The car won't start, most likely a short in the injection harness.
This maybe an easy fix or it might be a new harness.
I am thinking of flying to New Brunswick Canada and trying to fix the problem myself and then driving across the country
It's only 3500 miles
Any suggestions and please don't tell me to buy a flat bed first
or up my credit card limit.

The reason is I am having a difficult time finding a trucking company to pick up the car for less than $4000

 

It really depends on what else you know about the car. That trip is a real gamble if you find 16 things along the way after the harness repair/replacement gets you off square one.

 

The car is immaculate and has been well maintained. Just this one electrical glitch that keeps it from starting.
I would love the road trip just having a hard time considering putting a new harness in the car while in a Walmart parking lot.

 

I don't think it's a good idea. There are all sorts of unknowns. It might be the harness, it might not. It could be a CPS, LH, EZF, relay, bad tach signal, etc etc etc. It might be a 3 hours project, or a 300 hour project. It's a big unknown.

If I were in your shoes, I'd have it towed across the border, then shipped (open) to CA. Then take your time fixing it where you have tools and resources. If you can't figure it out, at least you can sleep in your own bed and pick it up the next morning.

 

I think AO has some good advice there.

If you really want to pick her up and drive her across the country home (hey i get that, I did it and it was unforgettable in a good way), then I think your best bet is to:

- take the seller up on his offer to get it across the border
- ship to a reputable 928 shop in the north east
- get them to fix the electrical issue and PPI the car for roadworthiness for a cross country trip
- when it's ready, fly over, pick up car at said shop and start driving

 

I agree with everyone. It appears that getting it across the border is the hassle
The owner once said he would do it, when I spoke to the trucker he only wants to take it the distance to California not an hour to the border. What would be the best solution if I could get it to Portland Maine but none of the trucking companies want to go up to the border ( 500 miles out of their way)

 

Yes, I would much rather have it in my garage to work out all the issues at my own pace and most of all, satisfaction of solving it myself.

 

I will share my story....
From the info the PO has been driving this car and it was reported to drive well when its running.
That said try inspecting the relays and the MAF sensor wires and the temp 2 wires and inspect the short harness to the TPS.

I bought a car with a similar backround.
It would run well when it would run,
but it wouldn't always run and it finally got to a point where nothing would make it run ,
and everything had been replaced.

The only thing not done was to install a used engine harness,
this part was sitting in the back seat in a bag.

I put the engine harness into the 86 5 speed,
it took me 5 hours in a parking lot.

I hit the starter and she fired up and never missed a beat.

If you go this route I would also suggest to make sure to check the belt tension before you start it ,
also tighten down the oil fill tube if you can fit a socket onto the 2 bolts.

From the sounds of things,
the PO will assist you in the repairs with a place to stay if needed,
thats huge bonus.

Now if your handy with tools fix it and fire it!
Drive it home.

 

+1 What Merlin said.

The idea of flying there and sorting it out with a little help from the seller is not a bad one. If time isn't an issue, it'll be one of the biggest adventures you can have with a 928 and you'll remember it forever.

The worst case? You can't find or fix the problem while you are there, so you have to arrange shipment for the car or find someone who can fix it.

At the very least you'll have hands-on personal experience with the car whether you fix it and drive it back or not. If you do drive it back it will be a great start to your ownership experience for this car and you'll have an interesting story to tell as well.

 

$30 and 30 min testing will mean all the difference in the world.

Internal combustion engines need three things. Compression, nominal fuel air mix, and properly timed spark.

Buy a noid light, and a can of carb cleaner. Start with a well charged battery, remove the air cleaner cover, and the air cleaner. While the engine is being cranked, spritz the carb cleaner into the MAF intake. The engine should fire and run as long as the carb cleaner is spritz into the intake.

If yes: Compression verified, timed spark verified. Next test is to connect the noid light to the top of the connector on one of the injectors and crank the engine. Watch for the light to flash. If no flash, problem is in the injection system. If it flashes, look for fuel pressure by jumping the fuel pump relay and listen for the pump to run. Crank again and if now no start, then flat bed it home.

 

This is probably a little crazy, but... It's about $1,700 Cdn to ship the car from New Brunswick to
Winnipeg. That can't be more than 50 cents US You can try your best to get it going, I have a reasonably equipped DIY garage, if you get it going you're off to the races and 1/2 way home. If you don't we'll hall it to the border, Pembina ND, about 60 miles, as they drop cars off there all of the time I imagine they can pick one up. I have a truck and access to a trailer.

If the paperwork is in order generally easy to get it across the border. It would be the second shark exiting the country through that port in the last 6 months.

Timing may be an issue as I'll be on my trek to PEI over the next 2 weeks.

I can send you some contact info on carriers in Canada if you would like.

Lance

 

Go get the car.

I flew to Seattle, got the "needs work" car, fixed it and drove in back to Minneapolis. Only left me stranded twice. A great memory for me and the two kids I took along. Packed two boxes with 50 lbs of tools in one and 50 lbs of spares in the other. What's the worst that can happen?

 

It might not be a good idea...but it's an AWESOME idea. I mean, say you get up there and can't get it to work...what happens? You have to arrange for it to be shipped. Same as now, plus your flight and a few minor headaches. But if you DO fire it up...now that's a story. I wouldn't necessarily have the ***** to do it, but I'm not any sort of expert.

 

Thanks everyone. The of the adventure is intoxicating and i am about 70% leaning to do this.
I will be in Monterey at the Werks and I'm sure I can get a lot of advice from our 928 brethren. Take the redeye with tools and off to the races... This is where I am leaning.

 

Had to pick up a car and drive it 2500 miles. knew it was a reasonable car 18 months prior but little history since. Did the usual checks and drove gently for the first 50 miles and then 70 mph the rest of the way. Best thing I did was up my Road Assist to Platinum which I never used.
My wife and I had a great adventure and helped out our son.
The advantage we had was we knew it was a runner.
Can't you get a local Porsche expert to look at it? Maybe set an upper limit on the dollars and at least get it running before you get there.I have gone through a non starter which is now a limp home moder and these can be a pain to track down.
Goodluck with whatever you decide but drive it home would be my pick. What could go wrong!