If your Porsche 924 or 944 does not crank over watch this.

[@grantsmith7917]

You might be able to help me with this. I just bought an 88 924s and it’s been sitting for about 20 years. I got the car in a no crank condition and now I’ve gotten it to crank and come down to what I believed was a spark issue bc I couldn’t get spark. I’ve since changed the ignition coil, distributor cap and rotor, spark plug wires, and spark plugs and still am getting no spark. I’m still a fairly new mechanic and am not very knowledgeable on electrical aspects of cars but am still learning. Any advice?

[@schrockahasi]

Check power at the coil for 12volts on black wire. If when you turn key to on position and there’s no voltage there you have go backward from there. They make spark plug testers and you can put one between the coil and coil wire. Be careful because this is high volts. If you get in the car and see the light come on it’s after the coil. If no light check the two wires at the coil. It is possible to jump the coil to the battery by connecting the black wire side which is positive of the coil with two gator clips and a wire back to positive side. (Know that if the car starts it won’t shut off until you undo the wire) be very careful with the wire as it has 12 volts on it. Most likely you will get a spark if you connect the positive side of the coil to the battery. For ignition parts use good quality wires and a Bosch coil. I hope this helps.

[@egoz4555]

great informative video, I too have an 87' 924s I've gone through the fuel system- My problem started when my engine surged, quick jolt / whiplash after shifting into 3rd driving through an intersection- engine just turned off as I was crossing- had just enough momentum to pull off to the side but I was stranded having to get a tow back to the house. I'm experiencing a crank no start issue at the moment. Car cranks but does not fire - even with starter fluid sprayed - I've replaced the Speed / Reference sensors / Throttle position sensor, MAF , Coil, Distributor Cap, 12v Battery even the fuses, I've checked for spark on each plug and im receiving signal- would a faulty #3 position in the Ignition still cause this Crank no Start issue?- at this point I'm considering the idea that it might very well be a Fuel pressure issue. I've replaced the DME, DME Relay, even manually jumped the Relay on the board to activate the fuel pump- Replaced FPR - Dampner - Injectors - Fuel Lines - and I'm still stuck. I feel like im going in circles at this point- any idea? Someone mentioned that my Fuel Filter might be faulty or even plugged and my Fuel Pressure might not be high enough to fire- but wouldn't starter fluid get me past that? The only thing I have not replaced is the ignition itself - and yes, my harness going from the DME to the Reference / Speed sensors is intact. I spoke to a Mechanic and he also mentioned that my belt could have jumped a tooth- any ideas which in turn might have thrown my timing off Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks

[@schrockahasi]

You need a couple things. Volt meter. A test light and a long jumper wire with gator clips. If you don’t have spark check with test light and key in on position for power at coils on the black wire. If you don’t have power there that’s your problem. Then try jumping a direct wire on gator clips from positive side of battery to black wire on coil. That should automatically give you power at coil and therefore spark. Word of warning car will not shut off at key id it starts so have car in neutral and blocked because it shut it off you have to remove the jumper wire from battery to coil. (Ask me how I know lol) also I always keep ground cable on battery loose invade I need to shut off electric quickly but finger tight to make contact.

[@schrockahasi]

Also they make a spark tester you can plug into the spark plug wire to plugs and visually see a light of you have a spark. Needs to be made for high volts. Normal test light is too small for that. Good luck

[@schrockahasi]

If it doesn’t run or even sputter with starter fluid it’s not a fuel problem it’s a spark issue. So you have to make sure you are getting spark first.

[@schrockahasi]

Do you have power at the fuel pump? To check for fuel pressure there is a bolt at the end of the fuel rail that comes off. Be careful because it has a ball bearing in it that will fall out when you open it. You can check fuel pressure with a gauge kit around $30 should be 30 psi or so. If not then you have a fuel delivery problem. If it’s a spark issue jump the coil from battery positive to black wire on coil and see if you get a spark. Positive wire at starter sometimes gets rusty so that’s another place to remove and clean up. Disconnect the battery first. Good luck. Let me know if you fix this.

[@egoz4555]

Update: the car is now up and running Two culprits for two different issues: Crank no start was due to cracked and exposed injector 2 prong connectors (plugging into the injectors themselves) . $20 Fix- purchased new connectors on ebay - lopped the old ones and hooked up the new ones and it fired right up. Random idle surge and random stalls: After getting back to actually driving it- I was still getting hit with random power surge and car randomly stalling driving around the neighborhood- Attention to the idea that this would happen when taking tight turns or simply driving through dips or even over speed bumps I was still stuck on the idea of a bad relay. I guess it took me a while to realize this as every time it happened to me I was overwhelmed with the feeling that I was still the guy in the middle of the road pushing my car out of traffic and back to the side while traffic or people simply passing by watched me confused because of the reoccurrence- as If I were doing it for sport. Great cardio!👍🏻 Fix $0 (just a bit of attention some hair loss and putting two and two together) being under the impression that it might be a faulty DME relay I began swapping between two extras that I would bring along with me- after every stall I would go under to swap the relay and began noticing that it would fire back up with the quick swap(I was on to something) , leading me to believe that it was possibly the relays themselves (but rotating between three faulty relays???) Time after time I would drive the car back home get it back into the driveway scratching my head trying to convince myself to not go and source a 4th Relay - letting the car sit for about another month after pulling out the little hair that I had left I eventually bought that 4th relay and plugged it in on a Saturday morning - fired the car- sat it- warmed it up and made a few prayers hoping to the car gods that this was my day that I wouldn’t have to go to bed knowing that there was an issue with my 924… checked the oil and decided it was time to take it for the final lap. Jumping back into the car - throwing my feet into the footwell- shut the door behind me and as I went to dump the clutch in I by accidentally gave the board a small kick from behind and to my surprise the car completely shut off! In that exact moment I had realized it had nothing to do with a faulty relay but simply a small wire gremlin that was sitting under my dash playing mind tricks on me. My car just shut off on me - I didn’t even get to move it an inch forward but I suddenly had a feeling of sweet “what if” rush through my body. I quickly fired the car again - gave the board a small nudge trying my best replicate the movement and it stalled again- and after about the 5th time of intentionally stalling the poor thing I smiled and laughed and realized that I could finally point my finger in the direction of where the gremlin was hiding. After much tugging, pulling and grunting with my caveman hands I discovered fire laying upside down and peeking one eye up into the dashboard before realizing it might be wiser to just unbolt the darn thing to avoid back Injury. I was able to pinpoint the loose connector and drive through every dip and bump in the road with a smile. So all in all the subtle movements of the wires and the board I was creating every time I was reaching and tugging underneath the dash to swap the relay - almost as if I were unknowingly tucking and pushing the wires back into place on the board itself creating enough reposition that would then reconnect whatever loose wire it was disconnecting every time I was driving the car over uneven or bumpy parts of the road - I’d like to think the car gods did answer my prayers this day but they definitely made me work for it 🙏 Thanks for all the feedback🤙🏼 It’s the little things that make the difference.

[@alwaysaway69]

Thank you. Very helpful video. Do you have a video showing how to remove an ignition switch for a 924 1981 or similar? Would be a huge help. She won’t crank over (starter motor not turning over) getting the starter motor out now and know the battery is good (new and freshly charged) and then need to remove the ignition assembly as part of the test.

[@schrockahasi]

@@alwaysaway69 the actual ignition switch is a cheap part getting it out requires some disassembly around the steering wheel remove plastic and there’s a large thing bolt holding the key in. See if you can find a parts diagram. 944online.com has them so you can see how it’s put together. As far as non crank that’s just troubleshooting. Start with battery then pull the starter and bench test it. If it cranks check that you have 12volts at starter from the big lead and 12v from the small lead on the solenoid. Sometimes just loosening bolts and cleaning the contacts is enough to get it going. Good luck and be careful especially careful under car. If you have concrete i normally use car ramps and wheel chocks to get the starter out. And remember neutral anytime testing starter. Good luck. Keep me posted and I’ll try and help.

[@tmsportsphoto]

I have an intermittent spark issue on my 83 944. If I try to start the car, it cranks with no spark. If I unplug the computer and replug it, it starts. I have another computer I bought off ebay and both computers act the same way. Any ideas? Changed all the normal things including solid state DME.

[@schrockahasi]

@@tmsportsphoto Likely coil wire. To test run a wire from #15 on coil positive side to positive side of battery. Start car and see if it stalls. NOTE. Your car won’t shut off from ignition key so leave the hood up and disconnect the wire before turning key off. This will tell you if the problem is the coil wire. Coil wire goes directly from key to coil. If your coil cover is off and it rains or you clean your engine it can corrode. Make sure there is a clean contact connection on both sides of the coil. Coil is everything when it comes to spark.

[@clemsbmx]

Hello there, I have a random start issue on my 944, I have changed a lot a thing but it continue to happen... I have change two times the key contactor, tested my starter, changed my battery etc... but starter is still not cranking sometimes (most of time after a long ride). I have changed also two times my DME and one TDC sensor. Any idea?

[@schrockahasi]

Sometimes starters do that before they fail. They give warning signs noise or intermittent starting issues. I’ve used autozone starters before with out issues they are cheap and guaranteed and there’s usually one nearby. I got the original bosch for one of my cars but really can’t tell the difference. Also a good idea to have the car in good tune so it starts instantly so there’s not and long load on the starter. If you are cranking a long time to get the car started it heats up and can cause issues. Starter is one of those essential peace of mind things when it’s new you don’t have to worry about it. It’s also a confidence issue that you know it will turn over and start so a battery and starter are normally two of the first things I replace on a restoration

[@clemsbmx]

@@schrockahasi When it crank it crank quickly, that's just sometimes it not crank at all. The starter is if I remember a BOSCH.

[@schrockahasi]

@@clemsbmx if it’s a Bosch it could be original that’s what they used. 30+ years is a lot of cranking. Change the starter with new but don’t return your original. If a new starter fixes the problem it’s done. If not see if you can return the starter and put the old one back on. Bench tests for starters aren’t always correct.

[@SamStuive]

I have a 84 944 that does not have spark it is getting power to the ignition coil as well as the distributor but it doesn’t seem to send a signal to actually create a spark, I was wondering if you have any clue what that may be?

[@schrockahasi]

A couple things. A spark plug wire tester might help. Sounds like it could be the rotor or the distributor cap is bad. If it's old might be good to change it. If you have power at the coil, and the coil to the center of the distributor then the next line in command is the rotor. From memory I think there is a small, tiny little allen head bolt that secures that. If it's not tight or in the recieving hole it will just spin in place and you won't have spark. Pull the distributor cap off and look at that, should be secure, take it off and make sure. Other than that, back to the in-line spark testor to make sure you don't have spark at the plugs. Fresh plugs are also a good idea. If you have spark an not starting test for fuel issues by squirting starter fluid into the intake (close it back before testing). I hope this helps.

[@trulylife1133]

I have a 1984 944 and have a no crank problem after changing my slave cylinder and trying to bleed it the slave is pushing the cup it sets in for the clutch goes all the way in and back to spot it starts at clutch pedal is got great pressure I just ordered a new starter because my cousin is a jury riggin kinda guy and starter is rigged the heck up but worked hahaha do you think the switch is my issue or now? Or is it possible I messed something simple up? Like all jokes aside

[@schrockahasi]

There's another $10 option to test things, a remote starter. (Harbor Freight has them.) That would bypass the ignition system so you can check the starter. The other way to is make sure you have power on the positive side of the starter. Also check at the battery, There is a heavy wire that goes from battery direct to starter, that has be well connected to get it to turn over. Make sure you have good connection at starter sometimes those wires get water/corroded/rusted. I had a problem with electric cutting off and it was the positive big wire at starter not making contact. As always be very careful under-car work and starting in neutral etc. Ignition is the last thing I'd check but you can put a volt meter at the red wire of the solenoid and see if you're getting power there when you turn the key on. If no power maybe it's the ignition switch. 84 944 still have old vw style switches usually under $20 for new.

[@Workerbee-zy5nx]

I have a 86 951 and the alternator charges, then it discharges. The alternator only has 10,000 miles on it, but it doesn't charge all the time...any ideas?

[@schrockahasi]

Could be you just got a bad alternator or it could be a wire connection issue. Have to make sure all those 30 year old wires are clean and not frayed. Sometimes they go brittle. If it works sometimes and other times not could be a bad regulator which is built into the alternator but can be replaced. It’s a small piece with the contacts ranges from 20 to $60 on eBay now. I changed mine one. New wires are $200. Hard to say exactly what the problem is but it could be wiring bad. Check at the battery too. A lot of wires on the positive side and they all have to make good contact.

[@Workerbee-zy5nx]

@@schrockahasi Thanks, I'll check the connections, the turbo has lots of plumbing though..Thanks. 👍

[@schrockahasi]

@@Workerbee-zy5nx I recently had an issue with my 924 because the positive wire from battery to the starter was not makeing good contact. Wire to alternator goes from there. So battery to starter and from there to alternator. So if the alternator is not charging it could be under the car at that location positive cables 13mm bolt at starter. Take them off (disconnect the battery first ) and clean the contacts. Mine were rusty from being outside and put them back in. Wire brush or sandpaper till the are shiny and see if that helps.

[@Workerbee-zy5nx]

@@schrockahasi thanks, 8 hr job to get to the alternator. 😬turbo plumbing, coolant tank, wiring, heat shields etc.🤯

[@schrockahasi]

@@Workerbee-zy5nx NA models is take off the air filter box and viola there’s the alternator. 1/2hr. But you have the bonus of owning a turbo which has huge appeal. So you solved the problem ?

[@Porsche944]

My 1986 944 has a weird problem, I cleaned the engine bay and my starter started on its own..It must of arced when water bridged it. I replaced the Starter last year but today the car just started on its own without the key in. I hurried and put the key in and cranked it to run, after a couple minutes it stopped cranking. Now it don't do anything with the key in except gauges light up and everything else, just dont crank. Help!

[@schrockahasi]

Ok. That’s tough to figure out but I always say when you have a problem consider what was the last thing you did before this happened. And if you cleaned your engine bay there’s a chance that water got down into the electricals of your starter. It’s also possible you have some shorts on your positive cables from the battery because the positive cable of the battery runs directly to the starter. There’s also one that runs to the alternator. So if either one of those is old and cracked it could have shorted. Aside from that there is a wire from battery to ignitions and ignition to the starter. It could be that is bad. The other option is that the water got down into your started and shorted ruining your starter. So first thing might be pull the starter and bench test it at home or take it to autozone. They have a machine there to test starters. If the starter checks ok then likely it’s your wiring. Btw I always keep my battery cables loose when trouble shooting for that reason. And I always keep a 13mm wrench in the car to disconnect the battery for that very reason. That’s a scary moment. Mostly caused the the engine compartment spray down. It may dry up in a few days and be ok too. Good luck and be careful.

[@Porsche944]

@@schrockahasi I will try it. That makes perfect sense. Thank you. I will follow up once I get it fugured out

[@Porsche944]

So my battery cables were so bad the insulation was cracked and exposing the copper. They looked like original cables. I never changed them in the 1 1/2 Years I've owned the car. The Starter was indeed fried. I went to Autozone and got a remanufactured one. So new cables, new starter, and I even got that fancy DME Relay with the ft9 solid state lights.(100 bucks) . The car started right up but I drove it and it made some weird noise but engaging the clutch between shifts quieted it until a new gear. I then parked. About an hour later I went to start and it almost like the starter isnt engaging the flywheel, just zzzzzzmmmmmms.

[@schrockahasi]

@@Porsche944 you did good getting the new cables and that dme from F9 is a solid investment. Starter should be under warranty if it’s from autozone and you just got it. But it’s sounds like you might have something going on in the clutch or transaxle. Does it sound like it’s cranking hard. Flywheel gears don’t normally wear out so whirring sound is solenoid not engaging. I’d just pull the starter take it back for a new one and then try and troubleshoot the clutch/transaxle problem. If the starter tests good you might still have grounding or wire issue going to starter.

[@Porsche944]

@@schrockahasi It doesn't crank hard, it actually cranked easier than before. I had the clutch plate replaced less than a year ago, I just took it back to Autozone and the starter gear was engaging only about 1/2 Way on their bench test... They had to order another one but the guy said they have been having issues with remanufactured Starters lately. I think mine was just bad. You are a big help, I will get that starter Tuesday and will see how it goes. Thanks so much...