Rookie to this site needs help! - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

Jaxonalden · 10-09-2008, 06:20 PM

Cjweiss,

You should be able to troubleshoot this down to the system. I'd love to draw this out in a trouble tree but this should work;

First, does it turn over? Yes, do you have spark? Yes, do you have fuel? Yes, do you have compression? If you have all of those the car should start.

No to the first using the starter, push it and stick it in gear and see if the engine will turn over that way...if not, its locked up and its time to cry. No to the second on all cylinders, possible ECU failure (its not telling the plugs when to fire). No to the third, check your fuel pump for power (not running?, fuse). Good?, check your fuel filter. No to the fourth, possible skipped timing but doubtful.

BTW, what part of the land of cow **************** and beer farts are you in? I'm from 100 miles north of Green Bay and a die hard Packer fan and shareholder.

rick3000 · 10-09-2008, 07:18 PM

This isn't my area of expertise, but let's recap so we can be clear:
The car died, with no prior warning, oil leak, or noise. The starter sounds but the car won't turn over. It seemed like the ignition/fuel lost pressure. So basically it just stopped working, without any noise.

It definately does not sound like RMS or IMS which is great.
It sound to me more like an electrical problem. Fuse? Maybe a vacuum leak (you said it lost pressure?)

silverboxter · 10-09-2008, 07:50 PM

does it have gas?...is the tank empty? really, no joke. i remember my wife calling me years ago when her truck died and would not restart. just needed some fuel.

cjweiss · 10-10-2008, 05:37 AM

Yeah, the first thing I thought of was the most obvious...gas...but tank guage shows 1/4 tank and on board computer shows 81 miles left...probably unlikely that both are wrong but I am going to add more just to be safe...again, car turns over (cranks) as normal. I just want to eliminate the possibly easy stuff first hoping its a fuse type thing before tearing the car apart and starting with normal progression...checking spark/gas etc. If I had to guess I'd say the fuel pump either went or is not getting a signal. Thanks to all who have responded trying to help me...keep those ideas coming...they are appreciated!

Topless · 10-10-2008, 06:50 AM

Out of gas? These cars don't like to run below 1/4 tank. Sometimes the fuel gauge is off. Bad ignition switch?

CJ_Boxster · 10-10-2008, 08:35 AM

Sorry CJ, (no-relation) I think your going to have to start looking for reputible Indy Porsche Mechanics now, cause things like Compression Testing and Fuel Pressure readings are alittle beyond the average DIY'er unless you have the pressure gauges and the williness to get greasy & constantly run back and fourth from the engine bay to the drivers seat over and over again till u find the issue.

Jaxonalden · 10-10-2008, 10:44 AM

Cjweiss,

Did you pull a plug yet? After spinning over the motor you should be able to pull one out and see a wet plug, fuel soaked. If its dry you have a fuel problem, wet and you have a ignition problem.

cjweiss · 10-11-2008, 09:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Topless

Out of gas? These cars don't like to run below 1/4 tank. Sometimes the fuel gauge is off. Bad ignition switch?

Hey Topless, I finally got the time to do something with my non running car since I had it flat bedded back home. Put gas in it and it started....you were right...guage showed 1/4 tank with 81 miles left on trip computer. Please share with me what you have expeirenced to know that these guages can go off and as you say, "don't like to run below a 1/4 of a tank". I'm sure I've been to a low fuel light in the past and never had a problem before. Obviously, I must have been bone dry as even the flat bed ride home didn't move any gas around to re-start it...you the man!!!

rick3000 · 10-11-2008, 10:09 AM

Some Boxster's have problems with the fuel gauge sticking. So when you fill up the tank is full, but the gauge gets stuck at 3/4 full. And the same thing can happen for low fuel. The gauge gets stuck at 1/4 tank, but their is less gas than that.

I have noticed that the OBC fuel gauge is based on your OBC average mileage. So if your OBC average mileage is very high (say from a lot of freeway driving), and then you go driving around town, the OBC may be giving you an estimated range based off your average MPG but not your actual MPG.
I'm glad you got it fixed and wasn't anything serious! My dad used to run out of gas all the time doing, "aerodynamic testing," in his 944.