Former VWDieselParts.com Forum

You blew air back to the tank through the return line, but you need to blow back to the tank through the supply line. If there's crud on the pick-up screen, you may move enough of it away to eliminate the problem, at least for a little while. Just to see if that's the cause of the problem, you could...

The fuel can run back to the tank through either the return or the supply line if air is able to enter the fuel line somewhere. You could make sure all of the connections are air tight, you could try the check valve, or you could make sure the car is parked facing downhill. Another option is to inst...

If you don't have clear lines going to the pump, replace with clear. If you're getting air bubbles in the pump, it will delay the starting. Do that, and the aforementioned glow plug test. If that doesn't do it, let us know.

Steve

This issue has been addressed several times on this forum; if you do a search you should find lots of info. I am assuming you replaced all the bushings, and that there is no loose play in the various lever-and-rod connections. If you haven't, do that first. After that, here is one of the things I li...

I would suspect something in the cable or linkage or thrust bearing first. I've seen the sheath of the cable compress before when it was old and disintegrating. Start at the pedal and examine every part from there to the tranny. A wearing clutch plate would ordinarily have the opposite effect.

Two days? Okay, that gives us lots of time to make wild, unhelpful guesses. :) Among the wilder guesses: You said you put oil around the FRP to check that, but if there is vacuum in the FRP bore between the upper and lower O rings, then I suppose it's possible that the internal shaft of the FRP or t...

Yep, the mainshaft seal is definitely "my least favorite choice of problems"; unfortunately, though, we don't get to choose our problems; they choose us! :( Hope it turns out to be something else, but looks like the only relevant part you haven't changed is the main shaft itself. Have you ...

Have you ever had clear lines on the injector returns? Mine are always about half fuel and half air, and it slowly returns to the OUT bolt, then back to the tank via the larger return line. I don't think that air enters the pump, though, due to the internal pump pressure, so it wouldn't affect timin...

Didn't understand the descriptions, but maybe this will help.

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/att ... 1251225348

Libby, thanks for the clear directions about lifting the pump on the high pressure end to make the belt track closer to the pump; it IS counter intuitive, but it works!

I agree with 82vdub's diagnosis: fuel starvation. If it's not the fuel filter or a kinked, flattened fuel line, it could be that trash in the tank is partially clogging the pick-up screen in the tank. Installing the vacuum gauge in the fuel line between filter and pump would let you confirm/disprove...

You adjusted idle pump pressure, but did you confirm proper pressure at higher rpms? If so and it checked out okay, it still could be that the timing advance in the pump has gotten to where it doesn't move freely; it's in the bottom of the pump where all the gunk settles, so I would echo Fatmobile's...

One other little bit of information: the GP relay can turn on the orange LED but still fail to close the contacts to send current to the plugs; did you confirm that the relay with which the car wouldn't start is actually energizing the glow plugs? Just for future trouble shooting assistance, I would...

Fatmobile, what you say about the vent line certainly makes sense, but a friend of mine with an '84 Rabbit TD had problems with the dipstick blowing out and claims that the vent line helped solve the problem. However, he also had oil going out the valve cover vent into the intake, which was the prim...

The air in the line is a common problem; there are lots of previous discussions about it in the forum; just do a search. It will, of course, impact performance. The little black "plungers" on the IP that the governor lever contacts is part of the upshift indicator system; there's a light i...