Starting Problem
 

arr, yet another thing to fix on my 85.5.

Every once in a while I'll go to turn on the 944 and it won't turn over. Just one click and nothing else. The starter was replaced with a used one a while ago, but it may be going bad anyways. So, anyone else have any other ideas what it could be?

If you turn it again does it start?

Weak battery? Dirty grounds?

bad ignition switch possibly.

throw a volt meter on the leads at the starter and turn the key to see if you get any reading..

when I had this problem, I found it would help to put upward pressure on the head of the key (the black rubber grip thing that attaches to the keyring).. so what i would try is to put different pressures on the key in different directions.. if you see it starts this way then you know it's the switch... very simple and cheap repair/replacement.

anyone have any idea what page of the factory manual that's in? Clark's garage only shows an early model car for illustration.

sometimes it'll click once when I turn it again, but otherwise it starts right up.

Bad ignition switch and/or the positive cable connector to the battery. Stock positive cable is soldered into the battery terminal connector. After market has the clamp and bolts. This corrodes badly on not only the large power cable to the starter (this is really why it's so large) but the 10 gauge wires that feed the power to the rest of the car including the ignition switch and then to the starter solenoid.

Take them all apart and clean the heck out of them. If you have the clamp the cable type best to replace it with a stock soldered terminal.

definately not a bad battery connection. The battery itself is new, and the cables were checked when I ended up replacing the alternator about a month ago.

Now I just need to find directions on how to get the ignition switch out. From what I remember, it's a royal pain to get that out of the late model 944's.

i dont see why it would be different from the earlies... but then again, I've never seen one!

good luck!

when I took off the steering wheel years ago, I remember there was a rather large piece of metal between the key and the steering column keeping you from taking that entire piece out, but then it's been a while and I have yet to find pictures of the procedure for a late model.

just guessing but i dont think its the switch. If it clicks once and doesnt crank its probably not the switch m. Before buying a new switch and dismantling the column do a little more troubleshooting. when it doesnt start have someone hold the sw in the starting position and check for voltage at the starter.
(safety of course, car in neutral, yadda yadda) Check voltage at the solenoid wire and at the large cable from the battery, also tap the starter to see if it kicks in. If you dont have voltage to the solenoid then I would look at the switch. If you have 12v feeding the sw and not 12v coming out when turning it then yes its the sw. Low voltage to the large cable would mean cable\connection from the battery. And of coures check the main ground from the batt.

for those who end up in the same boat I'm in, I should be able to remove the switch from under the dash without taking apart the steering wheel

For anyone that ends up with this same problem, it turned out to be the ignition switch. Unlike the early models, in a late model you don't have to take off the steering wheel. Everything is accessible from under the dash, albeit with a few contorted positions. 2 screws to take off the switch, pop on a new one. Car starts like a champ.