travisfox

So i just scored my first Porsche...84 944. Towed to the house and started tinkering. Fuel Pump was already out, replaced it and fuel filter. Brand new battery...but it won't start.

Snuck underneath and "jumped" the starter and it'll turn over but i don't have power to the fuel pump (at least that i can tell) and it would appear that i get about 1 shot each day to try to key start it...a couple of lights and for the first time i got 2 turn overs but no start...

Any thoughts? DME relay? Whole DME? Alarm? ignition switch?

Any advice would be great...

Reimu

Try jumping 87, 87b, and 30 together where the dme relay goes, with the battery hooked up you'll hear the fuel pump start up. And of course the fuse.. I think it was 34 or something.

royalschwarz

Sounds like the DME relay is shot. Like Cameron said, you can jumper the terminals to bypass the relay. Once you get it up and running, then you'll need to do the belts/seals/wp if you don't know when they were done last. Not hard to do once you're in there. If you need anything, let me know as I'm local. What part of town are you in?

luftpirate

Welcome Good luck w/ your project. Post up some pictures when you have time.

John_AZ

Hello & welcome,

Watch the tach needle when you crank to start.

It has to bounce 1/16th of an inch as you crank!

GL
John

BlackD150

leave while you can, your money will disappear randomly.

travisfox

I had a feeling it was the DME relay...no key for the alarm system to even try that. Thanks for all the advice. Took off about 5 years worth of oxidation, it had been sitting in a pasture, then a bachelor's back yard--now in my garage. Will be getting more pics soon since its a work in progress.

Royal...i'm out in the 'burbs in south Lincoln by yankee hill road. my need some more advice when i get going...

jpk

If the alarm was active, you'd know it as soon as you opened the door, unless someone removed the alarm horn. Vertical key slot = disarmed, horizontal = armed. If it is armed, you can reach inside behind the alarm switch by removing the vent in the door pillar, pull the two wires off the back of the alarm switch and just jumper them together to disarm it.
if it doesn't crank on a good battery (you mentioned you had to jumper the starter...) I'd suspect the ignition key electrical contacts are bad.
Have a look at clarks-garage.com at the workshop section. Lots of great info about 944's there...

pnbell

Just wire yourself a Push Button Ignition! There are all the rage now-a-days! ha ha

ernie9468

Welcome to RL ,(Timing/Balance Shaft Belts ASP)don't try to start it no more before you check them ,otherwise your asking for trouble.GL

travisfox

I got one shot after the new relay...similar to what was happening before. I get one shot to put the key in to try to start it...couple of cranks (but no start)...everything goes dark. on a second/third/fourth try, no dash lights or nuthin...Gonna try it again tomorrow...? Alarm system maybe? I tried the bypass before and didn't get anywhere...Anyone know exactly what the car will do/not do if the alarm kicks in? does it disable for a period of time?

Jfrahm

I do not understand this "one shot" thing, it sounds like a bad battery cable or battery or burnt ignition switch or maybe a starter issue. Or maybe some sort of issue that prevents the engine from turning over normally.

You should be able to crank the motor over with the starter for quite a while with a fresh battery.

If it has only a factory alarm that won't prevent the starter from engaging as far as I know and would not have the smarts to allow you one shot per day.

I suggest you first turn the motor over with a socket wrench on the crank bolts to see if it can be turned by hand. Clearly you bought a project and it sounds like someone tried to fix something, got in over their head and gave up. It is possible you have some serious issue that you are figuring out the slow way.
If the motor is hard to turn take your time and listen for compression bleeding off, and keep trying. You should be able to turn the motor over with a long socket wrench and one hand this way. If it's really stiff you can pull the plugs and try again, this should be easy to do.

Once the motor is turning I suggest checking the timing marks while you are at it.

If the motor turns OK then you have a problem with a battery cable, starter, switch or something.
Measure the battery voltage before and after a start attempt and let us know what that is. Has the battery been replaced? Tested?

rgs944

Welcome to rennlist, you made a good choice by coming here. Now I know there are at least 2 guys from Nebr. on here. I am from Columbus. I hope you are making progress with your no start. I still do not understand the one shot deal either so could you clarify. Are you saying the engine only turns over for a second and then loses battery power. If so I would start with a fresh battery and then if that is not the problem, go to the starter from there. I know a Porsche salvage guy near us that may have a good used starter. PM me if you want his number.

travisfox

Well after chasing down grounds and cables, i think i got past the electrical, loose ground im fairly sure....i can crank over and over and over, not getting gas so now i'm down to hunting a clogged fuel line and then moving forward and hoping for the best.

I really appreciate everyone's advice. I'm a true newbie, and know very little about cars but i'm learning frighteningly fast.

Any other "should do right aways"? The car really hasn't been run for around 7 years...

ernie9468

Repeating myself.Timing Belts/Balance Shafts Belts ASP. www.clarks-garage.com will help you to understand what your 944 is all about.