Drove the 914 in to work this morning. Ran well for a while. Then started sounding almost like it was loading up a little. Again, about 3k rpms. Clutch in, rev and sounded ok. Started bucking a bit like the throttle switch.. then if you try pushing it to 3k it would sound kind of like a compression release on a big rig... very weird sound. Got it in the gate... almost to my parking space and it died. Right away it cranked... as I coasted to the curb... starter just clicked... not like a dead battery, like it was hot and froze up.

I'm sure it's going to be an entertaining trip home in the heat this afternoon.

Anyone have any tips on what to check when I pop the hood?

Not tobe funny but I would check my wallet for my AAA card.

I suppose at lunch I would see if it turns over and maybe get some friends to help you try bump starting. If the starter still clicks try a jump. After that it's grounds, and connections .

Yeah, I've got my AAA card. I made sure of that before I put the car on the road.. lol. I just went out and tried it again, still no crank. It was less than an hour, so if it's hot, it won't be cooling down that quick... especially with the heat we're having now. I'll try again later and see what happens. I'll have to check when I get it home if the ground wire is to the body or to the engine. Oh well, it's on a military base. The MP's will keep an eye on it. . . lol.

Sure looks pretty sitting there. DOH!

I see it's a '73 so maybe you're dealing with some vapor lock issues? Do what several of us did during the hot WCC Mt. Hood cruise: Keep your engine lid open when the car is parked to help it cool down more quickly. Of course I'm assuming you're not riding with a GT engine lid

Yeah, and clean grounds make a big difference with these FI systems. Simply pulling off the electrical connector and pushing it back on will help re-establish a metal-to-metal connection.

It won't crank, so not that. (Sorry, not trying to be an ass... just don't want to see a wild goose chase.)

There are two main grounding wires on the car. The first is obvious, it's the cable that goes from the negative battery terminal to the car BODY Should attach to the body behind the battery (left side panel of car). The second one is the woven copper braid that goes from the underside of the rear trunk to the tranny case.

If you were to run an additional cable from the negative battery terminal to a spot on the engine that certainly wouldn't hurt anything

No, you're right, my bad!

Give the starter a good thunk or two with a wrench or hammer. I know this will free up a starter on the air-cooled VW's. The obvious check would be that the electrical connectors are fully attached. If it's not a tight connection is could wiggle off. Make sure the battery is topped up with distilled water if it's not a maintenance-free unit. No corrosion on battery terminals/clamps.

Robert: You should have driven it here first. I need a better discription of the noise.
:PERMAGRIN: Joe

I was thinking about running over to your place yesterday, then that freak rainstorm thing hit for a while. I drove it around the block a few times, out on warner, etc. Seemed fine. It drove very nicely this morning all the way up bolsa chica until about Lampson it started acting up. a little bucking if the rpms were down around 2k.. or so in like 3-4 gears. Made it to work without any real incident. Stopped at the gate, then pulled out of there and ran fine. Then about 2 blocks later... blah... just died. The sound it made when I tried to run it up over 3 grand.. it was just weird. Almost like the sound of an arc welder... but not... lol. I really don't know how to explain it. It's all new plugs, wires, cap, rotor, points, condensor and battery. I replaced vacuum lines, fixed wires to the coil and head temp sensor. It's just run GREAT for these past couple of days. I'm guessing this starter thing and the way it started running are coincidental.. not related.

It will probably get left here at work today after work. Then maybe come up tonight and work on the grounds, try jumping the starter solenoid, etc. I would rather get it running and on the road heading home without all the traffic... incase I have to bust out the AAA card.

Joe... You're home? come up and fix it ! ! ! Support your troops! lol.

Robert

Sorry Robert. In to much pain, waiting for the drugs to kick-in.
:PERMAGRIN: Joe

Sweet... take an extra one for the road.. then it's just a left, right, left, right, left, left and you're here!! perfect.

With all the weird sounds that thing was making, I'm not sure I would start by just trying to make it crank - jumping the solenoid and the like. I think I would want to turn it over by hand first to make sure nothing sounds wrong, maybe with a socket on the alternator pulley. Maybe pull the plugs and push it in second gear.
Good luck, hope it's nothing serious.

It didn't really sound like anything mechanical...ie, metallic. It really sounded electrical to tell ya the truth. I don't know if having a bad ground would make the car die off or what. The negative cable is tight at the battery and on the fender area next to the battery. The cables are tight on the solenoid and then on the starter, there's this thing that looks like another solenoid. That had two wires on it as I recall and one of them was loose. I cleaned and tightened that during lunch and it had no effect. Next break I'm taking a hammer out to tap on the starter. I was thinking that rocking the car in gear would do something until I remembered that the starter isn't always engaged.

So, I'll rap on the starter a bit... try to push start it.. after that, it's call the tow truck.


So, if the starter just happens to be a non-related issue... what's the deal with the vapor lock on the fuel system? It appears that I have all the parts up on the tank area with all the hoses and such. I know I'm getting good pressure through the filter and after pump... Should I back flush the return line?

This car is more frustrating than the MG.... it's CLOSE... just fighting me a bit along the way... lol.

also,

is there a typical place on the engine that people run that additional ground cable from the batter?