apperception

Hi Folks-Having owned my '88 Carrera Targa for nearly four trouble-free years, this morning I attempted to start the car. Plenty of battery, starter noise, but would not start or fire at all. I am grateful, in advance, for any suggestions.

Larry
1988 Carrera Targa
2002 Audi S8
2009 Audi A4 Avant (wifey)
1967 Chevy C 10 pick ip

ivangene

fuel pump relay - under the drivers seat

or fuel pump - hit it with a rubber mallet

ivangene

if you have access to tools - you can run a jumper wire from the battery to the fuel pump to listen for it to be running or not...that's an easy check, the relay is a replacement item

dshepp806

Tap that DME relay to see if anything changes,..otherwise, I'd start with replacing it right away (should be a "glove box" item.....)

BEST!

Doyle

gerry100

+1 on the DME.

you should buy one anyway ($50-60) since it seems they all fail at some point.

apperception

You guys are the best-problem solved!

I reached under the driver's seat and squeezed/shook DME relay and it started. Thanks again! I'll order two new ones tomorrow.

Larry

ivangene

sometimes reaching around and giving a good squeeze is all it take to get her going


wait that might have come out wrong


oh well, whatever works

apperception

I actually reached under the seat while turning the key (no small feat for a middle aged guy with cervical fusion) but thought I better avoid the "reach-around" terminology! I think that's a different forum!

ivangene

I am comfortable with my relationship with my car

dshepp806

As to the "why's"......we all experience this, at some point,..some guys change it out and have success,..while others may tap, or reseat it,...having the exact same success....then changing it out later,..many threads out there on fractured solder joints,...vibration-related issues, coil burnouts (very few!),..and general contact wear over time,..oh,..and let's not forget the DME's that fail, either right out of the box, or shortly after installation (different "manufacturing" sources).

Aside from all of these examples on the DME relay side of this approach (fix),..I was keen to look very closely at the female side of the socket,..looking to retension the female receptacle sides of THAT connector.....One time I removed a failed DME relay, then placing in a bench mockup to show NO failures...weird.....THAT'S when I retensioned my female side...I just wanted to be sure that I had tension on the reception of the relay....AGAIN: a sidebar.....

Diggin' it, Ivangene! It IS a relationship,..one that consists of each and every element of the human relation,....granted,..my Wife doesn't have wheel bearings but ride height can be important.....inanycase,..It surely IS a "relation"......with these Porsches. I, too, am "comfortable",..for the moment......!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!