PLEASE HELP WON"T START need to be in NYC ini 2 hrs!!! - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

bull27 · 06-03-2006, 09:29 AM

I am just about to get in the car to go to a b day party in NYC, get in the car, will not start. It cranks, full battery, just wont fire the engine. This has never happened, it always starts up right away. My girlfriend drove it to work yesterday and said there were no problems whatsoever. It did completely downpour on her way home yesterday, have no idea if that could be a factor. Anyways I need to get on the road soon and have no idea what to do about this. Please let me know if you have any thoughts on this !!!!!!!

Brucelee · 06-03-2006, 09:32 AM

Any chance it is flooded?

Try to push and HOLD the accelerator pedal down while cranking the starter. Give it a chance maybe three or four times.

DO not PUMP the accelerator.

Good luck

bull27 · 06-03-2006, 09:38 AM

I knew something was strange as soon as I first tried to start it, it usually fires right up. I did hold the accelerator down and it didnt do anything. The absolute only thing I can think of is that some thing got wet that should not have because of the extreme downpouring yesterday while being driven on the highway. What other things could be wrong with it if the engine wont fire?

donv · 06-03-2006, 10:46 AM

The simple answer is that with a well maintained modern car, rain should not cause any problem. That said, you obviously do have a problem, so...

The two traditional paths to follow in this situation are spark and fuel.

Spark - are the sparkplugs firing? Best checked with a capacitive tool you clip around a plug wire but it sounds like you might not have something like this. You could also pull a plug wire and hold it off the plug a little with a dry rag (to avoid a nasty shock) and see if it sparks while someone else cranks the car. However, the design of the boxster engine is going to make this difficult to do as the plugs are way down between the cams, see this diagram.
If the other end of the wire can be pulled at the distribution end, you may be able to check there.

Absent any of the above, you could simply check for loose wires and trapped water.

Fuel - you did check to be sure you have gas, yes? You may want to try a small amount of starting fluid (available at AutoZone, etc.) sprayed into the air cleaner inlet to see if that gets the engine to fire. If so, you problem is fuel related.

No matter what, I expect you will be late to NYC or have already left in someone else's ride. Hope it turns out to be a minor issue with your car.

MNBoxster · 06-03-2006, 11:22 AM

Hi,

Porsche acknowledges that the Boxster can experience problems with rain entering the Engine through the Air Intake. They released a TSB - 7a/97 2425 on it as well as a modification to the Air Box. In it they state:

"Concern: Water entering the left-hand air guide and air cleaner housing.

Situation: Engine misfires during driving, rough running, poor starting.

Information: Water can enter the air cleaner housing via the air guide when
the vehicle is driven in unfavorable weather conditions, e.g. during rainstorms. This can cause engine misfires and rough running. These problems do not necessarily occur during these weather conditions; they could show up later on. Please ask the customer if the vehicle was driven in these weather conditions.

Modification:

1. A gasket between the outer left air guide and the body seals out water.

2. A deflector is fitted on the air cleaner intake opening, and a water separator bowl is fitted on the air cleaner housing.

3. The formerly used water shield support in the flow
duct has been omitted."

I suspect this is what has happened to your Car. My wife (Mrs. MNBoxster) is in New York this week for the Barclay's Golf Tournament and when I spoke with her last night she said the rain came down in torrents.

It should dry out and function normally. If a huge amount of water was injested, there could be more serious issues, so I would have the Car checked and I would look into having the modification performed. Hope this helps...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

bull27 · 06-04-2006, 02:24 PM

Thanks for all your help, yes I did make it to NYC last night but it was in a Saab. Tried to start it again this afternoon with my fingers crossed and...................nothing. There have been some absolute nasty downpours in the Northeast, but I guess something else mysteriously happened to it while sitting in her garage overnight. I'm going to have it towed to a local shop i use and see what the problem is. Again, thanks for the insight and help guys...

redman12 · 06-04-2006, 02:38 PM

It could be the Floor mat getting stuck under the clutch. That happened to me and the dealer send me a new floor mats. haha

bull27 · 06-04-2006, 02:47 PM

Dont think it is the doormat, the engine cranks just doesnt fire up

bull27 · 06-05-2006, 03:46 PM

Had the car towed on a flat bed today down the street to a new mechanic I am trying out, Braintree Foreign Auto. Decided to drive by it after hrs tonight to see if it is in a good spot and what do i see as i am approcahing the place????? ABOUT 2 fire trucks, 5 copcars and ambulances right in front of the repair shop. We were told to do a U turn by a cop and head back the other way, because the road had been closed. As i looked forward toward the place i see a car that had exploded and landed on top of another car in the mechanics parking lot. I didnt see any black underneath the mangled car but I am absolutely FREAKING out. I am going back there in a little bit to see my car was anywhere near this explosion (maybe even underneath it), armed with my digital camera. I pray to god that they put it in the garage, for it is not a very big parking lot infront of that place...............WISH ME LUCK, and there will be some heads rolling if the worst case scenerio has come true

bigislandboxster · 06-05-2006, 04:13 PM

When it rains......it pours...

Heres hoping its WELL out of danger....

bull27 · 06-06-2006, 07:13 PM

Update: my car was NOT involved in the big accident that took place, they parked it out back. Unfortunately the passenger of the car did lose their life. It was a new Lincoln Town Car, hit a fire hydrant, absolutely shredded through the whole car. The engine was pushed into the back seat with a gapping hole in the floor. Passenger was halfway under the car and halfway in the car. I guess there were three cars damaged that were parked out front waiting for thier service to be done.

The mechanic told me today that there was a spark, so we are thinking it has something to do with the fuel system, possibly a fuel pump? Anyone have any idea how much these are to replace, and if there is anything I should suggest to the mechanic as a possible culprit besides the fuel pump? Thanks for any help