Battery Maintainer and Starting Issues

[tortoise944]

I reciently got a nice 98 Boxster and it came with a Porsche battery maintainer. Since I knew I wouldnt be driving the 944 much at first (I mean, I love my 944 but everything that annoys me slightly about the 944 is perfect in the boxster) I plugged the battery into the maintainer.

Now, this may be where I screwed up. I used the cigarette lighter adapter as the maintainer could be in the car and since its outside and the battery in the 944 is almost exposed, I didnt really think much about it. I did a few searches and didnt see any issues.

After a few months, I come out to start the car and the battery is low. I find out the battery was old and had died. Replaced the battery, go to start the car and it cranks but doesnt start.

I have, within the last year, replaced the injectors, plugs, coil wires, and did a full top end rebuild / recondition. And it has run perfectly for months before this with no issues.

A few questions:
- Does using a battery maintainer through the lighter plug on an early 944 (84) hurt sometime? Like the DME? Relay? Fuel Pump?
- What does the fuel pump sound like when your starting the car? I cant remember so I cant tell if its running.
- Is the car really pissed I went out and got a newer Porsche and is just spiting me?

Thanks for the help.

[tortoise944]

A tad more info as I am working on this:

- Replaced the DME / fuel pump relay up under the dash with my new spare
- Checked the cap / rotor, some usual wear but nothing that looks like it would prevent spark.
- With cap off, cranked starter fast and the rotor turned, so the starter is turning the engine
- Removed #1 cyl spark plug. These were just changed by me today. Plug is as white as it was out of the box. No burn no burn smell. Faint fuel smell on the plug but it was dry to the touch. They are new Bosch Platnum +4s, pregapped

So, did my DME get fried from the battery maintainer in the lighter plug? Or is this some other "didnt drive the car for 4 months and something failed" kind of thing?

[zedsn]

Hi, see if you are getting spark and fuel. Pull a spark plug and have someone turn the key over with the electrode end grounded and see if you got spark if you do chances are you have a fuel issue. You can take out front fuel rail threaded plug and crank car over and see if you get fuel coming out and if not look at relay or fuel pump. Make sure you put a rag under front of fuel rail to catch the fuel as it comes out.

[tortoise944]

Thanks for the reply.

I started checking for fuel and spark.

Fuel:
- Removed 2 plugs, definate fuel smell from plug and hole

Spark:
- Plugs still completely white, doesnt look like spark at all
- Checked voltage at green and black wire on coil: 12v each compared to engine ground.

When I crank the engine, the oil pressure goes to 5+ and the RPM needle does go up and down but its a very small movement. The engine and crankshaft are turning since I kept the distributor cap off and the rotor moved as I cranked the engine.

I guess I will pop out an injector and put it into a pop bottle and see if fuel sprays.

I did replace the DME / Fuel pump relay, and all fuses look great in the 2 boxes under the dash.

Any other tests to do?

[zedsn]

Hi, go to page 2 and look at 83 944 no start. Read what others have said. Sounds like your DME may be toast?