when you convert a mk2 gas car to diesel, be sure to locate a sending unit/fuel pickup for a DIESEL mk2.. they are MUCH DIFFERENT than the gas counterparts, and they make life SOO MUCH MORE SIMPLE...
i had tried converting a gasser lift pump/sending unit to work with the diesel fuel system, but it didnt work good, so i tried deleting the lift pump, but the piece of TYGON i used, did not respond well to diesel fuel. the ghetto-fabbed gasser pickup that i used, basically FELL THE **** APART when i took it out of the tank..
i really wish i would have snapped pics of the diesel pickup unit next to the gasser pickup unit.. they are night and day different..
the reason for the swap, was that my car would run out of fuel @ 3/4 of a tank.. basically giving me effectively a 4 gallon fuel tank.. another thing i didnt like about the later sending unit, was the fact that it stayed on FULL for a very long time, then raced to empty once the needle started moving.. with the early diesel sending unit, the gauge reacts much better. it only stays on FULL for a brief period, then descends to empty as it should. the fuel gauge in the Jetta now acts like the fuel gauge in my 86 GTI.. i never liked how the 92 sending unit made the gauge respond.. when my gauge reads FULL, i wanna know that my tank is FULL, not somewhere within 4 gallons of full..
anyways, those of you who might run into issues with your swap, and priming your pump, just remember that the gasser tank pickup needs modifying to work with a diesel, or else the lift pump needs to operate whenever the engine is on. if the lift pump is not pumping, it is just a HUGE air leak..
save yourself the headache, just install a diesel pickup assembly..
sadly, you need to modify the wiring, and the connector.. the late model gasser unit uses a 4 pin weatherpack connector. the early model diesel unit uses a TINY 2 pin connector, identical to the connector for the brake fluid level indicator.. you must adapt the 2 pin connector to the 4 pin weatherpack, or else cut the 4 pin weatherpack off, and solder on the new small 2 pin connector..
the diesel fuel pickup is WORTH IT THO!! ive been having fuel system issues since i swapped the car, and im feeling pretty confident that i just solved all those issues yesterday!
another thing i noticed, was that the air primed out of the fuel lines MUCH FASTER with the proper fuel pickup..
and the diesel unit DOES NOT have a screen in it. meaning that any crud that finds its way to the fuel tank, will eventually find its way to the fuel filter as well. there is no in-tank screen to clog up.. so, this may make my fuel filters last a few less miles, but i dont mind. atleast i should NEVER have to open up my fuel tank ever again!
IIRC you cannot find the gasket for the MK2 fuel tank either.
That is correct. I have looked but even places that have them listed and a price do not when you go to put them in a cart.
That is correct. I have looked but even places that have them listed and a price do not when you go to put them in a cart.
i will be SAVING all those gaskets i come across then...
ive got a half dozen good ones. didnt know they were soo hard to find..
ce1 harnesses are alot easier to find. I wonder if it shares the same rear harness as the ce2. I found a whole uncut bumper to bumper setup for 45 shipped when I did mine. the gli must be comfy.
almost ALL the connectors on a CE1 harness are 100% different..
i would LOVE to dump a CE1 wiring harness in my car.. i HATE the CE2.
CE2 is the best way to go, you have way more wiring options and its way more plug and play and less likely to burst into flames like the CE1 junk. Plus if you convert to CE2 then you car drop a TDi right in if you so desire at a later date.
CE2 is the best way to go, you have way more wiring options and its way more plug and play and less likely to burst into flames like the CE1 junk. Plus if you convert to CE2 then you car drop a TDi right in if you so desire at a later date.
my car is ALREADY CE2..
i HATE IT..
i hate where the fuse box is.
i hate the wiring harness, and how its layed out..
CE2 gives me HEADACHES..
its a mexican CE2, FWIW.. the mexican wiring is HORRIBLE..
if i ever swap in a TDI, it will be with a mechanical pump.
i like that i dont have to have a triple jointed back to access the fuse panel on CE1 cars..
Yeah, when I converted I left the intank gasser fuel pump and sender and it let TONS of air into the system. Swapped it out for my diesel one and the problem vanished.
too bad b3 wagon not so simple... supposedly a b4 tdi wagon sender fits... but sedan/mk2 will NOT... tank is 1-2" taller for the 20+ gal it holds..
Yeah, when I converted I left the intank gasser fuel pump and sender and it let TONS of air into the system. Swapped it out for my diesel one and the problem vanished.
yes, the mk2 in tank pump MUST run, if you leave it in the system..
i was having issues with the pump, i would have to slap the tank to get the in-tank pump goin again..
so, instead of fix, or replace it, i just deleted it..
problem solved. plus, the diesel sending unit is MUCH DIFFERENT from a gasser pickup.. not even similar in any way.