For the love of God, someone PLEASE help me!!

[rpickle]

Hi folks. This is a continuation of an older post (3.5 months ago). Long story-short: bought car last July, had been sitting for up to 6 years. Carb was all ready pulled, so I disassembled it, soaked it in Berrymans and threw a rebuild kit on it. Got the car to run, but only for short distances. Found the pick-up tube in the gas tank was plugged! Who-who! The car ran fine until March. It quit on me and I had to get it towed home. Car sat for 2 days, I went to start it and it ran fine again. Drove it a week or so, filled it up then it sat for 1 week while was out of town. Now it will start, but quickly conk out. If I pump the gas pedal about 10 times it will run a few more seconds before quiting. I can keep it running a little while by really feathering the gas pedal. It has had new plugs, wires, cap, rotor, gas tank, fuel line, fuel filter and some hoses replaced. My wife wants me to "just get rid of it!" and I have to say that I am about fed enough to do so too. Today, I took the top off of the carb and took a look at the float height, made sure all passages were clear and reassembled. Same thing.....

Thanks for listening.....



Rick

[b3 madness]

Sounds as if the fuel pump is weak to me.

[25Horseplay]

You sound like you replaced everything but the fuel pump, if you can tet the fuel pressure. I bet its low.

[monkeyracing]

Fuel pump. Do carbed Festy's have a fuel pressure regulator? If so, check that.

[rpickle]

Hi. Thanks for the thoughts. I replaced the fuel pump just before getting it running late last fall. The other was spewing fuel, probably due to sucking on a clogged inlet pipe.... Do you folks suppose that my new one is hosed? No regulator on the carb'd models. Chilton book suggests cranking over the engine while having the inelt fuel line to carb stuck in a small container. Not very scientific, but would show it is getting fuel. My bowl is over half full.

Thanks again.

Rick

[Safety Guy]

Rick, I have a nearly new fuel pump in my '89 you can try if you want. Other than that I can't help you. I plan to convert mine to FI.

Karl

[rpickle]

Hi Karl. Sounds like a plan. I am on 1st shift this week, so late afternoons will be somewhat open. Give me a call when you are available. I'll PM my phone number to you.

Thanks.

Rick

[Fordverde]

Re: For the love of God, someone PLEASE help me!!

Found the pick-up tube in the gas tank was plugged! Rick

Try to see if your return line is plugged also. may its floating your carb as it runs

[FestYboy]

if you finally get sick of it, i'd be willing to take it off your hands. i hope when you rebuilt the carb you didn't mess with the a/f ratio screw, i did with mine and cause some idle issues.

[5.0zone]

This will sound realy strange, but check your break fluid level.

[stefan]

This will sound realy strange, but check your break fluid level.

Are your serious? explain....

[rpickle]

Installed "new" fuel pump borrowed from SafetyGuy(thanks!). Also blew out the fuel pump return line to the gas tank. Running the same way. I am going to take the carb off next and go back over the whole thing.

Rick

[5.0zone]

This will sound realy strange, but check your break fluid level.

Are your serious? explain....

A while back my Festiva had been running great all day.
I went to the High School football game and when I left there the car would idle but could hardly pull its own weight. Got it home by keeping the gas peddle on the floor the whole way home.
Next morning I start it up and the same thing.

I started thinking that maybe the fuel filter was clogged and decided to go to the parts store to get a new one, but before I left I checked to make sure I knew what it looked like. (its carbed).

On the fuel line i notice it is very oily looking. Where could that be coming from. Look up and there was the master cylinder nearly dry.

Ok so now I have 2 problems to work on.

The local parts store didn't have the filter in stock but I get brake fluid.
I fill it up with brake fluid and start it up. Ran fine once again.

So does the brake fluid level have anything to do with how the car runs or was God just looking out for me?

I don't know about the first part, but I'm sure about the second.

Strange but true.

[Tom]

OK gang, here is the answer. Of all things yes maybe the break fluid did help.

Totally impossible you will say.

These Festiva's have an air booster on the master cylender so the fluid being low would effect the vacumme.

Here is the most unbelievable story regarding my carborated Festiva.

The two big hoses, like heater hoses, the short ones that go to the breather.

I plugged the one nearest the front of the car and my car runs good nonstop for the first time after dozens of hours of working on it.

But once it started missing and acting up again, I took the plug out and it went PHEW, air release. It then ran perfect again. I plugged it again and off I went.

There is a air sensor inside the breather I think that these hoses attach too.

It goes bad and messes up the vacumme system and the carborator in turn.

It sounds crazy but it has proven itself to have been my long standing problem that was the same as this origional poster here.

Undo that hose and plug it.

I bet your car will run good.

I'm 62 years old and I have been working on cars for over 50 years.

[rpickle]

Tom,

I've been following your posts and believe I made a suggestion or two. After reading your most recent post, I did plug the hose. Unfortunately, it did not help my problem. My master cylinder resevoir is also full.

I am planning on dipping the carb again tomorrow. Since the rust made its way to the cylinders (spark plug insulators orange!), I figure there maybe a passage or two that is mucked up in the lower half of the carb.

Keep your fingers crossed.....

Rick