1989 Ford Festiva Perplexing problem

Tiny
TAR HEEL
  • MEMBER
  • 1989 FORD FESTIVA
  • 1.3L
  • 4 CYL
  • 2WD
  • MANUAL
  • 137,000 MILES
This is a real quandary, and I need help please! The car runs great until you cut it off. After it sits for a few minutes, when you start it and try to drive it again, within 200 yards, it will start to buck and jump and jerk like a bucking bronco at a rodeo. Horrible. Then when you cut it off and try to drive it again, it will simply konk out before even moving two feet. Then it's no good at all. BUT, if you let it sit for five hours and cool Completely down, it was start up and run great again. I stupidly got a new carb, but the people at the carb shop said it is definitely not a carb problem, that it has to be electrical. Since this is an 89 Festva, it is pretty simple and old school. We have already changed out plugs, wires, distributor cap, distributor rotor, fuel filter, thermostat, oil, filter and more. The mechanic I had (number 5) went through his 17 point checklist and said every thing checked out. I run pizzas, so I am really really stuck without a car, now without a job, and soon without a place to stay. Please help! Thank You in advance.
Monday, December 14th, 2015 AT 1:03 PM

2 Replies

Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
  • 52,797 POSTS
I would suspect a cat converter that has come apart and is blocking the exhaust system at times. I would drop the exhaust at the front pipe and see if it comes back

Roy
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Monday, December 14th, 2015 AT 1:27 PM
Tiny
TAR HEEL
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
This is an 89 Festiva. It runs great until you cut it off and let it cool down for about 5-10 minutes. Then it bucks and jumps like a bronco, and then it won't go even one foot forward without choking out. If you let it cool down for 5 hours, it runs great again.
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Monday, December 14th, 2015 AT 7:20 PM

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