Engine still dies - and getting worse

[colin129]

Further to my recent post 'engine dies momentarily'.

Things are getting much worse.

The engine cuts out in the following circumstances:

1. Starting from cold, after about half a mile, the engine cuts out. It will start again straight away, but will die either immediately or soon after. After doing this several times, it tends to be alright.
2. Starting when the engine is hot, e.g. after stopping to buy petrol. After about half a mile engine cuts out, again will start straight away again but will keeping cutting out 5 to 10 times before finally keeping going.

The last time I posted, the DME was suggested, I finally got round to changing this this morning (£17.10 + VAT from OPC including 10% PCGB discount), fully confident, the engine died as I turned onto the M4, in very heavy traffic and took many goes before it would run again without stopping. So, not the DME, unless I have a faulty one that is (It was date stamped a year ago).

I am waiting for JZ to get back to me, also does any one have Burt Gear's number handy, he is usually pretty helpful.

I'm hoping it will be some sensor somewhere, its spoiling my enjoyment [] and I guess I must be putting a lot of strain on the starter motor and battery with the constant restarting required.

Any cheap/easy fix suggestions are welcome!!

I guess I will need to change my signature until it is fixed [&o]

 

[944turboS]

Good Luck


Bert Gear
Berlyn Services
(Independent Porsche parts supplier)
01271 866818
buy on line at www.partsforporsche.co.uk

 

[John Sims]

ORIGINAL: sweetea


......If you want to have somebody look at it (and resolve it for you), contact ProMAX Motorsport on .........

Or your OPC, or your local Porsche Specialist Independent.

 

[colin129]

ORIGINAL: John Sims

ORIGINAL: sweetea


......If you want to have somebody look at it (and resolve it for you), contact ProMAX Motorsport on .........

Or your OPC, or your local Porsche Specialist Independent.

I agree, with you, there are other options.

Anyway, she finally threw her toys out of the pram last night and is being taken in disgrace to JZ Machtech to sort things out. Best guess is that it is an ignition problem, possibly the crankshaft sensor.

Will report for information later....

 

[John Maddox]

Are you sorted now??

 

[colin129]

Latest is that they think the ECU is busted, but they were waiting for another S2 to come in so they could swop around the ECUs to find out if that is correct. [X(]

I think (hope) that they can be repaired for far less money than a new one would cost. []

Anyone else heard of ECUs going and potential replacement/repair costs? I need to decide which credit card this is going to go on. []

 

[944turboS]

A second hand one is about £200 IIRC
But see here for repairs
http://www.porscheclubgbforum.com/tm.asp?m=167912&mpage=1&key=ecu&#167912

 

[chrisdenton]

Sounds excactly the same problem as my S2 had. Got a second hand ecu from Jon Mitchel 01202 462951. Problem solved. About £170 IIRC.

Before you change the ECU have you tried cleaning the AFM or replacing the idle control valve?

Edited as I see from your earlier post you've already tried the dme relay

 

[colin129]

Sorry to be thick...but IIRC????

 

[944turboS]

If
I
Recall
Correctly

 

[colin129]

Very bad news.....VERY BAD NEWS [][][][][][]

It tuns out the ECU has busted....

This is approx £400-£500 to repair (although if they can not repair, then I still have to pay for the assessment)

OR

£744 for a genuine new one from Porsche

OR

Second hand - should be around half the price of a new one, though little in the way of a guarantee and could pack up because it will be coming off a car of a similiar age to mine.

So do I dig deep and get the peace of mind of a new unit?

 

[Guest]

Ouch! Thats a bit steep.

Have a go at contacting 944psi http://www.porscheclubgbforum.com/showProfile.asp?memid=6258

He was breaking an S2 a while ago and may still have the DME lying around. I wouldn't bank on it though.

 

[Fen]

I'm glad you found the cause, but since 2 people on this thread have said they got ECUs for £200 or less, how is it going to cost half of £744 or £500? They don't commonly fail so just buy a used one (check the version you have as there is more than one for the S2) and plug it in. Job done and no need for a specialist or mechanic to do it as it literally plugs in. Without wishing to sound rude if you consider £200 an expensive fix then maybe Porsche isn't the marque for you.

 

[944turboS]

Start ringing the usual breakers:
Porschapart - 07000 924 944
Douglas Valley - 01257 472866
CMS - 01952 234 924
Lodge - 0161 371 5598
Discount 9 - 01656 740991

 

[colin129]

ORIGINAL: Fen

Without wishing to sound rude if you consider £200 an expensive fix then maybe Porsche isn't the marque for you.

Yes, but I do consider nearly £900 (including VAT) a lot of money. Without wishing to sound rude, if you don't consider this to be expensive, maybe you are driving the wrong car?

Unfortunately, some of us have to use our cars as daily drivers and do not have the luxury of buying such expensive toys. I'm sorry, but surely this is the sort of attitude which results in 996/997 drivers looking down their noses at us 'cheap' Porsche drivers and not flashing or waving as we go by?

I have now owned mine for 9 years and driven it 110K miles in that time. It still gives me a thrill when I get in it and I consider myself very lucky to drive such a fantastic car. I spend a lot of money maintaining it in sound mechanical condition, but this is usually only once a year, so this is an unexpected expense.

I am quite surprised by your post as you are one of the most active on the forum and you should realise that, since our cars are available from less than £500 upto £300K, they are owned by people from all walks of life.

Thats the end of my rant............

However....point taken about ECUs not breaking down very often, so this seems to be the most cost effective route.

 

[Fen]

Regardless of whether or not I consider £900 to be expensive it is not going to cost £900, nor £750, nor even £500. Two separate posters said a used ECU would cost £200 max, hence there is no point getting excited about the cost of a new one. It's a £200 fix you can do yourself, and realistically you don't fix much on these cars for under £200. I am one of the most active on the forum and I make no apology for getting frustrated when people ask questions, someone takes the time to answer them and then the original poster doesn't take any notice.

 

[colin129]

The garage suggested that a second hand unit should cost half the price of a new unit, they are currently trying to locate one for me, but I won't know how much for until they get back to me. The issue is, if its £350 to £400 for a second hand unit, am I better off with the peace of mind of buying a new unit. If they locate one for £200, then I will go with the second hand unit, on the basis that you said they don't often fail.

I am merely considering my options, I don't consdier that I have ignored anyone's advice.

 

[944turboS]

I would get on the phone myself tomorrow & one of the numbers I have listed above will turn a unit up for about £200. Then as Fen rightly pointed out it is just a matter of plugging it in, replacing the passenger footboard and your mobile again. Approx £200 + £5P&P + half an hour of your time all up, problem solved.

 

[colin129]

ORIGINAL: 944turboS

I would get on the phone myself tomorrow & one of the numbers I have listed above will turn a unit up for about £200. Then as Fen rightly pointed out it is just a matter of plugging it in, replacing the passenger footboard and your mobile again. Approx £200 + £5P&P + half an hour of your time all up, problem solved.

Thanks for the help...

 

[chrisdenton]

ORIGINAL: colin129

ORIGINAL: 944turboS

I would get on the phone myself tomorrow & one of the numbers I have listed above will turn a unit up for about £200. Then as Fen rightly pointed out it is just a matter of plugging it in, replacing the passenger footboard and your mobile again. Approx £200 + £5P&P + half an hour of your time all up, problem solved.

Thanks for the help...

Be aware Colin. When these chaps say things like half an hour and problem solved they haven't allowed for the "Chris Factor" . This is a very strange state of affairs where a simple half hour job becomes an all dayer and usually involves a lot of swearing and several trips to Halfords for that missing Torx Bolt driver thingy.....[]

However, in this case it is impossible to go wrong.......probably.