its a 1993 ford festiva iy starts and dies

Could be a vacuum leak, idle air control sensor (unplug it and see if it'll run -- grayish insulator connected to blue cylinder on the drivers side of the intake manifold - has 4 hoses, two big, two small, and is bolted on with two bolts. It's just a two pin connector), fuel issue, air issue?... check your VAF plug (passenger headlight area - 1.5"ish long plug, two metal lock clips should be engaged) and make sure it is plugged in. Could be O2 sensor on the exhaust, too I suppose. Is your check engine light on? There's a way to run the code, plug in a ground wire I think - up by the coil, then it flashes long/short and you count them and then look it up. Keep me posted - I'm subscribed. Also, have you heard of www.fordfestiva.com ?

The plug on the VAF is most likely bad/dirty. I'm having the same issue and have already parts- shotgunned the car with my spares. The VAF takes over fuel delivery after initial startup. Which is why you can start it, but will die immediately after it starts when the VAF isnt getting a proper connection. This is also a phantom issue. No fuses will be blown. And it may be a come n go issue where it fixes itself and then "breaks" again.