Help with non-starter, please

[Beau]

First off, I'm not a wrench, so my knowledge and experience is severely limited; I'm not even sure which part I'm looking at, or if it is the problem. Please bear with me.

Here's a little history of the problem. I noticed a clicking sound under the hood that came on when I turned the key to start the engine. It didn't happen every time, and it usually subsided after the engine had run for a couple of minutes. Also, it would stop completely when I stepped on the brake pedal, but would resume as soon as I let off. When I took it to the shop for the timing belt/water pump maintenance, I told them about it, but as I said, it didn't happen all the time. It didn't happen while they had it, so, it wasn't fixed. I guess they thought I was crazy.

Recently, I pulled into a gas station and parked facing slightly uphill. When I came back out, car wouldn't start. I pushed it to one of the pumps where it'd be level so I could check fuses & fluids, etc, and it started right up. I have no idea if it being level has anything to do with it, but I figured I'd throw in every detail I could remember. A couple of days later it died on me again while on the highway....I coasted to a safe turnoff, waited a couple minutes, and it started again. A week later it happened again, this time a stone's throw away from my house. I walked home, and came back a half hour later, and it started up. I got to my driveway, and it died, so I coasted in. It wouldn't start again for two weeks. It would turn over, but not catch. I put some 'Sea Foam' in the gas tank. When I tried to start it again a couple of days later, it started, and ran fine for a week. Now, it won't start again.

Poking around under the hood, the below pictured component is making a hissing, sometimes popping electrical sound when the key is turned to the 'on' position. This is also the thing that's making the intermittent clicking sound.



So, what am I looking at here? Any diagnoses/help? Thanks in advance.

[John_AZ]

Hi Beau,

I would get a spare DME/fuel pump relay and put it in your glove box. If it is not the problem this time, it will be soon. If you do not want to do this, go to www.clarks-garage.com and make a relay jumper with 3 small wires.
http://www.clarks-garage.com/shop-manual/fuel-05.htm

Look in the owners book for the placement of the relay above the fuse panel. Here is what mine looks like:
http://www.ehadesign.com/~dsmith/924s_Fuse_&_Relays_wwm.pdf

The part in your photo is the cruise control. Here is the place to start:
http://www.clarks-garage.com/pdf-manual/elect-04.pdf

GL
John_AZ
1988 924S + 1987 924S
1979 924 + 1977.5 924 + 1970 914 1.7 +++===gone, past tutors

[Beau]

John,

THANK YOU.

After reading about it on Clark's (and seeing that the symptoms matched mine exactly), I took out my relay, tapped it with a drumstick (it was handy), and the car started right up. I've seen people mention doing it on these boards before, and now I'll also be someone who carries a spare DME. Also, thanks for the info regarding the cruise control. It makes sense, since the clicking stops when I step on the brake pedal.

Again, thanks very much!