marcandkimmie

A cry for advice from a 911 lover.

I have posted several times here how I own a 964 C4 that I drive daily and have an 86 Targa that I drive for fun. Well last night I was driving the car for fun. The engine sputtered, then backfired. After that all was well. Then it did it again and simply died.

I coasted to the side of the road. I waas no longer able to start the car. It would start, but it just barely idled...it basically loped. It idled like this until the catalytic converter turned bright orange. I shut it down and called a tow truck.

I maintain my cars in great condition, so this was a big surprise for me.

What could the problem be??????

Any advice would be most appreciated.

PS. The car has 243,000 miles without a rebuild...other than a possible valve guide replacement. The engine ran super strong right up until it cut out. ...quicker than my C4 actually in accelleration.

scottb

Check your battery. If the voltage is down, your alternator or regulator have died.

I had similar symptoms (except for the bright orange cat) when the alternator died on my 84. I had a local rebuilder rebuild it for $85 two years ago, and it's still running strong.

Good luck.

purplehaze.

Marc -

My guess is a vaccum hose got disconnected.

You've probably already looked, but it might explain the lopey running, excessive crud entering the cat.

Best of luck -

Glenn

bourgeois911

Airbox? (backfire)

mborkow

i hope it turns out to be a quick, cheap and easy fix!

Steve Weiner-Rennsport Systems

Did you try a new DME relay?

Peter Zimmermann

Thanks, Steve, I was just going to post the same thing!
Pete

marcandkimmie

Thanks guys for all the advice. I know the battery voltage is OK and the alternator is fine. DME relay seems a great point. I will buy one from the local dealer and see if that makes it all better.

If anyone has any other ideas please let me know. I hate not being able to drive the old girl. There's no better way to have a good time after a day of work than to take the top off and ride the old girl. The car I mean

marcandkimmie

DME question. If DME relay is bad, does that not mean that the fuel pump will not work at all? I know the fuel pump is working because the car will start (barely) but it will start. Can a bad DME relay allow the fuel pump to operate?

Steve Weiner-Rennsport Systems

The DME relay powers the fuel pump AND DME,........

If its bad, you aren't going anywhere and I'd always carry a spare. These are well known for being troublesome/intermittent on these cars.

madmmac

The DME can cause anything from running great sometimes, to running great and then bad, to running bad all the time, to not starting.....to anything else in between. Go buy one and try it....you will at least have the required spare if it does not fix it.

Why on earth did you let your car idle till the cat glowed orange?

marcandkimmie

Thanks guys. Just so I am clear. The DME relay can cause bad running - correct? madmmac, you mention the DME...that's why I ask, because I am just asking about the relay at this point.

Also to answer your question. I did not know the cat would glow. I had just pulled the car over and was trying to start it. After several attempts where it would idle then stall, my friend noticed the glowing cat. It was only then that I realized that unburnt fuel vapors were making their way to the cat. I felt like an idiot, because I should have known better. Do you think I ruined the CAT?

My87Targa

have you pulled a spark plug and chacked that yet or checked your cap and rotor??? those were the problems ive had in the past.

madmmac

Sorry, I meant DME relay.

If your cat got that hot your O2 sensor is probably literally toast. Cats can take a tremendous amount of heat.

You do have gas in the tank right???

J. Brinkley

after DME what about CHT? that would be my first check if it's original. does it start cold and not hot?