944 cold start problems

[Dave Diamond]

Over last 2 months my 1983 944 Spec car is getting harder and harder to start when cold. Had to crank it a couple of times, then 3 or 4, now 8-10 before it finally fires enough to stay running. Once started it runs fine. Anybody know where to start checking? Seems like a fuel delivery problem, but I am not yet very familiar with the 944 injection system.
Thanks.

[ChuckS]

Dave,
There are several possibilities. If the fuel pump is weak, low fuel pressure will cause this. Also, there is a valve to keep fuel pressure up for hot start. If it is failing, it could contribute to this issue. Clogged fuel filter is another, as well as clogged injectors, but there are often running issues with these as well. There are a few ignition problems that might cause this, but start by looking at the fuel issues.

As always, I will defer to the real experts on this forum for better suggestions!

Best of Luck with getting this diagnosed and fixed!

Chuck

[Dave Diamond]

For future reference: It was the DME temp sensor (coolant temp). This was the most common solution on various web sites and fora. About 22 bucks for the part, a few minutes to replace, and now it starts like new. No further need to carry a can of starting fluid (which worked great too).