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> SOT: 944 questions
Rob-O
post Jan 5 2019, 12:42 PM
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Thought I’d ask here because I know that like me many of us own other P-cars besides our 914’s. I’ve posted this to Rennlist but it doesn’t seem like there are a ton of members in the 944 forum and it usually takes awhile to get replies, if you get them at all.

Bear with me as I get as much info as I can in this post.

‘86 944 Turbo, definitely a project. I’ve had it running and driving recently for quick shake downs.

Car wouldn’t turn over so replaced the starter. Got it started. Quick drive showed it wasn’t charging. Replaced the alternator. Again started and drove it but still not charging. Now starting is erratic. I can hear the starter spinning but it isn’t pushing out the pinion gear and engaging the flywheel ring gear. While installing the starter and alternator the wiring looked fine at those connections. However, much of the cabling from the battery the sheathing of the cables are cracked and flaking off. There is a ground connection on the bellhousing but I haven’t had a chance to get a good look at it (some heater hoses in the way that will need to be removed).

First question is if the starter is faulty. It’s a Bosch rebuilt but my thinking is that if it’s spinning it’s getting power. The pinion gear not engaging sounds like a problem internal to the starter.

Second question is the alternator. If I’ve had the car running with this starter and still not charging than I feel like I’m dealing with separate issues. The starter issue (since it worked when I first installed it) and the alternator, where the old one didn’t work and the new one didn’t work. Maybe wiring but I can’t really imagine much else in this relatively simple circuit.

Am I on the right path or could I be overlooking something?
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dr914@autoatlanta.com
post Jan 5 2019, 12:59 PM
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hard to believe that both the new Bosch starter and alternator is bad Rob. However if the starter is engaging but the gear not jumping out to the flywheel, the starter solenoid has a problem (not grinding correct? if so the flywheel could be ragged) With the new alternator not charging as well, I would first go back to the battery and verify that all of the cables hooked to the positive battery post are good as well as clean with no corrosion, and check the ground lead from the battery to make sure it is cleanly connected to the body and that the battery is fully charged (as the alternator is not charging it) Finally, check the ground between the power plant and the body

QUOTE(Rob-O @ Jan 5 2019, 11:42 AM) *

Thought I’d ask here because I know that like me many of us own other P-cars besides our 914’s. I’ve posted this to Rennlist but it doesn’t seem like there are a ton of members in the 944 forum and it usually takes awhile to get replies, if you get them at all.

Bear with me as I get as much info as I can in this post.

‘86 944 Turbo, definitely a project. I’ve had it running and driving recently for quick shake downs.

Car wouldn’t turn over so replaced the starter. Got it started. Quick drive showed it wasn’t charging. Replaced the alternator. Again started and drove it but still not charging. Now starting is erratic. I can hear the starter spinning but it isn’t pushing out the pinion gear and engaging the flywheel ring gear. While installing the starter and alternator the wiring looked fine at those connections. However, much of the cabling from the battery the sheathing of the cables are cracked and flaking off. There is a ground connection on the bellhousing but I haven’t had a chance to get a good look at it (some heater hoses in the way that will need to be removed).

First question is if the starter is faulty. It’s a Bosch rebuilt but my thinking is that if it’s spinning it’s getting power. The pinion gear not engaging sounds like a problem internal to the starter.

Second question is the alternator. If I’ve had the car running with this starter and still not charging than I feel like I’m dealing with separate issues. The starter issue (since it worked when I first installed it) and the alternator, where the old one didn’t work and the new one didn’t work. Maybe wiring but I can’t really imagine much else in this relatively simple circuit.

Am I on the right path or could I be overlooking something?
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slivel
post Jan 5 2019, 01:08 PM
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Recommend start with end to end resistance check of cables supplying power to starter and battery cables. Especially check condition of all ground points for excess resistance. These cars are old and suffer from wire and cable degradation. You may just get away with cleaning the cable ends. Do this before spending lots of money on more new hard parts. 944 and 944 Turbo lists on Rennlist are great source of information. I had owned 951's for 26 years (1988 to 2014) and am very familiar with their maintenance needs. Fun cars but need proper care.
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slivel
post Jan 5 2019, 01:29 PM
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Another comment about 951's:

Addressing three areas will help your wallet and your sanity,
Vacuum and pressure leaks in the intake tract.
Exhaust leaks and wastegate malfunction.
Electrical gremlins from aging wire and cables and their connections.
Take care of these three areas first and save yourself many headaches and much expense.
Good luck,
Steve
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Rob-O
post Jan 9 2019, 08:20 PM
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Just wanted to circle back and close this up. George I thought it unlikely that it was two items going bad. The starter was turning but not engaging so I got a replacement. Before hooking up starter #2 it occurred to me that when installing starter #1 I merely unhooked the wires on the back of the original starter and placed them in the same spot on the starter #1. I think I even took a picture to ensure I would put them in the locations I found them. Before hooking up starter #2 it occurred to me that they might not be on the correct studs (and hence not completing the circuit for the alternator to charge). Sure enough a quick search showed both large wires on the same stud (and that makes perfect sense of course). I hooked them up that way when I installed starter #2. Car started right up AND the alternator is now charging. Which makes sense.

I should’ve checked the wiring while installing the first starter. In my defense this was a project car and the guy I bought it from was clueless about cars, only saying that he ‘had a guy come over to get it running’. When I first saw the car it was indeed running and starting. Even after I installed the first starter it started. But I’m sure it didn’t like that fat cable being hooked up incorrectly...
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AZBanks
post Jan 12 2019, 01:35 AM
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I'm glad you found the issue.

I had an 86 turbo and now I have a 1990 944 S2 Cab.

As others have mentioned, one of the biggest sources of problems with 944's is faulty grounds.

Take a little time and clean all your ground points and you will save yourself a lot of headaches down the road.

I've got a diagram showing all the ground points if you need it.
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jmitro
post Jan 12 2019, 06:27 AM
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post your questions in the general rennlist 924/944/951/968 forum. it's much more active than the 944 subforums
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ConeDodger
post Jan 12 2019, 07:12 AM
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QUOTE(jmitro @ Jan 12 2019, 09:27 AM) *

post your questions in the general rennlist 924/944/951/968 forum. it's much more active than the 944 subforums


The best reference I’ve found is Clark’s Garage. It isn’t interactive like Rennlist, but on the plus side, it isn’t interactive like Rennlist... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)
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