===============================================
* Reply by Jack D. Russell, Sr. <jackru$$ell2@notmail.com>
* Newsgroup: alt.autos.porsche.944
* Reply to: All; "Myles Sutherland" <myles.sutherland@btinternet.com>
* Date:Wed, 2 Aug 2006 07:02:59 -0400
* Subj: Problem with my '85 944 - please help
=====================================================

MS> Hello All,
MS>
MS> My oval-dash late '85 944 Lux has suddenly developed a problem.
MS>
MS> It starts readily, idles well, and initially drives away perfectly
MS> normally. However, after a few minutes, once the engine temperature
MS> has reached normal running level, the car begins to intermittently
MS> lose all power, as if the ignition switch has been turned off, and
MS> then almost immediately full power returns. The car jerks along,
MS> just like the classic ' kangaroo petrol ' thing with learner
MS> drivers. It will then drive properly for sometimes five minutes,
MS> sometimes a few seconds, before the symptom reappears.
MS>
MS> In recent times it has had its belts changed, new rollers etc, new
MS> rotor arm, new dizzy cap, new fuel filter and pump. The plugs, oil,
MS> filters etc were all done only about 500 miles ago. Mileage 117,000.
MS>
MS> Has anyone experienced similar problem, or does anyone know what the
MS> cause of this strange fault is, please ? It is really puzzling me,
MS> because the car drives so well initially.
MS>
MS> Thanks for any help, people.
MS>
MS> Myles
MS>

DME relay????? That's where I'd start. You should always carry a spare
anyway, so you won't be out anything if it's not the problem.

<snip>

I just fixed a problem very similar to that recently.  My problem was
electrical.
An after market gauge that a previous owner had put on the car was
going bad.
The subsequent draw in battery current caused some very erratic
driving.
I disconnected the gauge and the power supply, and it stopped
immediately.