no start - electrical problem?

[ozzie]

1985 TD Jetta (gas to diesel conv) will not go.  I have had this car since 1995 - great car. 

when start is attempted sometimes the glow plugs cycle sometimes not.  when they do, i get just a faint click when i try to start.  no turn over at all.  when i tried to energize the starter with a screw driver to the hot i got a very weak spark and no turn over.  the battery load tested good, and is not yet a year old.  i cleand the grounds on the batter and to the fender well and to the trans.  i then put a jumper wire with alligator clips from the ground to the starter housing.  the car turned over slowly and would not start.  definately sounded funny.

what is my next move?  glow plug relay problem?  as i have said, I bought this car when i was in college (1995) and have put 200K on it with minimal problems.  hit a deer 5 years ago, then did a gas to diesel conversion and no real problems until now.

any thoughts are appriciated, thank you

Oz

[ozzie]

the ol vw acts strange when the ground wire is bad.  ground to the battery box was rusty and the ground to the engine was greasy.  all better now. 

hard starting though - it had been sitting 2 weeks and the engine was higher than the tank and the IP would not pull the fuel.  i pushed the car into a friendly position (engine lower) and it started.  perhaps i should start saving for a new IP.

Oz

[burn_your_money]

It might just be as simple as a failed check valve.

Since you have it running now you should do a voltage drop test on the system and see if there are any other weak grounds.

[ozzie]

the check valve is in the IP right? 

the car a 300K on in and 200K since the engine was gone though so things are wearing out.
oz