dshepp806

How about some background on the car? What do the records look like,...and did you get a PPI?

Very important for many of us to know this FIRST, as Ice is stating. Baselines can vary, as they should,....but we know little of this car, so far. A transplant, you say? If the tests that Ice has suggested have not been done,...then set out (and soon) to get those numbers (just M.O., BTW).

Anyhoot,..lotsa' methodology to be applied here,..let's roll.

BTW: no way in hell would I have towed that thing ****-first, with the tail on it......glad it was a short trip.

BEST!

Doyle

Ds1

Its official. NO SPARK! Leaning towards electronics now.

theiceman

Well there ya go thats a good start .

At this point however i wil have to pass things off to my Carrera friends as i am not as familiar with that system. I am pretty sure there are some reference sensors that must provide input to the DME to provide spark as well aschecking coils and the like. Sounds like you are on your way though. I would certainly be doing a compresion check however to verify that piece while you are messing around.

Good luck.

Ds1

Thanks for the help!

Sorry for the lack of details, I didn't have much time to post last night. We tried for spark - nothing. I switched to the other DME Relay that came with the car (I tested both and they worked but I technically don't know if either works all the time) and still no spark. If I hold on to the DME relay I can feel it working.

Ds1

Doyle,

Hello from a long time bassist and music store owner!

Official backstory: The car was owned by a fellow from South Carolina, he owned it for around 10 years. While owning it, he swapped in AND rebuilt the 3.2 himself (The car is Euro, but the engine is Domestic, according to their numbers). I have no idea of his qualifications, although I know he had other 911's. This man passed away in 2010, and his son inherited the car. His son drove the car a good bit in SC, then moved up here to NY. While driving it home from getting inspected one day, the car died. Afterwords, he did bring it to a shop but not a 911 kind of shop. They didn't get anything accomplished and he took the car back. He is knowledgeable about cars, having owned a 70's 911, but was not a "mechanic" by any means. So, I bought the car off him.

There are no records as of right now, only a ton of books that came with the car. The PO claims he probably has stuff back in SC, so next time he is down there he will check for me. I did not get a PPI... there was not much of a reason to considering the price paid for the car, and also its location (THE MIDDLE OF NO WHERE!).

I would love to get a leak-down and compression check, but I don't have the equipment at my home. I will have those things done when I eventually bring the car somewhere.

Jay Gratton

Late to the party, but this is a great thread to read. I have enjoyed it. Congrats on the car, take your time and ask lots of questions. You will be enjoying the car soon enough.

Ds1

I just realized something. The Head Temp Sensor definitely doesn't work. When we did have the car running, the engine temp gauge didn't work. It would click "on" but then not move.

DUH!

I thought it was a broken gauge, but after testing the HTS in the engine compartment it gives me no reading at all.

Looks like I found the reason it was running so rough, and maybe the no start issue...

Ed Hughes

The head temp sensor does nothing to connect to your gauge, which shows oil temp. The head temp info is used by the DME. It does need to work to make the car runn correctly.

Injectors don't like to sit, and a sticky one could lead to a poor idle, or idling on less than 6 cyls.

Ds1

Well then, nevermind! Looks like I have more gauges/ sensors to trouble shoot

Ds1

Okay, I did some more tests today. Here is the current state of components:

1. Spark - NO (doesn't work)
2. Fuel Pump - YES (does work)
3. Speed Sensor - YES, 1.0 kohm
4. Reference Sensor - NO, no reading on ohm's or kohm's.
5. Head Temperature Sensor - YES, I thought this was bad but was accidentally using ohm's instead of kohl's on the meter. It reads 3.6kohm and its about 45 degrees outside.
6. Coil - YES, getting power
7. AFM - YES, receiving 4.6 volts and reading out resistance vales when I move the flap, although I did not do the procedure to check it with a 9 volt.
8. 1/3 Grounds cleaned and checked.
9. DME Relay - YES(ish). I have 2 that came with the car, I know at least one works at least some of the time because the car was running for a few days although not well.

I haven't tried to run the car after cleaning the grounds yet.

So it looks like its coming down to the reference sensor. Before I order the $150 part, is there any other way I need to test it? Its not reading at all. Remember, the car ran (poorly) a few days after I bought it in the non-running condition, so I wonder if the problem with the reference sensor could somehow be intermitted.

Ed Hughes

A bad wire could certainly make it intermittent, or a bad connector. Call Kirk at Zims, he can reference a 944 part that is identical for 1/2 the price. A BMW version is even lower, they were about $50. But, I'd never put one of their parts on a Porsche!

rusnak

If there is no signal from the reference sensor, then the DME relay will not click a second time while cranking. There should be fuel pressure, but the injectors will not open.

Lorenfb

Both Ed & Rusnak are right-on with their diagnosis, i.e. the ref sensor.

Once you get another, just quickly plug it in before fully installing it
and have someone crank the engine while you momentarily wave
a wrench by it. The engine should start.

Bottom line: Speed/ref sensor, another spare 3.2 part to have around/in the car!

Ds1

Ahhh okay, good advice. Thanks!

Wold anyone happen to know the BMW part's number? Will the cable be the correct length? I'll give Zim's a call on Monday, they seem like a pretty cool company.

Ds1

Dang, $25 isn't bad! I wonder if it would work...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Cranksha...ht_2183wt_1156