Dash01

Installed replacement DME and drove the 951 car for an hour or so. On return, checked the DME box, which is warm to the touch. The outside of the box can be handled without discomfort, but I'm wondering if this is normal and acceptable. So, how hot is too hot? Is this a cause for concern?

What is the cause of this heat, and what is the remedy?

rhesus

you running stock injectors?

Dash01

stock injectors, stock chip, stock everything to do with ignition.

Cyrus951

Eric,

Wow! You still have this problem?
You went and put another DME in the car, and it fired up right?
I'd try putting a different set of chips in your own DME.
I bet you fried them when you where playing with your DME.
If you swap chips, and it still doesn't fire, then take the DME to a tv repair shop and ask them to resolder all the cracked joints. If it still doesn't work, then you fried your computer, and should look into Vertex in Florida for a replacment.

Bjorn,

Who'd the car go to??

Dash01

The old DME was shot, so re-soldered it and replaced the ignition driver, but still no go. So, got a replacement DME and the car fired right up with the DME and KLR sitting on the floor. Drove around for an hour or so and went home. However, the DME box is warm, and this concerns me, cuz the underlying problem may be poor grounding, which may have fried the last DME and if so could fry this one, too. Hence the question about how hot is too hot.

We looked for the engine-to-firewall ground cable, but it's a dark hole and can't see for squat. Where, EXACTLY, is the engine ground cable on an '86 951?

And, again, how hot is too hot for a DME box?

Tom M'Guinn

If it is just warm, like a running TV, then it is probably normal. When mine was having problems, I actually burned my finger on the ignition driver (round transistor on side). Even after I fixed it, it still runs warm, but no where near as red hot as it once did. If you run a search, I believe there is a photo or two of the ground points. There is an easy one inside the battery compartment for starters. Also check the resistance on your coil to make sure it is not going bad and over-driving the ignition circuit.

Wahoogie

Well it should run warm. I'm not too familiar with the electrics on a 944, however I've taken 6 years of electronics courses. I'm very well adept at cooling electronics also. All electronics get warm. If its discomforting to touch it, I doubt it would be a problem. Plus, it *is* under the hood of your car. A turbo 944 at that.

I say you're ok.

Dash01

I re-flowed the solder on the three pins of the ignition driver and a few other places this afternoon, put the DME back in the car, and went driving. Now, the DME box is not nearly so warm as it was yesterday.