Porsche Enthusiasts Club Forum

Alright gents - I've been away for quite some time, work, family, health, motorcycle accident and a variety of other poor excuses that I'm too embarrassed to use even though they're all true...

So, the 944 went into hibernation last summer as a result if the aforementioned motorcycle accident and a totally mangled, mullered and generally useless right foot. It's been under cover since then, full of arsey little spiders, and the odd mouse who took up residence in the glovebox.

The wife's been giving me earache about doing something with it now I can walk again so this lat week has been involved mostly with replacing the clutch hydraulics which had decided to fcuk off during the sabbatical. That's another story. So, clutch fixed I decided to install the short shift kit I'd had in the magic box for the last 4 years. Another bastard job but eventually it was fitted and doing what it should do.

Now the interesting bit. Obviously I'd disconnected the battery before doing anything as the starter motor had to come off to access the clutch slave cylinder, but at some stage of the proceedings I'd managed to reconnect the battery - don't ask why or how - with the starter motor wires still hanging loose. No flames or smoke though, so my lucky day I thought. Once everything was properly connected - obviously without the battery connected - I had another go at getting the old bus started but this time but nothing at the starter. The car lit up as usual, all the lights came on and everything appeared to function, but when I turned the key to start it all I got was the solenoid clunking. I took the started off and tested it with a battery - all ok. I reinstalled it, connected the battery and got the same result. Then I checked the booster post up by the wiper motor but there was no voltage there - it should be permanently live - so checked down by the starter and surprise surprise the main cable to the starter was as dead as the proverbial dodo..

So, the question is: Is there a fuse or circuit breaker somewhere in the high current cable from the battery? Don't forget that I have got power to the dash and other ancillaries - it appears to be just the feed to the starter that is compromised...

If I get it fixed I'll drive it again, I promise!

Greg

Got all the cables the right way round?

Is the alternator cable connected to the starter? - should be two large cables on the big post of the starter motor, one goes to the alternator and the other to the battery.

And a little cable to the ignition switch on the small post.

Mine had an extra cable which I presume was for the immobiliser.... perhaps this is your problem?

Thanks for the replies - nice to see a familiar name too!

Yep - all cables on the right place, two heavy gauge cables on the 6mm post and one smaller cable to the solenoid trigger. The problem is that neither of the heavy gauge cables are live, hence the question about a fuse or fusible link.. I suspect the next step will be chasing the cable to see where I've got continuity or not ..

Greg

One of those big cables goes directly to the battery, interesting that you have dash lights but no power at the starter

I don’t think there is a fuse as it would be massive 400 amps or so

Time to start chasing connections

That's my thought at this moment in time - I'm thinking that if the harness from the battery to the starter is just the two cables, one from the battery to the starter and the other from the starter to the alternator, then the only reason for not having current to the starter is a break in the supply cable somewhere. Having said that where on the harness is the 'ancillary' supply taken? What's puzzling me is that the 12v post in the RH bulkhead (the one with the blue screw on cap) has no current either, so that might suggest that the break in continuity is somewhere after the point where the ancillary supply is spliced .. Hopefully the main cable routes via the footwell.

Farking electrics!

On the 968

that post in the front is connected directly to the starter, and supplies power for the ABS and other things

I am not so sure on the 944 where it goes

Sounds like the main suspect will be the heavy gauge wire from the starter to the battery then? as the blue post in the front scuttle is fed from the alternator, so if no current at the starter then shouldn't be any at the alternator either.

Precisely my own thoughts Mr. Knight, although I still haven't seen where the ancillary system feed comes from as there's only one visible connection being made to the battery - presumably there's a feed in the loom somewhere on the LHS, footwell maybe.. When the ignition is on and I turn the key the dash still stays powered, so the interruption in supply must be upline from there.

G

in the passengers footwell, under the board is a crimped junction, where the main+ from the battery splits off to the fuse box and starter motor, do a voltage check across the junction when you try the starter, there should be minimal voltage


I ended up putting a distribution block (for an amp) in line, the cable at the 8 o'clock position is for my amp, there are a number of (red) cables between 10-2 o'clock, these go to the fuse box

That's brilliant JC, exactly what I needed to see..

Cheers

Greg

the glove box might not be the only place you have mice

Change the battery earth strap while you are at it. I had all sorts of problems with mine until I changed it. It looked ok but the swaged connector at the post was giving erratic contact. I went for a heavy duty truck one from Delco.