Eco Resurrection

[dbcooper66]

I have recently acquired an eco that has been sitting for the last 8 years. It was running well according to the PO before the starter broke. I've owned many VW gassers, but this is my first diesel .... what should I do before I attempt to start the engine and what needs to be done to get it road ready?

[bscutt]

Change the oil and filter, fuel filter, probably drain the fuel tank and refill assuming there's no visible crud in there. Turn the engine over by hand a few times to make sure timing hasn't jumped. Then put a new timing belt on - they will deteriorate with age and break which means trashed engine. Also flush and refill coolant. Check hoses for deterioration and replace if they are soft (obviously before refilling with coolant )

I'm sure some others will jump in here with their suggestions too but this is what comes to mind off the top of my head.

[82vdub]

DB, I thought you were dead??

I'd suggest bottle feeding the car for fuel at first. This eliminates all fuel system issues, and remove the fuel solenoid on the high pressure end of the injector pump (IP) and make sure that's full of fuel. You can search the forum for bottle feeding etc. It's here and been covered a bunch of times. If the car has a block heater, I'd plug that in for a couple hours before trying to fire it up. It may help it start easier, or at least it should. It may fire if things are marginal if the engine is warm. If you're going to service this car yourself, get a Bentley repair manual. It'll save you tons of $ over the long haul.

[Ira B]

What those guys said.

Because it has been sitting for so long I would also pull each glow plug and squirt in about 2 or 3 oz. of ATF in each cylinder before turning over several turns by hand.
If the cylinder walls have any lite rust this will help prevent you from trashing the rings.

[the vegenator]

New belts too, of course. You'll find, like the rest of us, that these diesels shake the living daylights out of everything attached to the engine, and that the belts suffer from this abuse the most. Some of us go through new belts every thousand or so miles.

The ATF in the cylinders is not a bad idea - do this before you change the oil, as you'll have some leakage into the oil pan. And make sure that ATF is totally evacuated from the cylinders before starting, as hydrolocking is no fun to mess with (I believe turning the crank bolt over with a socket while the Glow plugs are out will do the trick).

After you get it running, drain and refill that gearbox oil. I've lost 5th gear when I didn't realize how low the oil was. When I drained it, it was like sludge.

[DanHoug]

all good advice given above. there's a good chance this bugger will immediately fire up... but i wouldn't want that. i'd pull the injectors, squirt oil/ATF in there and crank a bunch with the injectors out. this will pressurize the oil system and lubricate the turbo bearing which is now dry as an old bone as is the camshaft. infact, if you have the patience, it would be best to pull the valve cover and squirt oil on each lobe before cranking to prevent galling that could happen even during the cranking.

but we're all worriers and this is easy advice from the armchair. i'd have probably fired the sucker up as soon as the battery charged!

-dan

[dbcooper66]

Thanks for all the advice. I feel very fortunate to have found the site! Just a brief look through has given me tons of new information!

I've got the time and with only 76,000 miles on it, I'd like to get the resurrection started (no pun intended) correctly!

So... Injectors pulled, ATF in cylinders, valve cover off, oiled up, belts and timing belt/tensioner to be ordered .....

Here we go!

[82vdub]

... to be ordered .....

Bentley manual?

Key point to perform after you do anything with a timing belt. Rotate the engine with a wrench on the crank bolt at least two full revolutions to make sure that the valves don't hit the piston before using the starter. These are interference engines, and damage may result if you just use a key.

[dbcooper66]

Bentley ordered!

Mildly related:

I have access to a machine shop and can make the tools needed for the TB service. Does anyone have specs I could use?

Thanks!

[82vdub]

Browse through the homemade tools section. You should be able to find the parts you need to service the timing belt from most garages. The dial indicator may be a little more difficult to "make" a dial indicator, but you can always hillbilly tune it without a dial gauge. I timed mine to run, and didn't use a dial gauge.

[Ira B]

I ballparked mine with a dial gauge and then "Hagared" it (may he R.I.P. ) from there.