81 Rabbit will not start

[dinkweb]

hello all. i have an '81 rabbit diesel that will not start. i've noticed in the past couple months that it has progressively gotten harder to start and now it will not start at all. new fuel filter, pulled a return line off of the first injector and got fuel flow when trying to start (not a lot but there was some), i've jumped the fuel stop solenoid out to the battery to test that, checked the fuse for the glow plugs and verified voltage going to the glow plugs. i did replace the head gasket last year and the seal in the IP where the cold start lever assembly attaches.  there doens't appear to be any leaking from the IP that would encourage air to get into the system.  still will not start. any other ideas before i dump it off at the garage!?  thanks!

[katakura silk]

Any Luck?
Have you pulled the plugs to see what they look like?
Whats is the car like once you do get the car to start? Rough Idle?

[dinkweb]

Hi fellas.  Haven't pulled the plugs yet.  I just put in new plugs 2 years ago though...could they be bad already?  And when it did start, it idled and ran just fine.  I would say above average-sized puff of white smoke when it started and it spewed some white smoke maybe 30 seconds after it started, but after that no smoke...purred like a cat.  Might have some time tomorrow night to yank out the glow plugs and check them.  What does a bad glow plug look like?  Or how would I know that it's bad other than buying new and trial and error?  Any way to diagnose more accurately?

Thanks again guys!

[katakura silk]

When I pulled mine after running the car with a bad pump for a week, (running really rich) every single tip was gone :shock: Burnt completely away :shock:

Who knows where they went, must have combusted...

Just make sure they are complete. Not broken like mine...
It wouldnt hurt to replace the other two that you didnt replace.

Good Luck!