[Rigione]

This morning my 968 would not start. All of the instrument lights light when key is turned and you hear a click from the starter trying to engage when you turn the key to the start position. The battery voltage at the terminals reads 12.6. Please help any ideas are greatly appreciated.



Anthony

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[Darryl]

Just 'cause a battery reads 12V does not necessarily mean that it will supply enough current to crank the car. Try the obvious stuff first, starting with a jump box or jump start from another vehicle and check the connections/read the voltage at the starter terminals. Good luck and keep us updated.



- Darryl

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[tamathumper]

You might also have the beginnings of Gummy Starter Syndrome. Search on the forum for that if you suspect so.

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[SILVY968]

I agree. This is what GSS sounds like. If the jump does not work, go to local parts store and they will have the starter for WWWWAAAAAYYYY less that Porsche wants. All they need is the car info. Re-built is fine.

Brian

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[Cloud9...68]

Sounds like the battery to me. Try turning on the wipers - if they move significantly slower than normal, that's an indication the battery is weak. Best of luck.

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[DaveN]

Sounds like the contacts in the starter. They take a lot of high current in their life and the years of arcing will create an insulated area. The started will click but very little current will pass so the armature doesn't get the juice to turn.

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[Rigione]

Thanks for the replys. I appreciate everyone's opinion. In the meantime I placed the battery on a charger to top it off and even tried starting it with the charger on as a boost and still the same results just a click. In the past few weeks the starter ocassionally turned slowly so I am assuming I have gummy starter syndrome or warn contacts. Now I need to get the car to a garage because I don't feel comfortable removing the starter by myself. Thanks everyone.

Anthony

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[tamathumper]

It's one of the easiest jobs to do, if you feel like getting started wrenching on your own.

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[Cloud9...68]

[quote name='tamathumper' timestamp='1342219538' post='129318']

It's one of the easiest jobs to do, if you feel like getting started wrenching on your own.

[/quote]

Yep - if you have the facilities, all you need is a jack, a pair of sturdy jack stands, a 17 mm socket, a 17 mm open-end or box wrench to remove the two bolts holding it in place, and a 13 mm wrench to remove the cables (iirc).

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[tamathumper]

That's about it. You might need a 10mm wrench to get the solenoid cable off the starter, but all the bolts are very accessible and everything's right there on the bottom of the car - you don't have to move other stuff to get to it, and there's nothing else to do "while you're in there".

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[DaveN]

"and there's nothing else to do "while you're in there".

Sure there is Tama - time to replace the clutch slave and hose "while you're there" <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/laugh.png" class="smilie" alt="" />

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[Lear35A]

As we're learning, it's the time to look at the red with black stripe wire that goes from the starter to the ignition switch. I'm waiting for somebody, anybody, to check theirs and say the insulation on it is good

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[Lear35A]

Here's a question for you electrical guys....if the red/bk wire does short to the heavy wire that runs to the starter and then to the battery, could that lead to the starting problem Anthony (the OP) described?

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[tamathumper]

The red cable with the black stripe that goes from the starter to the two-pin electrical connection just above the brake booster (and then perhaps on to the ignition switch, I did not check) is the one on my car that was toasted, cracked, and that I just rebuilt/replaced (in addition to the bare main cable from the starter to the alternator).



Here's the actual post showing the photos of that cable.



http://www.968forums.com/topic/12460-rep..._p__129247

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[Lear35A]

Yeah, it goes to the ignition switch to energize the starter solenoid when you turn the key. That's why at least one mode of this failure leads to the starter turning by itself. The circuit is on wiring diagram 97 and the white connector is T24.

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[tamathumper]

To answer your second question, yes. When the insulation on both cables fails and they short together, the starter turns. I don't understand why they are routed in the same sheath, it makes no sense.

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