Car won't start.

[wrench1]

Newbie here, my first Porsche, a 1987 944T.
The car has been in storage for the last four years. I drained the fuel tank and replaced with five gallons of premium, replaced the radiator cooling fan switch (fans kept running). Replaced the battery and jumped out the DME socket terminals 30 and 87b to operate the pump to flush the fuel system. Tried to start her, no luck. I checked the injectors for voltage and found 12 volts at each terminal of each injector to ground. This is where I got lost. The car has spark and will run if I spray either in the air cleaner but once the either is exhausted the car will die. I replaced the DME relay as I was lead to believe it was the problem, still no luck, no change.

If I can get her started on either she will run on the #1 cylinder, cylinders 2, 3 and 4 are dead. The exhaust headers tubes are cold on 2, 3 and 4.

Any ideas?

[MATT DAMOND]

I had a similar problem with my car, with me my reference and speed sensors were getting a poor signal. I used an oscilloscope to get a reading from the sensors, and after i adjusted the bracket for them the car ran perfect... Until I found out my head gasket was bad.
Take a look at the sensors and make sure they work and are adjusted properly. Also, maybe do a compression test on the car to see if your head gasket is bad.

[mikepellegrini]

Welcome. Clarks Garage Manual has a great section on troubleshooting.

http://www.clarks-garage.com/shop-manual/ts-01.htm

If you have spark and it runs on ether, it sounds like the injectors may not be firing or, there isn't suffficient pressure at the rail.

You can hear the injectors fire - it's a nice loud click, click, click, kinda like lifter noise.

If I'm not mistaken, the injectors always have +12V current; they fire when the DME provides a ground path.

When you jumped the DME relay, could you hear the pump run? And did you test the pressure?

Here's Clark's section on troubleshooting fuel issues: http://www.clarks-garage.com/shop-manual/fuel-16.htm

I'm sure you probably already know that if the car has sat for four years, you really need to replace the cam and balance shaft belts. It's an interference engine and if the cam belt breaks, it'll take out some valves/pistons. Four years is a long time for a rubber belt.

[nynor]

i am betting that your injectors are gummed up from the car sitting so long. you can pull the fuel rail and find out.

[lleroyb]

You could to to NAPA and see if they have a Noid light that fits your injector harness. I is a light that you plug into your injector harness and it lights when the injector is being told to fire.

I also believe like Nynor, the injectors are gummed up. Pull them and send them to Witchhunter.com. There are others but he has the best price and a great reputation.

Let us know how it goes.

Lou

[wrench1]

Wow, four responses so quickly, I've hit the jack pot for info !!!
Thank you for the replies, I'll try and hit everyone with this post shotgun style.

Matt, The Porsche design is new to me so I'm learning my way around the car. The only sensor that I have found is on top of the bell housing. What is it and where are others located? Compression is between 145 and 158 psig per cylinder.

Mike, At this point I do not know what's the fuel pressure. I am looking for a 11 x 1.5 mm adapter. When I jumped the relay the pump does run. I had a fuel hose pressed onto the rail's end fitting, flows fast and good. I have from the PO all of his records from 1993 when he purchased the car, the entire top end was replaced at 108K miles in Sept of 96. The car has been in storage inside from the weather. I will look into the belts, promise. One item at a time.

Nynor, If the injectors are gummed up is there a way that I can clean them myself?

lleroyb, Will an LED do the same thing?

[eyeballkid]

http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/944_fuel_injector_clean/944_fuel_injector_clean.htm

[mikepellegrini]

The speed and reference sensors are on top of the bellhousing back by the oil fill tube.

If either has failed, the injectors may not fire. Clark's has a procedure for testing them.

At Clark's, they give an alternate method for figuring fuel pressure by measuring how much flow in a certain period time (CC's per minute or whatever). If yours is spurting out good, then that's probably okay, although too high fuel pressure can also be a problem.

I'm not sure there really is any good way to clean injectors yourself. But WitchHunter really does do a good job - I had my injectors rebuilt by them. It's only $18 per injector for cleaning and flow testing and that's a bargain. http://www.witchhunter.com/ I was really impressed with their service.

[wrench1]

Heads up everyone. You need to say it like in "Young Frankenstein" , she's alive she's alive. Turns out it was the injectors. Number one cylinder was the only one that would click when power was applied. I read somewhere that to test an injector to use a 9 volt battery. Not enough watts to fry the injector but enough to trigger the unit to work. After brushing each injector terminal several times with the batteries wiring cylinders 2, 3 and 4 started to click as number one. Turned the key and the second try she fired and settled into a rough fast idle. Lots of top end tapping until the oil fully returned. Less than 30 seconds, smooth nice idle, quite top end, no smoke. Allowed her to idle for twenty minutes while I bleed the air from the cooling system. Did this three times until no more spitting, just a good weeping flow of coolant then snugged it down. Now for maintenance and timing belts.

Many thanks to all that pitched in to help. I'll throw in some photos soon.

[nize]

good news! congrats and thanks for the follow-up!