Hi guys. I've been on 6speed for quite a few years, but haven't posted anything for quite a while. So... had to get a new user name and password to ask my question. I guess I might look like a newbie, but I' very familiar with the site and all the good help that it is. Here's my problem:

I have a 1999 996 Cabriolet. It has a 997 turbo style body (Techart) which you'll see in the video link. My problem: The car ran SUPER nice. I'd say perfect.
I don't drive the car... as it's not quite finished. But I do keep the battery juiced up, and start it every week or so. I've started it probably 100+ times in a row, with absolutely zero issues. It has only 42K miles. Zero smoke upon start up.
A week ago, it just decided to no start up. It will crank and crank away, but just won't turn over. I sprayed a bit of starter fluid just to see if that would be the "bump" it needs to get going. But it simply won't stay running.
Please check out the video (Youtube) and give me your (semi) professional opinions. ;o)


I put a brand new MAF sensor in it today and it made absolutely no change.
I also happened to get a brand new Optima battery in the shop today, and decided to see if my old battery had given up the ghost. No such luck. The video shows the car cranking with new MAF sensor and the new battery installed. Any ideas?

*Also recently: The cab top stopped working. It's stuck in the down position now. It will run it's course until it's actually time for the top itself to start going up. All I hear at that point is some relays in the two quarter windows, clicking. Quarter windows do nothing.
Top doesn't go up.
I've tired the key in the door lock trick. The top does the same thing as it does when I use the switch on the dash.

Thanks for whoever can throw some good advise at me. ;o) Seems like it would be something VERY easy to fix... because the car has had no issues in the past w/ top or starting.

 

Possibly ignition switch? Do you hear the fuel pump run?

 

So, you seem to say that it actually started with the starting fluid, but it wouldn't stay running... This would point to a fuel issue, since the two things needed for the car to run are Fuel (starting fluid) and spark. It seems that the spark is there as the car ran for a short period on the starting fluid. Once the starting fluid burned off, the car stopped running. I'd start at the fuel tank - does it have gas in it? Fuel pump ? Can you hear it (FP) running? If not, check fuses/relays. Next in line are filters etc... Work your way all the way to the injectors...I'm pretty sure if you do this you'll find the culprit somewhere along the line. Whatever you do, do it methodically and in a linear fashion and only replace parts that are confirmed to be bad/not working. Throwing parts at it ***** nilly (i.e. MAF) will only deplete your bank account and not necessarily get you any closer to finding the problem. Good Luck


*** I just watched the video...Fuel issue for sure! Don't crank it for more than it should normally take to turn over (usually no more than a few seconds) If you keep doing this you're going to create more problems than you have now :-)

 

Fuel, do you hear the pump? I would suggest the fuel has gone stale and possibly clogged injectors or the fuel filter.

 

Yup i would say it's a fuel issue also. When did you last start it an how old is the fuel in the tank? Has she been sat for years as you say you haven't been driving her?

 

If I turn the key (one notch) should I hear the fuel pump buzz? (Something I didn't pay attention to before). Right now if I turn the key just a bit (right before it tries starting) I
hear nothing. I know with the old 911's (70s-80s) you'd hear the buzz of the fuel pump.
Hopefully this is the culprit.

 

Ain't got no gas.

 

Since I have a new fuel filter, figured I'd change that. But what a challenge.
The fuel filter is blocked form easy removal , by all the lines running under the car. It's like trying to break someone out of jail... all those lines. I can't imagine having to remove an entire line to get out the filter. I also (for some reason) can find anything on the internet, if there is a trick to removing it. There has to be... 'cause Porsche couldn't have made it this difficult to remove. Anybody have experience?

After the filter's been removed (& replaced) then onto testing the fuel pump.

PS: I cant seem to get any buzzing sound out of it (pump) to tell me it's alive.
If remove the relay, use the jumper wire I hand made, should I get a buzzing
sound out of the fuel pump as soon as I touch the last end of the "jumper" wire where the relay used to be? PS: I saw the "jumper wire idea on anther thread on this site.

 

Ok... latest update to the problem.

I bypassed the relay. Fuel pump works like a charm. If I had a match, I could have made an awesome flamethrower.

I just replaced the fuel filter. Then tested the old filter by lightly blowing into it.
Gas came out the other side (no problem).

Conclusion:
I have a working fuel pump.
I have a new fuel filter.

Seems that gas is not getting back to the engine to start.
Next step? or potential problem/issue?

 

FIXED IT. Problem solved!!! Car starts.

 

Ok...what was the corrective action?

Function12: One of my favorite lines!

 

I actually don't know what got the car started. I can't imagine the fuel filter was clogged... because I could blow into it with such slight pressure, that the gas blew out the other end effortlessly.

Fule pump worked.

Maybe there was some sort of vapor/gas lock? Once a few gallons of fuel drained out the fuel hose (from changing the filter) that might have gotten rid of a vapor type lock?

 

MrOz: Interesting!? Who knows. Good thing is it is running again. Thanks for the feedback. Knowledge for the future is a good thing.

 

I know there can be some sort of issue caused by the Gas Cap. Make sure you have a Porsche OEM gas cap - not some other brand.

 

"I actually don't know what got the car started. I can't imagine the fuel filter was clogged... because I could blow into it with such slight pressure, that the gas blew out the other end effortlessly.
Fuel pump worked."

Didn't you say you removed the fuel pump relay and bypassed it with a straight wire? Did you replace the relay with a new one, or just put the old one back in and it works? It's possible that the relay just needed to be re-seated. If there was a connection problem, I would recommend removing the relays in that block one at a time, cleaning the terminals and reseating them. Congrats on getting it running!