What to do: 60k mile Eco D engine sat for 14 years when car was wrecked

[92EcoDiesel Jetta]

Definitely not taking it apart to see if it's good. I'm not putting the engine in a car, just want to run it on the ground to see whether the engine is good, then put it in storage.

I plan on (with water pump belt off), take T stat out, hook garden hose (with an adapter) to the lower rad hose barb on the water pump, hook up hoses to the ports on the head so they are higher than the head, turn on garden hose and water should fill the engine and come out from the hoses above the engine ,so I should be able to run it as long as I want. Do you see any problems with doing that?

[745 turbogreasel]

I loop the  rad hoses so I can spot a head gasket leak.

[92EcoDiesel Jetta]

I loop the  rad hoses so I can spot a head gasket leak.

Where are you spotting the head gasket leak?

[8v-of-fury]

I loop the  rad hoses so I can spot a head gasket leak.

Where are you spotting the head gasket leak?

Between the head and block, and wherever it is dripping water .

[92EcoDiesel Jetta]

I loop the  rad hoses so I can spot a head gasket leak.

Where are you spotting the head gasket leak?

Between the head and block, and wherever it is dripping water .

Head gasket leaks are rarely external.

[8v-of-fury]

How else would you observe them while running it, if he was not in fact meaning external? Lol.

Could be an oil one too, it'd be hard to see with water squirting all over.

[92EcoDiesel Jetta]

How else would you observe them while running it, if he was not in fact meaning external? Lol.

Could be an oil one too, it'd be hard to see with water squirting all over.

If there was an external leak, there would be signs where the leak is already. There is no signs of water or oil leak from the head gasket. It's dry and clean.  Water squirting all over?

[745 turbogreasel]

Well you fill it with water, anything else that shows up in your closed loop has to be exhaust.
If the hose pressurizes instantly, it's a head gasket. Even without a rad, it's a good bit of idle to hit operating temp.
Also  will show a leaking water pump or whatever.

[92EcoDiesel Jetta]

Well you fill it with water, anything else that shows up in your closed loop has to be exhaust.
If the hose pressurizes instantly, it's a head gasket. Even without a rad, it's a good bit of idle to hit operating temp.
Also  will show a leaking water pump or whatever.

How do you run closed loop with no radiator? Do you have your water pump running? To run closed loop, shouldn't the radiator be there to remove heat?

I didn't want to hook up the radiator and expansion tank to replicate a stock system - too much work.

I am feeding a garden hose as input into the lowest part of the engine (water pump) with T-stat removed. All the other ports are outlets and have hoses on them which are placed higher than the head so air bubbles self bleed and the head is always full of moving water. I believe this is the safest way to run an engine on the ground. Engine heat is removed by the water being dumped out of the engine (onto the ground).

I got it running and the engine sounds beautiful. It started without glow plugs which says the engine has good compression.

I had a hell of a time priming the injection pump. The injector hard lines were off on the first  attempt and no matter what I tried could not get the IP to suck fuel. I tried using a Mityvac on the return barb to fill the IP, then tried filling it with a funnel via the return banjo pedestal, but cranking the engine would not suck fuel from the fuel bottle into the IP, and only the the 2 lower delivery valves had fuel squirting out of them (one squirted a little more than the other), the other 2 delivery valves had nothing coming out of them. I thought the IP or transfer pump was gunked up from sitting for 14 years or the pump has a leak and needs resealing. I was ready to pull the pump then said to myself it's worth a try putting the injector hard lines on for another attempt. It's not that much more work and will save me from pulling the IP (and opening a can of worms) if it works.

It worked!

After the injector hard lines were in place I used the Mityvac on the return pedestal to suck fuel into the IP till the clear fuel lines are filled, I cranked the engine to bleed the hard lines and noted it is now sucking fuel into the IP and saw a puff of smoke! I tightened the rest of the injector nuts, cranked some more and it started (with no glow plugs) and ran smoothly with NO SMOKE! I have a good engine!

Here's a video of it starting and running (with running water)

I ran it for a total of maybe 1 minute and the water coming out was immediately warm and got hotter as it ran.

CLICK TO PLAY!

[745 turbogreasel]

Well you fill it with water, anything else that shows up in your closed loop has to be exhaust.
If the hose pressurizes instantly, it's a head gasket. Even without a rad, it's a good bit of idle to hit operating temp.
Also  will show a leaking water pump or whatever.

How do you run closed loop with no radiator? Do you have your water pump running? To run closed loop, shouldn't the radiator be there to remove heat?

There are a couple ways to go about it.  One is to take a long rad hose, and run it from the water outlet to the water inlet.Another would be to join the upper and lower hose with a large nipple  where the rad would go.  I prefer the latter  so its easy to let any air out.  I leave all acessories on  unless there is something wrong with them, exc the PS pumps like to make a mess.There is no need whatsoever for the radiator until well after the thermostat is fully open, which takes a good while when you have no way to load the engine.  I think the one in my shop took half an hour+ to hit 210.

Sounds good for such a long sit.

[92EcoDiesel Jetta]

I am putting this engine into storage till I need it. How should it be prepped?

I have so far:
Fresh oil and filter.
IP and input and return lines filled with clean fuel and capped.

Should I fill the engine with coolant and plug all ports or drain the water out and blow dry? I think I like the coolant better to prevent rust.

What else do I need to do?

[8v-of-fury]

Can you easily pull the injectors and oil the cylinders down?? Obviously you cannot fog diesels.. so I'd do that.

Or swap out your fuel jar with 100% 2 stroke motor oil. Leave that to sit in the pump, lines, injectors and on the pistons/cylinders.

[8v-of-fury]

I would also suggest putting the engine at TDC, the valves are all completely shut at this point. and will prevent ANYTHING from going through the intake or the exhaust.

[theman53]

Vince Waldon used to store his pumps with 100% atf. Really don't know how the last one went but he had it in storage for about 2 years and I don't know if he put it on anything or not.

[8v-of-fury]

I agree ATF works as well, and is especially good as a cleanser but I do not think it has as much lubrication properties as 2 stroke oil.

The 2-stroke would work good for the injectors and cylinders as well.