924Board.org

Auld Sodger · Joined: 01 Feb 2016 Posts: 1 Location: North Carolina

Hi, my first post here.

Helping my son with a 87 924 that he just picked up. Had a lot of issues (tires, weak hood and hatch struts, stopped up sunroof draintubes, headlights would not retract, etc. however, seemed to run fine - in fact, he drove it home from about 45 miles away and has occasionally driven it about the neighborhood while accumulating new tires, struts, andother parts.

Suddently, a few days ago it went dead in the water electrically. Nothing operates, lights, ignition, etc. Battery is strong and it get a ground return from both the engine and chassis. Has this thing some sort of master circuit breaker?

Thanks!

Knz · Joined: 05 Mar 2014 Posts: 105 Location: Sparrow Bush, NY

You would want to search the 944 forums for potential leads, your 2.5l engine is the same as the 944 n/a. There are very few parts compatible between the 924/931with an audi 2.0l and the 924s with a porsche 2.5l.

Have you checked the dme relay tho? Other relays / fuses. That's where I'd start.
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1980 931 (#185) for sale
1980 931 (#196) engine rebuild
1983 928S Project
1983 944 Summer Car
2002 BMW 525i Winter Car

scm924s · Joined: 22 Oct 2010 Posts: 296 Location: Gloucester UK

The majority of functions are driven by the ignition switch, but some, like interior lights and parking lights are not. If these last two items work then I would suspect a faulty ignition switch.
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1984 n/a Ruby Red Metallic
1988 924S Guards red- sold
1986 924S Guards Red - sold
1984 n/a Black - sold
1980 n/a Le Mans#1 - sold
1980 n/a Le Mans#2- sold
1977 Martini - sold

Paul · Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2016 10:36 am Post subject:

Check the smaller red wires at the positive battery clamp, they provide all power to the fuse box.
_________________
White 87 924S "Ghost"
Silver 98 986 3.6l 320 HP "Frank N Stein"
White 01 986 "Christine"
Polar Silver 02 996TT. "Turbo"
Owned and repaired 924s since 1977
Porsche: It's not driving, it's therapy.

Ian89C4 · Joined: 01 Apr 2011 Posts: 561 Location: North Carolina

Check the ground to the battery as well. I had an issue with a 911 once upon a time where the car would suddenly just turn off going down the road and wouldn't start for about 40 minutes. I thought the whole DME had gone bad or the ignition crapped out on me. Turned out to be the negative lead to the battery, just corroded under the wire cover that I couldn't see. Replaced it and never had a problem after that.

Hopefully it just a negative lead...would be the cheapest out of everything that could be wrong.

If its not the negative lead, I would also suspect the ignition switch on the column....the little tab on the end of it has a tendency to break with age...you can find a lot on that issue on this forum.

If that's not it I would hop on to Rennlist or something and take a look through the 944 threads over there.

Hope it all works out!

Cheers
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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")

ideola · Joined: 01 Oct 2004 Posts: 15550 Location: Spring Lake MI

+1 to all above. I would do it in this order:

1. Check the negative battery connection...check everything, if you can't see it, assume it's bad, i.e., check both ends and and under any of the caps or covers that might be on the battery terminal side

2. Check the positive battery connections, especially the numerous smaller leads that attach here, they are notorious for getting frayed. Same instructions as above.

3. Swap in a known good DME relay. What, you don't have a spare?! 924S/944 ownership 101: always carry a spare DME relay!

4. Replace the ignition switch. It's a $12 part, and takes about an hour to do. If it hasn't been replaced it almost certainly bad. Follow the instructions in the FIRST POST ONLY of this thread (you don't need to do the rest, you just need to get to the ignition switch to replace it). See photos in the SECOND POST of that thread for the common failure mode.

If none of that solves your problem, it could be any number of more challenging issues, such as a bad DME computer, bad crank reference sensor, or damaged starter wiring harness. The best resource for the 924S is the Garage Shop Manual over at Clark's Garage. For your car, follow instructions for "early 944" when there is an option between early and late.

Pelican forum is another good resource, and we have our own sub-forum dedicated to the 2.5L 924S here.

Please report back, and good luck!
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erstwhile owner of just about every 924 variant ever made