So my 1992 944 non turbo with a Regina fuel system had been having some sluggish starts. Last night it was the worst yet and then it stalled. When i turned the key it did nothing. The battery read 12.15 volts. Charged the battery...tried again...same nothing...then one little ump and back to nothing.

Cleaned the grounds on the valve cover...cleaned the small ground from the negative battery cable to the body...sprayed the starter connections with brake cleaner and wiped them down...still nothing.

Tapped on the starter while turning the key and thought we got something...but then back to nothing.

Walked away for i don't know how long with the key in the 1 position and found that the alternator was really hot when i came back.

Any thoughts as to why the alternator would be hot. Or why the car won't start. What might be a good next step.

Thanks

 

when the car is running, what voltage is the alternator putting out as measured across the battery? it should be like 13.8 to 14.1V.

the little grounds you cleaned won't affect the starter or charging circuit, you need to clean the BIG grounds (engine block to chassis, alternator to engine block, battery to chassis) and power wires (battery + to starter, starter to alternator +)

 

At this point the car won't run...it won't do anything when the key is turned...lights work but thats it

 

if you turn on the lights, then try and crank the starter, do the lights dim completely out til you release the starter ?

 

Turn the key and the headlights and gauge lights off...trouble lights stay on...car does nothing...release the key back to number 2 position and all the lights come on

 

I'm guessing you have a bad battery or bad grounds/wiring, but guessing isn't reliable.

I woudl be in there with a volt meter, measuring the battery voltage before and during 'start' (have a friend turn the key). if the voltage is dropping below 9V, your battery is bad.

If the battery voltage ISNT dropping, then I would be measuring voltage from the battery - to the starter body/ground, if you see any there when its switched to 'start', then that ground path is bad. try battery - to chassis, and chassis to starter body, each time having someone switch the starter on. more than 1V on any of those, bad ground on that leg.

 

Voltmeter reads. .20 when connected to the negative battery post and the alternator with the key in the number 2 position...i have left the key in that position for awhile now and the alternator is getting warm

 

position 2 isn't START. you need to do this in position III START to see why its not cranking over.


the alternator will get warm if left in II/Run as the 'bootstrap current' is running through the D+ circuit.

 

Ok the hot alternator means nothing...i got a helper and did those tests...there was no voltage present at any off those tests...i connected a jumper wire from the battery + to the spade terminal on the starter solenoid and nothing happened...the battery is good...so i guess it's time to pull the starter...it's only got 315,000k on it.

 

'battery is good' should mean that hours after taking it off a charger, its reading about 12.6V or so, and even after trying to start the car a few times, its STILL reading 12.6 or so.

 

The starter has been replaced and the car runs now.

I used a 30 inch extension added to the handle of an 18 inch breaker bar to crack the top bolt loose on the starter. Then used the extension along the transmission to ratchet off the top bolt.

 

Did you soak the threads in Kroil or PB Blaster for an hour or so before you tried to break them?

 

The bottom bolt was no problem. I did PBB the top bolt. Never used kroil...just the pb blaster.

 

I think Kroil (the aerosol is called Aerokroil) works even better than PB, but its all good. Kroil is from the aircraft business. its fairly toxic, avoid breathing the fumes or getting it on your skin