Car Broke Down...Need Help

andrewgoh · 08-30-2003, 06:29 PM

Well, fellow posters...I've had my first ever car stall when out driving my baby.....can you help me with the diagnosis please? (I am learning, but I am still not quite the 944 turbo expert)

1986 951 with 109,000 miles
Temperature today: around 85-degrees

BREAKDOWN PROBLEM:

* Drove car for about 30 miles into downtown Portland

* Parked car for 1 hour for lunch

* Drove car after lunch....noticed that engine temp needle quickly hit the red-zone.... slight never-heard-before constant whining whirring type sound coming from the turbo area when car was idling

* Engine check light (!) lit up

* Stopped car....noticed slight oil or water leak under the driver front wheel fender

* Also realised turbo water pump did not come on after the engine was turned off

I also realised that the car would idle fine earlier during the day, but there seemed to be some rattling noise near the turbo area when starting the engine today.

I waited for an hour for the tow truck to arrive and take my baby to the shop. The car will start, but the engine temp needle will climb fairly quickly into the red zone after a few minutes of idling (but no more rattling sound or oil leak).

It could be a faulty turbo water pump relay. But my hunch is that the problem is bigger than this (especially with the evidence of an oil leak). Unfortunately, I am not an expert on the turbo system, and I was wondering if you guys will be kind enough to offer some hunches on the cause of the problem(s).

THANKS IN ADVANCE!!!

MrPants · 08-31-2003, 02:25 AM

whats the oil dipstick have to say?

Scott R · Scott R's Garage

When my turbo water pump broke, coolant came gushing out the bottom of the pump, it then cleaned all of the oil off of the engine as the coolant ran down the engine.

Put more coolant in the expansion tank and ground the temp sensor wire for the electric water pump and see if starts to gush out again. If so replace it, and bleed the system.

Also if you can pressure check your cooling system for leaks, the hoses feeding the electric pump do get worn out from the heat.

andrewgoh · 08-31-2003, 08:30 AM

Mr. Pants:
The baby still had lots of oil in the engine...and engine was idling fine.

Scott R:
The ground was fairly dirty....it was hard to determine if it was an oil leak or water leak. I hope that it is simply a water pump or thermostat...cos' I needed to change the timing belt (2 years since the last time).

I'll also take a look at the electric pump and see what's up down there.

Thanks to both of you for your help!

MrPants · 08-31-2003, 01:06 PM

let us know what you find

andrewgoh · 09-02-2003, 03:46 PM

Just heard from the shop...

The water pump seized up and it caused the whining sound. Leak turned out to be water overflowing from the coolant discharge pipe. The timing belt was fairly worn from having to work against the seized bearing. But fortunately, no damage to the head or valves. I also needed to change a worn 2-year old distributor and rotor (estimate: $990).

It was about time for a timing belt change anyway (2 years since the last one)...but I am surprised that the water pump seized up after 2 years...oh well....

Thanks to those who posted!!!