944S - Car has always started after 2-3 cranks, even when cold. It has not been driven a lot this year, but when I started it up a few times this fall, it started perfectly. I did have a battery issue so it needed to be jumped each time, but never failed to start immediately. Just in the past couple of days, I noticed that it needs to crank a long time before it starts, and I may need to stop and retry. At first, I thought this was an issue with the battery, but I replaced that yesterday and had the same issue. Once it's been started once, it seems to start fine the rest of the day.

After it cranks, you can begin to hear it catch, and it "almost" starts - almost as though it's sputtering a little and is running somewhat (very low RPM range), to the point where I feel like I should not be turning the key anymore. Once it starts, it runs and idles fine, but for the first 30-60 seconds, if I floor the accelerator, it bogs down. Then it runs perfectly. This was not gradual - literally one day to the next.

In searching, I have a few ideas, and one is to replace the DME. Does this sound like a DME issue? The nearest dealer is +1 hour away, so I'd hate to waste the drive if I am pointed in the wrong direction. I pulled the DME and, of course, it does not start at all, but it cranks great.

Any advice?

 

Sounds like it could be fuel related.

Possibly a dying fuel pump or fuel pressure regulator.

Do you notice a gas smell at all?

If the fuel leaks out of the lines, it takes a while for the fuel to get back to the engine when cranking. It will usually sputter as the fuel starts to reach the engine and the pressure builds up.

 

That is what i was thinking, fuel pressure may be bleeding off causing to start only after enough pressure has built up in the lines.

Could also be fouled spark plugs too.

 

Now that you mention it, my wife said she thought it smelled like gas. Are those two easy to diagnose?

 

That was my initial thought as well, and I have a new set to put in but nothing to get in there with. Maybe I'll start with that and then go to the fuel. What do I need to pull the plugs?

 

5/8" spark plug socket, long extension, and new plugs. pretty easy to get to on these cars. Should take about 15 minutes to change.

Oh yeah, when my injectors were leaking, I could visualy see the leakage from around the injectors themselves, sounds like a hissing noise too.

 

I have a similar issue when the car sits for a few days. It will start but does nearly the exact same thing as czar mentioned. I never get a gas smell and the car is always in the garage. Do you think this is a spark plug or a fuel regulator issue?

T.I.A