Help car will not start and stuck at work!!

dariko · 03-01-2008, 09:21 AM

I drove to work today and now my car will not start? It turns over fine but no combustion no nothing happens. Prior to this it did this a couple of times in the past two months but eventually started again. The engine runs strong and I have never had any issues with the car?

Is it possible that it's a sensor of some kind? How does a perfectly running car just stop running once I parked it? There seems to be no spark or combustion? I do most of the maintenance but I'm not good at troubleshooting. Someday I hope to be giving advice on this site instead of just asking. 911 is in my blood and I could not live without it. Thanks,

Jason

burgermeister · burgermeister's Garage

DME Relay?

Hester · 03-01-2008, 09:31 AM

A no start like that is usually either spark or fuel. Either way, it may be more than yo can diagonose and repair on the spot. Probably better off getting a transport for the car.

MOMO3.2 · 03-01-2008, 11:25 AM

Jason:

DME Relay failures are common on Carrera 3.2's. If that is the issue with your car, the fix is easy and quick (if you have a spare relay).

There is a procedure to follow for "no starts" on our cars. The Bentley Manual is good for this. But, from personal experience, this is what I would try first:

1. Replace DME Relay with a new one.

2. Use a jumper wire to confirm that the fuel pump is functioning properly.

3. Visually check your ECU solder joints (There are threads on this) to confirm they all look healthy. If possible, have someone plug your ECU into their properly functioning Carrera 3.2 to see if your ECU is the problem.

4. After that, follow the no start procedures in the Bentley manual.

Regardless, it sounds like you will need to get a tow home (flat bed) first to start diagnosing the problem.

The odds are it is something simple. This will likely be nothing more than a little inconvenience for you.

Good luck!

Mike

KFC911 · 03-02-2008, 03:56 AM

And after the new DME relay fixes the problem, be sure to get another one

. Always having a spare is essential for the Carreras unless you want to get stranded, cheap insurance against the inevitable imo.

3.2 CAB · 03-02-2008, 11:12 AM

If after trying to start it and it does not start, can you smell a strong odor of raw gas around the exhaust? If so, your fuel pump is apparently working. Give a new DME relay a try. Hopefully the new relay will work. If the new relay did not help, check to see if you are getting spark. If not getting any spark, it could be the DME control unit, or the sensors.

rusnak · 03-02-2008, 12:53 PM

In most cases it's either the DME relay, which is why people say you should carry a spare in the front trunk, or the battery is too weak. The Motronic system needs at least 12v to run and fire the car. If you have a weak battery (this happens more in winter...people have trouble starting their 3.2 911s) or corrosion build up, then you can have the problem that you describe.

dariko · 03-03-2008, 01:05 AM

Thanks for your assistance! I pick up a new DME Relay tomorrow from the dealer.

When I crank the car there is no smell of raw gas. I put my ear on the gas tank and can't hear the buzz of a fuel pump either.

I will change out the relay and let you guys know.

Jason

3.2 CAB · 03-03-2008, 04:14 AM

So far, that has all of the classic symptoms of a bad DME relay. Hopefully that is it, but you also need to make sure that it is getting spark. It could be a bad fuel pump or relay, and it just isn't getting fuel, but it is getting spark. If the DME relay does not help, check the fuel pump and relay to make sure the engine is getting fuel, if it is getting fuel, and it still does not start, it could be the reference sensors, or the actual DME control unit. Getting back to a simple "fix" have you checked all of the fuses and relays under the hood? Good luck!! Tony.

KFC911 · 03-03-2008, 04:28 AM

For clarification, the 3.2 DME relay beneath the driver's seat, also contains the relay for the fuel pump.

85targa · 04-11-2008, 10:25 AM

My '85 targa also stranded me at work a couple of months ago. It was the same situation as Dariko. It drove perfectly fine in the morning and refused to start up when I tried to go home for lunch. The engine would crank over and over but would never start.

I had to have it towed home. Both the tow truck driver and I tried pushing my car up my driveway into my garage with no luck as the car weighs over 3k lbs. I figured I would have to call up some friends to ask for their help in pushing my car in as as it looked like it was going to rain that afternoon and we all know how well Targa's tops keep the rain out.

Before I called them up, I decided to try starting the car once more and low and behold, she started! I was able to drive it into my garage where once I turned it off, it didn't want to turn on again.

People made recommendations saying it was probably a fuel pump or fuel filter problem. I even purchased a brand new DME relay to give that a shot. Before installing the new relay I decided check up on a few other things such as the spark plugs. In doing so, I noticed the wiring on plug 1 on the left side was fairly loose. It didn't take much effort to remove the plug wire as it did with plug 4 on the right side. Once I noticed that, I made sure to insert it securely and continued checking the remaining plug wires. After that, I gave the engine another crank and it started right up! It's been working great ever since.

After that scare, I've begun replacing a few cheap components. I plan to get a full tune-up by the end of the month.