87 944 N/A Loses Spark/Fire I have changed DME Relay
02-19-2008, 10:01 PM
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87 944 N/A Loses Spark/Fire I have changed DME Relay
I have an 87 944 N/A. My car will crank and start up and run, then, out of no where, it just dies. At that point, we cannot locate any fire or spark. At that time it loses its spark/fire. Then, when we try to start it, it just cranks and crank and cranks. It's not that it is not getting any fuel, it is not getting any fire or spark from what we can tell. Out sid eof changing the DME computer, are there any other thoughts as to what this problem can be? We are totally stumped! It starts when it wants to, and it dies when it wants to. I am in desperate need of thoughts and/or advice. Thank you!
02-19-2008, 10:58 PM
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First of all, do you KNOW it's getting fuel? If it is and there is indeed no spark, it could be a multitude of things ranging from a bad DME brain (or computer as you call it) to the reference sensors... Check for fuel, then start checking your other issues. Try Clark's Garage on how to check your sensors... Good luck!!!
02-20-2008, 03:52 PM
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I had the same problem. It started out by happening once in a while and progressed to the point it would die every time I started it. I solved by taking an old fashioned timing light, hooked it up to #1 plug lead and shined it in the inspection hold on the front timing cover. I could see the spark go away before the engine died. Turned out to be the DME computer had a cracked solder joint. These units have had 20 years of bouncing around in a car and cracks are not suprising. Other culpits are the speed and reference sensors mounted on the bell housing.
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02-21-2008, 03:59 PM
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Have you checked fuel pressure? I had a fuel pump fail on another car. It was a Bosch pump like ours, but the car was a Jaguar. Fuel squirted out whenever I opened the fuel rail so I though it was OK. I finally changed the pump (I had no way to check fuel pressure) and that fixed it. I think the pump would intermittantly stop running and it just happened to be running when I checked it.
