86 3.2 won't start

[ELUSIVE]

Today I was tinkering on my 86 3.2. Cleaning some things, playing with the radio, and took a nice little drive. When I got back from the drive I installed a Rennline drivers side floorboard. What a pain in the a$$ that install was, but eventually got it on and all back together...BUT now it won't start. This is a first since i've owned this car for the past 4 months.

The car turns over quite powerfully and all electronics work. It just cranks but no start.

Any ideas?
Could I have done something with the gas pedal when I had it out?
Could I have busted something else during this project?

Thanks,
Stacey

[tmadden2]

Did you do anything under the driver's seat? You could have disturbed the DME wiring harness connections if you got aggressive with a vacuum crevice tool or something.

[ELUSIVE]

I was certainly under there. Where is this DME wiring harness?

[ELUSIVE]

I found the DME under the drivers seat.
I did have to hammer out part of the floor to allow the Rennline floor board to fit. I'm wondering if some vibration could have damaged this, or something else? Ugh.

[pmax]

Originally Posted by ELUSIVE

I found the DME under the drivers seat.
I did have to hammer out part of the floor to allow the Rennline floor board to fit.

Pics ? Perhaps the RL floor board is "out of spec".

I'm wondering if some vibration could have damaged this, or something else? Ugh.

Possible I suppose but that would be one BFH.

I would check the DME relay first.

[ELUSIVE]

My floor pan was slightly bent from someone improperly jacking up the car so I had to pound it back down a bit so that the Rennline floor board would fit properly. I eventually got it on.

I'll buy a new DME Relay early next week and see if that's the culprit.

Thanks for the quick replies.

[gomezoneill]

The vibration from you hammering near the DME Box (under the drivers seat) may have broken a solider joint or simply loosened the relay. I'd bet it's one or the other.

[ELUSIVE]

Well...I replaced the DME relay and no luck. Car still won't start.

Does the same thing. Cranks vigorously but nothing.

Any other suggestions based on what i mentioned above about replacing the drivers side floorboard with a Rennline board and having to do some hammering of the floor pan? What else could I have unsettled?

[73pcar]

Relay is one piece of the puzzle (which you swapped out), but as noted the DME unit itself could be the issue...if you have a friend with the same vintage 911 you could try swapping it out.

[ELUSIVE]

Originally Posted by 73pcar

Relay is one piece of the puzzle (which you swapped out), but as noted the DME unit itself could be the issue...if you have a friend with the same vintage 911 you could try swapping it out.

I have no friends right now (lol) and pretty confident that a Zoom or Facetime swap out would prove unsuccessful.

Looks like i'll be calling a shop. So frustrating..but my family and I are healthy. Hope you all are as well.

Stacey

[r lane]

Fuel pump running? Have you checked spark, injector signal?

[ELUSIVE]

I'm very new to this air cooled world.

I'm not sure how to check if the fuel pump is running, if there is spark, or if there is an injector signal. I'll do some Pelican searching...

I've checked the fuses, the battery is good, replaced the DME (which I really thought was going to be my issue as the one in my car was from 2010) and had what appeared to be some corrosion on the board).

The car has been running solid for the 4 months i've had it. Then I install this Rennline floorboard and struggle to get it in place and then I can't start it. Maybe it's related, maybe it's not.

[cabmandone]

air cooled

Read this
https://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/911_carrera_start_troubleshoot/911_carrera_start_troubleshoot.htm

[ELUSIVE]

Yeah, air cooled. need more coffee.
Thanks for the link. That's a good list. I'll start there!

[Pedro '84 Coupe]

You can jumper the DME connection to power the fuel pump to rule that out. See Posts 23 and 24 here: DME Relay - carry the spare.

I hope it's not your DME. There is a recent post where a forum member reflowed some solder in his DME and it solved a no-start issue. If you were closer, I'd gladly loan you my DME. I don't like throwing parts at problems, but you might be looking at new flywheel sensors. Those can fail without warning. You can test those too. If they are bad, use the BMW sensors. Do you have a Bentley manual? It has the OHM specs for the flywheel sensors. If not, you can most likely find those numbers online.

Good luck!

[Marc Bixen]

If the car is a 3.2, and you were in the engine bay, by chance, you may have disturbed the speed or reference sensor plus. Left side of the engine bay, there are three square plugs, one white, the other two black. Make sure they are plugged in.

[198491132]

My 2 cents...... hammering around and close by the DME unit is not a good thing. I lost my original unit after hitting a series of bad bumps on a concrete highway. They are old units.....swapping one out is a great idea. Keep looking and posting in your local area...local club etc for a friendly swap for testing. You may need to buy a replacement ...... part of the 3.2 pleasure of ownership. You can also send the unit out for testing.......search this forum for individuals/shops that will do that for you.

[198491132]

Pelican - Steve Wong - shows one for $600. Sending in core unit vs testing costs....

[sugarwood]

I'll just add the correct method for testing DME is to put your dead car DME into known good car. If car #2 runs, your DME is good. Not vice versa, in case your car is frying DME's for breakfast.

[sugarwood]

Why don't you search for old Colorado threads/posters and see if you can plug your DME into their car? It would need to be '84-'86, right? You have time for a 1-2 hour drive, which covers most of CO