Quick brainstorm on 1.6TD no power issues

[8v-of-fury]

Ok so the '88 Jetta I picked up today, lets say.. It is gutless. I have driven a stock TD before and this is less than that slow. Couple good launches where first gear feels as it should, powerful and then second feels like there is nothing at all. Ideas?

Its weird, there are no pump leaks and I have an electric pump on it. I have no idea where the PO has it timed but it sounds alright. I had to change out the pump lid when I got there, as it were leaking from the throttle shaft causing a no run, with a complete lack of ability to pull fuel from the tank.

Starts up a little hesitant, not sure if the glows are working properly yet or not. It revs up sort of ok in neutral, and sometimes you can get good power out of it.. but other gears or starts its just a DOG. Worse than a fully loaded rabbit with a 1.5.. Something all messed up in the pump you figure? Because I swapped the lids, I set the throttle spline one ahead and adjusted the idle and fuel screw accordingly. I got good idle out of it, good rev and no rpm hang so it was good to me.

The 3.5hr drive home was brutal over 2000rpm lol. No power pretty much, well sometimes. Pumps gotta come off anyway, but I'd like to see whats up prior to. I got some cleaning to do as well, needs a wash/wax and full interior detailing! Another of my specialties

Thanks guys !

[Dakotakid]

Pull the pickup unit in the fuel tank. Pop out the plastic flat cover and see if the screen is clogged with wax and lint and dirt.

Or: "in" bolt versus "out" bolt in the pump, etc. Don't overlook the small sheet.

[745 turbogreasel]

how old is the fuel?
Muffler packed with cat food?

[8v-of-fury]

Pull the pickup unit in the fuel tank. Pop out the plastic flat cover and see if the screen is clogged with wax and lint and dirt.

Or: "in" bolt versus "out" bolt in the pump, etc. Don't overlook the small sheet.

I will check the tank pickup, in and out bolts are fine. I replaced the pump top and set it up prior to purchase and leaving the guys place.

how old is the fuel?
Muffler packed with cat food?

Car was empty when I picked it up, and we put 20L of fresh diesel in it. Don't think the exhaust is plugged, can feel a pretty solid stream at the tail pipe.. but how else do you check that? lol I think it is fueling related. pump wise, because only sometimes there is any smoke to speak of.

[rodpaslow]

Maybe fuel filter?

[745 turbogreasel]

Car was empty when I picked it up, and we put 20L of fresh diesel in it. Don't think the exhaust is plugged, can feel a pretty solid stream at the tail pipe.. but how else do you check that? lol I think it is fueling related. pump wise, because only sometimes there is any smoke to speak of.

Unhook the DP for a minute.
Sitting dry, it could easily have hung up a vane or two in the pump.  I'd run some super slippy detergent additives for a few days, and see if it improves.

[8v-of-fury]

Got it all figured. It was an in bolt in the out.. Well arent i an idiot!! It didnt seem that it could be the issue because i made a very hilly drive home! Lol

[8v-of-fury]

Well after getting that figured out, I ran it on ATF for a while, shut it down and let it sit. The pump looked clean when I had the lid off before purchasing, but it doesn't hurt.

The glow plugs aren't getting power, I don't even know where to begin looking as I always rip stock units out lol. I may want to resell this car, so I will be diagnosing the stock system I guess. I've got no power at the fuse on the firewall, so it must be a relay then eh.

[libbydiesel]

I've done enough wiring lately that I'm starting to like it.   

No power at the relay side of the firewall fuse just means that the issue is upstream.  Could be the relay, power to it or even the temp sensor for it.  In general, I really like the stock glow plug system and actually fit it to conversions.  Just got done wiring one into an AAZ vanagon conversion I'm finishing up. 

[8v-of-fury]

Glowplug light was acting all funky for the drive home, blinked for a while.. so I thought water separator. Then it stopped, and will blink upon start now, or stay solid. intermittently. It may even shut off normally too. I am not getting power to the plugs though, that is for sure.

Even without glows, starts up with like 3 cranks. Good compression at 437k kms? Guess so.  

[rallydiesel]

I've done enough wiring lately that I'm starting to like it.   

I've done enough drum brakes lately that I'm starting to like them. Kill me now!