[Scottish968]

<!--fonto:Verdana--><!--/fonto--><!--sizeo:2--><!--/sizeo-->So here's the problem. After 5 minutes of running the 'Check engine ' light comes on, stays on for 5 or son seconds and then off.......i can detect no pattern other than it comes on frequently and then goes off. Concurrently I have started to have trouble starting the car. It sometimes takes 5-8 tries !! Related hmmn ? My garage has checked out the codes, replaced the oxygen sensor and can find nothing wrong. It says its running rich on one of the codes but my men say that everything is running perfectly....stumped we all are. Me,I hate driving with a bloody check engine light coming on AND a sporty cool 968 Porsche stuttering to start up in public !!! Pleeeze !<!--sizec-->
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[flash]

have you tried cleaning the MAF yet?

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[Cloud9...68]

Could it be the DME relay? At least for the hard start symptom?

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[flash]

i doubt it - when those things fail, it's more like an on or off thing

it is likely a control, like the MAF or something like that - could also be a very dirty injector

i don't understand how it can say that it is running rich, but they say it is all running perfectly, AND you have symptoms - obviously if it says it's running rich, and you have symptoms, it's not running perfectly

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[Kim]

take off and then reseat the variocam switch on top of the engine. Also check the hall sender switch on the engine just around the PS fluid reservoir. if they are loose the CEL will come on and off.

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[Scottish968]

I am going to take all these ideas to my mechanic, thank you so much men :-)

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[Ceenit]

I had a very similar issue. I replaced the o2Sensor, and while it minimized the problem, the light would still come on occasionally.

I was using a Bosche universal sensor as a replacement, which worked fine, however the connections had to be spliced and were therefore more sensitive to any variability. Once I redid the connections a second time, the light never came back on.

Good luck.

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[Langley968]

I was out on Sunday going for a nice cruise with my wife and I also had the "Check Engine" light come on and off a few times. [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/ohmy.gif[/img] I think that it went away whenever I drove over a slight bump in the road. Any ideas which sensor wire/connection might be loose?
I also had problems with starting about four days ago, but that was for sure a <b>starter </b>issue. The engine would turn over a few times and then the starter would disengage and spin freely. When I turned the ignition off and as the starter stopped spinning, there would be a slight grinding noise. It took me about five tries before the car started. It happened twice that day and since then I have not had it happen again. I remember similar symptoms from many years ago on my VW Rabbit. In that case I took the starter out, cleaned it, and after putting it back in, never had a problem again. Does someone think this might do the trick? [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/huh.gif[/img]

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[flash]

the parking brake will do this too - the sensor at the base of the handle get buggered - there should be a parking brake light too though if it is that

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[DaveN]

Yup, Bendix drive spring getting stuck or possibly broken. Do the solonoid contacts while you're in there.

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[Langley968]

Thanks for the "parking brake" tip Flash. I did not see if the Parking Brake Light was also on, but I will look better next time. I was driving around with the wife and I did not want to discuss it with her. She might get the idea that the 968 is a "money pit" and it is too early in the ownership stage to have her even think in that direction! [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif[/img]
Thanks Dave for the reply on the starter issue. I will search the Forum for a thread that might assist with the removal/cleaning/repair of the starter. Sounds like a good sunny Saturday project. I have the 968 Workshop Manual (downloaded all 700+ pages at work [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif[/img] ) which I will check before I "dig in".

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[banditsc]

The reference sensor could also cause a poor starting issue. When it's cranking like that check if the tach needle is moving. Another option is fuel pressure, there is a check valve at the fuel pump, if that is bad the fuel pressure will drain off back into the tank, which will cause you to have to build up the pressure again on the next start.

I'm wondering if I even have a check engine light, never saw one come on before on my car. I just drove 100 miles with 3 cylinders and the computers could have cared less.

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[Kim]

If yours has not come on just turn the key to the on position. It should light up. The bulb (and perhaps others of equal importance) may be burned out in the dash. That merits attention.

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[banditsc]

The light definitely works, I think it's just a differing opinion on what I think should trip the light and what the car thinks. We have a bit of a love hate relationship going on as of late.

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