86 Golf Fuel Issue

[uzzo2]

I don't see how anything but a polar bear could live in that part of the country in the winter.

I am beginning to feel this way the older I get.

Well just come on down, we'll clear a spot out for ya

[82vdub]

I'd love to, but 6 months of the year Georgia is almost inhabitable with the heat and humidity. Pick my poison, right?

[Una]

Hawaii..

[uzzo2]

Hey guys, I wanted to update this one and ask a question. I am only driving the car on the weekends usually since I'm only working part time now. I drive it to work on Saturday morning and haul fuel all day. They let me take the truck home Sat. afternoon and I leave from the house Sun. morning and work all day. When I'm done on Sun afternoon, I bring the truck back to the yard and get in my car and come home. I've been doing some experimenting with it since I posted this thread. It seems to only give trouble starting when I leave it at work that one day. I've been letting it sit at home for 2 to 3 days at a time and it has been cranking right up. The only thing I can think of that might be making the difference is I park it on a slight incline at work. It pretty much sits level here at the house, I put it up on the ramps yesterday when I got home to service it. I was able to locate the water separator and the check valve ( I think). It looks to be a small black plastic check valve. My question is, assuming this is my problem, does anyone have any idea where I might find one? I did find this one at grainger, it's a 1/4 inch spring check valve, what do ya'll think about this one?

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/SMC-Sp ... vc=IDPRRZ1

[82vdub]

Most have just deleted the water separator and check valve.

[uzzo2]

Most have just deleted the water separator and check valve.

If you do that, how do you keep the fuel from draining back to the tank?

[82vdub]

Make sure there aren't any leaks in your fuel lines. My 82 Rabbit has never had a check valve underneath it, nor a water separator.

[uzzo2]

Make sure there aren't any leaks in your fuel lines. My 82 Rabbit has never had a check valve underneath it, nor a water separator.

Will do, thanks 82!!!

[Fatmobile]

Yeah, the Rabbitsa didn't have a check valve and they do fine,.. if there are no leaks.

[uzzo2]

I know that all big trucks have them, and while it's not very common for them to fail. I have had to replace several during my years as a truck mechanic with the same symptoms as my golf. As far as I know, I don't have any fuel leaks, it sat for a long period of time several years ago with the tranny torn up. After I got all of that fixed, the IP started leaking around the distributor head. I sent it to a guy on ebay that resealed it for around 100 bucks I believe and it's been doing fine ever since then. It's getting air in the system for some reason when I park it at work and it sits for about a day and a half. That's what has me puzzled about the whole thing. Why is it only acting up where I park it at work and not at home, it's just very strange to me.

[79 300sd]

I would bet that the slight incline at work is with the front of the car uphill. Try backing into the parking spot next time and see what happens.

You probably have a small leak developing so that it is letting air in, but not letting fuel out yet.

[uzzo2]

I would bet that the slight incline at work is with the front of the car uphill. Try backing into the parking spot next time and see what happens.

You probably have a small leak developing so that it is letting air in, but not letting fuel out yet.

I guess anything is possible, it's been sitting since Sunday around 2 or 3 PM. I just went out and put the key in the switch. As soon as the GP light went off, it fired right up without any hesitation at all. I may park it the same way one more time in case it might have had something to do with the fuel filter although I seriously doubt it just to see what happens.

[Fatmobile]

You got a prankster at work?,..
maybe a little payback for a trick you played on someone?

[uzzo2]

You got a prankster at work?,..
maybe a little payback for a trick you played on someone?

I don't think so, it's a small company with only 3 full time drivers. Only 2 of them work on Saturdays, I'm the only one that works on Sundays. But hey, you never know, that could be the case. I just started the first part of July anyway, I don't think I've been there long enough to piss any of them off yet. They're all older guys anyway, we actually get along real well.

[rdezsofi]

You can have an air leak that is small enough that it won't allow diesel to go through. #1 culprit I've found is where the hard fuel line is connected to the soft fuel line halfway up the firewall on the passenger side, near the strut tower. (Not easy to reach with the airbox, AC lines, etc.) These 2 connections are rarely looked at and inspected, as they are sort of out of the way.
As long as you have no leaks, you won't need a check valve. (You can delete the water separater...fuel filter does the same thing.) I believe reliability is in keeping things simple. Another check valve is just one more thing to cause a potential problem. The 'perfect' setup is one line with no connections except at the fuel tank and the fuel filter housing. Eliminates a dozen or so possible issues. Just make sure you use line that is diesel rated, not the gasser fuel line stuff.