944 won't start

JonVaccaro · 08-07-2003, 04:02 PM

My '86 944 has been having trouble starting for two months or so. Maybe once a week when I turned over the engine it wouldn't start. Usually, if I sat and waited ten minutes the engine would start up fine and I'd be on my way. Last week however, I went to start up my beauty and I couldn't get her started at all. The engine turns over, but when I pulled out a sparkplug I saw that it wasn't firing. I checked resistances in my coil and it's functioning fine. My distributor cap is only a year old and so are my sparkplugs and wires. The plugs are gapped properly and none are damaged. I'm stumped. I'm just a college student who needs to drive his much loved car to school next month. Any ideas on how I can diagnose my problem? Please keep the language simple enough- I'm a competant mechanic, but not a professional one. Thanks for any help you can give me.

Trevor · 08-07-2003, 05:12 PM

Myguess would be the dme.

JonVaccaro · 08-07-2003, 05:19 PM

I checked the DME and the connections seemed alright; it still might be bad though. Oh, and I can't hear my fuel pump runnin when I turn the key to the ready position. I don't know if that means much

Trevor · 08-07-2003, 05:21 PM

definately dme

carsontc · 06:07 PM

wait a second...you definitely mean the $20.00 DME relay don’t you??!!

check out:

http://www.clarks-garage.com/shop-manual/fuel-05.htm

and

http://www.clarks-garage.com

has lots of good info

also:

http://frwilk.com/944dme/dmerelay.htm

and

http://frwilk.com

has lots as well

Trevor · 08-07-2003, 06:10 PM

definately do, thanks carson

JonVaccaro · 08-07-2003, 07:30 PM

I followed the procedures and tested the DME relay and it's 100% okay. Still no spark. Any ideas?

NickZaimis · 08-07-2003, 08:24 PM

Mine did that some time ago.
It turn out that the one of the 2 plugs next or behind the oil deep stick( I do not know how they call 'em) got loose.
$150 Tow and $150 at the P dealer for replacing it.
After that i discover the pelican forums,,,,,no more P dealers.

SoCal Driver · SoCal Driver's Garage

Speed and reference sensors. The connectors can come loose. over center of engine at fire wall. Square. One on top of the other.

These sensors tell the DME when to trigger the coil and the injectors.

The coil power comes off of the inginition switch and the injector power comes off of the first stage contacts in the DME (fuel pump) relay.

Fuel pump comes off the second stage contacts in the DME relay.

NOTE: The first stage contacts must be closed for the second stage (fuel pump) to close.

adrian jaye · 08-08-2003, 02:57 AM

replace the DME relay,
regardless of how it looks or what you tested

FLA944 · 08-08-2003, 07:10 AM

I agree with socal and adrian.

Replace the relay!!

it is the sensor connectors. Clean connectors and then assemble with dielectric grease.

Rick

Taz's Master · 08-08-2003, 07:11 AM

SoCal, my connections regularly work loose. I clean them, dress them with dielectric grease, and my '86na starts right away for a few weeks, then intermittantly gives me trouble, and I pop the hood wiggle the connections and drive away. As this happens more and more frequently, I clean the connections and it works for a while. Is there a better solution?

todwic · todwic's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by Taz's Master
SoCal, my connections regularly work loose. I clean them, dress them with dielectric grease, and my '86na starts right away for a few weeks, then intermittantly gives me trouble, and I pop the hood wiggle the connections and drive away. As this happens more and more frequently, I clean the connections and it works for a while. Is there a better solution?

replace sensors

replace plugs

learn to solder

duct tape/bailing wire/bungees/however you hold your world together, use that.

SoCal Driver · SoCal Driver's Garage

Like the other DME sensor and injector connectors, the speed and reference sensors use what is called a bail spring retainer.

Pull one of the injector connectors and look very carefully at the steel spring/lock that goes around three sides of the connector. This can be bent and not catching on the pins on the relevant connector.

This spring can be removed and re-bent.

Or the pins on the other part of the connection (connector) can be broken off.

Other than a creative use of pull ties replacing the connector with the pins is the only way to keep these together.