starting issues...84 td

[rabbit gti guy]

hey.

i have an 84 Rabbit TD, and lately its been giving me some trouble on startups.   Im not really sure what to think yet but after i leave it over night or at work during the day it doesnt start as nice as it used to.   I recently drove it from ontario to bc, and before that i had the head gasket done cause it overheated on me.   On my run to BC, it overheated pretty bad again when i was climbing all those long hills, but after i let it cool i didnt have any problems with it anymore.   Ive put quite a few kms on since than and its not till just recently that it started the current issue.
   It doesnt like starting with the choke on anymore either, and when i do turn it over it puffs black and white smoke.   umm im thinking it could either be the headgasket or possibly cracked head, but once it is running it drives fine, doesnt smoke much, and the power is the same.   It might have something to do with the glowplugs?, but ya im not really sure.

any thoughts or help would be greatly appreciated
thanks in advance

Aaron

[Dakotakid]

Have you ever replaced the input shaft seal on the injection pump?? Do you have to crank for an extended period of time for it to start? Sounds a lot like when the pump loses its prime.

[rabbit gti guy]

update: i plugged it in overnight, and in the morning when i went to go start it, it fired up really nice.  no choke, normal smoke from what i can see.   im thinking it might be the glowplugs.

any thoughts.

oh and i never replaced that seal ever...never thought about it.