Recently I rebuilt the head on my '91 Ford Festiva. Unfortunately for some unknown reason it decided "hey I don't want to start no more."
I’ve left the fricken thing sitting for a year and a half before starting it. came home turned the key and it started right up in seconds -- no problems. however, now it cranks and cranks and does not start.
first I checked the spark. sparks like crazy.
then I properly redid the fuseable link with a 25 amp and two 15 amp fuses -- it was all rigged up before -- good bye brown box. I probably will have to adjust them to a 40 and two 30's amp fuses later on but for now they are fine -- beautiful job!
ok so then I looked into the Fuel pump relay. it had some condensation inside it so I dried it out. the thing looks good. I used a amp tester to test the green/yellow wire from the fuel pump relay. it has at least 9 volts
I even tested the blue/red wire (correct me it I am mistaken) on the master relay that connects the yellow/black wire -- 12 volts.
I test the two positive leads to the fuel pump -- 9 volts.
I blew through the fuel filter -- little resistance if any.
I tested the fuel line. The dog-gone thing gets a good spurt of gas at first then dribbles. I have no way of testing fuel pressure besides pulling the line and holding it to a tank.
The fuel regulator is stuck on close -- I think that’s right.
I don’t have a book on this vehicle. Should the fuel pump be getting more than 9 volts? Should the fuel injectors be firing regardless? Is it a wiring problem?
I really am not looking forward to buy a new fuel pump. I hear stories of people replacing fuel pump that are already good I do not want to be one of those people. Does the fuel pump commonly break on these things?
Is their a way to test if the fuel injectors are shooting? I can pull an injector easy and pull the fuel pump cable and try to start the dog-gone thing. Will the injector vibrate or crackle letting me know if they are getting power? I am not really a mechanic but i am a crazy do-it-yourselfer.
By the way I poured ether into the injector -- bad idea -- I broke an O-ring so I am replacing that tomorrow hopefully. Took me 15 minutes to remove them.
And for just a comment on the Festiva. This is the easiest piece of junk I have every worked on. All I need is a 10 mm and a 12 mm and I can tare these things apart with not problem. I am ashamed it’s a Mazda but I need the gas-mileage.
