Please Help!

chunkyd · 06-01-2004, 09:02 AM

Ok, I just purchased a fairly mint 87 911 coupe 3.2. I love the car!

I was in a hurry and needed to clean it up so i took the car through the Brushless car wash

, The car was running and as i drove it in the undercarrage was being sprayed.. the car suddenly sputters and dies. It starts back up and dies again.
After the washing i start the car drive it out and it keeps dying on me. I deciede to let it sit for awhile and .....dry out?

Needless to say it starts back up but seems to be running badly and still chokes out but starts back up for the rest of the night.

I finally get the car back home and park it for a week.. now the car wont even start at all, it turns over fine but nothing happens.

Also i do have a few inginition wire cracks, that i thought could be the issue but the car has had plenty of time to dry out.

What is underneath that could cause this type of problem?

Did i short out my Computer?

Is there anything simple i can do to troubleshoot?

Thanks,

Chris

P.s - The car ran fine before this and only cut out one other time on the highway.

RickM · RickM's Garage

Wires could be bad...did you take the distributor cap off to see what's going on there?

Do you have the original air box cover on the car?

chunkyd · 06-01-2004, 09:11 AM

Thanks for the speedy reply rick!

Used to be a BMW guy but i'm new to porsches -

I havent taken the distributer car off yet, what involved?

What should i look for?

Yes its the factoty airbox.

Thanks,

Chris

kqw · 06-01-2004, 09:25 AM

Two spring clamps on the side of the distributor. I bet it's wet inside.....

chunkyd · 06-01-2004, 09:28 AM

THANKS!

I'll check it out tonight! of course this would happen with an up coming car meet this weekend. BMW's, Merceades and Porsches

Chris

vash · vash's Garage

with my old camaro, driving through a puddle would do the same thing. i would spray the inside of the dist with WD40 and wipe everything down.

did the inside of the car get wet? under the seats?

goat · goat's Garage

This might be another problem.
but since you were spraying under the car you could have shorted the motronic timing mark or impulse sender. Those wires get brittle with age.

Eric Coffey · 06-01-2004, 09:43 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by goat
This might be another problem.
but since you were spraying under the car you could have shorted the motronic timing mark or impulse sender. Those wires get brittle with age.

Same goes for the head-temp sensor. They really don't like water. Good luck!

kqw · 06-01-2004, 09:50 AM

Good advice here from the responses....

If it turns out to be the distributor cap having moisture inside, find the reason. Most common is a crack and it may be very hard to see.

You mentioned ignition wire cracks...Are these cracks in the wire itself or on the rubber shielding encasing the wires around the fan shroud?

Chris Lovell · 06-01-2004, 09:59 AM

Having just replaced my reference and speed sensors due to seriously cracked wire insullation, I suspect this could be the problem. Although I suppose the fact the car ran (however badly) for awhile points more to the ignition system (ie: distributor). The OS2 sensor, which is right there on the cat, wouldn't have this effect if it was shorted, would it?

chunkyd · 06-01-2004, 10:00 AM

Ahhh, they are in the encasing i believe (the thicker part of the wires).

Thanks, for all the responses .... Starting to scare me gentlemen! hahah

I figure if it was the Cpu the car would have never started back up? So i figure it's something hopefully easy to replace and not to $$$$

Thanks,

Chris

I'll post pictures of my new car (or baby ahah) later on..hopefully this baby dosent turn out to be Damien!

kqw · 06-01-2004, 10:14 AM

By the way.......what were you doing in a CAR WASH???????

And, new members are required to post pictures.......

yelcab1 · 06-01-2004, 11:24 AM

Never run your car(s) through an auto car wash. You don't take a bath that way, why should your cars?

chunkyd · 06-01-2004, 11:25 AM

I know.. I know... big mistake! I usually hand wash her!

all i know is i will never go through automatic car wash again! brushless or not!

I hope you guys suggestions work!

Thanks again,

Chris

Paulporsche · 06-01-2004, 11:43 AM

Check the ignition wires in the dark to see if they are arcing.

If so, replace the set.

Personally, I would replace them anyway. Check threads on Magnecores. A lot of guys on this board like them and they are less expensive than factory.

Paul

DavidI · 06-01-2004, 01:40 PM

I bet that you simply got water inside the distributor cap like others have mentioned. If you live in a warm climate, take the cap off and let it dry. Others have used hair dryers to dry it out, but I would let Mother Nature assist...

Good Luck, David

chunkyd · 06-01-2004, 02:06 PM

Thanks, Everyone!

I'll ley you know what i find out tonight!

Thanks,

Chris

chunkyd · 06-04-2004, 08:26 PM

Ok! Sigh!!

I opened up the distributer cap and nothing no moisture, dry as a bone.

Is there anything underneath the car that would cause this?

I looked at the fuses just in case and didnt see any broken fuses.

Btw: these fuses looked QUITE different than what im used too.

Im going to take it to the shop but i'd like to have an idea of whats going on so i don't get raped, seeing that i'm ignorant regarding porsches.

Ideas gentlemen ? anything else i can check?

Chris

Eric Coffey · 06-04-2004, 09:34 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by chunkyd
...Is there anything underneath the car that would cause this?

See my above post. HT sensors can behave unpredictably. You can easily check the HTS if you have a multi-meter. It is the upper-most plug/socket on the set of 3 plugs located on the left side of the engine, below the heater fan, and to the right of the fuel filter. Just unplug and check the wire for continuity. If it's not an open circuit, check the resistance (again, of the sensor wire, not the socket). I think it should be around 2k ohms +/- on your average 70-degree day.