont have to worry about cap and rotor on that machine.

Looking forward to hearing more about your electric car plans, have you seen the movie "who Killed the Electric Car"? You should check it out if you have not.

Thanks everyone for your help, the peace Love and be happy car is back on the road.
until the next breakdown. Keep track of my adventures at www.yogaslackers.com

Cheers

[Bowls]

yes i have seen who killed the electric car, it was Al Gore and that movie that inspired me to do it.
I am hoping to have an active prototype in a year or two, i cannot afford it right now.
Good to see somone else trying to do more than just their part to help the world.

[yogaslackers]

Alas the Car was running great for 300 miles then... Not sure what happened now I am stranded in williston North Dakota in a blizzard with a car that wont go over 55 MPH in 4th Gear. The symptoms leading up to this are long and drawn out.
1. Car Made similar but much less sever Cut outs in 5th gear.
I changed the configuration of the vacuum hoses
2. Made it 45 miles and the problem got so bad the car would not go faster than 30.
Changed hoses back, NOTE the air cleaner cover was completely Iced over, And the plug that was in the large hole had blown out.
3. Now there is mucus white substance in the PCV valve, and hints of water on the oil dipstick
I took the hose that comes from the one of the large holes in the air cleaner and stuck it in the other for a few seconds then plugged it back into the right hole and plugged the other hole with duct tape.

Also my mpg went from 32 to 14 mpg

Is there a vacuum diagram for the hoses on the air cleaner what do all the ports due?

[shahrooz_ra]

hello i am from iran and i had the same problem ,only replace your distributor rotor.