Puch1313

This happend to me a few months ago, its my own fault for not fixing the problem i suppose. car runs fine, parks for a few hrs, i go to turn it on, and although the battery has full power, the car wont turn over, but all electric works. last time i let the car sit for a day, came back, and it fired right up. someone said so mthign about the DME relay, is that most likly my problem?
MANY thanks in advance
Pat

emilysgranny

Pat ;if the bat is fully charged and this happaens ,it is a bad connection at the bat or starter or the starter is going bad.

Dmitry S.

my bet is the starter, or the wiring to it.

MHT

when you say it won't turn over, do you mean that it will not crank, or that it cranks but will not start? If it will not crank at all, then the DME relay is not going to fix it, if it cranks without starting, then the relay could be the cause. How do you know that the battery has full power? It takes a lot of juice to crank the engine, but not a lot to run most of the other electrical items for a few seconds. What happens when you turn the key? What do you hear, feel?

Puch1313

OK, have you ever tried to start your car while its in gear... the car automatically will not allow you to start it. this is whats happening, the battery has juice, but it wont even try to start or turn over. however, the rest of the electrical works, fuel pump, windows, stereo, etc. its very odd. as i said before, the first time it happened, i went back the next day, and it started right up. im gonna hope that will happen for me today after school. any other tips would be very apprciated!
thanks!

Puch1313

bumpage

Waterguy

The problem is in the wiring to the starter. The usual suspects:

- battery connections
- starter wiring/connections
- starter solenoid
- Ignition switch.

I would check to see if you are getting +12V at the solenoid (small wire to back of starter) when the key is turned. If yes, problem is in solenoid, starter, main wiring to starter. If no, problem is in ignition switch or wiring. DME relay and other usual 944-specific problems won't prevent the car from turning over (except maybe main battery ground to bell housing.)

Puch1313

i suspected solenoid, however, once thats gone, its totally shot right? i went to the car today after school, and again, she fired right up. very wierd, but i was happy to get it home.

Peckster

The starter draws a lot more power than anythign else in your car.

Your battery might not have enough power to turn the engine over but other things will still operate.

Or your battery connections or starter connections and/or ground might need cleaning.

Don't assume your battery is OK just because the lights and power windows operate.

Puch1313

Peckster, i would agree, however, 12 hrs later, the car fired right up, same thign happend tonight, in my drive way, so heres the deal, it starts during day, and at night (cooler temp) it wont even let me try to turn it over....does that mean anythign else, or am i at the end of my rope?
tx
Pat

Puch1313

any other thoughts? i guess replace solenoid??

Paul C 944

Id replace the solinoid. when cool I had one that worked ,when hot all it would do was click.Replace it they are usually cheap.

TMH

I'm thinking that when solenoids start to go, they sometimes have some 'positional' issues, which does not sound like what you have. I recall the old days when you would check a starter/solenoid by having someone turn the key while you were underneath hitting the starter with a hammer. That would show whether there was a "dead spot" as the starter would sometimes come alive after a smack or 2.

But this does not sound like your issue since there is no movement of the vehicle/starter/solenoid between the times that it won't, then will start.

I might look at some simpler things first. Is there any sort of neutral safety switch in 944's? Have you tried starting it in and out of gear when having problems? Clutch pedal depressed or released?, etc.? If it won't turn over, try something different. Do you usually start the car in neutral with the clutch out? Try with the clutch depressed, or put into first gear, then back to neutral and try again.

Also, I would not discount potential battery problems. Go to a Sears, Kragens, Pep Boys, Walmart, etc. and have them do a load test on your battery. When in cooler temps, a battery that is on the edge will have less cranking power, potentially to the point where it can't give the starter enough amps to turn over a cold engine.

That all sounds a lot easier than going after the solenoid in the first place. If your battery is O.K. and there are no issues with any potential 'neutral safety switches' then you can start digging in further, like the starter solenoid.

Good luck,
Tom

Puch1313

again, thanks for the advice! How could i live without rennlist? Tom, i have tried everything, over and again, clutch in, out, in gear, neutral, etc. if it warms up tomorrow, i think ill take it down to napa for electric test, perhaps thats the problem. i just hope i get it fixed soon, because untill i know the car will start, its really not drivable...
pat

boxdoc2

Now my 83 was doing that a couple of weeks ago and it ended up being the starter. I mean, I would get in it, turn the key and all the electrical things came on, but when I would try to start it, the only thing I heard was the fuel pump. My bet would be the starter. You could pull it and have it tested. Good luck! I got my starter repaired and it took care of the problem.