Lexlyf

I tend to be pretty descriptive when telling a story, so for those who are not patient enough to read all the way through...tough.

Anyway, I just got my 930 back from Curry's this past Friday evening (bearing and trailing arm replacement). They are in Chantilly, VA and to me this means about an hour drive back from VA to MD during Friday evening rush hour. The drive itself was wonderful. The temperature was just right, so you know the routine, meaning the sunroof is open, windows slightly cracked, radio on and the hum of the flat 6 behind my head. I received all types of positive comments about the car & how it looked. When I told people what year it was, they lost their mind. I was able to return home without incident & put "her" to sleep for the night.

That weekend, I decided to take a short afternoon trip to Baltimore Harbor & take in the sun and atmosphere. I very rarely get a chance to see someone else driving my daily hauler, a '98 Lexus GS300 (soon to have the turbo reinstalled). It is a stunning vehicle all to itself. I have always been blessed to own vehicles that have very disctinct characteristics, not to be confused with anything else on the road. Because of this, I decide to take both the 930 and my Lex to Baltimore.

Everything was absolutely scrumptious. It was that first perfect day of the season or the year, if you reside in the Washington DC Metro Area. On the way out of the city, I drive through a trendy portion of Downtown Baltimore, called Fells Point. I got kicks off people breaking their necks as they could hear my 930 about a block before I got there and even received the occasional thumbs up. After passing through Fells Point, I jarred my fillings loose while creeping over the 100 year old cobblestone streets and get back on 95 South, proceeding through the Harbor Tunnel.

While in the tunnel, I notice that the car stumbles a bit and temporarily boggs, while cruising in thrid gear (it has a G50/50). After about three seconds, the car seems to return to normal operation. I think to myself how unusual that was. Immediately afterward, I notice that without warning, the rpms drop off and the car just cuts off. Remember, I'm still in the tunnel . With some quick thinking, I put the car in car and pop the clutch. It doesn't do anything, as the car begins to crawl. I give it another attempt. This time, the car miraculously regains power and I accelerate out of the tunnel. This could have been very "hairy" since there are no shoulders to pull off on.

I thought all was well, until the following day.

This day, my Wife is in Downtown DC taking some advanced training and she is waiting for me to pick her up on F St, NW. If anyone has a recollection of how downtown DC is assembled, one knows that it is not traffic friendly, especially with all the pedestrians.

After picking my car up from the Detailer's place, I start to make my way to my lovely Wife. Once I get within 3 blocks of her, the Porsche cuts off again without warning. I try several times to jump start her, but no haps this time. I'm coming to a halt & traffic is building up behind me. A couple of kind people walking near by ask if I need a push to jump start. I respond with a resounding yes, but instruct them to push on the black rubber portion of the wing & not the body of the car (hopefully I didn't sound like an a$$ to them, but I did just come from having the car detailed! lol!).

They push, I pop the clutch, nothing doing. I'm stalled out directly in front of the ESPNZONE and now I see lights flashing behind me. It's not DC police, or capitol police, but the FBI!

They ask me if I'm having car trouble. I'm thinking how perceptive they are to my situation. They do offer to call me a tow truck, but I gracefully decline. Then they proceed to question both me and the vehicle. Seems to me that they think the 2 do not go together. At that moment, I recall that I never registered the 930 here in MD after returning from Washington State. The car still has the WA State tags on the car, which do not expire until th end of July 2005. So, as they ask for my license and registration, I give them my license, but no registration. Instead, I have the actual title to the car, WHEW!!!!!!!!!

The FBI reps take my information and ask me to hold tight, but where am I going. The damn car won't start. After what seemed like an eternity, they ask me if I am borrowing the car. "No, I bought it. See the Title and Bill of Sale?! This car still has a valid Washington State registration. The actual paperwork is not with the car." After a couple of question and answer sessions, my wife walks the couple of blocks to where I am (I called when I had broke down) & sees this surreal scene....the car..the tourists taking photos...the patrons of ESPNZONE looking out the window wondering what I did...the FBI police with their 2 Tahoe vehicles blocking me in. It was rediculous.

Anyway, to make a long story short, I called AAA, but while waiting the car finally started & I was able to make my way home. The very following day, the car stalled again on a highway and there was no remedy for it. That day, I spent the entire day on the side of the road waiting for AAA to get me (10:30am to 6:30pm). The car is now home & I am waiting for a former Porsche 911turbo tech to make a house call in the next couple of hours.

One thing is for sure, it hasn't been dull since I purchased this car. What is going to happen next??!! Any insight to my symptoms? After talking with the tech on the phone, he seems to think I may have a coil malfunction or a terribly rich condition. Everytime the car has stalled out like this, I do smell a presence of gas, but there are no leaks coming from the engine bay or the fuel lines.

87turbo930

Have you checked the yellow relay (overboost relay). That is what has given me lots of trouble. My relay had a few solders inside broken

Lexlyf

In what general location of the engine bay can I find this??

Thanks.

Brent 930

I assume you have a 91-92' C2? Anyhow I'm from the Northern VA area. Your car is very nice. How about more details of your problem. Like does the motor turn over? Can you hear the CDI box whine with the key in the 2nd to last position? Are both fuel pumps running? Are you still CIS? and if so, is the metering plate getting stuck inside the venturi? What about a big vacuum leak from somewhere? When it runs does everything seem normal? It all comes down to the basics, fuel, air and spark. Let me know,

Brent

schnele

maybe water got into your distributor

Lexlyf

Well, It's still CIS. When I turn the key to that 2nd position, I hear the typical whine of the fuel pumps. When I attempt to start, the motor turns over strong as it normally does, but it just doesn't "catch" per say. Before I picked up the car from Seattle, the spark plugs and cables were changed, as it wouldn't start. Seems as if something was overlooked that may be contributing to the current malfunction.

I can take a look @ the metering plate, only if I knew its location in the engine bay.

Schenele:
I would have considered the water in the distributor, but I had stalling malfunctions prior to the detail that would have most likely contributed to the situation.

BTW, it's an '86. Thanks for everyone's input thus far.
I am sure it's not anything major, but something w/ enough presence to not allow the car to start.

SoFast

Ahhhh, my eyes are burning from all of that reading.....LOL Do people walk away when you are telling a story at work? LOL

Ah, dont be upset. I mean with getting the run around....Not the problem. That stinks....Anyway, I was a young buck (25)when I got my first exotic. I was in Western NY cruising back to the hotel late one night from my in-laws house...Midnight or so....Got pulled over by a local...Asked me for my registration....Then asked me to get out of the car.....Asked if the tint was legal...Checked the tint with a meter....By now two other cops showed up...I was now surrounded. Aksed where I got the car. Who was the prior owner...How could I make enough money to own such a car at such a young age. Asked to search the car for illegal substances, etc. I was there for 45 minutes.

Profiling? Maybe, but they thought such a young white urbanite should not have the ability to afford such a car. Being a business owner.

It did make me laugh....

Lexlyf

I'm glad it did put a chuckle on your face. Do yourself a favor and grab some Visine for those eyes! LOL!!

Thanks.

Bailey-86-MA

I had similar problem with my 930. It was the CDI which went bad 2X. Solved it by going to a direct crank fire ingnition.

Brent 930

The front and rear bumpers threw me. You need to make sure both pumps are running, you might be fooled if just one is running instead by the sound. You can go under the car front and then back to make sure. The metering plate is where the air box bolts onto the CIS. Just remove it and make sure it can come up into the venturi without rubbing. Something easy to eliminate. Sounds like the CDI box is working so hopefully the distributor is OK. There are some other things it could be but just take it one step at a time.

Ken89911T

I've had a similar problem with my '89 930. I used to be able to get going in a pinch by short circuiting two pins on the rear fuel pump relay, because the problem was that the relay wasn't getting the message to activate the pump (on my car anyway, the rear pump relay in turn activates the front pump relay).

Only now, I can't get the car to stay running when I remove the short circuit. In the past the problem was only with starting. Once started, I was ok. I've replaced the yellow relay (in the covered area, left side of engine compartment just aft of the fuel filter) - didn't make a difference. Damn! Anyone got any ideas as to other circuits to check that might be keeping the fuel pump relay from activating??

911rudy

Ken,
I had a warmup relay go out on me. Its in the same area as the relay you are talking about. It acts like a choke and adds extra fuel when the ingine is cold. I believe it is the common relay that you can swap from another circuit to see if it solves the problem. It's round and black and I just pulled one of the other round and black relays and tried it and it cured the proablem.

LOL Rudy

Ken89911T

Rudy:

Thanks for the idea. My car has no black relays, only red. I tried to swap the ones in the engine compartment, but still no go. Any other ideas from anyone? The problem is definitely electrical. Shorting the relay pins providing power to the fuel pumps works every time, but the car will not run once the short is removed. Love this car, though!

Tonytheturbo

Lexlyf my 965 went to the shop this past Friday for the same malfunctions, the only difference is I didn't have full boost. I'll let you know the outcome.

Lexlyf

I do still have full boost at .8 bar with the creep placing the oem psi needle to about 1 bar, so luckily no problems there for me. I am sure that my plugs are fouled with the heavy presence of gas smell when it has cut off last.

I haven't sent mine to the shop yet, as a former Porsche turbo tech is claiming he can resolve the matter. I figure I'll let him take a shot before sending my car back to Curry's, as I just spent $4200 with them.

Following in the manner of how the past 7-10 days have been going for me, when the tech came to my house on Saturday, I couldn't find the f*$%en key for the 930. After basically tearing apart the house and my office, the one and only key seems to be lost.

I've called a locksmith who is going to first, open the car ($60.00). The last possible place for the key to be may be in the car itself or in the front bonnet area, as I remember going in there to remove the car cover bag.

I tell ya', it keeps getting worse by the day. Needless to say, I couldn't even make it out to Hershey this past weekend.