Continuing issue with poor start/smell of fuel - UPDATE 😂

Hi everyone, I haven't got to post on here as frequently as I wanted to over COVID - to cut a long story short, my wife is a medical front-line worker, and caught COVID. So the car and issues went wayyyyy to the back of the queue. Thankfully, she's getting over it now and life needs to continue. As does getting back to fixing the minor issues. But I hope this post finds you all both safe and well in these troubling times. The car willl have done 2,000 miles between MOTs However, in readiness for the automotive rectal probe, I want to get a few little things sorted out. This refers to another thread that I started pre-lockdown, but I noticed back when it was much colder that the car would sometimes struggle to start, and when this happened, it required some additional throttle. There was then a smell of fuel. - other thread is HERE Now, a BIG shout-out to DeMort. Such a massive help and pointed me to a few things. The starting has got better since the warmer weather, so temperature seems to play a part. I'm looking through the cheaper options first - and some of the sensors (such as the coolant sensor) are a cheap replacement to see if it fixes the issue - before looking at the fuel pump. So looking at 996 KATALOG, of course, there's more than one option for the sensor: Ascertaining which one is a little challenging - to replace it involves airbox removal (for access to the sensor) and a bowl to catch the coolant that will come forth once I undo the sensor - so I'm holding off right now until I've got the sensor Back to 996 KATALOG: 996 606 405 01 (for M96.01/02/04) - found it on Design911 - https://www.design911.co.uk/fu/prod3394/Oil-Temperature-Sensor-Porsche-986---996/ OR https://www.design911.co.uk/fu/prod140482/Oil-temperature-sensor-Porsche-Boxster-986---996/ 996 606 410 00 (for M96.03) - the other option So, looking for reassurance that I'm looking at the right part for an MY00 996.1 3.4L IF it's a new fuel pump, again, there's a choice of 2 codes on 996 KATALOG - 996 620 132 00? PS fixed the vacuum pipe and YES - I've noticed a difference when the butterfly opens at 3k. So has my MPG (but I expect that might be over-fuelling more than "performance increase")..... This isn't going to beat me So for any advice, I thank you in advance Dan

Dan its good to see you back young man .. My wife is also front line , its a constant worry but unlike your wife she has not caught it yet .. a worrying time and i trust your wife is fully recovered ? It's a nasty illness thats for sure . Im at the logging off stage of an evening and so haven't caught up on the previous thread but going forward have you got any kind of fault code reader or tester ? In short some actual values of sensors or fault codes would help a lot .. throwing things like temp sensor at the car will achieve little i feel other than to lighten your wallet .. Always possible but i can count on one hand how many temps sensors i've replaced on these over the years . Ill catch up on previous thread tomorrow ... tired and hungry now lol .

Just a thought could a leaky fuel rail cause the issues?

I just read my last reply to you .. I think you are right and put a temp sensor on it if only to eliminate it. Site i use for looking up parts .. https://www.deroure.com/diagrams.asp?TBL=2522&MAK=3&MDL=25&SMA=0&SMO=0&ST=&SC=0 It explains the x2 types of sensor with what looks like one for the 3.4 and the other for the 3.6 .... its no. 27 / 27b

Apologies about the late reply - a weekend of back-breaking gardening left me broken and whimpering Cheers DeMort Yeh, the CV19 issue was scary - her and the rest of her team caught it. Thankfully none were put on ventilation, but she did get a suspected blood clot on her lung due to the "sticky blood". There's nothing more scary than having to drop your loved one off at the door of A&E and saying, "See you later", not knowing if that's actually going to be the case. BUT she lives to fight another day - hope you (and to be fair, all other members) don't get to witness this - certainly a life-affirming moment. Anyhoo, back the car - thanks for the link to the sensor. I think for the price, it makes sense just to do it as an elimination issue. I had thought fuel rail, but it's only on startup. Then it goes back to the more traditional method of losing fuel I've been looking at the fuel pump as well, as there's an outside chance it's this as well - but (a) it looks like a messy job, and (b) all the hoses etc, I'm bound to feck it up I've got a code reader, but TBH, I don't know what I'd be looking for - coolant temp? Dan

Once you have tried the temp sensor and if it doesn't cure it I'm sure there is enough info on here regarding the fuel pump. But before the pump you need to test the fuel system for pressure and pressure loss once the engine is tuned off.

Re: Continuing issue with poor start/smell of fuel Fingers-crossed for you that it's just a temperature sensor Dan. I had exactly the same issue exactly a year ago. It was an even cheaper fix for me as they did it under warranty BUT unfortunately it was 60 miles from home and outside a pub when it wouldn't start = very embarrassing. I'd let my AA lapse so it actually cost me £100+ recovery to nearest OPC, £20 to a mate for a lift home and £30 train fare when I went to collect it. :sad:

Check for any fault codes .. If there's anything on fuel adaptations then take a few picts .. post here or email me .

Well the good news is no fault codes I've got a load of live data from the reader plugged in, but due to a case of COVID battery (it's foooked), I'll have to try again in the morning when the car's actually able to run Bl00dy things Dan Ps thanks to T8 & Infrasilver for their input :thumbs:

update So, I gave up trying to post photos - seems to have got even harder. Forums are still really lagging behind social media https://photos.app.goo.gl/YBTbhV7HAzyRRhoU6 https://photos.app.goo.gl/T4qvpSkSd4RuhQgT9 https://photos.app.goo.gl/egHTEgCgPZpK9SSLA https://photos.app.goo.gl/JBoWonum4WiRsDFL6 https://photos.app.goo.gl/NPHA8xJZjQ7n5NdX7 I *think* this will work. Live data from code reader (no codes either) - yes, I'm also aware that there's not much fuel in the car Dan

Well, that's been a fun week or so 😂 I've got to the bottom of my starting/fuel issue. All came to light after an MOT. I'd initially fitted that coolant temperature sensor and it did make a bit of a difference. The old one wasn't in the greatest of shape. So I thought I'd nailed it. Then the MOT came back with a MAHOOSIVE fail. Emissions. FFS. The one bank came back with HCs in the 1000s! 😂 hmm poorly. Got it home and started looking in a bit more depth with my OBD reader and another phone app. The result was what looked like a dodgy lambda. But at no point did the car throw a faulty code. I also thought to test for an air leak, but no issues there. Now this is where I put my hands up and say that I made a mistake. The faulty lambda came up on bank 2. I thought that the lambdas/cats crossed over, so I immediately looked a the LEFT cat Success! The lambda's crush washer had completely disintegrated and the sensor was wobbling about in the cat hole. Ordered a new one and waited to fit it. Fast-forward to fitting day: fitted the new sensor, (It went in quite easily due to being so loose: lucky as they can be a real pig!) Plugged in the phone reader and the oscilloscope still read and no voltage on bank 2. WTF! Then it twigged: the exhaust crosses over AFTER the cat 😂😂😂😂😂 doh! But as luck would have it, had I not ballsed-up, I wouldn't have seen the badly attached lambda. Cue ordering ANOTHER lambda for the other side.😂 Bumper off, cat off, and through some very careful/gentle "persuasion" and the 2nd faulty lambda came out! Had some help with that tbh. New lambda fitted, code reader/app now seeing lots of wobbly waveforms as the car relearns the long term trims. Starts first time, no stink of fuel, no hunting. All good. Took down for its MOT retest, and IT flew through 😂😂😂 But it's worth checking your lambdas. Books states replacement every 30k, but I suspect mine were possibly original. The crush washers had completely rusted/disintegrated. Oh and the car's done 2000 mile since the last MOT 😂😂😂 I'd take it for a drive but my local petrol station is out of Super 😂 Dan :thumbs:

Great heads up on the lambda's, I might order 2 and replace with the coil packs as a matter of course.

:thumbs: They were from eBay about £45 each. Just be mindful that if they're in there good, you may need to get medieval with them albeit gently. If you round it off (assuming you've got a split socket for the lambda) you are royally screwed tbh. Might be teaching the granny to suck eggs, but if you're taking the cat off to do it, you'll need new gaskets too (one per side ) I got those from ECP for about £4 each. Dan

Cheers for the tips Dan. :thumb:

I have a lamda split socket and it's never been able to undo a seized lamda. It doesn't take much torque for it to open out and then it rounds the lamda. What does work is to use a grinder to cut the gubbins off the top of the thing then put a six sided socket over it and use heat and a breaker bar. I found that both of mine were cross threaded so had to re-tap the holes in the cat pipes to avoid the same from happening again when I put the new ones in.