89 1.6 na diesel wont start after replacing head gasket?

[im_n2_vws]

Me and my Dad replaced his head gasket on his 89 1.6 na diesel. Now we are not getting fuel? I checked the timing on the pump, it seems to be within the right range. Could his pump have just died sitting a few weeks with the fuel lines disconnected? We have a Giles pump ordered, but we were hoping the one on the car would make a good spare. We aren't getting fuel at the injectors.I have put a finger over both the inlet and outlet of the pump while he cranked the motor and got nothing? No suction at all. I'm getting power at the fuel shutoff solenoid. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance.

Danny

[82vdub]

There's tons of threads on this very topic. You can search and read them. I would start by removing the "out" bolt on the pump and filling it with fuel. Do that just after you disconnect the fuel filter and rig up a jar of fuel with an inline filter to bottle feed the IP. Instead of trying to have the injector pump try to suck fuel all the way from the tank through the fuel filter and all the lines, remove most of the system by doing the jar trick. Get the car running through the jar first, then plumb the IP to the remainder of the fuel system. That's how I've done this task. Empty IP's don't like to suck fuel very well.

[coke]

My pump emptied itself and wouldn't suck fuel when I did my head gasket. Remove the 17mm OUT bolt on top of the injector pump and take a peak inside and see if you see fuel. If you don't, fill it with clean fuel fuel, replace out bolt, and crank away. Should fire right up. Leave the injector lines loose at the injector ends and crank. I usually floor it, crank till I see fuel at all 4 injectors, tighten away, glow, and fire it up.