got stranded .... Options

[dax1969]

Hi guys,

Got stranded yesterday with my 1974 2.0 fi... no buzz fm the fuel pump.

Saturday the car started and ran great, only thing I did to the car that day is that I took my steering wheel off as it was a few teeth off center.
Used a impact gun to remove and install the big nut (no idea if this has something to do with my issue). Perhaps I had to be more gentle ...

Before I left on sunday morning I turned the key and heard no buzz fm the fuel pump... tried again and there was the buzz and the car started right up.
Went to fill up the car and no issues with starting. After a 50 km drive I parked the car and when I came back again no start/no buzz fm the fuel pump.

Started switching the relays, even with the ones fm the headlights... no buzz/no start. Switched fuses on the relay board (that's why you see the white in
the position of the blue and vice versa)... still nothing.

Called roadassistance and luckily an older gentlemen showed up. He took his voltmeter and said he could get the car started if he jumpered the relays -
see picture. The car indeed started right up and I headed the 50 km back home with no issue. Disconnected the jumper ofcourse as the pump otherwise kept working.

So where to start fm here... I have the file "porsche 914 fuel pump troubleshooting" but did not go through yet. I just keep wondering what could cause my issue.

The questions I have are the following :

1. Can the removal/reinstalling of the steeringwheel cause this issue (perhaps the connection of the switch came loose ? Pinched a wire so no ground ?

2. Ignition switch was replaced about a year ago (Porsche one, not chinese crap).
If an ignition switch fails, does the car crank or nothing at all ? Trying to figure out if I have a switch failure.

3. My fuel pump has a slight "humm" for a while (assumed it was resonance with the bottom plate (fuel pump is located near the rack) but can a fuel pump go bad "half" ?
I mean can she fail on giving the familiar buzz at start up but still run when relays are jumpered ?

4. Relay board itself was replaced a year ago with a rebuild one fm Bruce Stone

Some advice I received on facebook

1. splitting/widening the relay pins (did this in the past but perhaps have to do it again) - fyi ordered new relays anyway

2. bad CHT sensor ? But once the car starts with the jumpered relays, the car runs fine. Overruled by other members in the meantime

Any suggestions are welcome...

thks

Krgds
Dax