Starting problem

RickKlem · 02-09-2010, 12:46 PM

Our 2000 Boxster has been sitting for a while (6 months) . During this time the rear window split and the car seems to have taken on some rain water. I ordered a replacement top with a glass window and moved it into the garage.

The problem is that when I turn on the key all of the lights on the dash blink and it would not start. It turns over very slow as if the battery was dead. So I charged up the battery and when I connected it the windows went down by them self. At that point I could start it but when I press the accelerator the rpm's would not increase. I tried it the next night and it would not start again. I took the battery in to have it tested and they said it was good and that it was at 12.43 Volts with 623 Cold cranking amps. They looked it up and said that was more than enough for this car.

If this is due to the water coming into the rear of the car, what could have gotten wet to cause it to react like this? Could water have entered the intake and now it's vapor locked? Where is the computer on this year model ? Could it be wet? Is there anything else that the water could have affected ? Or could I be stuck on the water being the issue and failing to look at the normal stuff as starter?? If it is the starter I don't understand why the windows and dash lights would be involved.

Please help me

Thanks
Rick

mikefocke · 02-09-2010, 01:24 PM

The computer that controls the engine (ECU/DME)
is located under the left seat. It is classic that, if water gets in there, the connections corrode and you get weird results. So as a first. feel under the seat and see what it feels like.

Wayne 962 · Wayne 962's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikefocke

The computer that controls the engine (ECU/DME)
is located under the left seat. It is classic that, if water gets in there, the connections corrode and you get weird results. So as a first. feel under the seat and see what it feels like.

Yes, that could be the problem. That computer is actually the alarm system computer, which controls the starting and theft protection system in the car. As you might imagine, if that gets wet, then it might cause problems (the ECU/DME is in the rear trunk). The windows are partially controlled by the alarm unit, but I'm not sure what would be causing the dash lights to go on and off. I have seen that before, but only with a low battery.

Also, I would swap out the battery with another one just to double-check. Simply checking the voltage on the battery is not enough to know if it's on its way out - it needs to pull lots of current and keep that voltage.

If you look at the photo I posted here, the big space heater is on top of the box. I have better photos, I will post later on.

Keep us posted!

-Wayne