Author Topic: diesel rabbits are great (Read 5584 times)

zyewdall · « **on:** December 17, 2005, 06:23:40 pm »

So, we went shopping this afternoon, and took the '81 rabbit. It managed to start after a few tries (sat over night at about 10F), and we piled four people in and took off. It has plenty of power. We kept up with traffic on the freeway except on one big hill, and were even in the passing lane a bit. Not as zippy as the TDI on the highway for sure, but I think it's actually more fun to drive around town. With the narrow tires, it sticks like glue to the road in the snow. And we're getting about 40mpg (and 400 miles per quart of oil).

All for a $450 car. Yippeee.

My only question is, why is there a fuel filler cap on both sides? Do all of them have this, or did we get a special one?

jlmissouri · « **Reply #1 on:** December 17, 2005, 08:18:57 pm »

I have never seen two gas fill area's, does it have two tanks? I am no professional though.

zyewdall · « **Reply #2 on:** December 17, 2005, 09:07:36 pm »

Quote from: "jlmissouri"

I have never seen two gas fill area's, does it have two tanks? I am no professional though.

I don't think so. Looks like one tank right in the middle, and a filler neck going out each side with identical filler caps above both rear wheels. I'll post pics if no one believes me... (I didn't believe my friend who owns the car until today either)

Dr. Diesel · « **Reply #3 on:** December 18, 2005, 05:47:32 pm »

i'd like to see a pic... not because I disbelieve you, but out of interest.

BlackTieTD · « **Reply #4 on:** December 19, 2005, 07:04:04 am »

ditto. pics!

zyewdall · « **Reply #5 on:** December 19, 2005, 08:31:33 am »

Quote from: "BlackTieTD"

ditto. pics!

Will post some later this week (I work during daylight hours, so I can't take pictures during the week.... :roll: )

RAMMSTEIN · « **Reply #6 on:** December 19, 2005, 08:05:21 pm »

I worked for gas stations for years (5) and never seen that before on a Rabbit.

On Jaguars, but not on any VW. :wink:

zyewdall · « **Reply #7 on:** December 24, 2005, 08:25:14 am »

Hah. I was fooled. Once the snow melted off and I could see what was going on better, it turns out the only the starboard filler cap is OEM. The one on the port side is an OEM cap and neck so it looks factory, but it you look more carefully, it doesn't have the little indented place in the body around the cap. It goes into the trunk, where the previous owner had the veggie oil tank for a WVO system.

EDIT: Added some pics.

VW Scully · « **Reply #8 on:** December 24, 2005, 07:11:36 pm »

Yeah Rabbits are great!

btw, that makes sense re. the veggie oil fill cap; all VWs have their fill caps on the passenger-side so the other side one would be an add-on.
Are you going to run SVO in it too?
Enjoy!
I can't wait til the nice weather returns and I can get my Rabbit on the road again

.

zyewdall · « **Reply #9 on:** December 24, 2005, 07:43:11 pm »

Well, the PO took out the SVO system before selling it (for his newer rabbit). We actually bought the rabbit for the engine, because my friend has a VW pickup that's missing its diesel engine. The rabbit is so fun to drive that I hate to take it apart though. But either way, that engine is going to have a veggie setup again, whether it's in the rabbit or the pickup.