GT3 won't start ? - Page 2 - 911/Carrera GT - PistonHeads UK

Guys, can anyone offer some experience ? Car hadn't been started for 2 mths so I pulled fuse C4 today (fuel pump) to crank it to raise oil pressure a little before starting. Cranked for 3-4s no problem, released and went to crank again but it sounded like the battery was dying (strange as it had been on a C-tek which was showing full charge), so I released and when I tried to turn again nothing. I presumed the battery was knackered and was on my way out anyway, so plugged a charger in and left it. Battery is now definitely fully charged but car still won't turn over, no clicking, no dimming of ignition lights or anything. I've also tried it with jumpers from the wife's X5. The more I think about it now I'm sure there was an electrical burning smell but thought nothing of it at the time.. Durametric is showing zero fault codes. Gut feeling is maybe the starter motor has burnt out but it's showed no signs of failing previously. Is there an easy way to test or could it be something else ??

Engine to chassis earth strap corrosion?

£10k refresh time

Ade, maybe I should sell it for 10K ! Nick, where is the earth strap ? Is it easy to get to ?? I don't have much space in the garage and if I push it out onto the gravel drive, it's going to be a nightmare trying to get it back in.

sounds like your battery is toast... I'd try a new Bosch / Exide one first.

Ade, would the battery still cause that while jumped from another car ? It was showing 13.7V with the jump leads on and still showing 12.9V now. There's no clicking sound or anything when I turn the key.

Possibly faulty ignition barrel switch Mike? You'll get warning lights but no connection to starter circuit. If you smelt burning in the cabin it may be this. If you smelt burning in the engine compartment area then probably not. I take it the car is still unlocking and locking properly and you have dash lights? If so you can rule out the alarm side of things. Good luck.

Cheers Mark, pretty sure smell was coming from the rear. Both fobs working all lights on dash, just nothing happens at all when twisted to start, no noise, no dimming of ignition lights, nothing. I'm gonna have to try and get under it to check the earth strap, I could try and bump it to get to a garage but not sure I could guarantee not stalling it

If the earth strap turns out ok I'd get a load tester on the battery. Disconnect it first though but it could still be the battery. Edited by Isysman on Monday 23 June 11:18

Thanks guys, I'll swap the battery with my daily driver at the weekend. Does anyone have a pic showing the location if the Earth strap (space is really tight in my garage and I don't want to fact around for an hour cursing) ?

Sitting two months mice could have at the car and the burning smell you smelled was some wiring frying. Before you throw another battery in the car -- which based on what you wrote probably won't do anything but possibly ruin an otherwise perfectly good battery -- you should carefully inspect the car, from the battery cables to whatever of the engine wiring harness you can see for any signs of rodent damage.

Def. no mice Rockster, it's in an air chamber. All electrics are working fine, apart from starter.

mikem7709 said: Def. no mice Rockster, it's in an air chamber. All electrics are working fine, apart from starter. battery or sticky/dicky starter !!

Hoping it's just the battery as it's gone flat to the point where the charger wouldn't recognise it before but not holding out much hope. I've ordered a new ignition switch but the current one feels fine.

mikem7709 said: Ade, would the battery still cause that while jumped from another car ? It was showing 13.7V with the jump leads on and still showing 12.9V now. There's no clicking sound or anything when I turn the key. I'm no expert but it could still be the battery. Had this on one of my TVRs where the voltage on the battery was strong but I just could not get it to start. Turned out to be a dead battery (amperes I think?). So you need an amp meter to check for amps as volts don't give the full picture.

My money would be on the starter gone bust.

noneedtolift said: My money would be on the starter gone bust. good quality starter motors like the Bosch ones fitted to early GT3 will usually give you a warning sign that they are I need of an overhaul and will never just stop working after you leave a car for two months... the battery on a fifteen year old 911 that has been sat idle for a few months will more often than not let you down from experience. but if by chance it is the starter then they can be overhauled for a small service charge as they are very expensive to replace. Edited by keep it lit on Wednesday 25th June 13:22

Only way to properly test a battery is with a load tester. You can get a good reading with a multimeter but as soon as you put load on it it can't hold it. Another battery would be the way to go assuming your daily has a battery capable of starting the Porsche?

Thanks guys, will swap the batteries out at the weekend. My daily is a 2.0 tdi so battery plenty big enough, if not the X5 battery is enormous. I'm just a bit miffed as it was doing exactly the same with jump leads connected from the X5 (surely if the battery was goosed it would still jump start ?)

keep it lit said: noneedtolift said: My money would be on the starter gone bust. good quality starter motors like the Bosch ones fitted to early GT3 will usually give you a warning sign that they are I need of an overhaul and will never just stop working after you leave a car for two months... the battery on a fifteen year old 911 that has been sat idle for a few months will more often than not let you down from experience. but if by chance it is the starter then they can be overhauled for a small service charge as they are very expensive to replace. Edited by keep it lit on Wednesday 25th June 13:22 Agree that they are good Starters but they are not unknown to fail. I came to the conclusion as the OP cranked it for an elongated duration - my Cup car sometimes needs a fair bit of cranking and they (the starters) don't seem to like that much, as I already went through two starters in three years.

Could be a wire come off the starter solenoid coil or loose live/earth. Not sure how easy it is to get to the starter but AA man may be able to feed the live to crank it over. If head lights are bright I would expect some noise from the starter. Try putting it in 2nd and rocking the car (keys out) h brake off to move the starter may be dead spot on starter.

Definitely not the battery, as it's the same with a known good battery. With the headlights on and twisting the key, the headlights dim, so I'm assuming the ignition switch is good. Engine earth strap looks to be OK at body end (it's too tight to undo so I'll leave some penetrating fluid to work on it) and feels OK along its length to the head. Does the alternator have to come out to get to the starter ? Edited by mikem7709 on Friday 27th June 22:01

mikem7709 said: and feels OK along its length to the head. Jeez Mike don't be going all Mills and Boon on us. You are checking something on the car there aren't you?! Otherwise I doubt that's gonna fix your starter. Sorry I don't know the answer to your last question. If Ade pops back on he's good at pulling them to bits so should know.

No. Alternator is at the back of the engine (or front as you look through the boot lid opening), starter is mounted to the gearbox.

marky911 said: Jeez Mike don't be going all Mills and Boon on us. You are checking something on the car there aren't you?! Otherwise I doubt that's gonna fix your starter. I'd be a lot happier if I could feel some vibrations through my arse in the drivers seat

fioran0 said: No. Alternator is at the back of the engine (or front as you look through the boot lid opening), starter is mounted to the gearbox. Thanks Fioran0, the only guides I can find online are for the regular Carrera showing access from above.

OK, I have a diagnosis. The wire going from the solenoid to the starter body has come away through corrosion. Does anyone have a solution to fix in situ ? Picture isn't very clear sorry (I'm using drive up ramps so only have a foot or so to get under). But you can see the wire clearly in this eBay pic

New stater motor in order there then

Feared as much, getting it out looks to be a challenge !

Gotcha !!!! I need a lift in my garage

Let us no what sort of job it is to do when you have done at least the engine doesn't have to dropped

You may be able to get a good garage to solder/braze that cable back on.

Will do Cook Luke, you can open it up and that piece with the cable on (brush holder) can be replaced http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/121331052603 videos on YouTube show it's quite straightforward but given the age and overall corrosion on mine I'm gonna get if recond or pick up an exchange unit. I've tried to power it direct with 12V straight to the stump but it's not doing anything other than sparking, the little stump is properly corroded though.

That's got to be a first £8.50 to repair a non starting gt3. If you had it trailered into Opc I wonder how much that job would have cost.

Good work Mike! As above, you've saved yourself a pretty penny there.

Dread to think what OPC would've charged (maybe £6-800 fitted ?) but then I could've counted that cost towards its £10K refresh Reconditioning place rang me late yesterday to say it needs a new solenoid, total cost ~ £60.

All done, stripped, cleaned and painted. New brushes, new brush housing and Solenoid. £60 with 12mth warranty and an invoice for the file. Who said Porsches were money pits Refitted it tonight in about 30mins, quite easy once you know where everything is and happy to say I did it myself.

Well done mate. Any spare nuts or washers left over

A tub full of nuts and washers left over - The sign of a true British craftsman. I know you won't have Mike, due to a methodical approach. Top job.

Thanks guys, it's only held in by 2 bolts so you'd be doing well to screw it up really. The plastic protection cover for the starter was missing on mine, so this may of accelerated the corrosion ? Picked a new one up from OPC yesterday - £4.06 inc VAT.