Car died

[Jrboulder]

Less than a week after doing my clutch my car has stopped running. It is a 5/84 944. It had trouble starting then wouldn't idle well. I drove 4 blocks then it died. I pulled onto a side street and walked the remaining 4 blocks.
Vaccum leak?
Speed and refrence sensors?
DME?
Any help is greatly appreciated!

[kdjones2000]

Start with the basics: Do you have spark? Do you have gas? Do you have compression?

Reference the Clark's Garage No Start checklist if you need to.

Good luck, Keith

[Jrboulder]

Thanks for the reply.
I am now starting to think it is a dying fuel pump or a clogged filter.

[kfray]

Here is information on testing the fuel system.
http://www.clarks-garage.com/pdf-manual/fuel-01.pdf

[John_AZ]

In the past couple of days you replaced the air intake boot after you did the clutch. You mentioned you had a rock solid rpm at 900.

Previous post on the clutch job you mentioned...."had to fiddle with the reference sensors"

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-924-944-968-technical-forum/576853-clutch-job.html#post5698235

I would begin by checking the reference sensor connections at the top rear of the car. Pull back the installation and see if the wires are touching or the wire cover/seathing is cracked.

Do you have the needed "tach bounce" when you crank the car? The tach has to bounce 1/16 of an inch when you crank. If not=sensors bad.

Do the sensor resistance check on Clarks:
Speed and Reference Sensors - Checking, Replacement, and Adjustment

If you think you need new sensors, get the Bosch interchange===cheap. Post if you need the #.

Make sure the negative ground cable is tight on the block. Plug the TDC hole so you do not drop a bolt in the clutch.

Next to the big ground bolt on the engine is a small ground wire. Make sure it is secure.

GL
John

[Jrboulder]

Ok, so I went back to to my car (on the other side of town)
I took jumper cables and no matter what, the engine was very reluctant to turn.
The starter just made a clicking sound for most of the time.
We tried the pop the clutch method and at about 1100 rpm it was trying to catch.
When we stopped trying that it smelled like gas...not getting spark?
I am going back one more time tonight to check all ground straps and the sensors.
Tomarow it will be towed to my house for furter evaluation if this doesnt work.

[John_AZ]

Jumping a 944 can cause the DME Computer to burn out--fry up.

The battery should be recharged before you try to start the car.

GL
John

[redranger]

Sounds like it might be the DME relay, very common, had similar issue with my 968. Pull it out and clean the contacts. Probably worth replacing if it hasn't been done.

[Jrboulder]

Originally Posted by redranger

Sounds like it might be the DME relay, very common, had similar issue with my 968. Pull it out and clean the contacts. Probably worth replacing if it hasn't been done.

It's funny that I used to keep a spare. I traded a guy for a slave cyllinder. I will pop it out and see if the contacts or joints are bad.
It started and drove for 4 blocks.

Thanks for the help!

[Jrboulder]

Well the starter is fried...must explain the lack of cranking.
I cleaned the connectors of the DME relay and all of the solder joints are fine.
It gets the tach bounce so the sensors are fine.
fuel filter will be replaced tomarow.

Maybe with a little luck it will run okay

[Jrboulder]

So I got it running but now it is smelling like a two stroke engine and I don't want to go any further until I know that it inst damaged. any ideas why it is doing this? Also the idle was very unstable.

[John_AZ]

Check the firing order on the distributer cap. The wires may be reversed.

Make sure the rotor is tight.

Check the belts for alignment marks---you may have jumped a cog.

Get a Noid light and test the injectors for a pulse from the DME.

Did you check the reference sensor wires at the connection at the rear of the engine? Pull the installation away and see if a wire is shorting.

Bad grounds. Check the big NEG end on the engine. Cover the TDC hole! Next to the big NEG ground is a small wire ground. Check that as well.

Check all the electrical connections on the top of the engine--especially the AFM.

Clarks:
Troubleshooting - Engine

GL
John

[AKCJ]

Originally Posted by Jrboulder

Well the starter is fried...must explain the lack of cranking.
I cleaned the connectors of the DME relay and all of the solder joints are fine.
It gets the tach bounce so the sensors are fine.
fuel filter will be replaced tomarow.

Maybe with a little luck it will run okay

Just to be clear - The DME relay is a double relay and controls the fuel pump and is located at the fuse/relay panel. It often goes bad and it's good practice to carry a spare.

The DME is the "computer" that controls spark/injectors etc.. On my 83 it's under the dash near the steering column. Sometimes the solder joints go bad and the DME gets funky. Or, a power surge (alt or jump start) can damage it.

I couldn't tell from your post if you're clear on the difference between the DME relay and the DME.

[Jrboulder]

Thanks guys for your help!
I was refering to the soldering on the dme relay. I have read that they can break one way or another. My relay is intact and a spare is on order.