Hey everyone, Im new to the forum. In addition I just bought a 1999 996. I've had it about 3 months and everything has been great...Until this morning. I live in North Jersey so it has been getting a little cold at night (about 25 degrees). The car is garage kept. I went to start it this morning and it turned over but it seemed like the engine was "choking." This lasted about 15-20 seconds before the car shut itself off. I started it again about 30 seconds later, and less of the "choking" effect but now it seemed like there was a strong puttering or backfiring coming from the exhaust. No strange colored smoke. I shut the engine off and started it again about 30 seconds later. The same thing, puttering and backfiring and the check engine light came on and was blincking. I turned the car off and left it.
Any ideas on what this could be???
Thanks,
Steve

 

A flashing CEL with misfires means do not run the engine. Period.

It could be something as simple as a failed coil pack, but there are far too many things that could cause this to turn it into a guessing game.

Bottom line is, if you don't have a code reader, have the car flat bedded to a shop for further diagnosis.

If you have a code reader, pull the codes and post them up then we can go from there.

 

Thanks Logray. Will take that advice an get it to my local indy.

 

Are the code readers unique to this car or any standard reader will work?

 

It's standard OBD2, so most readers will read basic engine codes. In fact, if you didn't have a flashing CEL I would say drive it to your local autozone/oreilley/etc. and have the codes read for free. But flashing = do not start engine.

To get codes from all the modules you need something that is Porsche "knowledgeable" such as Durametric.

 

Thank you very much for your help. Very informative....if you cant tell this is my first Porsche, so alot of these things are kinda new to me.

 

Cool N/P, welcome to the "club".

 

These cars are as complicated as any another car. Each car has it's own problems so you want to find out the things that go wrong with them as soon as you can, hence do your homework. This forum is a great place to start. The knowledge that is shared here will save you any headaches that this car will try to give you. The problem with these cars is that they are wonderful and you want to treat it with all the care you can. If it was any other 1999 car I would say get rid of it. But this is a PORSCHE. I would say also that it sounds like your problem could be coil pack(s)

 

Where in Jersey? Not to many of us on here! Check the MAF as well one time my car started and sounded really bad and it turned out to be the MAF......MAF= Mass Air Flow sensor.

 

Thanks brwiedman, I had the car serviced in September and i think the coil packs was one of the things that was worked on. Either way the flatbed picked it up yesterday. Hopefully will find out what is going on with it today.

 

Hey JSavinoJr, Im in Morris County. How about you? Ive noticed the same thing that there are few people representing Jersey!! I hope its something simple like that. I think it will be. Will keep you posted. Thanks for chiming in.

 

So just got off the phone with the mechanic. I was told the codes were read and it was a "misfire." They are unsure why its misfiring because the car seems to be running fine now. Codes were cleared and car seems OK, but the mechanic said they need to know why it misfired to begin with. That's the latest news....hopefully nothing major, but at the same time I hope they find the cause.

 

Did they give you the codes?

 

You know I didn't think to ask. I will be in touch with them at the end of today, and I will get them and post them.

 

Keep us updated. Sure would like to here what the problem was.