73 2.0 Has Issues, Ran GREAT and then it didn't Options

[Minerva's 914]

1973 914 2.0 restored and motor rebuilt by Fat Performance and installed by Black Forest Racing. We've driven her off and on for about 750 over the past year with no problems, in fact she ran fantastic .... until she didn't. Driving around the neighborhood last week the engine bucked a few times with the tach dropping to zero before bouncing back to normal, downshifted and it seemed better only to return again while cruising along at 2800 RPM, down shifted again and since we were only a block away from home made it with no drama. Was thinking maybe an electrical issue shorting out the ignition.

I started the car yesterday evening and backed out of the garage and it stopped dead in her tracks. Turned the key to 0 then back on again and no fuel pump buzz. Proceeded to engage the starter and after several seconds of cranking I returned the switch off, then back on again. No fuel pump buzz.

Checked the relay in the circuit board, switching out the relays, no change. Checked the fuses and connections seem clean so I jumped directly from the battery to pin 12 on the circuit board, turn the key to 1 and got the fuel pump buzz, turned off and back on again got the fuel pump to work.

What do you guys think should be my next step? I planning to get on it early tomorrow and start chasing the wiring but hope someone here might help me narrow down the possibilities. Plan to remove the circuit board, turn it over and check the connections and double check the grounds and then check continuity from the brain, then work my way to the inside fuse panel and wherever else the electrons are circulated before reaching the fuel pump.

As always THANK you guys for all you do to help the 914 live on!!!

Brady

[Dave_Darling]

If the tach drops to 0 even though the engine is still spinning over (even though it isn't firing) then your ignition system has a problem. Could be the power to it, could be the switching part, but something in there has a problem.

If your "tach goes to 0" didn't mean what I said, above, then it's much less of a clue.

Still, not a bad idea to verify that your'e getting spark when the engine won't run.

--DD

[Minerva's 914]

If the tach drops to 0 even though the engine is still spinning over (even though it isn't firing) then your ignition system has a problem. Could be the power to it, could be the switching part, but something in there has a problem.

If your "tach goes to 0" didn't mean what I said, above, then it's much less of a clue.

Still, not a bad idea to verify that your'e getting spark when the engine won't run.

--DD

Yes, the tach dropped to zero and I agree that can only mean a short / grounding in the ignition system. That was the first intermittent and momentary failure as I was rolling with the clutch engaged it fired back up and continued and at that time the fuel pump was not an issue. The fuel pump problem began the next attempt to drive the car. I started the car normally, backed out of the garage and the car died. No missing and then it died, it just stopped running. I can't confirm at that time that the tach went to zero as I was looking back over my shoulder when it happened but it felt the same as the earilier failures. The difference was this time I was not rolling fast enough to re-fire and when I tried to restart the fuel pump was silent at ignition key ON. So if both problems are related then I am looking for a single source that controls both the fuel pump and ignition. Unless two separate systems failed at roughly the same time, not impossible I guess.

Thank you guys for listening and contributing to the care and feeding of these cars that after 45 years we still love and nurture. I almost feel like I'm the 914 version of an AA member, "Hi my name is Brady Lambert. I am a 914 owner" but you know what, even at this time when I'm struggling to heal my little Alaska Blue baby back to health I still love her. Yes, even with the $30,000+ that I put into the restoration, I don't regret a single penny or time spent on it. The fact that this was my wife's first new car purchased with her own money back in May 1973 makes this a forever car. Okay, my 987.2 Boxster is faster, handles as well or better, has A/C and the top goes down with the push of a button, the seats are heated and cooled and as good as it looks, it never gets the reaction that the 914 does. I had a guy chase me to the mail kiosk in order to tell me that he always wanted a 914 back in the day but could never get his hands on one. That makes me proud that we are keeping these cars on the road doing what they were intended to do, be driven. Here's a photo and link to the video of Minerva and her car on the day of her 16th birthday (she's a leap year baby and only has a birthday every 4 years, so you do the math) when I gave the 914 back to her after 7 years restoration and had not driven it since 1992.

BTW, the seats that were in the car are not correct, the proper tan seats were not finished at that time so I stuck a set of brown ones in for the birthday thing, the proper tan seat are now finished and the brown ones are for sale if anyone needs a pair, that are in perfect shape.

Oh, and one more thing, in the video you'll notice Minerva start to pull away then stop and look at me and you'll hear me say "Over to the left and back" as I made the movement with my hand showing her the way to first. The gear shift knob was also not on the car and she forgot about the first gear position, LOL

https://www.flickr.com/photos/bradylambert/...eposted-public/