RedShadow

Took the 3.2 down to Portsmouth with a friend this weekend. Got all our dive-gear into one little Porsche! Amazing what you can fit in when you try!

However, to my great embarassment after switching the car off at my friends house it refused to start. I could hear an electric buzzing when I twisted the key but it wouldn't start. All the electrics still worked and at first I thought it may be the immobiliser. But after punching in the override the problem was still there. Came back an hour later and the car was fine - started first time.

It's also fine starting each morning and then after coming home on Sunday night it started up everytime too. Of course, when we were away it wouldn't cooperate. Weird.

Can anyone offer any suggestions as to the source of the Gremlin?

Anyone else have problems hot-starting? - it's something I've read a bit about but can't remember exactly what to do/check...

RedShadow

Oh, should have mentioned, it will crash start (even when hot).

Gary R.

I assume that when you turned the key the ignition lights went on but the starter did nothing? I would check the obvious, loose battery terminal, fuses not seated well, etc. and then the wires to the starter itself. If all is well it is most likely either the ignition switch or the starter solonoid. The starter is a lot cheaper so if it was me I would replace/rebuild that 1st.

Peter Zimmermann

Gary is right, replace the starter with a rebuilt unit. BUT, be forewarned, Bosch SR 68X rebuilds have had a checkered past (at one point in time I put FIVE of them in my own car - over a two-month period). Your symptom does fit the starter mold, but you might not experience the problem for three years. I had quite a few customers elect to not replace the starter when the symptom occured, others had it done. The more long trips that you take the more likely the problem will happen. My SC did it once quite a while ago, on a 110 degree day after a return trip from L.A. No trouble since...
Pete

glenncof

I assume you are saing it won't turn over and you may be hearing the starter not fully engaging with the fly wheel. I lived in New England for 15 years and know what cold starts there can do to starter/solenoid.

I have done rebuilds myself long ago but now take all my electricals like this to a rebuild shop. They pull it apart and analyze the failure/condition and show me the parts.

Check the voltage at the large terminal to ensure the soleniod is getting battery juice (always on) when trying to start. Then check voltage on the small terminal on the solenoid when turning the ignition key to start, later models use a relay which can go bad.

If both are ok then the problem is the combination of the (Copper?) slug that the battery cable is connected to getting worn and the copper being smeared between the contacts on the armature in the motor plus possible worn brusches.

Pull it and take it to a shop They can show you the parts and mine gives me two year warranty. BTW, I have a 1985 911 in Northern Cal. with 172K on it. I've had it since 15K miles and never replaced starter.

g-50cab

DME Relay?

Peter Zimmermann

Jeremy: I wrote my post with the assumption that the symptom was a "no-crank," hope that's the case!
Pete

RedShadow

Would the DME work intermittently or just fail completely?

My87Targa

check the battery, i replaced a whole bunch of random stuff on my car when i had that problem, it turned out to be a bad ground on the battery. got a new battery and been fine ever since. start with the battery befor going to the started is my advice.

the buzzing you hear should be your fule pump, mine did the same thing. also my starter was only about a few months old and it was an OEM starter.

Droops83

I assume by "crash-start" you mean push-start. If the car will indeed fire when you pop the clutch but not when you crank it, it is probably something in the battery/starter circuit, so check all the connections, etc like several others here have suggested. If the DME relay is bad it won't start by either method, although the DME relay CAN be intermittant before it totally craps out. The reason the DME relays usually go bad is the little contacts that look like ignition points inside them burn up, but I have also seen broken solder joints. It's probably a good idea to replace the relay anyway for preventative maintainence, but definitely check the starter circuit.

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Chris Andropoulos
Schneider Autohaus
Santa Barbara, CA

ron mcatee

Also, if you don't have a spare DME relay, I would suggest getting one for the glove box. Good insurance. My DME relay work intermittently for over a year. Cause me considrable grief until I changed it. I have a spare in my glove box all the time.

rnln

I had the same problem. It happend several times during 1/2 years. Many people suggested the wire fromt he ignition key to the starter. I thought I will ad another wire but had not have time yet. Another note: while it happend, all electronic devices works fine. Not sure why, one day I pull the alternator off but the voltage regulator was still good. Since everything was out, I sent the alternator for rebuilt anyway. After all, I found that my battery was completely dried. This explain the whole thing but the weird thing is that all the electronic devices works fine even while it happend. So, check your battery first.