mpitt

I posted this on Pelican too but wanted to post here to hopefully get more answers since I'm really worried about my car. This happened on the Turbo.

To start with, when I left work today the I believe alternate belt was squealing a good bit and my voltage gauge was way down. The only thing out of the ordinary was I gave it a good washing before a car show Saturday but nothing underneath or that should have gotten up inside the engine bay. It ran fine Saturday to and from too.

When I got home I turned the ignition off but the engine sounded like it was still running sort of, but not completely on like you would expect. If I turned the key back to the on position without cranking the engine started up like normal but still would not turn off.

I tried putting it in gear to stall but it didn't seem to want to stall either. I was able to put it in reverse and get back out of the garage with very little power.

I popped the hood to get to the fuses and tried removing the ignition relays but that didn't do the trick either. The one ignition relay had a good bit of corrosion on the bottom. Eventually the engine sputtered out.

Right now I'm afraid to start it back up because there was a small amount of smoke and a really bad burnt plastic smell. I don't see anything leaking or dripping in the engine bay or under the car.

I did a lot of looking through here and PP and saw some posts talking about "dieseling". I don't think that's what was happening, but that was new to me so I'm not sure. Are there any more obvious things I missed that should be checked?

thomasmryan

Look at your alt harness back to the starter. The exciter wire could be a back feed.

odonnell

When this happened to me, my ECU relay was stuck on from humidity followed by an overnight freeze. (Not running the normal DME relay configuration on this car)

mpitt

Thanks for the replies guys. I couldn't get a really clear look at the alternator and didn't really have time tonight to tear everything apart unfortunately.

I got under to check out the starter and make sure the wires were secure and the solenoid was really hot. The burnt plastic smell from before was faint by the starter but definitely could smell it above the starter in the bay. Once everything was back on and I tried starting it I didn't get anything from the starter. Voltage at the battery was good and I was able to put the windows back up; I even tried jumping it just in the off chance that would work.

I'm hoping just the starter got fried but it's disappointing because I replaced it a few months ago. It was a reman from RockAuto so maybe I just got a dud. I'll probably take it somewhere to get tested this weekend and try to get a good look at the wiring harness at the alternator and hope that didn't get burnt up.

951Dreams

Weird for sure. From what you describe I'd agree it wasn't dieseling. If it was I'd be one of the worst cases I've ever seen. Most will keep on ,sometimes for a long time, while at idle. But if you put it in gear and try to move the car it will kill it.

Something got fired it sounds like. Off the top of my head I can't think of anything inside the starter that could keep it running... Unless the starter was stuck engaged and turning...??? And it was the starter keeping it "running". You CAN move a car with the starter.... ask me how I know!

Jfrahm

The starter engaging due to old shorted wiring is possibly the cause and this does cause 944s to drive through garages and into the neighbor's and so on.

thomasmryan

like a bad antenna seal on a vw rabbit

mpitt

How much of it is a pain to pull the new harness through? I made sure the check the wires when I replaced the starter since the ones on my NA had some corrosion but these didn't look too bad.

marc abrams

I don't know if this is possible on a gasoline engine but on a diesel engine a turbo or blower leaking oil into the intake can cause the engine to stay running or even a runaway.

mpitt

That was one of my concerns, but the oil level was the same when I checked it. If it was leaking would there be a lot of smoke? The little bit that I saw coming up was white, not darker like I would expect oil to cause. It also smelled like burnt plastic and not oil which is good in that case I think.

Jfrahm

Honestly this is a common-ish problem and it's the starter wiring shorting out.

mpitt

Thanks Jfrahm, that makes me feel a lot better; I was worried it was something a lot worse. Can I cheat and pull a new set of wires through while taking the old ones out, or is it a pull-everything-out-to-get-it kind of job?

thomasmryan

So the starter is staying engaged or the ignition is staying on?

Jfrahm

The starter cable I think shorts to the solenoid wire. It might be possible to tape and sheathe/braid what is there now but some wire might need to be replaced. The starter has likely melted down. Best to look and see what needs to be repaired. This area should be checked on all 924/44/68 cars.

mpitt

Thomas, it appears just the starter was saying on. I was able to turn the key off and take it out which turned the electrical parts of the engine off, but it seems like the starter kept turning things on its own.

When I take the starter off this weekend to get tested (pretty sure it's toast but we'll see) I'll give the wires another looking over. I replaced the starter in the garage without a lot of light in February but will hopefully be able to go outside or open the door at least to get some good sunlight in.