Cass944

when i turn the key to starter position, it turns about 3 times the pauses.... then either nothing happens or it suddenly turns 3 more times then stops....

so then i turn the key back, then back to the starter position and it turns a few times then stops, like that over and over. sometimes i can get it to start on the first try but this time it took like 8 tries before it actually started up.

its like one of the cylinders gets stuck and the starter doesnt want to go anymore. but then i try again and it does the same thing.

when i get the car started it runs perfect other tha a little vibration from the PS pully.

any ideas? I checked my spark plugs and normal stuff but if anything was wrong with those then the car wouldnt run right at all. it only has trouble starting.

sorry if i brought up this topic a second time, but the other time was at the end of a different thread.

keith

Your speed and reference sensors aren't sheilded on the '86. This was changed for '87 and later.

Mine does it also (worse in cold weather), as did my previous '86 and my pre-previous '85.5.

You can update the speed & reference snsor bracket and the accompanying sleeve to correct this. It will, however, add another step to your clutch change jobs in the future, as the sleeve must be pulled up in addition to the sensors to allow the bellhousing to pass by.

Cass944

you have to be kidding me.

i have to go all the way back in there and change those things to get this to stop? how sure are you that this is it? also is there some way to check if that is the reason before i take it out? AND do i need to remove the bell housing to do this?

Cass944

wait why would it start doing this wanyway. what causes those things to go bad? they dont even do anything other than sit there and be big hunks of metal. I have not touched anything in that area since I changed my clutch last year. this just started when my exhaust cracked open and was dragging on the ground.

now that i think of it... I unplugged my oxygen sensor... maybe i pulled one of those loose as well. would my car be able to run without one of those being hooked up at all?

sorry for so many questions.

ribs

I've had the same problem on other cars, where the starter would freeze up for a second or until I tried to start it again...it ended up being the starter solenoid on both a VW and an rx-7.

944_S_TYPE

Check your power wire and wiring on the starter/solenoid, I had lots of trouble with the same thing, Ended up changing my solenoid, no help. But I put in Icesharks ground kit....Now it just turns slow, but it will crank forever.... Till the battery dies that is.

Jim @ EuroWerks

It is possible for the current going through that big starter/ battery cable to be influencing your ignition timing during start up. If you think you might be loosing current to the 50 terminal just put a test light on it and watch it while someone starts the car. Otherwise ck to see how close the starter wires are located to speed and reference sensors see if you can get more clearence there. Other than that, Keith is pretty smart he may have the problem nailed. As far as it being old and how things brake? We get old parts fall off.

tod84944

Check the ground strap from the bell housing to the fire wall. I had trouble with my silver 944, thinking that the battery was dead. Turned out that the cable was loose on the bell housing end. Tighten it up and cleaned the firewall end and mounting point, and all is good. Spins the motor faster than it ever did before, like in my red 944

keith

I never bothered to "correct" mine. Why bother? In my situation it never fails to start, just "locks up" (not literally, of course) from time to time when starting.

Try engaging the clutch to loosen the weight a little when it hangs up. Works for me.

BTW - why do the rest of you suppose the factory went to the trouble to sheild one of the sensors after '86?
I haven't heard of this problem in the early cars, and never in the later cars either....?

keith

On second thought - I may be reading a specific characteristic (IMO) of the '86 MY into your problem. When I re-read your original post, I am unsure as to what EXACTLY it is that you are describing - does it ever click repeatedly when the starter stops turning the motor?

- that would indicate a power/current/or solenoid issue to me...

Or does it turn normal then sound almost as if there were a mechanical obstruction suddenly stopping the starting action after about the third or fourth rotation? - This is more the symptom of what I'm describing...

Incidentally, I run supplemental grounds (IceShark kit) on my 951 as well.

helzerr

I had the "turn normal then sound almost as if there were a mechanical obstruction suddenly stopping the starting action after about the third or fourth rotation" problem on my '87 for quite some time. Then I properly adjusted the sensor bracket height, throttle bypass idle screw, and set my idle mixture and the problem seems to have gone away, not to mention the idle quality immediately after starting is drastically improved..

SoCal Driver

Really? Better send Porsche a letter and ask them why they are shown shielded in the schematics and why you buy the same sensor(s) as the pre 87 cars.

helzerr

I think it's the bracket that changed, not the sensors or the wiring.

Cass944

i took a look at the bracket and didnt notice to much. looks just like it always has. Im gonna try looking at the starter ad some of my grounds now.

Cass944

i looked at the starter, are these supposed to be 2 BIG wires hooked to the big post and one little wire hooked to the little post. both the big ones are very green and corroded.