Car Won't start after battery incident

chunkyd · 05:41 PM

Ok so i'm driving my 87 911 from Dallas to Illinois...it's running like a champ! ..new clutch, new brakes ..it's been a while and feels great... suddenly i smell sulfur... i thought it was possibly the catalytic converters.. i havent replaced them since i've had the car... but the smell got very strong and the car started gittering and died.. i pulled over on 44E in the show me state.

When i pop the trunk i can see the battery steaming out.. not happy and not good.. so i call a tow truck and he suggest we try jumping it again.. (i knew better!!!) so the car starts up and is running fine on a VERY bad batery. He said the nearest shop was
3 or 4 miles down road so i figured it would be ok...WRONG...
i get about 2 miles down and the Wipers come on, RPM's die, every light on the car comes on and off ..all while the car is still running... then it dies!

So it gets towed to the store, i replace the battery and nothing..
the car wont start.. i check the fuses all good except radio fuse... i check the ignition and i'm getting spark.. i replace the dme relay with my spare.. nothing...

So i flatbed the thing to Illinois! ....I'm not happy!

Ideas? Car was running GREAT until my forceful battery incident!

I'm sorry porschey i love you!

Kevin Stewart · 09-27-2006, 08:41 PM

isnt there a fuse right at the cable end, is the fuel pump running?, Check the fuses, Kevin

chunkyd · 09-27-2006, 08:53 PM

Hi Kevin,

Thanks for the reply..

I checked the fuses.. and number 6 (per the diagram) is the fuel pump ..it looks good. i actually looked at all of them in the front panel..they all checked out except the radio fuse (#3).

i didn't see any fuses in-line to the fuel pump? or battery?

Kevin Stewart · 09-27-2006, 09:00 PM

I cant think of the name of the fuse i am talking about in line maybe its called a fused link, you cant take it apart it just burns up within itself, I know chrysler used them and people played hell finding the problem, Kevin

ooooo did you check the ground at the tranny mount?

bell · bell's Garage

if the battery was venting then it's most likely from overcharging, a failed alternator/regulator would be a culprit.
if the voltage was high (meaning 17v+ and up) then it can cause damage......the blown radio fuse tells me that high voltage was the scenario as most can't handle it.

are you visually checking the fuses? i'd use a multimeter, also check the fuses in the engine compartment.

Eric Coffey · 09-27-2006, 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bell
if the battery was venting then it's most likely from overcharging, a failed alternator/regulator would be a culprit.
if the voltage was high (meaning 17v+ and up) then it can cause damage......the blown radio fuse tells me that high voltage was the scenario as most can't handle it.

Bingo. Bad voltage regulator IMO.

chunkyd · 09-27-2006, 10:58 PM

I'll order one and give it a shot! thanks for the replies.. is there anything else you guys can think of?

I've never replaced the Voltage regulator before..where is it located exactly?

Is it fairly easy to replace?

On another note the headlights do NOT come on anymore..
i looked at the fuses and they visually look good.. I'm going to replace all of the fuses anyways.. they look pretty rough in general.

THANKS AGAIN!

ruf-porsche · ruf-porsche's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by chunkyd
I'll order one and give it a shot! thanks for the replies.. is there anything else you guys can think of?

I've never replaced the Voltage regulator before..where is it located exactly?

Is it fairly easy to replace?

On another note the headlights do NOT come on anymore..
i looked at the fuses and they visually look good.. I'm going to replace all of the fuses anyways.. they look pretty rough in general.

THANKS AGAIN!

Voltage reg located with the alternator

You got to remove the alternator in order to replace the voltage reg.

Do any of the other light works?

chunkyd · 09-28-2006, 07:13 AM

The lights on the dash work, hazards work and taillights work.

The car cranks over strong just not starting..it doesnt even sound like it wants to start.

I'm ordering the VR today... we'll see how that does..

scottb · 09-28-2006, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by chunkyd
I'm ordering the VR today... we'll see how that does..

IIRC, the VR is integrated with the alternator. Your best bet is to pull the alternator and have it tested at a local shop. When my alternator went bad, a local foreign alternator and starter shop rebuilt it for $85, and it's been fine ever since.

911pcars · 09-28-2006, 09:49 AM

Don't start replacing parts until you locate the problem.

A faulty, even missing alternator/VR shouldn't prevent the car from starting, only charging. You've got other issues.

Do you have source voltage available elsewhere (e.g. ignition switch, horn, radio, cigarette lighter, fuse box)? If everything is dead, use a voltmeter and start from the battery, find out the location where source voltage stops. Do the basic things first like checking the cable connections to/from battery and ground, rear ground wire under chassis.

Sherwood

daepp · 09-28-2006, 10:08 AM

A bad voltage regulator will not keep the car from starting. Does this car have a CDI? I fried mine shen simply the ground strap came off the chassis at the battery while the engine was running. Cranked great but wouldn't start.

ruf-porsche · ruf-porsche's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by chunkyd
On another note the headlights do NOT come on anymore..
i looked at the fuses and they visually look good.. I'm going to replace all of the fuses anyways.. they look pretty rough in general.

THANKS AGAIN!

Headlights only comes on when the engine is running. If you had the headlights on and stop the engine, the headlight will also go off, but the other lights will remain on.

JP911 · JP911's Garage

The headlight problem suggests that you may have a failing ignition switch as well.

911pcars · 09-28-2006, 02:56 PM

"Headlights only comes on when the engine is running. If you had the headlights on and stop the engine, the headlight will also go off, but the other lights will remain on."

Have you modified your headlight circuit? Headlights can usually operate w/the ignition ON or OFF.

Sherwood

ruf-porsche · ruf-porsche's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by 911pcars
"Headlights only comes on when the engine is running. If you had the headlights on and stop the engine, the headlight will also go off, but the other lights will remain on."

Have you modified your headlight circuit? Headlights can usually operate w/the ignition ON or OFF.

Sherwood

Nope

It's a German thing

The headlights on my BMW and wife Audi are off also if the engine is not running.

chunkyd · 09-28-2006, 09:20 PM

OK.. so I'm convinced its a fuel issue...

I don't smell fuel...i cant hear the fuel pump even with a stethoscope I'm going to do the basic detach fuel line test in the morning... but an even quicker one is to replace the Fuel pump relay to see if thats it. ...but

Where exactly is the fuel pump RELAY? its exact location? lol

the chart says the fuse is #6 but where is the relay?

i don't see anything saying "fuel pump relay" and pelican says its a red round 12v relay.. located in the front..

87 911 carrera coupe..

Thanks for everyones help!!

Kevin Stewart · 09-28-2006, 09:26 PM

look on the inside of the fuse panel cover it should show where the relay is, Kevin

rick-l · 09-28-2006, 09:38 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by chunkyd
i don't see anything saying "fuel pump relay" and pelican says its a red round 12v relay.. located in the front..

87 911 carrera coupe..

On a DME car the fuel pump is controlled by the DME relay

Time to go to Lorens DME won't start page.

This doesn't sound good.

rick-l · 07:21 AM

Although there is no reason I could think of where I would take the DME out of my car where it has resided undisturbed for 18 years, finding someone willing to do this may be your fastest trouble shooting test.

I wonder if after severe overcharging the battery became an open circuit and you electrical system saw unfiltered alternator voltage? It sounds like it took out your radio.

The DME has no fuse. On the other hand there very few things powered directly off 12 volts inside. The brains are powered off a 3 terminal 5 volt regulator that you can abuse the crap out of.

Maybe Loren would be willing to share what typically fries inside a DME when it is overvoltaged.

This may be obvious but don't burn up another battery, get a new regualtor or alt rebuild shortly after you get it started.