i hate my car, fallen into the abyss.

[vash]

ok, i am getting my @ss kicked. here is how it is going down:
alt light comes on, start research and troubleshooting, and cleaning connections.
start car to test progress, what?! car running rough.
hook up CIS gauge, find cold pressure low, rest pressure low. get a good deal on new WUR, change it out.
start car to test progress, car runs smooth, yes. look at alt light, it is still dimly lit, can get back to that problem soon.
WTF!!!? i get locked out of car, jiggle door open with inside handle, take door apart fix it.
start car to test progress, WTF!!? car drops #5 cylinder. start checking wires. start car to test progress
AND YOU KNOW WHAT!? the starter doesnt engage! it only grinds.

basically, i have perfectly working door now. the other issues have stacked up so i dont even have a strategy anymore! mothereffer! looking for a for sale sign soon.

cliff

[Zeke]

Take five. Days that is. Go to work tomorrow and start again next weekend. You need some time away from the car. It'll work out.

[tangerine69s]

I agree completely ...

Josep

[rennch]

Dude...I'm in the same boat. My 911 has left me stranded too many damn times. I was SO close to putting it up for sale on Pelican Saturday...

[Grady Clay]

Cliff,

Regardless of how smart we think we are or how good Porsche is, Murphy is still in charge.
Leave your CIS gauge in place, get a $10 Radio Shack voltmeter and leave it in place, and then attempt diagnosis next weekend. You might put a charger on the battery in the interim so you know you have a fully charged battery.
Come back to Pelican next week and let us help you find the problem. In the mean time open and close your newly repaired door and enjoy.

Best,
Grady
gradyclay@hotmail.com

[304065]

Cliff,

You did something to upset the electrical gods.

Maybe you unplugged an electrical appliance by pulling on the cord. Or didn't turn something off before you unplugged it.

Either way, you are suffering from bad Electrical Karma.

You have:

1) Low fuel pressure. (low voltage/amps to fuel pump_
2) Alternator light. (Symptom of low voltage)
3) Car Drops #5 zyl. (Bad ignition ground)
4) Starter no engage. Not enough current to solenoid to overcome spring pressure.

The door is just the car's way of telling you it wants you to fix the electrical issues.

The only way to fix this is to do as Grady says, take a break from the car. And then get yourself a bottle of Talisker, a single-malt whiskey made on the Isle of Skye in Scotland. It smells like burnt electrical insulation. Take a drink, and before you swallow, think to yourself:

"E =IR"

That should take care of the curse. Fixing the other problems, well, you know where to go for advice.

Good luck!

[Superman]

LMAO. Talisker does indeed taste like burnt electrical insulation.

I'll vote for "take a break" too. In the meantime, if you do any reading (I know you will, Cliff), then read the troubleshooting techniques. I think you have recently found the CIS troubleshooting procedures to be useful, as opposed to guessing and replacing parts. The rest of your car has troubleshooting procedures too. If you follow them, you will minimize your wasted time and money.

[rennch]

I've got the same electrical gremlins. They are really, really frustrating. Unfortunately, since the 911 is my only car at the moment, it keeps killing me!

[Grady Clay]

Cliff,

I agree with John.

Measure the battery voltage first, as-is, with the car running. If the voltage is lower than 12V, you possibly have a charging problem. Recharge the battery. Now, if the battery is fully charged and these symptoms disappear, great. If they reappear while driving as the voltage is 12V and lower, you now know that it is a voltage issue. Then look to alternator, voltage regulator, electrical connections or more.

John, what is the octane … er … proof of Talisker?

Best,
Grady

[Jim Richards]

John, what is the octane … er … proof of Talisker?

So Grady, are you worried about detonation?

[304065]

Grady,

Talisker is 45.8% by volume, which works out to 91.6 Proof.

This is clearly an homage to the great 916! Yet ANOTHER reason to drink the stuff. I like to take a quaff and silently think of a set of slide-valves.

[Grady Clay]

Jim,

No, just if anyone breathes on the engine and there is an extraneous spark with resulting explosion.

This is a big issue when working with fuel; gas or ethanol.

Best,
Grady

[vash]

talisker? i'll try it for the meantime, i will take all the advice and turn my energy to the lawn that i have negleted. now where is that lawn care forum?

[nostatic]

Originally posted by unfixed
now where is that lawn care forum?

I believe that would be the 914 board

Oh wait, I thought you said lawn *mower* forum

(ducking for cover...)

[Sponge]

I fall in with the take a few days crowd... though it does sound like all of the troubleshooting you did ran down the battery -- ie no start... make sure you disconnect the neg term before recharging - as to not have it connected to your alt (which we already know is causing you problems...)

Good luck

(BTW - mine is sitting in the garage with a very frustrating oil leak... sigh)

[ZOA NOM]

Nostatic, that was HILARIOUS!

Anyway, Unfixed, I'm in the Bay Area too, let me know if I can help. I don't have a clue about these cars compared to the knowledge in this forum, but I'm willing to drink beer and learn. I'm in the East Bay.

[Jadams1]

Hang in there. With the help from this board, there is nothing you won't be able to figure out and fix.

[vash]

zoanas, you could start by removing the censor block from your avitar i am not touching my car for a week, i am driving my girlfriend crazy. but if my lawnmower doesnt start, someone will have to talk me down. haha.

btw, i am in concord.

[Grady Clay]

Jim,

I’m absolutely worried about detonation. Back in the days when no one checked, we all legally ran about 15% methanol. Today, everyone should pay attention to even minor detonation. For high compression 911s and 914-6s, detonation is the limiting factor. That is one of the reasons I’m a proponent of twin-plug. That reduces the octane (proof) requirements.

NOS-tatic,
Yes, there are other things you can use with your fuel.

Best,
Grady

[rennch]

I think it might be cheaper for me to fly one of you electrical guru's out to Colorado then it would be for me to fix the damn thing...