decampos

Worst kind of problem: an intermittent one.

Engine turned and turned, wouldn't start. Could feel fuel pump relay clicking, did the bridge trick (could hear the fuel pump engage, still wouldn't start. After a quick trip across town on a flatbed, I demonstrated to the mechanic that it wouldn't start, then it started fine.

Any ideas what this problem was/is? Fuel pump failure is apparently ruled out as they tend to die and stay dead (so I'm told).

Any help very much appreciated.

(83 car)

James Bailey

your advice will be better with more information....like what year car ? Did you lock and unlock any door or hatch ? So it failed to start at the mechanics shop the first try but then fired up ?

decampos

For some reason I thought I had that info in my signature but I have no signature. I must be thinking of a different forum.

It's a 1983 car. Driver's door unlocked. I disabled the power locks a few weeks ago. AFAIK it doesn't have any kind of alarm/immobilizer (though according to the options list from the VIN thread on this site, It was fitted with one at the factory)

It started up fine at the mechanic's shop.

Mrmerlin

Mantra not mentioned ... Relay Relay Relay

decampos

Hi Mrmerlin. I mentioned the fuel pump relay:

Do you mean a different one?

Alan

Was the car still hot when it wouldn't restart - or had it already cooled down?

Alan

Mrmerlin

is the green wire new?
there are other relays to inspect and replace ,
XIV auto kickdown
XVI Fuel injection
XVII Fuel Pump
also swap in a new fuel pump fuse #13.
NOTE make sure the fuse fits tight,y in the panel,
use deoxit on the connections

use the 928GT.com for the fuse relay chart and print off a copy

911user

Call Roger@928srus, he'll have a cure.

decampos

Thanks for your reply.
What's the green wire?

Why would that stop the car from starting?

Mrmerlin

green wire comes from the computer to the distributor,
if the sheathing has changed color from bright green to brown or it has cracks or the connectors are crumbling its time for a new green wire.

this usually solves intermittent issues.

decampos

Interesting. I'll investigate.

Sorry Alan, I missed your post. Wasn't super hot. Would have been cooling down for half our or so after having driven for about 20 mins (in slow city traffic).

Nightfly

FWIW: I have an early '86; one oddball thing I can tell you is mine is very voltage sensitive. At some point, it will crank and crank but never actually start. That was with the old battery. As soon as I replaced the battery the problem went away. The old battery had one weak cell. That was the only problem that I came across.

James Bailey

Relays work by using an electromagnet to pull a set of points together to make a circuit...So low voltage drops the pull, also heat makes them less efficient drops the pull, as the extremely fine insulated wire of the winding begins to short it drops the pull.... They often are intermittent as they start to fail.

decampos

Thanks for the replies guys. I replaced the battery and the alternator a few months ago.

Is there a way to troubleshoot the fuel injection relay?

Car's been good as gold these last few days.