Skwerl

I asked a question a couple days ago with the title "DME question." My car didn't start and most people suggested checking the fuse. I pulled it out, but I haven't been able to find emergency jumper cables as listed in Clark's Garage's procedures. I do have a multimeter, but, to be embarassingly honest, I am not exactly sure how to use it for this procedure. So, I took a picture of the DME relay. It doesn't look good to these untrained eyes, but that may just be wishful thinking. Does all the brown stuff mean it's cooked, or what? Or where could I get that emergency jumper cable? Thanks for any help.

Cyrus951

It looks fine, usually, when DME relays have problems, they only require a few hours to cool, then they'll start working correctly.

hosrom_951

I think it's going.........look at the top right electrical weld.......maybe change it because i don't think that's normal.

Dash01

Per suggestions from others on this list, today I re-soldered the connections on my '86 951 DME relay, which looked much like the one shown here. With a $10 Radio Shack soldering iron, it only takes a few minutes. The Radio Shack electronics guy says the crusty brown stuff is just residue from the factory solder job, and of no concern. He checked the small diode, and found it to be in good working order.

I first read the Clark Fletcher info on his website, which includes pics and specifics about ohm resistance across various terminals on the DME relay. I measured the resistance across terminals 30 & 87b and 30 & 87 before and after the re-solder. FWIW, after the re-solder, the relay is now in spec per Clark's info, perhaps due to repair of a hairline crack at one solder point. I have not yet re-installed the DME relay nor the DME & KLR, but will tonight or tomorrow, so cannot yet claim any success with this procedure. Keeping my fingers crossed, though.

Skwerl

Did you actually see any cracks in it, or did you just resolder every connection to be sure? Please let me know how it turns out in your case.

Dash01

Installed in car. Cranks, still won't start or even cough. As of now, no discernable progress since I don't know exactly where the problem lies, but don't think it's the DME relay. Back to square one.

Anybody got a spare KLR?

theedge

In the clarks garage page about the DME relay, there are instruction on how to make an emergency jumper. That should let you test the car just fine.

NeedPorscheSpeed

Eric, I'm sorry to see that you are still having troubles!

hosrom_951

No Start:

DME
TDC Sensor
Reference Sensor
FPR
Bad Coil

Test them one by one (as mentioned above) to pinpoint where the problem is.....

UK952

When my DME relay was going it was the coil side that looked wrong, it also got very hot, didn't bother trying to ix it just got a new one - less than $30 over here probably closer to $20 there knowing how we get ripped of in the UK. If it doesn't ix it this time worth having a spare.
Having had a cracked rotor arm I would add that and cap to Hosrom's list.
Tony