Savetheclutch

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ok guys here is another one for all of you

the car wont start,

-when I turn the ignition on I hear the fuel pump.
-THe car is not throwing any codes, I checked with durametric and zero
-there is a lot of gas smell

What I have done:
-i checked all the relays that are in the back next to the ECU and they are all fine.
-tried short circuting the switch by the clutch pedal and still nothing.
-battery is fine

What could be causing this? some articles and DIY would be appreciated it

dantzig

Is the engine cranking or not?

If not, check the connections to the starter. There are two heavy wires with round terminals held on with nuts.

Savetheclutch

those are the ones under the car right? under the passenger side.

the car did crank for a bit but not anymore

dantzig

If it won't crank, then it's not a fuel issue. Could also be the solenoid.

The starter is on the passenger side, where the engine and transmission meet. It's directly accessible from underneath.

Another possibility is the ignition switch. But that usually fails be not turning off the engine or electricals when you remove the key..

jpflip

OOps I didn't know your starter was not turning...Forgot about the fuel issue you got something wrong about the starter or simply the ignition switch....

Turbodan

bump start it?

dantzig

A little more detail here in post #10:
http://www.6speedonline.com/forums/9...er-failed.html

Macster

No cranking with no other symptoms like a clicking of a intermittent engaging starter solenoid is based on my experience a bad or worse an intermittently bad clutch safety interlock switch.

But you have eliminated this -- assuming your short circuiting of the switch was done properly.

I've never had a bad ignition switch but there have been enough reports that's always a possibility. You can try turning the switch off, removing the key, inserting the key, turning the key on, wiggling the key as you do this, etc.

Another possibility is the RFID pill in the key module is bad. If this is bad it won't receive/respond to the query for its ID from the in-dash RF transceiver.

Without this response the engine will not crank.

In an effort to eliminate the RFID pill try another key, even try the valet key.

If the above doesn't help, the possibility is the in-dash transceiver is bad. This going bad is rare based on my second hand info. I'm not sure how to know if it is bad. I suspect a PIWIS2 hookup is required.

That the engine doesn't crank sort of lets this possible cause be out of the question, but I toss it out just in case: Another possibility is a critical engine sensor is not working. One is the crank position sensor. Without this working the DME will have no idea where pistons are and will not trigger fuel injection pulses and will not trigger any spark. However the engine will (should anyhow) crank.

'course, with no cranking there's always the possibility it is just a wiring/connection problem. If there's any chance of this and there can be if for instance the battery was changed recently or there was any work done on the car or the engine that required the battery or other electrical connections be undone, well, the last thing touched is always suspect.

Sincerely,

Macster.

Savetheclutch

guys re-reading this I realized I ommited some things..



the first time it happened the car would not start, I have a neighboor who is into old muscle cars. He told me to cover the exhaust and try and it started right away according to him old cars without cats and mufflers did this (my car runs straight pipes)



I have not tried that again, but after it started the first time it ran fine for a few days, I even took it on the highway and no problems whatsoever.



both times that it happened was after driving the car for a while, I went home to change clothes and when I went back outside the car would not start.

dantzig

The intermittent nature of the problem points to electrical problems. Let us know what you find after checking the starter connections.

I'm pretty sure that we can eliminate changing your clothes as the cause of the problem.

Savetheclutch

lol I swear I feel like throwing this car off a cliff... too bad it won't start so I could drive it to one

Macster

Blocking the exhaust didn't have any effect.

The problem is an intermittent one, obviously, and you can block the exhaust, scream obscenities at the car (my technique when my Boxster developed an itnermittent no start symptom), pray, change your clothes, sing Xmax carols or whatever and at some time all of these will appear to work, but not 100% of the time.

My Boxster's intermittent start problem, even after I replaced the clutch safety interlock switch and had the tech replace the igntion switch (which he tested and tiold me appeared to be in pretty good condition), was the clutch interlock switch. The new one had some intermittent problem -- though rare.

Unfortunately, I didn't consider this until after the ignition switch was replaced.

In fact, I think the switch proper is not at fault, but its location how well it is held in place, how securely.

The switch's mount, holder or possibly the switch itself simply does not hold/position the switch right and occasionally (very rarely with this new swtich but it does happen though I can't remember the last time) the switch isn't close and the engine will not start.

I release the clutch pedal and make a point of firmly pushing the clutch all the way down and the engine starts just fine.

I spoke with a couple of senior Porsche techs about this and they agreed that maybe it was worth it for me to try to bend or somehow adjust the switch to improve just slightly its position, make it more secure (with less play) or bring it just a bit closer to the pedal lever, but because the problem is so so very intermittent and I'm lazy I have not bothered.

That the engine always starts upon the second attempt I have not felt compelled to mess with the switch or any part of the clutch hardware.

So, back to your car: My WAG is the clutch interlock switch is bad and well, your attempt to bypass this switch is not working.

Sincerely,

Macster.

dantzig

Macster could be right. This was the first thing I tried on my car when I had this issue. Easy enough to check the switch with an ohm-meter.

Savetheclutch

ok guys so i am happy right now lol first of all thank u guys for all the help.
so i got home put the car on jack stands to check the solenoid connection and everythig was fine.
next on my list was to take out the fuel pump. i umplugged the cables but decided to plug them back in to wait for my friend and show him all the symptoms.. well the car decided to start right away!

btw guys what fuel filter or whatever this is?

Macster

Well, I hope you fixed the car, but given the symptom was intermittent what you did is on the same level as changing your clothes.

Unless I got off track somewhere, I thought the no start symptom had the engine *not* cranking? If so, I do not understand how a marginal connection at fuel pump electrical connector would prevent the engine from cranking. When my Boxster's fuel pump out and out died the engine would crank just fine.

Still, I shouldn't overlook the car now starts and runs, so good job.

Sincerely,

Macster.