924Board.org

[1980-924]

Won't Crank??? New battery, starter, etc...

I recently put in a new battery and a new starter and just finished flushing out the fuel system.
I put on the new Walbro GCL604-1 and, after back flushing all the fuels lines, found that the fuel was still yellowiish at the injectors.
I removed the injectors and ran a gallon of Acetone thru the lines.
The car was cranking and the new Walbro was pumping well and I reconnected the injectors and verified that that the injector spray was looking good (no drops) and the gas was clear.
Reconnected the injectors and lines and turned the key and all I get is a couple of clicks from the passenger front in the engine compartment.
Battery = 12.78 volts, wires look good - it was just cranking a day and a half ago.
I'm still new to the 924, so I wanted to ask if there is anything in particular I should check before I pull the starter and deal with the heat shields on the exhaust, etc, etc...........

Thanks in advance for any help!!![/b]
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1980 924 NA 5 Speed

[larchie]

Usually that's the solenoid clicking trying turn the starter motor -- since all parts are new as you note previous posts, it would seem that there still might be terminal connection problems. If all terminals now have firm clean connections and are rightly connected upon re-checking, you might try jump-starting the car to see if that makes a difference. If not then go back to testing and troubleshooting the starting system.

[larchie]

Another possibility might be this:

When you were checking the injector spray, if you switched the ignition on, without starting the car in order to run the fuel pump, instead of pulling the fuel pump relay and bridging terminals 30 and 87 to activate the fuel pump without the ignition switched on, there's a chance the diodes in the alternator were blown.

Hopefully this didn't happen, but I think I remember something like this described somewhere in the Hanes Manual (most likely in Ch. 3 on the fuel system rather than the starter system). I don't recall ever hearing of someone actually doing this, but I suppose it's possible since your engine was cranking earlier.

[Ian89C4]

I have had this problem with a brand new battery before. If it has been really humid where you are there is a chance that the battery was drained and there are not enough CCA to turn the motor. I would also try jumping it to see if that helps.....hopefully as this will be the easiest solution. Then just let the car run for a bit or take it in at least a 20 minute drive to let the battery suck up all that electricity.

If that does not work I would try tapping on the starter with the wooden handle of a hammer. I know it is new....but perhaps it go a little stuck.

Hope all works out.

Cheers,

Ian
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Ian Edgerly
North Carolina

Current:
1981 924 SCCA/ChampCar Weissach Race Car ("Serenity")
1987 924S ChampCar Endurance Car ("Der Weg")
1980 924 Euro ("Wahala")

[1980-924]

Checked volts, etc. at the starter while it was still mounted... it all was good but would crank...
Pulled the stater and wired it up on the bench and it spun right up.
Re-installed the starter and it is cranking now.

It it firing and then stumbling.
Starting fluid is not working this time on getting it fired up.
Plugs appear to be wetter than they should be.

Any ideas???
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1980 924 NA 5 Speed

[Ozzie]

Cranking but not firing?
too little or too much fuel. (mixture)
too little or too much air. (vacuum leaks)
too little or incorrect spark ( timing)
incorrect valve timing (compression)
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Porsche 924 1984 (UK import) NA
Its AUTO and its BLACK
Montego Black on black/red
Engineer of Electro/Mechanical Systems Maintenance

[1980-924]

I'm thinking that it is too much fuel with the wet spark plugs.
How to adjust/verify correct mixture?

No vacuum leaks, spark is strong, verified timing at flywheel, crank pulley and cam pulley.

I turned the engine over several times by hand using a ratchet.
Turn the key and it fires up and runs - oil light did not go out...... so I shut it down.
Turning the key again it cranks but it does not start... checked the plugs and they are wet.
Turned it over several times by hand again and hit the key and it runs and the oil light stays on.
Oil is full - several days ago I cranked it while putting air pressure into the oil dipstick hole and the oil light did go out after several seconds of cranking, but it is not happening now.
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1980 924 NA 5 Speed

[larchie]

Check the connections to the oil pressure sending unit (disconnect and reconnect) , the blue/black wires at the G9, C12, D18 wire connections on fuse relay board. I think it's normal for light to be on occasionally at idle, esp. if oil is less viscous or synthetic.

[1980-924]

Looks like there is plenty of oil on the camshaft.
The 2 times I let it run there was no noise from the engine indicating any problem.
Since it worked previously, I used the compressor and put air in thru the dipstick tube to see if that would make the oil light go out - no luck so far.
I'll pull the fuel pump relay and the spark plugs and try it like that when I have the time later.
Previously I pulled out the oil pressure relief valve and that looks good and the oil filter is full of oil.
Is there a way to test the oil pressure sensor off of the engine?
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1980 924 NA 5 Speed

[larchie]

Here's a thread with clear image of set-up which might prove helpful for bench-testing the oil pressure sending unit out of the engine together with readings for VDO.

Later Edit: I just realized you are asking about the oil pressure switch (for the oil light) rather than the oil pressure sending unit (for an oil gauge). Autozone has a troublshooting guide for testing the oil pressure switch and light.

[1980-924]

Hi Lee - Thanks for the links, I'll check them out this evening.

It is pumping a good volume of oil onto the camshaft as observed thru the filler cap hole.
Pulled the plugs and the fuel pump relay and ran compressed air thru the dipstick tube and the light is still on.
I'll work on the wiring for the oil pressure switch/sending unit tomorrow.
Are the oil pressure switch and the oil pressure sending unit two completely different components?
I have the light in the dash across from the battery indicator as in this picture--->


On the back of the head up against the firewall the unit I have has two wires connected to it - there is a blue with white stripe wire and a blue with black stripe wire - looks like --->


Is this what the unit for the oil pressure gauge looks like? --->


I was thinking about putting in an oil pressure gauge and removing the non-functional clock that is in the dash now.
Can the idiot light and the oil pressure gauge both be driven from the same oil pressure sending unit/switch?
Is there a wire already in the dash for the oil pressure gauge?
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1980 924 NA 5 Speed

[larchie]