dallen

We have an '86 944 that will turn over, but not start. we have checked the dme realy, and the main ignition relay, both check out fine,(we even bypassed the main ignition relay). We think that there is no spark due to placing a wire in a plug cap, and attempting to start, and no arching occured. any ideas/ helpful hints?
thanks, The Allens

PorscheG96

Try the simplest thing first by replacing your distributor cap and rotor. If you're uncertain whether it's spark or fuel you're not getting, remove your ignition wires one at a time and have someone turn the ignition key [gearbox in neutral]. Try to ground the spark across the block and if you get no spark to ANY of them you can be pretty sure it's your cap, rotor, or coil. Obviously if there's spark across each ignition wire then you've got a fuel delivery problem. Good luck, let us know what the problem is!

keith

If you get spark, try pulling one fuel injector plugf off and try cranking it and see if it starts.

dallen

MY brother is working on my car. he is sure that it is not a fuel delivery problem, but a spark problem. the car can you believe it started after i had it towed to him?! anyway he says it is an intermintent spark problem. starts, and runs sometines, and sometimes not. we have new dist. cap/ wires, and he says the rotor is turning. any help would be appreciated, i miss my little fun car!!! Darby

Outlaw952

I had this problem with an 88 944 I used to own. It was intermittent, and could be temporarily fixed by stomping on the passenger side floor board, where the computer is. That was the problem - bad computer. After I had it replaced, I took the computer case off and discovered that a few of the traces had cracked and broken on the printed circuit board. You may not have the exact same problem, but I would suspect the same part is the culprit.

944mo

I had this problem on mine. It ended up being the reference mark transmitter (flywheel sensor). If you have fuel, air, but no spark it is likely.

My 2 cents...

jim968

Yep, I'll vote for the speed or reference sensors or their wiring connectors as likely suspects... behind the head, on top of the bellhousing.

Jim, "No, dammit! Pillage _first_, then burn!"

Skip

Sounds like a dead ringer for the DME relay starting to flake out - you can bench test and line test it all you want, but they rarely act bad when simply stared at. In any case, it's the cheapest solution, and a good spare to carry for troubleshooting no-start/no-run conditions.

Good Luck!

Melchior

I concur with Skip. My DME relay went bad and I would do the same thing. It that doesn't fix it, try the bofore mentioned TDC or Flywheel Sensors but be very careful when removing them since that have pastic housings that have become very brittle due to their locations. <img src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" border="0" alt="[cheers]" />

83na944

Check the ignition switch.

I had a similar problem with my '83. It would crank, but just wouldn't fire.

dallen

Thanks for all the help! The problem was our fly wheel sensors. They were replaced and we are crusing again. Take care,
The Allens