Would appreciate any suggestions:
this is a carbutated 1988 Festiva- very cold here in Michigan
The car WILL start 3 hours after it has been driven, but won't start if sitting for over three hours in cold weather. The battery is good. If I prime it with a little gas or starting fluid it turns over but won't start.If I jump it with my wife's car- the extra "juice" gets it to cough and sputter and finally it gets going.I have to open and close the throttle plate to keep it going for a few seconds until it runs on its own.
Sometimes it floods and sometimes it seems not to be getting any gas when attempting to start it. If it floods, I have to manually hold open the choke plate to get air into it and get it going. I have to believe the fuel pump is ok if it runs fine after warming up.
It's a fantastic car! 240,000 miles on it. I'm going to put new plug and coil wires on- they've never been replaced.
Also- if I am driving in gear and put a strain on the engine (going up a hill) I have to be careful not to give it too much gas or it misses and the car jumps drastically- certainly not good for the transmission. This jumping started recently also-when the car wouldn't start.
I've had a little trouble starting the car last winter- but a little starting fluid in the carb got it going. When the weather warms up- it starts fine.
Probably should get new dist. cap and rotor. They've never been replaced. Could it be a coil problem? Any help is appreciated.
Could it be anything other than plugs, wires, rotor, distr. cap or coil?
Mike Cohrman snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com
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