Author Topic: '80 Rabbit 1.5 No Start/Hard Start. (Read 8704 times)

DieselKraut · « **on:** May 19, 2008, 09:59:35 pm »

I have a '80 Rait w/ a n/a 1.5. I just got the car a few weeks ago. When I got the car it had to be pull started. The guy I bought it form said it ran great and all of a sudden it wouldn't start w/ out being pull started. I drove the car 90 miles home. Car runs great. doesn't smoke while cruising. It will pick up speed when climbing hills. After getting it home it stated six or seven times. But now it first it just cranks and nothing. Then it trys to fire off. I get white smoke then black. It started a few times but once I shut it off it would just crank and not try to start. The cold start lever doesn't seem to change anything while cranking or running. After sitting there is no air in the fuel supply line to the filter. I have replaced the fuel filter. I had a set of new nozzles so I put them in. While they were out I cranked it and pluged the hole w/ my hand. Seemed to have good compresstion. Don't have the comp test adapter yet to check yet. The glow plugs work and the IP fuel solenoid works. Today it finally started after cranking for a long period of time. I shut it off and it started right up. then I lost power to the IP fuel valve. I hard wired it to the battery but by the time I did that it just cranks and nothing again. Any information would but very appreciated!

DieselKraut · « **Reply #1 on:** May 24, 2008, 10:03:33 pm »

Update. I have checked vavle adjustment. Some valves are in spec and some are out. I check timing. I found the IP gear was out one tooth. I moved the pully one tooth. It still looked about a half tooth off. When I tryed to start it cold is started right up. Thought I had the problem solved. I shut off the engine and it restarted. Then I lost power to the IP shut off valve. Started and ran. I drove around town for about 30 min. Engine seemed to have move power w/ cold start lever pulled out. After driving around I shut it off and tryed starting it again. Nothing. It cranks fine but doesn't even try to start!

DieselKraut · « **Reply #2 on:** June 01, 2008, 09:17:25 pm »

Ok I'm lost still. W/ the cam and IP locked into position my IP sproket is off one tooth. The IP timing mark and and brkt mark are lined up. Shouldn't the sprocket tooth w/ the mark line up w/ the brkt and IP? The mark is one tooth counter clockwise from the brkt mark. Please someone help!

jimfoo · « **Reply #3 on:** June 01, 2008, 09:42:13 pm »

You need a dial indicator to time it properly, the marks don't mean much on the pump and bracket. You should have a clear line between the filter and pump, not before the filter. You can get air leaks at the filter. Also any loose or cracked hoses can cause air leaks. If the return can suck air, you won't necessarily see fuel, but when you turn the engine off, the pump can get air in it. I had this happen to me.

DieselKraut · « **Reply #4 on:** June 01, 2008, 10:00:40 pm »

I've got got the dial indicator but I don't have the allen wrech at home to lock it down so I can't get a true reading. I've read about the yellow dots on the timing advance to figure out what the pump timing should be. Where is the dot at on it? As far as the clear line theres no air in it. there was a small amount traveling through the line but that cleared up.

subsonic · « **Reply #5 on:** June 01, 2008, 10:33:01 pm »

Just caught in your first writeup that you put in new nozzles. Did you then have the injectors pop tested? You could be working against injectors that are off as well as the valve lash that is off. For your reference I just timed my pump after I put on a rebuilt head. Everything lined up, my indicator read 37. I had to turn the pump to get 95. If you are off like that, that might be part of your problem.

DieselKraut · « **Reply #6 on:** June 01, 2008, 10:43:56 pm »

I haven't had the old nozzles pop tested yet. I tryrunning the over head tonight. I planed on moving the adj shims around and I had a few others but I didn't have the right thicknesses to get all of them right. So now I'm waiting to get more shims.

DieselKraut · « **Reply #7 on:** June 08, 2008, 06:22:50 pm »

I just checked the IP timing. I am at 1.016mm w/ a yellow dot pump. That is with my cam and IP locks in place. But when I looked at the crank its about 1/8 inch past TDC. How do you hold the crank in place when you set belt tension. Every time I tightened the belt the crank moved off TDC. Sec question. How are you guys getting to the bottom IP bolt? I have A/C so all the brackets are getting in the way. I can get on it w/ a 1/4 drive socket but when I try to lossen it it slips off.

burn_your_money · « **Reply #8 on:** June 08, 2008, 07:46:15 pm »

When you tighten the belt take the pump lock out and also leave the cam gear lose. You have to set the pump timing advance after everything is tightened down.

As for the bottom bolt, do you mean the one on the pump bracket at the shaft end of the pump or the head?

If you mean at the shaft end, you loosen off the nut from the gear end, not from under the pump

DieselKraut · « **Reply #9 on:** June 08, 2008, 09:12:19 pm »

Yes the bolt on the shaft end. I have a square captured nut on the IP brkt. I think I can get the bolt with a crows foot from the front of the engine. I got the belt timing issue taken care after getting a two jaw puller.

burn_your_money · « **Reply #10 on:** June 08, 2008, 09:32:36 pm »

I've never seen the bottom bolt needing to be removed from the pump side. VW must hate you. You should swap that bracket off while the pump is off to make future timing/timing belt adjustments easier

DieselKraut · « **Reply #11 on:** June 08, 2008, 10:16:37 pm »

If I had a digital camera I would post a pic. I have a 1.6 parts engine. I'll have to check it and see what the brkt is like on it. Can you leave the bottom bolt in and still adj the pump. Which way do you move the pump to advance the timing? I am guessing rotate the pump counter clockwise from the frt of the engine.

DieselKraut · « **Reply #12 on:** June 11, 2008, 10:53:51 am »

I was finally able to get my lower IP bolt out. I set my IP timing to .045". Which is 1.15mm if I did the math right. Tryed starting it and nothing. I cranked it long enough to get the air out of the system. When the glow plugs are cycled a few times it acts like it wants to start but wont. Head is warm around the glow plugs. All I get is lots of white smoke and lots of blow by. Still waiting on comp adapter to check comp. Is there anything I'm missing. Planning on installing new glow plugs when I check comp.

DieselKraut · « **Reply #13 on:** June 15, 2008, 10:51:37 am »

This is a pic of the bottom IP botl w/ a captured nut. I was finaly able to get it free.

DieselKraut · « **Reply #14 on:** June 15, 2008, 03:40:47 pm »

Still couldn't get car to start on its own. So I pull started it. Started right up. After getting it warm it idled fine. thought I would take a cruise in the contry. When I came up to a stop sign I noticed it was running rough at an idle. So I headed back into town. At the next stop sign it died. Tried restarting it but nothing. Had to have someone come and pull start me again. I turned up the idle screw so it wouldn't die again. when I got home and pulled in the driveway it started to run away. I put in gear and let out on the clutch and brought the rpms down. But then it did it again. I'm thinking about pulling the pump and have it rebuilt. Anyone have any ideas as to whats wrong? Cranks fast enough, glow plugs work but wont start on its own. Runs good going down the road w/ no smoke and has good power.

My just sitting waiting to be pulled.