75 Porsche won't crank

[ghia1974]

I'm a 914 newbie and I am already struggling with a very frustrating problem. I recently purchased a 95 914 which is 100% stock, including the fuel injection system. The problem is that it will intermittently crank over and start. I can try 30 times to fire it up and nothing, I don't hear the fuel pump relay or anything. Then I'll try and the first time I turn it on, I hear the pump run for a second or two and it fires right up. I have checked the battery and all the battery terminations, so that's not the problem. Not sure where the fuel pump relay is or even if that's the problem. Not sure if anyone has experienced this same thing. Could it be starter related? Thank you!

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

What year and engine size is it? (Or rather, what year and fuel system type does it have?) The 95 seems like a typo. Maybe...

--DD

[ghia1974]

Sorry, 75, 1.8

[John Rogers]

How did you "check" the battery connections.......look at them? If so, undo the neg first then pos at the battery. Then get under the car and remove and clean the starter connections and make sure to use some good electrical cleaner and fine sand paper on all the lugs at the starter. Remove the ground connection from the battery to the body and do the same with it. Then get under the car and do the same with the woven ground strap from the transmission to the body. After they are all cleaned and tightened, scrape the battery posts and connectors then reattach, pos first then neg. If the large wires are more than 5 or 6 years old then they may need replacement.

[porschetub]

Engine relay board is LH side in the engine compartment,pull the black cover off and theres your relays,check in your manual which is the efi one and swap it for another (more non- essential) and see if your problem go's away,these relays are getting old now,but sometimes it can be bad connections @ the pump so also check there.
EDIT,just found my manual and checked,the first relay facing rear is for the heater fan,you can swap that into the position of the second relay from rear which is the fuel pump relay,see if that sorts it.
Good luck.

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

The 1.8's L-jetronic fuel injection does not prime the pump when the key is turned, the way that the 1.7's and 2.0's D-jet does. The pump should run when the starter is on, and also when the flap in the air flow meter is opened.

The relays on the relay board do nothing for the L-jet system; the relay functions are done by the "dual relay" that hangs off the battery tray.

--DD

[porschetub]

Originally Posted by Dave at Pelican Parts

The 1.8's L-jetronic fuel injection does not prime the pump when the key is turned, the way that the 1.7's and 2.0's D-jet does. The pump should run when the starter is on, and also when the flap in the air flow meter is opened.

The relays on the relay board do nothing for the L-jet system; the relay functions are done by the "dual relay" that hangs off the battery tray.

--DD

Thanks Dave my bad,.....had I read the title properly,sorry to the OP for the mix up,cheers.

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

You still had the right idea--check the dual relay.

--DD

[ghia1974]

Ok, thanks for your advice, I'll try and hunt down the dual relay around the battery.

[ghia1974]

Well, the starter and relay's seem to be in working order, all connections clean and in good shape. Now I'm thinking ignition switch. Is there anything else that would contribute to the car failing to crank at all. The grounds are clean and firmly attached.

[John Rogers]

One of the first things I bought when I started working with cars in 1963 was a remote starter button, still have the original one after all these years. I'd suggest buying one at an auto parts store and it hooks directly from the battery to the starter lug so it bypasses EVERYTHING to crank the engine over. That tells you if there are internal starter issues or not and gets around the ignition switch, relay boards, etc, etc, etc. If the starter spins the engine then you can work from there.

[ghia1974]

Well, I've found the problem. The ignition switch was bad. Changed it and it now cranks fine. I now have a new problem, when I removed the ignition switch housing the steering wheel shaft pulled out of the fixed sleeve about 2 inches. Now I can't get it to reseat. Not sure how to get it back in so I can complete reassembly.