924Board.org

gideongreen · Joined: 20 Apr 2015 Posts: 2 Location: Uxbridge

Hi,

My 924 was driving fine, just a slight cold start issue occasionally, until I foolishly ran out of petrol.

I put some fuel in, but now it won't start at all. It won't even turn over, it will click once, then nothing.

I thought it was the battery, but I tried jump starting it and that didn't work and looking over the service history it has recently had a new battery.

Any help on this would be much appreciated!!

Thanks very much!!

michaelodonnell123 · Joined: 20 Mar 2015 Posts: 235 Location: New Jersey

Maybe your fuel pump is not working right. Do some searching on how to troubleshoot that.
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MOD
1988 Porsche 924S
2007 Jaguar XK
2012 Fiat 500

jason c · Joined: 13 Jan 2014 Posts: 1018 Location: Nwi

Can you turn the engine by hand?
If so...
The most obvious thing (assuming the battery is actually good) is to suspect the starter.
Check the connections at the battery, starter and ground straps.
Check for wire condition, voltage at the starter & starter condition (you may need to remove for a bench test depending on your tools & ability).

sheepdog924 · Joined: 03 Dec 2013 Posts: 20 Location: United Kingdom

Do you know when your fuel filter was last changed? If you did run out of petrol you could have dragged some crud from the bottom of the tank through
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1977 2.0 NA UK

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

Rasta Monsta · Joined: 12 Jul 2006 Posts: 11733 Location: PacNW

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

Raize · Joined: 18 Sep 2013 Posts: 447 Location: Scotland

The fuel run-out was just a coincidence. The fuel pump is fused, so even if the fuel pump seized due to overheating, it would just blow its fuse rather than destroying other parts of the electrical system.
The symptom of a blown fuel pump would not be a failure to crank, that's illogical.

If the click is coming from the engine bay, it's the starter motor solenoid clicking on. This would suggest the ignition switch is OK otherwise the solenoid couldn't be activated. Whether or not the battery is giving enough power to turn the starter motor is another matter.

I've never been able to jump start my 924 as due to the location of the starter it's very difficult to actually get current to flow through it - so I wouldn't take that as evidence of your battery being OK!

I would look VERY closely at the battery. If you have a multimeter check the voltage across the terminals (should be 12+). If you don't, try popping up the cars headlights with main beam turned on. They WILL struggle if the battery is low. You could even consider swapping in a known good battery to test.

If the battery checks out good, start looking at starter motor wiring or the motor itself.

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

Raize · Joined: 18 Sep 2013 Posts: 447 Location: Scotland

jason c · Joined: 13 Jan 2014 Posts: 1018 Location: Nwi

To test the ignition switch...
You can check voltage out of the switch. -tests the switch but not the wiring-

You can check for voltage at the small terminal on the starter (from ignition switch) with the ignition switch in the crank position. -this tests the switch and wiring at the same time-

Jump power from the large lug on the starter (from the battery) if you have power there or use a jumper wire directly from the battery to the small connector. -this eliminates the switch & wiring and tests the starter-

ViktorTsoi · Joined: 31 Dec 2013 Posts: 80 Location: Idaho

I will second the ignition switch as a likely candidate. It could also be the starter, wiring, or battery as others have mentioned but both my cars had a similar problem that was traced to the switch. I could still here the solenoid click once, but it wouldn't turn over.

I would start here: