j.kenzie@sbcglobal.net

Hi Chris and all,
I looked inside my distributor cap. All eight brass contacts had carbon-like deposits on the lower end of each contact. I cleaned with a SS wire brush (like a small solder flux brush) and reassembled. Rotor looked fine. It ran fine but it had warmed up in the drive into my garage. Will see cold weather behavior later tonight. (Car started fine at 9 degree this morning, ran rough for 30 seconds or so.)
Thanks again,
Dave

The Fixer

Hi Dave,

Your fingers must be in serious pain wrenching in this cold..

I had this issue with another car in the extreme cold
and it turned out to be the coolant temp sensor.
It wasn't telling the computer to enrich enough to keep the
motor running smoothly when it was very cold on start up.
It ran fine once warmed up as yours does.

Spring should be around the corner my friend.
Matt

j.kenzie@sbcglobal.net

Hi Matt,
What you say makes perfect sense. I did ohm out the Temp 2 sensor, but I will check it again at current outside temps, and see how it stands up. I think Spring will solve most of these problems, plus I'll get to wash my car, so I am really looking forward to it.
Thanks,
Dave

j.kenzie@sbcglobal.net

Hi again,
Well I am going to throw some parts at my problem. Some needed to be done anyway: new ignition switch and cam, new fuel pump relay, new fuel injection relay. Fuel pump fuse already changed and contacts cleaned. Car misbehaved again this morning. Sat for an hour then started right up. Ignition switch does not always turn off/on the radio.
Not very scientific, but with a 10% bad/ 90% good problem, it's a little hard to conduct experiments.
Thanks,
Dave

Landseer

Dave,
Cleaning the two grounds on the right cam cover is also real important.
Especially if its being used in the weather, which it is.
They are multi-metal connections and I'm having to polish them once a year minimum when the cars sit out.
Its where all the engine electonics are grounded on 84.
I also agree with replacing all the sensors and relays that aren't known-recent.
Chris

j.kenzie@sbcglobal.net

Thanks, Chris.
If I recall one ground is by the front and one by the back of the PS cam cover. What is involved in getting at them?
Dave

The Fixer

Dave,

If you have a dremel tool handy with its tiny wire brush attachment, that's the ticket to quick groun contact cleaning. These grounds are very easily accessed.
I would coat them with dielectric grease when done.

Rather than wait to replace the temp2 sensor, have you carefully cleaned it's contacts
and checked wire? Also your exhaust should be super rich and stink of fuel on start up in this cold. Does it?

Then pray for all in the cold States that Spring comes.

Good luck, Matt

Landseer

There are two, good memory, the emissions valve in the air pump output line occludes the rear one.

I stuggled with that one on an 84 USA car, trying not to remove the line and valve.
But that was the easy answer 8 hours later.
Get the valve off, clean the ground, put it back on. Pretty fast if you do it that way.

I like a dremel wire brush for cleaning them.

The first post in the link below has some pictures on the 84 Euro for location sake. It didn't have the valve mounted at the top of the O in PORSCHE, so easier access to that ground point for the Euro. http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsc...-16v-euro.html

Landseer

On reviewing wiring diagram, the spark box on fender actually grounds to the car near the radiator on the right side.

But the main controller in the cockpit grounds to one of those cam cover bolts.

And so does oxygen sensor and what appears to be Temp II, to the other ground point on the cam cover, and that ground also connects to the main controller at terminal 5

That means that the injectors are oscillated to ground at one of those bolts. Also the idle and high speed microswitches, through the controller, ground there.

So, pretty important. Again, not sure its your car's problem. But you have to have them clean as a base for moving forward in my opinion

j.kenzie@sbcglobal.net

Thanks, Chris.
I will see if I can do that tomorrow.
Dave

j.kenzie@sbcglobal.net

Hi Chris,
I cleaned the two engine grounds tonight. Getting the air diverter valve out was a bear, but then it only took about 30 minutes to actually clean the grounds. The wire brush Dremel worked great. It will be minus 1 degree tomorrow morning, and we can see if there is any improvement. Ignition switch next weekend.
Thanks to all,
Dave

j.kenzie@sbcglobal.net

Hi all,
My car started at 0 degrees this morning. I brought it inside to look it over and found two vacuum leaks which I fixed: one 3/8" line to the purge valve in the vapor control system, and one where my 4-way connector near the brake vacuum booster had lost one connection. Car actually idles much more stably now.
As I said, car starts 90% of the time in cold weather, but at least I have one positive result on a pretty cold day.
Thanks,
Dave

val06key

Hi last month my car also jammed and i was late for my office . Then i unfortunately i take taxi that day . The day i feel very bad for my car.

Park Ridge IL Locksmith