unlikely?

[Bowls]

How unlikely is it, that a fuel pump would give out during idle? i'm pretty sure its dirt in the gas tank because it happened when it got low. and will still turn over and get a couple quick fires off, enough to make the starter scream if u hold the ignition in. I've had the car actually turn on a few times and pumped the gas so it revved up real high , but i can't keep it going.
I'm sure its the fuel filter, but if not i can't afford to be replacing parts i dont need, especially if it is the pump.

[Festy46]

Before you spend a lot of money on the car, put the car in a heated garage and put some dry gas in the gas tank. Once the car is reasonably warm, try to start it. You may have some ice in your fuel lines, fuel filter, or the gas tank.

[Bowls]

yeah but my grandfathers garage, has a BIG lip, i don't want to push it up that lip
I'd planned to run some dry gas through it first, but the heated garage idea is good.
I'm pretty sure i know where the crud came from if it is the filter, i looked in the bottom of my gas jug that i last emptied into the car. in the dregs, there are BROWN SOGGY CHUNKS OF SOMETHING!
i just about puked for my cars sake.

[mooseheadc]

I'm pretty sure i know where the crud came from if it is the filter, i looked in the bottom of my gas jug that i last emptied into the car. in the dregs, there are BROWN SOGGY CHUNKS OF SOMETHING!
i just about puked for my cars sake.

did you disconnect before the filter and pump into the jug,
or after?

anyway, Wallyworld has a replacemt filter from fram thats
a close match to the mazda. Cheap at $13 or so.

but I'd pull the rear seat and check the tank filter.

You got a locking gas cap?

[Bowls]

Thank you f3bz, i am not trying to pretend that i know more than i do, i'd rather learn the stuff i dont know. i think 25horse was referring to the bit with sam salwei's festiva, which was trapped 1000 miles from his school, and he was already 4 weeks late. I do not recall anyone giving him any or little input besides me, i was just trying to help him troubleshoot his engine problems so he could return to his school. Just for the record, he sent me a PM thanking me for trying to help him figure out the problem, and gave me his email to keep in touch.
25horseplay, if somone is wrong, don't call them out like they are completely ignorant, correct them so that they may learn.


Moosehead, i was stupid and should emptied the tank as soon as i knew the jug had that gunk in it. i did disconnect anything, the car just stopped getting fuel during idle and that was when i clued in to the dirty gas jug.
the fuel in the car has been in there for atleast 2+ weeks, i have not been driving it on the road, just use it for heat to smoke in.

The car does have a gas tank lock, but i had to remove it due to the fact it wasn't used by its previous owner, and turned into 1 chunk of rust, i soaked it in oil for 2 days and removed more rust, than metal that is left. I have not put it back on due to breaking the stage on the inside while removing it.
I will remove the backseats check the tank filter when it is not too cold to do so.
Wallyworld=walmart correct?

[mooseheadc]

I will remove the backseats check the tank filter when it is not too cold to do so.
Wallyworld=walmart correct?

Yep, the bracket on the filter isn't the same, but works otherwise.

once you can inspect the tank from the top
you should see how much crap is in the tank, and
if you need to drop it and get if flushed.

[Bowls]

I've noticed much of the carpeting in that car is velcro, would the carpeting below the back seats be as easy as that to get up?

[rotinaj13]

the carpet under that back seats have little plastic deals that clip it in. Also I think you have to remove the plastic in the interior to remove and install the carpet correctly. BTW depending on the festiva there are a lot of little screws that hold the plate with the fuel pump in place, those can be fun to get out with out resorting to the hammers, swearing and vice grips!!

[Bowls]

Do these little screws have heads, or are they rounded tops.

[WmWatt]

No need to remove any paneling to get at the gas tank under the back seat, just the seats. Just pull the edge of the carpet out from under the lip on the bottom of the panels. Ease up the plastic clips holding the carpet down, remove 3-4 Phillips head screws holding the lid on the inspection hole on the tank. Be clean and careful not to drop anything into the tank.

[elcamino1]

I've never replaced a fuel pump yet,but every festiva I see in the junkyard has the pump removed with seat still in place just folded foward.

[WmWatt]

elcamino1 is probably right. I took the back seat out of my car the day I brought it home new in 1989 so I don't remember what it looked like with the seat still in it.

[packrat427]

30 min job tops( fuel pump) , I have had to change mine 2 times , once in the parking lot at work.

I keep a new spare in the car at all times .

I always unplug the pump , then start the car to relieve any residual pressure in the line , so the fuel does not spray all over .

[kuntry_boi06]

Re: unlikely?

How unlikely is it, that a fuel pump would give out during idle? i'm pretty sure its dirt in the gas tank because it happened when it got low. and will still turn over and get a couple quick fires off, enough to make the starter scream if u hold the ignition in. I've had the car actually turn on a few times and pumped the gas so it revved up real high , but i can't keep it going.
I'm sure its the fuel filter, but if not i can't afford to be replacing parts i dont need, especially if it is the pump.

two weeks ago while getting food from white castle the same thing happened to me. the car putted for a sec then died, and i could turn it over for maybe .5 seconds and it would die, i went to pull a part, got a $23 fuel pump(saved $225 WOOT WOOT) and turned it over and drove it on.