Hello...

my S4 has probs again...I think her fuel pump went. Not sure.

It won't accelerate (especially up hills)...I haven't driven her in a while b/c I'm currently broke...but I start her up one a week just to get her juices flowing..here are some new symptoms...Lately when I start her, she'll start, tremble to death and shut off...all in about 5 seconds of starting. I now I have to step on the gas to start her...just to keep her running...she is trembling badly since the fuel problem...

I know the stepping on the gas to start her is probably bad, but she'll only start this way now...no idea..too broke right now to fix her... *sigh*

Any Ideas?

Type: 1987 928 S4
Mileage: 70,506 (original)

Thanks,

Jeni



UPDATE AS OF 8/11/2006:

Well it is currently 11:50pm here in NY and I decided to go start her up...well surprisingly..she started with no probs upon initial start. Weird too..might be b/c it's in the 50's here tonight...??? likes cold weather?

Well, I let her stay on for about 5 minutes...looked under the hood, no fireflys...so I'm not thinking it's the caps or anything.. but I'm not ruling that out just yet. I did notice whitish smoke...i put my hand near the exaust and the residue on my hand from the smoke, seemed a bit moist, maybe a little oily. I revved her and more smoke came out with this nasty sulfur like smell...not too strong though.. but not your usual exaust smell.

Well, she ran...didn't shut down, but sounded like she was hesitating. 1st time in a few weeks she didn't have a problem starting however.

I'll keep you posted. Meanwhile, thank you to all who have given me tips and suggestions.. I really appreciate it!! Keep it up..I'm really getting alot of advice here...

 

I would Love to help, but with such little info there really is noway to tell. I could see it being a thousand different things...I'd check the FP relay 1st, etc, etc, etc, do some research and get back to us.

 

sorry.. was typing in a rush.. lol.

Checked the relay/tested.. passed ok.
fuel filter..ok (new)
fuel check valve..ok (so I think)
vacuum line(s)...a-ok no rips, tears etc.
O2 sensor..(new, replaced when I replaced fuel filter)
ISV and ICV..(ok as per mechanic...at 11pm tonight)

When the car is on (when I can get her on), the fuel pump buzz's a little.
When I have her on only on electric (not a full start), the pump buzz's very loudly.
From what I was told and read from the documents, the Fuel pump was replaced at 60K +/- it would be really messed up on the previous owner's part if that's not the case...he showed me proof of purchase and install of the new pump..so I have no clue.

 

Have you checked your idle control valve to make sure that the proper amount of air is getting into the intake at idle? If you have to give it gas it could be starving from lack of air and not gas. The ISV could be getting stuck.

 

It isn't a fuel pump issue.

 

Checked it. Proper Pressure according to Porsche's recommendations.

What's also odd is that ever since this problem happened...my fuel sending level started working again... weird.

 

Any suggestions from you Heinrich?

Thanks.

 

proper pressure??? I think you mean proper vacuum yes? Not trying to sound contrary, but terminology is very important so that we can know what is being said

 

'I haven't driven her in a while b/c I'm currently broke...but I start her up one a week'
Just a thougth........ bad, old fuel

 

thanks.. but she was filled up 2 weeks ago..last time I got her to drive from my house to a gas station and back. Filled her up with Sunoco 93 (closest station to my house) before she started giving me probs again... Usually I get Mobil premium or even 91 if 93 is too high..I live in NY...gas prices here are outrageous!

 

I was going to suggest the idle valve but reading further I see that was covered.

You could have clogged fuel filter, I suppose. The clog would make the pumps louder and impede fuel getting to the engine, particularly on first start-up. THe clog could be from additional precipitant dropping out of supsension because the car has been sitting.

Sounds more like rich than lean to me though. Does it smoke when it is first started and is stumbling?

 

Sounds like my symptoms that were LH failure. Do a search on the topic "LH death" or "LH failure", see if it sounds familiar.

 

Fuel filter was replaced the smae day as the O2 sensor (about 2 weeks ago)
I haven't driven the car in about 3 weeks...just start her up once a week. So she's been sitting in the drive way all this time.

When I first start her, she does smoke a bit, then it stops. (it's more like a light blueish grey/whitish color)..then it goes away in about a minute.

 

Thanks for that tip..it never occured to me...lol.

Well, my mechanic is checking that out right now by doing a swap into his 88 928..so we'll see...I hear those things are expensive..sucks if it is that...then my car will be put in storage until next summer if that's the case.

21yr old girl attempting to fix her 928....you get the picture...lol.

 

We'd like to!

Ah, c'mon , "it was right there"....

I think there is a person in the UK that rebuilds them, pops by this board occasionally. I'm sure there most be US vendor among the 'big 3'...but my car is brainless, so I've never paid much attention... Will follow along to see how it works out though.