Driving home from the office last night, cruising at 70, the car died. Pulled over. Car cranks but won't start.
I confess, I ignored all the warnings and drove without the Holy Grail of 993 roadside assistance....A spare DME Relay.

$130 for a flatbed, a mild scrape under my new turbo bumper (from the flatbed...) and several hours of standing around on the side of the highway later, my car is now sitting at the local stealer. Which of course makes me very nervous.

I told them I think it's probably the DME relay (which of course, they don't have in stock..), and they looked at me like I was from Mars. I am not confident of their ability to diagnose the problem without many hours of expensive headscratching.

I told them not to touch the car until I replace the DME. They seemed relieved.
(The only other thing I can think of is that there's a loose engine ground.)

Anyways, if there's anybody else out there crazy enough to not have a spare DME relay in their glove box....do yourself a huge favor and learn from my mistake. As the saying goes..."Don't leave
home without it..."

Now, I hope it is just that relay...I'll find out later today...

 

Sorry to hear it. I bought a spare DME relay years ago. Problem is, now I don't know where I stored it; it's not in the car!

 

Good advise!

Funny that you mention it. I just bought one yesterday off ebay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...tem=7967337870

Look at the bottom of the Ad, it seems this is the same part for a lot of Porsche's. So I guess everybody can benefit by having this in the glove compartment, not just 993 owners.

Did you get any previous notice that this was getting bad? Surging? Hesitation? hard starting? Or it just quit?

 

The guy I bought mine from has more.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...PcY_BIN_Stores

I am sure Pelican Parts or any other sponsor vendor has some to sell as well.

 

Just ordered mine yesterday as well. I would have been so ticked had I been stranded w/o having this simple (and cheap) fix at hand (if indeed this were the cause of course). Picked up a spare rear axle while I was at it......probably not really nec. for everyone however.

Jamie

 

Where is the DME relay located

 

From the p-car.com DME replacement DIY

BTW, a new one is $24.70 from Pelican Parts.

 

Here: http://p-car.com/diy/relay/

(Damn Dan, your quick...beat me to it...)

 

Matt,

You should have given me a call - but then I should have given you my phone number...
I could have jumped on the Merritt/95 and lent you my spare!!!
PM me if the dealer doesn't have one - I am close to the Greenwich one...

 

I keep my spare inside the trunk, in the little pocker. Its the first thing I did when I bought the car.

 

Thanks! I was on the hutch, less than two miles from the CT border/Merritt. Man that's a dangerous place to be stranded...I was secretly hoping that a DME toting Porsche owner would happen on by. I have roadside assistance, which is unusable in NY, as apparently it's state law that the Police have to dispatch a towtruck. Really frustrating.
Pepe Porsche in White Plains has the DME, the car is currently sitting in New Country's service lot...Was planning to go there at lunch...

I should be okay, but thanks for the offer!

 

I have a spare as well and I am not far, if needed you can pm me.

 

AAA PLus ! Saves me anually !

 

Sorry to hear that you got stuck - but thanks for the reminder... Ebay here I come!

 

Thanks for the early warning...it seems like everybody else has one.....I dont......but.....I will get one