2000S--Engine Stalled out while driving; now refuses to turn over

[986Rick]

Wow, it's a good thing I love my Boxster, else I'd hate it ;-)

Here's the latest drama in my Porsche relationship--

My wife and I were on an easy drive in heavy fog today on 19th st. in San Francisco, when the engine suddenly cut off. I tried several times to get the car to crank over, to no avail.

Thanks to Geiko, I was able to find a flat bed to bring both my babies home. God, I love my wife. Any lesser woman would have been yelling. She was all over the phone with the tow service while I was outside tending to the car, and setting up the tow hook.

First thing off the bed was to hook up the Durametric. I didn't expect much, as part of my roadside troubleshooting was to disconnect the battery and reset the DME in hopes that the computer just got fouled up by the sudden change from dry weather to fog. No luck...as I expected, no codes were in memory.

So, I did some digging just before posting, and found one gentleman that had a similar issue, and his problem turned out to be the DME main relay. Went downstairs and reseated the fuse. Tried to turn the car over. The starter turned, one cylinder fired, then it stopped. Next, I swapped the DME relay out with another unit that was in the position immediately between the DME relay and the 2ndary air pump fuse. Tried to turn it over again. Same result.

No idea what the heck to look for now. Durametric sees no issues, and the only thing I can think of is that the air was very heavy with water vapor as the fog was thick today.

Any ideas? Anyone?

Thanks all.

-Rick

[RFM]

Have you checked the fuel pump ?

[986Rick]

Have you checked the fuel pump ?

Not yet. Top of my list, as soon as I can muster up enough neighbors to get her in the garage and jacked up.

I did go down, unlock the door with the second key (manually), then tried the press the gas pedal to the floor while turning her over trick. Sputtered for about 3 seconds, then died. Sickly smell from the exhaust. Like a rich mix.

Anyone else please chime in with ideas...I'll go through them all when I open her up in 8 hours (going to bed. Exhausting experience/day--nothing like being sworn at by every driver passing your stranded car in SF. For a city of pacifists, there sure are allot of...well, you know. Only one kindly lady offered help.)

-Rick

Edited August 17, 2008 by 986Rick

[rsfeller]

My comments are automotive experience "in general" and not from Boxster experience, so take them for what they are worth. If nobody gives you anything concrete they are worth considering.

I'm with RFM since you are not throwing any codes. I would guess every piece of the ignition/timing system that is capable of failing is going to show up with a CEL. Now I have no experience with a Boxster and fuel pumps but I just got done replacing the pump in my Saab 9-5 wagon and it had no codes either. It was very easy to test the pump on that car as first you can hear the pump running with the ignition on and the pump was easy to get out to bench test. I am going to guess the hum of that pump with the front boot open is going to be obvious. Also from my experience pumps either fail or don't, no in between. So you will hear the pump and it's working 100% good or you will not hear it and it's 100% bad.

In the last 5 years I've had 3 pump failures in my fleet. Some came with warnings I did not heed and other slapped me across the face once at 75mph on the freeway with no warning! I assumed far worse in all cases only to take a deep breath, pull out the multi-tester and solve the issue.

Lastly, I had a Vw Eurovan and Vw Vanagon do the same thing which turned out to be a bad ground cable from the starter to the transmission (if I recall) and the other had a bad cable from the starter to the alternator. Corrosion.

fuel_pump.pdf

Edited August 17, 2008 by rsfeller

[986Rick]

My comments are automotive experience "in general" and not from Boxster experience, so take them for what they are worth. If nobody gives you anything concrete they are worth considering.

I'm with RFM since you are not throwing any codes. I would guess every piece of the ignition/timing system that is capable of failing is going to show up with a CEL. Now I have no experience with a Boxster and fuel pumps but I just got done replacing the pump in my Saab 9-5 wagon and it had no codes either. It was very easy to test the pump on that car as first you can hear the pump running with the ignition on and the pump was easy to get out to bench test. I am going to guess the hum of that pump with the front boot open is going to be obvious. Also from my experience pumps either fail or don't, no in between. So you will hear the pump and it's working 100% good or you will not hear it and it's 100% bad.

In the last 5 years I've had 3 pump failures in my fleet. Some came with warnings I did not heed and other slapped me across the face once at 75mph on the freeway with no warning! I assumed far worse in all cases only to take a deep breath, pull out the multi-tester and solve the issue.

Lastly, I had a Vw Eurovan and Vw Vanagon do the same thing which turned out to be a bad ground cable from the starter to the transmission (if I recall) and the other had a bad cable from the starter to the alternator. Corrosion.

a little more info:

I did a direct connection from battery negative to the engine lift to test for faulty ground: no change.

I do hear the fuel pump motor, but it sounds somewhat sickly (like a stepper motor under voltage): is that normal?

Battery is reading 11.7 volts--seemed low, so...

I did a direct jump from my wife's car: tried to turn over, bud didn't catch

Driveshaft does turn with a wrench, so it doesn't appear to be a seized motor/mechanical issue.

There is a lingering smell of burnt oil, but that has always been the case in the engine compartment.

[986Rick]

And even more info...

No change in the ability to turn the engine, however, while I'm cranking, the hazards flash and the windows go up and down (if the doors are closed).

Demonic possession, perhaps?

(and I just bought her new rear discs and shoes...sheesh.)

Thanks in advance!

-Rick

[juniinc]

how old is the battery?

possibly clogged fuel filter, pressure regulator?

Edited August 17, 2008 by juniinc

[rsfeller]

how old is the battery?

possibly clogged fuel filter, pressure regulator?

I've seen cranky batteries on boats do odd things to other systems like demonic possessions. You battery is under voltage for starting.

How old is it? Have you charged it externally and do you have a load tester? If not off to FLAPS with your battery now!

[986Rick]

how old is the battery?

possibly clogged fuel filter, pressure regulator?

I've seen cranky batteries on boats do odd things to other systems like demonic possessions. You battery is under voltage for starting.

How old is it? Have you charged it externally and do you have a load tester? If not off to FLAPS with your battery now!

Well, the battery is only 2-1/2 years old. Fortunately, I bought it from Costco (about a week after I bought the car, which still had the OEM battery in it...but that's a different story).

On a whim, I decided to take advantage of Costco's beyond excellent return policy, and got a fresh battery up in South City.

Just finished dropping it in. this time I had all the access panels off and could see everything that was going on. There was a slight "burning rubber" smell that I didn't think much of before (mostly because the engine has a bit of burn off from poorly managed oil separator maintenance from the prior owner), but after cranking the motor with the fresh battery, it was totally obvious what was going on.

My alternator is as frozen as a woolly mammoth in a glacier. All the other pulley's spin, but the alternator is acting like a brake on the serpentine belt. I'm guessing that the alternator died and seized up(?)

I won't know for sure, of course, until I get a new part on Monday from Parts Heaven. Probably do the serpentine and the ignition switch both anyway for good measure, as both probably could stand replacing.

I guess I should ask the question, though, "is there anything I might be missing that would lock the alternator?"

I think not, but it wouldn't be the first time I "thought" I was sure....

Thanks again guys, and I will post regardless of the outcome. Maybe even DIY the alternator swap-out(?)

I'll definitely do some FA on the alternator as well.

-Rick

PS: When you think about it, daaaayum, that starter motor has some bad-a** torque to be able to turn the motor with a seized pulley under tension. wow.

Edited August 18, 2008 by 986Rick

[rsfeller]

Boy I haven't seen a alternator lock up in years on any modern car but that would explain it!

http://mike.focke.googlepages.com/replacingyouralternator