Help! "Pastured" Car problems...Long Post.

[PhoenixIgnition]

I am attempting to get a 1991 MK2 Jetta 1.6NA diesel 5spd on the road again after sitting since 2004 or so (odometer reads 217760). My 1985 Mk2 Gasser auto Jetta finally completly blew its headgasket and so i need to get this car up and running quickly. I have very limited mechanical knowledge so please phrase any helpful answers in terminology that a child could understand. I am aware there is a search function but it gives me 99% unrelated topics.

(1)My First problem is that the car will no longer crank from the key. It did however crank from the key for about the first 3 times i started it. I have to start the car using a screwdriver bridging the starter selonid right now. If i stalled out the car initally there was a 50/50 chance that the key would work to restart it, but never initally. Right now it does not work under either case. The Glowplugs seem to work (Headlight dims in stage 1 of turning the key, after they go out stage 2 does nothing, glowplug light sometimes comes back on when turning to stage 2) however they stay on for 50 seconds or so even after a stall situation where the engine is hot. The emergency seat belt connection is plugged in. Fuses all look good. Not sure about the relays. Any suggestions?


(2)My Second problem is the left front headlight lowbeam is not working. I have replaced the bulb, jiggled the wires/connector. High beams are functional. Suggestions?


(3)My third problem is a low oil pressure alarm. This is what caused my father to "put the car out to pasture" in the first place. (That and a large mountain he had to climb up every workday...). I have dropped the oil pan and cleaned off the outside of the oil pickup intake screen. There was foreign particulate matter on the screen. I reinstalled the pan and fresh rotatella 15w-40, mobil1 filter, and tested for the alarm. No alarm in heavy rpms in first gear. Fixed i thought. Until after changing the brakes and tires on the car i took it for a test run and the low oil pressure alarm came on again on two seperate occasions. Today i ran it again for a few minutes after a warmup and no alarm on heavy rpms. Should i be concerned about this? Suggestions on what this could be?


(4)Fourth Problem is a heavy high spitched screaching sound comming from the pully area that eventually goes away on startup or reapears sometimes during shifts then gradually fades away. Belts apear to be okay... with one perhaps a bit loose (like i would know?) Cause for concern right now?


(5)Fith problem is a speed dependant clicking sound comming from the left front wheel area. I did not notice this sound before i changed brakes/rotors/wheels but, it may have been there anyway. I noticed my CV boot was dryrotten and torn when i was changing the brakes and swapping tire/rims from the 85gasser. Is the CV joint dry and causing the clicking? New CV joint and boot?


(6)Sixth problem is im leaking/hemmoraging some type of fluid into the snow. A particullarly large amount of it at times. I believe it to be brake fluid, as it is a light golden color when absorbed into the snow and obviously the brake fluid is low after refills. I do not suspect the problem to be with the brake cylinders at the wheels as they all looked fine to me. So it must be a hardline or something else. Any ideas where to look first, common spots? From reading it seems that the clutch is assisted by brake fluid. Could the leak be there? What is the danger of ruining the clutch?


(7)Seventh Problem is i am not getting a reading on my coolant temp gauge. More of a peace of mind issue than anything. My father had the fan all hacked to turn on when the heater fan was on or something akin to that. I will juse use a thermostat probe/relay setup along with an  master override switch that i had set up on the gasser. I still would like to know what the temp is sitting at though...


I apologize for the needy and long first post. I need to DIY all of this as i dont have the money to take it to a shop. Need to fix most of these issues so i can get it inspected. I have a 1986 NADiesel 5sp Golf as a backwoods beater/ parts donation car so i can source many parts from that. Thank you in advance if you have any information that can help me.

-Jerad

[somolovitch3]

(2) Sounds like a fuse to me. Check the fuse panel 10 Amp IIRC

(4) Loosen ALL adjutable stuff (Once again check with ex-gf as to "tech
      talk").Tension from the inner bet to the outer belt....belts should
      deflect 1/2 to 5/8 inch when tight. Spry with belt lube, if belt related
      should take care of problem. Unless you really like it (if you have it
       ) losse the AC belt.

(5) Tear down/Inspect CV, Repack with Grease from Boot Kit....Or..
      Pack boot with LOTS of grease (Use grease gun to get as much
      grease into CV as possable). THIS IS TEMP FIX ONLY!!! If clicking
      goes away go back to beging of (5).

(6) Where is this leak showing up? Front, rear, left, right, center?
      If you have hydralic clutch, that would be low, not the brake fluid.
      Hard lines under carpets rot out, that is a possability.

(7) This might have something to do with (3) as well. Pull the cluster and
      check for brocken traces/ bad grounds. If the fuel gauge works, the
      voltage stableizer most likly good. Have you checked to see that it is
      concted in the engine compartment correctly? That fan hack sounds...
      ... odd.

Hopes this helps.

get a bently! if you don't have one.

[PhoenixIgnition]

Thank you for your reply somolovitch3,

I pulled the fuses out again for checking the headlight problem and while the fuse itself was not blown i noticed that the connection ends had noticable corrosion on them.. i hit the terminal with electrical cleaner and installed new 10 amp fuses. lowbeam headlight problem is now resolved. Thanks!

Im starting to wonder if the fuse panel/relay panel is corroded if this would cause various electrical gremlins such as the no start from key issue. I do have a 1985 jetta/golf/gti factory bently repair manual but the relay/fuse panel diagram in the book for the jetta appears to be different than my 1991 diesel jetta. If someone could give me the relay locations for a 1991 diesel jetta that would be great. Im thinking that possibly the seatbelt warn relay is toast and not allowing the starter to crank over, or possibly the leads/connections in the seatbelt warning circuit itself. Other than that it i presume it would have to be with the key cylinder but the connections do not appear to be damaged or loose.

I ordered a CV bootkit that i will install within the next few days... ill let you know if the clicking goes away. Also i hit the belts with belt dressing and it has helped with the squealing though not entirely, ill follow your instructions on checking the tension.

Still working on the brake issue need to wait for the snow to melt off so i can get an accurate position (dirt floor garage). My poor new holland is getting snowcovered now.

One more quick question, there is a small black/clothlike/rubber hose that runs from the trans. to the fuel block then to the fuel line area by the air intake. What is this? Vaccum line? Mine has a tear in it between the trans. and the fuel block.

Again, thanks for your help and if anyone could let me know the relay locations that would help me out tremendously.

[somolovitch3]

On your "vaccum" line to the trany, does it go to the tranny or does it slide past into the fender to the vaccum resivor? Anyway vaccum leaks are bad, replace line.

Try placing cardboard (from a box?) under or behind (inside) each wheel, so as to see if you have a leak there. Newspaper will work too, if it doesn't blow away.

Relay positions,   uhhhhhhhhh............... check online to see if anyone has posted newer ones, I have seen some for '78-'83 (?) at vintagewatercooleds.com.. but not newer ones. :cry:

If you can find the "Bridge" that goes instead of the warning buzzer, try that. It jumps the   ack!  can't remember the terminals. One goes to the starter motor, and the other comes from the key...terminal 50 and ....?
Kind of center vertical and center horizontal in the relay area (warning buzzer relay).

Yea... clean all the contacts and fuses and relay terminals, VW's are famous for to drip onto the relay plate from 1)rain tray, 2)window "seal"!

Lets see, what else can I do you out of? :twisted: