Hey all you 944 owners and lovers out there, anyone know where I can get an ignition control module for my 1985 944? A new one is $2,100! I found a used one for $675 but I still think that is pretty steep for a 20 year old car that is my daily driver. Appreciate any help.

 

Do you mean a DME? Give me a part number, and I will see what I can find for you...

Regards,

 

Yes I checked with the mechanic and he said it is the DME. I am not sure where it is located on the car, maybe you could tell me. The manual says under the passenger floor but didn't see it there. My car is a 1985 but I can't help with part number. I will look more and see if I can find one. Thanks a lot for your help.

 

First of all, don't pay $625 for one, thats way too much! I have one but I need to resolder it before it could be used. Try taking your current DME (its located under the steering shaft under the dash on the drivers side) to a TV repair shop and ask them to look over the solder joints, chances are they will get you back up and running for $50 or less, if the problem is indeed your DME. Before you do that, tho, have you tried replacing the DME relay?

What are the symptoms? Non starting, obviously, but what else? Give us some history and I bet we can save you a bunch of money and get your car running. Not bad mouthing your mechaninc here, but I bet we are better than he is at repairing and keeping 944's running.

Regards,

 

The symptoms are it won't start, but it is intermittent, sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn't. It also cuts out when I am driving, engine just dies. Had it towed to a mechanic and he said he troubleshot it by his manual and it was only letting the coil shoot part of the time. The manual pointed to the DME. At least that is my understanding. I really appreciate you're help with this, I wrote an earlier post when it wouldn't start but I thought I might have fixed it when I found a loose wire on the coil. Randy

 

I'd check the reference sensor first, it sounds like its shorting out intermittently, which will cause the exact sympton you describe. The DME usually doesn't act intermittently, its usually an all or nothing failure with it, and I highly doubt its your DME. It might be your DME relay, but I'd take a hard look at your ref sensor first.

Regards,

 

Definately check the reference sensor, and speed sensor. If your car had any tranny work on it lately that can sometimes be the culprit. My friend had his tranny done and they somehow messed up those sensors and he had problems for like a year.

I think the 944 needs two...and you can find these cheaper than this site

http://www.auto-parts-zone.com/porsc..._12761bos.html

Here is how to test it and what to look for.

http://www.clarks-garage.com/shop-manual/ign-02.htm

 

Ack! Autozone??? No way, you can get them a LOT cheaper if you call Ian at Europarts (954-968-3766) and ask him *nicely* to sell them to you for the same price he sells them to Scott at... which was around $85.00 each last time I bought some. I have no affiliation or financial interest in making that recommendation, by the way.

I know all the web pages list them at around $135-140, but they will pretty much all drop their prices (in my experience, anyway) if you approach it the right way.

Regards,

 

Viking. I had many of the same problems that you are describing. I cannot tell you what finally fixed it, as I would test what I thought was the culprit, only to get inconclusive or minimally acceptable results, replace the part, and then have the same symptoms a week later, or a day later. Before you start throwing expensive parts around, try replacing the DME engine temp sender. You should find it on the driver side of the engine, toward the front, just above the upper balance shaft, it has a blue plug end on it with a two spade connecter (I think). It tells the DME when the coolant has reached a specific temperature. It runs about $40.

 

Just updating everyone on the situation, The mechanic checked the sensors and said they checked out, I am having them pull the DME so I can look it over. I used to be an electronics tech in the navy, and I am going to look it over and see if I can find a problem. I will keep you all informed and thanks again for the help. By the way, where is the relay located?