Rookie to this site needs help! - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

Ok, I'm new, not only to this site but any site such as this...so forgive me if i am doing or asking anything inappropriate. With that said, can anybody send me in a logical direction as my 02 S with 22k just died while driving it today and will crank but not re-start. This is my first problem with this car. Flat bedded it back home. Looking for a logical beginning ...you know start with the easy (hopeful) stuff. Any ideas?

if the idle has been or started to get dippy before it died then its likely the MAF sensor gone bad, a good way to test it is to disconnect the connector to it and try starting it again, if it starts then MAF is bad. Also you can let the engine cool down for 3 hours and try again and it should start back up... has something todo with the bad MAF giving off a incorrect intake air-temp or air velocity reading once the engine and the bay has warmed up

Idle had been fine. In fact, car ran perfect. Driving at about 40 and just shut off. Car has sat about 5 hours now. Still does not re-start...so would you say rule out the MAS? (I hope I replied using the correct format) Thanks CJ

Was it leaking oil, and/or did you hear what sounded like a coin rattling around in the engine? If yes, it could be IMS or RMS, but hopefully it is something simpler, and less expensive. If it just shut off for no reason, with no warning, I wonder if your key battery died and activated the immobilizer? If could be a lot of different things, more detail would help.

Why would a RMS leak cause the engine to die and not start?

If the RMS seal was leaking prior to the car dying, then it is possible that an RMS failure occurred where all the oil drains out of the engine and destroys it. Then when you try to restart the car later, the electric start would work, but the engine would not start.

....ims???

IMS = Intermediate Shaft Failure It is very likely that neither a RMS or IMS failure has occurred, but whenever I hear someone say their engine died, these are the first two causes I think of. I think the best course of action, is to take it to your mechanic and have him figure out what has happened.

No Oil leaks whatsoever. No noises that I could hear. It just shut off like it lost complete fuel pressure or ignition....which maybe it did but I was hoping for a fusible link problem or something like that. I want to exhaust any possible cures I can complete at home before loading it back on a flatbed, which was quite an ordeal today, and going to a dealer. In my experience, dealers always damage something else on cars they work on....paint etc...I am stupidly fussy and will do all I can to avoid them even if I have a warranty.

Cjweiss, You should be able to troubleshoot this down to the system. I'd love to draw this out in a trouble tree but this should work; First, does it turn over? Yes, do you have spark? Yes, do you have fuel? Yes, do you have compression? If you have all of those the car should start. No to the first using the starter, push it and stick it in gear and see if the engine will turn over that way...if not, its locked up and its time to cry. No to the second on all cylinders, possible ECU failure (its not telling the plugs when to fire). No to the third, check your fuel pump for power (not running?, fuse). Good?, check your fuel filter. No to the fourth, possible skipped timing but doubtful. BTW, what part of the land of cow **************** and beer farts are you in? I'm from 100 miles north of Green Bay and a die hard Packer fan and shareholder.

This isn't my area of expertise, but let's recap so we can be clear: The car died, with no prior warning, oil leak, or noise. The starter sounds but the car won't turn over. It seemed like the ignition/fuel lost pressure. So basically it just stopped working, without any noise. It definately does not sound like RMS or IMS which is great. It sound to me more like an electrical problem. Fuse? Maybe a vacuum leak (you said it lost pressure?)

does it have gas?...is the tank empty? really, no joke. i remember my wife calling me years ago when her truck died and would not restart. just needed some fuel.

Yeah, the first thing I thought of was the most obvious...gas...but tank guage shows 1/4 tank and on board computer shows 81 miles left...probably unlikely that both are wrong but I am going to add more just to be safe...again, car turns over (cranks) as normal. I just want to eliminate the possibly easy stuff first hoping its a fuse type thing before tearing the car apart and starting with normal progression...checking spark/gas etc. If I had to guess I'd say the fuel pump either went or is not getting a signal. Thanks to all who have responded trying to help me...keep those ideas coming...they are appreciated!

Out of gas? These cars don't like to run below 1/4 tank. Sometimes the fuel gauge is off. Bad ignition switch?

Sorry CJ, (no-relation) I think your going to have to start looking for reputible Indy Porsche Mechanics now, cause things like Compression Testing and Fuel Pressure readings are alittle beyond the average DIY'er unless you have the pressure gauges and the williness to get greasy & constantly run back and fourth from the engine bay to the drivers seat over and over again till u find the issue.

Cjweiss, Did you pull a plug yet? After spinning over the motor you should be able to pull one out and see a wet plug, fuel soaked. If its dry you have a fuel problem, wet and you have a ignition problem.

Was your car recently wet? Washed? Left outside in the rain? Wet carpet, esp. under the drivers seat?

No, car wasn't wet, it's a perfect weather driven car only. I have not dismantled this car to get to the motor which I was dreading having to do, to do any testing. I think I will see what a scanner picks up first...if anything. Thanks guys.

Accessing the engine takes less than ten minutes, and in very easy, so I wouldn't worry about that. While your back there check your drains (search for instructions), it is good idea to do so occasionally.

Hey Topless, I finally got the time to do something with my non running car since I had it flat bedded back home. Put gas in it and it started....you were right...guage showed 1/4 tank with 81 miles left on trip computer. Please share with me what you have expeirenced to know that these guages can go off and as you say, "don't like to run below a 1/4 of a tank". I'm sure I've been to a low fuel light in the past and never had a problem before. Obviously, I must have been bone dry as even the flat bed ride home didn't move any gas around to re-start it...you the man!!!