I'm in central NJ for the holidays, and just bought a '944T from a guy who claimed it overheated. The car is exceptionally clean otherwise, so I bought it for a steal with the intent of putting another engine in it.

Got the car home and started to look it over. I found where the coolant was leaking. But when I attemped to start the engine, I get no signs the engine is attempting to start. Having never worked on an over heated engine before, I am checking to make sure no other dumb failure has disabled the engine. This is what I know, tested, etc.

The P.O.'s son was driving it a couple weeks ago when it started bucking. He pulled over where the engine stalled, and noticed the temp gauge was in the hot zone. They put some water in the resv. and noticed it dripping on the ground. (May have been just spilled water) Their mechanic indicated the head is probably toasted, and who knows what else. Hence my ability to buy the car for a cheap song.

The engine is not frozen, maybe a little stiff, but not bad. After all it is cold out.

Put gas in the tank since the gas gauge read empty. I can hear the fuel pump running. No signs of the engine attempting to fire.

Checked the ignition final stage amp. with one from my '87 745T, (same part number). No problem here. The unit is working just fine.

Did the "pull a plug wire and test for spark with a screw driver". We have spark. Pulled the plugs and dried the gas off of them. Still no firing.

The timing belt is intact and rotating the cam shaft.

The coolant resv. is empty, but there is liquid in the lower rad hose. (Gave it the squeeze test and could hear liquid sloshing in the hose.)

SO, is there anything else to check for? It may be true the engine overheated, but I do not know if it really got toasted. I would think the engine would start after cooling down. It may sound bad if things are warped and stuck, but I would think it would at least try to start. Hence, I am wondering if something else failed, and the low coolant was the thing they observed. Obviously I would like to avoid pulling an engine if the engine is okay.

Any thoughts and other things to check for would be appreciated. Is it reasonable to expect a previously overheated engine that is not forzen up to start? I am leaving for home (upstate NY) tomorrow morning (Sunday) and will have a final chance to trouble shoot before I leave.

Thanks in advance for the information.

Gary D
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Gary D