rcarpen22

On the out lap of my last race in my '83 944, the car just died completely. I got flat towed off the track, pushed it on the trailer, and went home (it was the last race of the weekend). That was in August. I went to move the car last week and it started right up. I went to move it again yesterday and no start. It won't even turn over. Obviously no juice to the starter, but it's not just a starter issue because the car was running when it died at the track. I checked all the fuses and relays, as well as the battery connections and the kill switch connections. When I turn the switch on, I get all of the dash lights and my fans still work, just no cranky. Any thoughts?

DarylJ

That's a tough one....what have you done to the electrical system? I assume you don't have an ignition switch anymore, which would be the first suspect. Easiest thing to begin with would be to trace your start switch down to the starter and see if you have continuity.

Van

I dealt with a no-start issue on a jaguar last night. Intermittent no-start traced to a loose spade terminal on the relay that triggers the starter's solenoid.

I bet you have some issue like that (but since it killed the car at the race, I'd start with your kill switch).

DarylJ

Actually, that makes a lot more sense. Which leads to the question - when it died on the track, did you have accessory power, or was it totally dead? Maybe that's the lead you should be tracing.

yamahasteve

i had an 84 that had a random no start problem, turned out to be (according to the next owner who addressed the issue) a problem with the factory alarm, but i would assume that that system has been removed from yours, since it's a track car (?) -

rcarpen22

Thanks for the feedback. I did spend some time with the kill switch, but I still have accessory power so I don't think that's it. I am going to start by looking at the starter and then move on to the ignition wiring. The good news is that I have all off-season to mess with it now. I'll post progress as I get into it.

Scott at Team Harco

The speed and reference sensors don't always fail completely. I'd have a look there too.

rcarpen22

Speed/Ref sensors wouldn't affect the starter though, right? It would still turn over, just not start...

M758

If you get low voltage to the starter motor you will not be able to turn it over. I have this problem in my 944 race car that some times I just can't get enough juice to the stater solenoid. It is a wiring issue and my solution has been to add in an emergency start system. This a push button starter that will jumper the main start power input to the solenoid. This causes the starter to turn. One brief pulse allows starting the normal way.



Scott... you say speed & Ref sensors do not always fail complete. I have been having an issue where on track going full throttle the car will lose power and RPM drop to zero. This is obviously not signal problem since the car is still in gear. Wonder if this is a speed sensor failure or DME or DME relay issue? Happens sort of randomly and only for a split seconds so far. Then everthing is fine and the car run great.

Scott at Team Harco

Good point. It will crank but won't fire. I take it yours is not cranking?

Have you checked the starter yet? I have had two starters wear out on me since I started playing this game about 10 years ago. Now have a spare rebuilt just in case. And since my girlfriend also has a 944, we're collecting "insurance" parts at an alarming rate.

Scott at Team Harco

Joe -

Man I hate intermittent problems like that. The DME relay is an easy check. Just put in a new one and hope the problem does not reoccur. If it does, you know that wasn't it.

I would suggest getting a replacement Ref/speed sensor and swap it in and out with the ones currently in the car. Even if that doesn't prove to be the problem - it's always good to have a spare. When they go - you're dead in the water. Do a search. JPK turned us on to the BMW equivalent replacement part. It's about half the cost of the Porsche part and works just as well. The only difference is the wire length is greater on the BMW part.

M758

Scott I have both spare DME relays and sensors. However with intermittent issues it is tough to say it is "fixed". Should do some swaps and see what happens I guess.

Scott at Team Harco

Right. That's the big problem with intermittent. You don't know it's fixed until that magical moment - maybe at the end of the season - you sit back and reflect....

...wow, those last three races... I didn't have any problems. Must have been that part swap we did after the morning session.

The continuing problem with these intermittent things is you still may never be certain unless you put back the old part and get a repeat of the original problem. Wish I had a better answer - but that is the nature of "intermittent". I'm sure this is no new information to you. Good luck.

AgRosa Brad

Joe, I've been having a similar problem. Mine seems somewhat temperature related, but not sure. I've tried DME relays, DME/KLR computers, plug wires. Keep me in mind when you solve your problem.