ttreat

I went to take the 996 out the day after Christmas and when I went to start it, it turned over like normal, then after a few seconds the starting sound changed. It sounded like something was cranking but much quieter, either something broke or it stopped getting fuel and wasn't firing. It cranks with no problem but won't start. Any suggestions? It is a '01 with a tick less than 80k miles. I last drove it a few weeks earlier with no problems.

I checked the fuel pump relay and it is good. I also checked and all related fuses in the fuse box under the dash are good. I hooked it up to an OBD II scanner and get no codes. It isn't the battery as I hooked up another good battery and it does the same thing.

Here is a link to it cranking

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJlm6...ature=youtu.be

logray

Could be a bad starter. Tough to see on the video but those pulley's don't seem to be rotating as fast as they should be.

That could be due to a weak electrical system (battery, wiring), or just a bad starter.

What does the oil dipstick look like?

What does the coolant look like?

When you turn the ignition to on, but don't try to start the engine, do you hear a momentary whirring noise coming from the front (indicating the fuel pump is operating?)

fpb111

Weak battery?, try jumper cables.

Pac996

Being a guy with a new remanufactured by porsche engine I can definately say it is cranking too slow like logay says. Also low battery symptoms can also be the wires that are supposed to be passing the amps to the starter. From what I've read on the underside of the car is where the high amperage wires are bolted together which gives a place to loose peak power. But I'd say since it started the symptoms in mid cranking that maybe it's the starter, ignition switch, wires on starter, 2012 end of the world has started, Battery fell on it's face wasting a cell and the second battery you tried isn't up to snuff.

Question back to you is what was the second battery you tried rating and how old and good of charge was on it? Little porsche engines take some crank amps to turn over. Bad thing is the ignition switch going flakey can give good power to some things while cutting power to others like alternator and ignition. How's the key feel turing around in the socket? Try an extra little trick and watch for usual things like lights coming on in the dash or headlights not functioning right for where the switch is. Trouble shoot it the easiest ways you can for now because the shop is going to be bucko's.

ttreat

I initially tried jumper cables with my truck's battery that I have used to jump the Porsche many times even when the Porsche battery seemed stone dead and it doesn't fire. It will crank for forever showing me the battery is good. The battery may have gotten a little weaker between 12/26 and yesterday when I made the video clip. Maybe I will re-video it with jumper cables attached so that will take away this discussion distraction.

The ignition switch feels no different than before.

Pac996

Jumping a fried cell battery does cause the good battery to not deliver as much power since the cells are shorted out. Anyway I wouldn't doubt it's the ignition switch since you were applying pressure to it during the start procedure. Then again it is 2012.

ttreat

Maybe I need to better describe what happened. I may have added more confusion by posting the video.

As I was starting the car it was cranking for about 1 second as normal, everything sounded normal. Instead of starting the cranking sound immediately got much quieter, not slower. It sounded more like turning over an engine without spark plugs. My first thought was, the starter or flywheel engagement broke and now I just hear the starter. This obviously was not the case as the motor is turning over.

This leads me to think that something either happened internally, it stopped getting fuel, or it stopped getting spark.

nick49

After cranking for a few seconds stop, put your nose to the tailpipes and smell for raw fuel. If it's there you can assume you are not getting spark. A bad coil pack would make it run rough, no ignition at all means either no current to the coil packs or not at the right time. Not at the right time may be a crank position sensor. I'd think a CPS would cause a CEL. You should check fuses. I think you may need a manual to troubleshoot this.

logray

Do you hear the fuel pump go "bzzzzzzz" or "whiiirrrrrr" briefly when you turn the key on, but before you go to crank? You can open the front boot and have someone there to listen for it, but you should be able to hear it from the cockpit.

Pac996 could be onto something perhaps with ignition switch related issue... the immobilizer disables fuel and spark under various conditions (and so can the airbag module).

I would suggest bump starting it to rule out a weak starter, but some say bump starting is a no-no.

Still, looking at your video a second time those pulleys are turning over quite slow. Look at the power steering pump pulley, you can clearly see the holes rotating slowly. I would guess that my car normally cranks 2-3x that fast.

Could you put your truck battery in your Porsche temporarily to rule out a bad battery (per the comment above that perhaps you are trying to jump a broken battery).

ttreat

logray, how do you bump start it, similar to going down a hill or pushing it and letting out the clutch in a high gear? Again, I can make it crank as fast as anyones- the video is misleading.

Does the ignition switch still allow it to crank if it is immobilized?

logray

Yes, bump start is rolling down a slight incline, in 2nd gear, clutch in, ignition switch on. Once car moving appx 5 mph, release the clutch quickly, car will start. As soon as it starts push the clutch pedal in again otherwise it will stall.

However, that puts a lot of stress on the internals and some say it is not a good idea. Forget I suggested it. :-) (but I can tell you I've done it a few times with various cars, including the pcar).

I would only bump start in an emergency situation. Since you have the luxury of flat bedding the car or working on it in your own garage I would continue with troubleshooting instead of that redneck nonsense I suggest above. For example, swap battery, remove starter take it to auto parts store for free testing, etc... but if it cranks fast then something else is going on...

Yes, the ignition switch can engage the starter and crank the engine, even if spark and fuel are disabled.

Certainly as suggested above, you should be smelling fuel if you can crank and crank and crank for hours without it turning over.

Did you check the fuel pump fuse?

Macster

While the battery may have enough power to crank the engine the battery may not have enough reserve power to supply sufficient voltage for the coils to work.

The battery voltage must remain above some voltage threshold (the voltage number escapes me but I think it is over 9 volts) as it powers the starter or the engine will crank until the starter melts but the engine will not fire.

My WAG is the battery is bad, or the cabling, maybe both.

Of course, I assume the fuel pump is running?

The only time I have cranked a Porsche engine and while it cranked just fine it didn't fire was when the fuel pump up and quit.

My local dealer's senior tech loaned me his fuel relay bypass plug and I verified the relay wasn't the problem. After the car was towed to the dealer he confirmed the fuel pump even when supplied directly with the proper power did not run.

Sincerely,

Macster.

ttreat

Okay it's time to stand up and insert foot in mouth! Tonight I had a chance to look at the car and I let the battery charge and it started. Thanks for all you that convinced me despite my stubbornness. I really was convinced it was something more. I have never seen a car able to crank like my would without starting. In other vehicles that I have or had would start as long as it would crank.

...unless something is going on with the ignition switch, but now I really want to believe it was the battery.

Barn996

Sounds like the battery was/is toast, but the good news is, they are cheap to replace. Hope that is the cause.

ttreat

Actually it starts with no problem now after I drove it last night. Either the battery was drained just enough not giving it enough juice to start or there is something else starting that is more intermittent.