chaadster

Didn't reset the odo either, eh? Damn that's a wacky situation you've got there! Someone probably wired into the swiched looking to power something and overloaded the circuit, hence the blown fuse for the gauges.

If it's cranking but won't start, all that's keeping it from running is fuel, spark, or both! Start by confirming the fuel pump is running. You may be able to hear it whir momentarily when you turn the ignition to the final position, just before cranking. If not, you'll need to confirm tha fuel pump circuit is proprly energized.

I'm no expert, but in the absence of one, that's where I'd start! I'm sure you'll get great guidance once the morning comes around. Don't worry!

Leon Speed

Take some pictures of the buttons and try to post them.
Try to trace back the wiring on the buttons and note where they go.
Somebody with more electrical knowledge on this forum needs to walk you through testing for fuel and spark. This will give you a start on your own http://www.jdsporsche.com/fault%20find.html

Short in the dark: leave the battery disconnected overnight.

Good luck.

Lance A

Well thats all I can handle for tonight. I appreciate yalls input and ill keep yall posted. Ill try to get some pics posted tomorrow. Oh yeah both odometers work.

chaadster

Aryan,

You know, now that I think about it, I guess the odo reset is electrical. Thanks for questioning that. I should be careful about posting tips from bed at 4:30 in the morning!

jwillman

Well I can't help with this problem but from my military aviation days every time someone pressed a red button in a new aircraft to find out what it did it always ended up bad. Being an aspiring 928 owner I will follow this thread with great interest.

Good luck.
Jim

danglerb

Sounds like an alarm issue to me, unless pushing the button shorted out and damaged something critical.

My guess is that you are either about to learn electrical trouble shooting and trace some wires, or pay somebody to.

I'd start by tracing the wires from the button that was pushed, just to know what it did or does for sure. Next I would start checking all the normal voltages related to starting the car to see if its likely an alarm is hiding.

My last 928 turned out to have an alarm with a reset button in the glove box. My memory is foggy, but I think I was supposed to hold it down for some length of time if changing the battery or something accidentally armed the alarm (remote was lost).

Mike Frye

OK, so to summarize:

You went to get some gas and then went back home.

In your driveway you pressed the ODO reset button (factory button on the bottom left of the pod, labeled >0<) with the key on, but engine not running. Dash lights were on and gauges were working at the time (headlights on or parking lights?)
>> Immediately upon pressing this button, you lost your dash lights and gauges lost power, you tried to start it but it cranked but wouldn't start. (Is that right?) Turn indicator on pod began flashing rapidly in sync with Relay V but no outside lights were flashing.

You tested the directionals and flashers and they worked, you tried pushing the odo reset again and got no change (and trip ODO never did reset either time?)

You replaced the blown indicator light fuse, and got your gauges back and your dash lights, but if you turn the key it still cranks but doesn't start and you hear a relay clicking while it's cranking that you don't remember ever hearing before (if it always started right away, you may not have heard it before, but it still might have been clicking).


As a side note, there are a couple of buttons that are part of some aftermarket or custom install that may or may not be related, but you haven't pushed them.


Is this all correct?

If so, it seems that something non-standard is wired into your ODO trip reset button and you need to find out what that is. For now, I wouldn't worry about the non-factory buttons since you didn't push them and the car ran before you pushed the ODO trip reset button.

Seems like something else got fried when you pushed that button for some reason and we need to determine what it is. I'd recommend pulling the pod and seeing if anything else is wired into the ODO trip reset button.

Not sure how, but I guess it's possible that you cooked your LH. I don't know anything about that so I can't postulate on it, but you might want to see if someone can help you test that.

PS- you also might want to change the thread title to something that will get some of the techies on here to check in. Something like 'Help with non-start issue in 86.5 please!!' or something like that.

Gtaebr

Went out and checked my 86.5 for you.......
Left side lowest pod button is Odo reset as others confirm
Black button underneath on right is intensive washer
the other 2 black/red buttons are aftermarket.

I suspect Alarm/immobilizer install....start tracing these wires to see where they head I think the red button is for Valet mode the black one Immobilizer/fuel pump cutoff. By tracing the wiring I would bet you can find an aftermarket alarm of some kind...for which some instructions can be found.

Check all the paperwork with the car for a clue like a "Viper Alarm" sticker etc....

Keep us posted.

Lance A

Mike-
The answer to all your questions is yes.

Everyone-
I pulled the relay for the fuel pump/O2 sensor, and bridged ports 87 and 30 in order to force the fuel pump into action. It starts, but only runs for about 5 seconds @ 1000 rpm. If i touch the gas it dies, if i do nothing it dies. Im going to get a new relay, but shouldnt the car stay running just by having the fuel pump bridged?

Lance A

Mike -
i tried editing my original post to change the title but couldnt. any special tips?

hacker-pschorr

The last time I pushed a "mystery button" in my 928 my wife ended up in the neighbors lawn.

I'm not doing that again.......

dr bob

Which button did you push?? There are times when that button just might be handy!

Lance A

Hacker-
You made me laugh, and thats really hard to do right now. Thanks!

Everyone-
Well this makes no sense. New relay did nothing. Very confused as to how bridging the fuel pump connection temporarily bypasses the problem. Im now renting a car hauler in order to make it to the tech session for some help. Ill let yall know what happens. Im not sure what kind of system the aftermarket buttons on the steering collum are for but it is spliced into the wiring for the odo reset. Couldnt find any alarm components such as a brain or siren. parts of the system could have been removed, and that may be why it wont reset. Ill lrt yall know when i learn more. I appreciate the feedback and any sugestions are welcome. Im praying to the Porsche Gods but they havent responded yet!

Lance A

I just tried to upload the pic, but my camera is 10mp and the file is too big to upload.

Gtaebr

Can it be these " buttons" wired into the odo reset are designed to advance and retard the odometer. Wind back the clock for prospective buyer advance at inspection time to stay legal..

Keep us posted on the outcome.... Btw I press my " death/ejector button" but it just resets the trip odo...which relay do I jump to get these functions working again.....