Won't start Options

[Hammy]

Well we just got the 914 out of the shop and running right (When it started).
So I pull up in the driveway after driving my step mom around, showing her how good it finally runs, and I kill the engine going up the driveway (yes.. still learning the clutch)

So I go start it up again, and I get nothing. Turn the key all the way and you can hear the fuel pump running, but nothing else goes. This happened before, but our *old* mechanic did some sort of start wiring 'relay' I believe he called it. Well now that seems to be a temporary fix 'cause it still won't start a day later. What gives? (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/sad.gif)

[MecGen]

Yo
Check the wiring around the relay he put in, start at the battery and work your way forward. Might be as stupid as a wire falling off, or maybe a clutch jerk on a connector somewhere, bad part. Sorry man, I am a mechanic, so I would not always asume its shoddy work.
Take a deep breath, and call the guy, see what he says.
Happy your driving a 914 yet ??
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/screwy.gif)
WBR
Joe

[Rand]

Deja vu. There have been a few posts on this. This is exactly what happened to me... drove my new purchase home and parked it in the driveway, only to find out it would start next time. Hooking up a temporary push-button switch between solenoid and battery (actually, 12v terminal at starter) got me running and into the garage.

In American cars, cleaning the battery terminals has fixed this for me more often than not. In 914s, I've had more problems with ignition switches.

Quick and dirty check: Stick a screwdriver on the hot terminal of the starter and tap the tip against the solenoid terminal (make sure car is in neutral of course - if you aren't comfortable with this, say so and I'll post photos)... does it engage/crank? If not, you have a bad ground, power source, solenoid, or starter (in order of likelihood, IMO). If it does crank, you probably have a bad ignition switch, or possibly bad connection in the circuit between the solenoid and ignition switch (particularly if you have the seatbelt interrupt junk under the passenger seat).

For me it was a bad/cracked ignition switch, which is pretty common with 914s in my experience.

This article may help, or post follow-up questions.

[Rand]

BTW, mine had a starter relay installed by PO as well, which I promptly removed. The car did not come with a starter relay, and does not need one added. The solenoid functions as a relay for the starter. If PO installed a relay it's because he hacked instead of fixing the real problem. You just need a good clean power feed from the ignition switch to the solenoid (big yellow wire).

Bonus for me, cleaning up my mess also fixed a couple of other weird electrical problems I was having (including headlights not popping up).

[MarkG]

To suppliment RandyLok's answer (you might need a helper):

put a grounded test lamp to the spade terminal on the starter solenoid and hit the ignition key: if the test lamp stays dark, there is no power to the starter.

Now work backwards to the source: test lamp @ ignition switch input from battery: light? if so now put test lamp on other side of ignition (the spade/output that would send power from the switch to the starter and fuse box)...if no light (indicating power TO but not THROUGH/OUT OF of ignition switch) BINGO! Bad switch.

If power is comming out of ignition switch, its now just a time consumming logical test of the circuits from the switch to the rest of the starting circuit.

[TravisNeff]

i agree with checking other people's work. Maybe the connector on the relay is bad. Check your ground cables, on the battery and the transmission. If the cables are really stiff they are probably pretty corroded under the insulation - that goes for "+" cables too.

Also check to see if your coil's terminals ar touching the engine tin, that will fry your ignition switch (ask me how I know).

After that point, it may be a starter solenoid or the ignition switch itself (but since you got it hot before, it sounds like the solenoid or cabling.

[Dave_Darling]

A troubleshooting article from the Bird site:
http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarticles/m...tarter_diag.htm

--DD

[eeyore]

The ignition switch in the steering column craps out on occasion, causing failure to start when the car is hot. Replace it with a factory Porsche part -- $40, not $12.

[ClayPerrine]

QUOTE (RandyLok @ Feb 18 2005, 06:10 PM)

BTW, mine had a starter relay installed by PO as well, which I promptly removed. The car did not come with a starter relay, and does not need one added. The solenoid functions as a relay for the starter. If PO installed a relay it's because he hacked instead of fixing the real problem. You just need a good clean power feed from the ignition switch to the solenoid (big yellow wire). Bonus for me, cleaning up my mess also fixed a couple of other weird electrical problems I was having (including headlights not popping up).

There actually was a FACTORY service bulletin that instructed technicians to add a relay to the starter circuit to fix a hot start condition. There is a factory kit for this. If here is a relay there, its not necessarly a hack.

The problem that happens with the hot start is that the solenoid gets hot and will not engage. There is not enough pull in voltage to the start terminal on the solenoid. By adding the relay, you shorten the path from the battery to the start terminal on the solenoid. This lowers the voltage loss in the circuit and allows the solenoid to engage even when the solenoid is hot. It has the bonus of reducing the voltage to the ignition switch, therefore extending it's life.

[DJsRepS]

Loose the relay and find the problem. I went through two $12 Advance Auto parts to get one that worked.