On and Off again Starting Problem
05-14-2004, 10:39 PM
#1
Intermediate
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Orange Park, FL
Posts: 40
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
On and Off again Starting Problem
I think I have short in the wiring to the coil, but I wanted to have a sanity check before starting the always entertaining process of looking for a short. Here is the situation: 84 944, wants to start only every once in a while, starter turns, fuel being delivered, no spark on the plug, and no reading when checking terminals on coal with ohm meter. Replaced coil and still have same problem. Sounds like a short????, Anyone have a similar experience or have a suggestion to look somewhere else?
05-14-2004, 11:37 PM
#3
Burning Brakes
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Houston,Tx. Texas GreaseSlingers
Posts: 949
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Have you checked the speed and reference sensors?
05-17-2004, 10:49 PM
#4
Intermediate
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Orange Park, FL
Posts: 40
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Checked this out and the connections looked good, but I am still having the problem (even with spark now). Would not start for about 36 hours, then after a couple of cranks, a loud backfire and it has started every time since. Timing issue????
05-17-2004, 11:48 PM
#6
Site Sponsor
Lifetime Rennlist
Member
Lifetime Rennlist
Member
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: A great big building in the woods, FL.
Posts: 6,527
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes
on
2 Posts
I had a DME go bad like that. It would start.... no start... start.... no start.
It would crank and crank but no spark... then all of a sudden.. BAM it would start and run fine. After a few weeks it ended up not pulling through so I switched out the DME just to check and it started. Put the old one back and no start.
It would crank and crank but no spark... then all of a sudden.. BAM it would start and run fine. After a few weeks it ended up not pulling through so I switched out the DME just to check and it started. Put the old one back and no start.
Trending Topics
05-19-2004, 12:01 AM
#9
Site Sponsor
Lifetime Rennlist
Member
Lifetime Rennlist
Member
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: A great big building in the woods, FL.
Posts: 6,527
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes
on
2 Posts
If you know someone with a 44 near buy you can check the DME by switching them out. Even though late and early model DMEs are not the same they will start each other. They will not run good at all, but they will start and kick over a few times.
Thats how I checked my 84... with an 86 DME.. then when I knew that was it I picked up a rebuilt from Vertex. I could have soldered the connections inside it but I was selling the car and didn't have time to mess with it.
Do a search on soldering DME connections. Works about 50% of the time with a bad DME.
Thats how I checked my 84... with an 86 DME.. then when I knew that was it I picked up a rebuilt from Vertex. I could have soldered the connections inside it but I was selling the car and didn't have time to mess with it.
Do a search on soldering DME connections. Works about 50% of the time with a bad DME.
05-23-2004, 09:19 PM
#10
Intermediate
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Orange Park, FL
Posts: 40
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car has now started for 5 days in a row, but I have yet to replace anything. New DME relay should arrive Monday. But when I started car today, I had a tapping noise in the valve train (like the type when you run cheap gas). I have never had this noise before, could this still be a sign of a bad DME?
05-23-2004, 10:08 PM
#12
Race Car
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Costa Mesa, California
Posts: 3,781
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If car cranks and there is no voltage to the coil it's the ignition switch.
If car cranks, there is voltage to the coil but not the injectors it's the DME relay.
If car cranks, there's voltage to the coil and the injectors but no spark then it could be the reference sensor or a problem with the wire from the coil to the dist or the dist and rotor. Check for spark at the #1 spark plug wire end with a spare spark plug.
Just seen a thread where the rotor was blown apart. Might have been a high voltage system that blew the resistor out of the rotor.
If car cranks, there is voltage to the coil but not the injectors it's the DME relay.
If car cranks, there's voltage to the coil and the injectors but no spark then it could be the reference sensor or a problem with the wire from the coil to the dist or the dist and rotor. Check for spark at the #1 spark plug wire end with a spare spark plug.
Just seen a thread where the rotor was blown apart. Might have been a high voltage system that blew the resistor out of the rotor.
05-23-2004, 10:22 PM
#13
Three Wheelin'
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Knoxville, TN
Posts: 1,845
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
bem944 wrote:
SoCal wrote:
I think we have a match.
Good info, SoCal.
The ignition switch on my '83 failed about 5 years ago. Same symptoms, except that my car would occasionally stall and restart at speed.
84 944, wants to start only every once in a while, starter turns, fuel being delivered, no spark on the plug, and no reading when checking terminals on coal with ohm meter.
If car cranks and there is no voltage to the coil it's the ignition switch.
Good info, SoCal.
The ignition switch on my '83 failed about 5 years ago. Same symptoms, except that my car would occasionally stall and restart at speed.
05-25-2004, 01:07 AM
#15
Burning Brakes
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Utica Michigan
Posts: 1,088
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
tapping noise is common the injectors make this noise. try running some injector cleaner. maybe you got a stuck injector flooding a cylinder or 2.. or maybe were not opening at all..