Mongo

I ran into an unfortunate incident today at home. I can't get my car started!


The starter cranks, I can smell fuel at the rail and the fuel pump is working. The car just won't turn over after the crank and fire. This is day 3 of my FR Wilk chip. A buddy of mine is saying that the chip may have fried the computer. I'm going to contact FR Wilk immediately after this. However, is there a possibility that this could be a DME relay failure???

Any thoughts and help are appreciated. I NEED to get this car running ASAP!

Ken D

Sounds like you don't have spark. You can test the DME relay by jumpering the terminals to see if the car starts. Try this first.
The only quick way of confirming that the DME is fried would be to swap it out for a known good one. If you think it's just the chip (unlikely), then swap out the chip for the original. Takes ~20 minutes.

Go through the "no start" procedures on Clark's (under 'diagnosing engine problems'), that will cover all the pertinent bases, including how to jumper the DME relay terminals.

Mongo

ok I pulled the plugs on the car and I can smell fuel. I'm definitely getting fuel. Next is spark. I can't test spark with just myself which sucks.

I have a spare ignition coil in the garage that I'm going to try putting on to see if that works. The coild may have went kaput.

Ken I tried jumpering this morning but I don't have the connectors. I was just using a piece of wire. It wasn't enough to make it work.

Ken D

Wire with the sleeve stripped off at the ends will be fine, as long as the wire is contacting the terminals.

Mongo

a buddy has a DME relay waiting for me. It's new. I'm hopping in the 928 and getting it right now. If this doesn't work, time to move onto phase two, check for spark with 2 people.

If there are any Rennlisters in the San Diego area off from work today, give me a call at 619-952-0534 if you want to help me get this car running. I have beer in the fridge for us and it's nice and cold.

michaelathome

Checklist is as follows:
Just a few things:

1. Crank or turning over
- a. Is the starter turning or slipping, what is the sound?
- b. Is the solonoid engaging the starter?
- c. Make a visual check and see if the belts are turning? Campeck? No jokes

2. Fuel
- a. Is the pump pushing fuel to the fuel rail?
- b. Are the cylinders getting fuel? Pull a plug or all and make sure that they are wet.

3. Spark
- a. Check your speed and reference sensors and make sure that you have a good connection
- b. Check the 9pin terminal on firewall.
- c. Check the coil and wires and make sure that they are all getting spark!

4. DME and Relay
- a. Bypass it. ( http://www.clarks-garage.com/shop-manual/fuel-05.htm )
- b. Replace it

Last but not least make sure that you have a valid IP address. You can verify that on any windows OS by choosing start-run-command, in the window type ipconfig /all and make sure that you have an address between 255.255.255.254 and 0.0.0.1

Can't get to Rennlist w/out one!

You should be good to go!!

That's about it, not much else will stop these cars from running. Oh, a dead battery won't help much either. No way to close the loop

EDIT: Did I mention that ^^^ was kinda my experience w/things?

Michael

Macfreak007

- a. Check your speed and reference sensors and make sure that you have a good connection

Especially important, the chip worries me that it is DME related, does the car have the factory alarm on it though? there are directions on clarks garage for bypassing that. try to borrow a stock DME for testing purposes. Importatant to try and rule that out, it will drive you nuts if you keep thinking that is not it, and it turns out to be it.

89magic98

You can check for spark (at the coil) with one person.

You need a Radio Shack 22-303A logic probe, the - side connected to the green wire from the dme, the + side connected to +12v. The probe has an LED that will flash as the car is cranking (indicating that the dme is at least getting the spark signal to the coil). You can see the probe through the windshield when you go to start the car.

Mongo

DME relay did not change a thing. I just replaced it with a brand new one and no luck. Where the hell is pin 9 at on the firewall. Is that one of the reference sensors?

Mongo

I'm going to swap the coil right now as soon as I get this stupid clip on the distributor in

89magic98

Weren't you messing with the A/F mixture yesterday? You mentioned this in your FRWilk thread?

Mongo

yea but that was earlier in the day. And the car ran fine afterwards. Has nothing to do with it.

It even started about 6 times after too.

michaelathome

Nine pin on the firewall is about 3 in to the right of the O2 sensor. Right above the brake booster.
Just make sure it is tight. Speed and ref sensor connectors are about 6 in to the left, maybe 8in.

Michael

Rip It

man if i were u i would be rechecking the last thing i did before it wouldn't start. Maybe a connector involved with the chip change didn't totally snap secure and came loose, put the other chips back in just to be sure. good luck

Mongo

once again the car has been RUNNING for the PAST 2 DAYS SINCE THE CHIP INSTALL.