Author Topic: '82 caddy Deisel starts but only runs breifly (Read 6783 times)

Mike D. · « **Reply #15 on:** November 24, 2006, 09:27:22 am »

Thank you, you guys are the best. That'll give me enough to stay out of trouble for a while. One other thought. Is it possible I've got the wrong fuel cap? Is it supposed to be vented or non-vented?

rabbitman · « **Reply #16 on:** December 19, 2006, 04:06:12 am »

Hey, Mike, did you ever get your pickup runnin' right? Was any air in the line between the fuel filter and IP?

Mike D. · « **Reply #17 on:** December 19, 2006, 11:23:17 am »

No, I didn't. I have a Jeep that is my main transportation that died and I've been concentrating on it instead since I need it for work. I've got the pickup ready to run off a can of diesel to try to determine if the fuel tank may be the issue, but haven't done it yet. It's been raining a lot here and I don't want to smoke up the house running it in the garage so it sits for now. It looks like I may have the Jeep fixed as soon as the part arrives so I'll get back on the VW then. There's a shop about twenty miles from me that thinks my main issue is injector pump timing what with the white smoke and no power, but is pretty much in agreement with the folks here as to potential causes of the "run a while and die" thing. I'm still trying to determine if I've got the correct fuel cap or not, but suspect I do because it has Volkswagen markings on it. If it's supposed to have a vented cap and this one either isn't or is somehow clogged, I'd think that would cause a vacuum that would stop the fuel flow, but that's just a guess and certainly not an educated one. Thank you for your interest.

rabbitman · « **Reply #18 on:** December 19, 2006, 04:22:13 pm »

Try taking the gas cap off and running it, I doubt the caddy can use enough fuel in 10 minutes to cause a vacuum in the tank. Another thing your might do is (with fuel cap on) blow into the return line with the bleed screw on the fuel filter loosened, don't use an air compressor or you'll blow a line. When fuel comes out the bleeder close it and keep blowing. When I got my rabbit it only ran once in a while, missed real bad and smoked a lot so I put another IP on and it fire up and ran perfect. Hope you get it going!

Mike D. · « **Reply #19 on:** December 19, 2006, 06:09:41 pm »

I have to admit to some confusion here. I'm VERY unfamiliar with diesels and, although I've learned a lot at this site, I don't know what return line you're referring to. Is it located near the fuel tank? What is the purpose of this exercise? Is it to help get the air out of the fuel system? Sorry, I hate sounding like a dummy, but sometimes it's just not avoidable. Your experience with the IP goes right along with what the mechanic in town told me. The thing has 103,000 miles on it and hasn't run in several years. I'm wondering if the engine might be tired. I've been told that is barely broken in for a diesel, but don't know for sure.

rabbitman · « **Reply #20 on:** December 20, 2006, 02:01:05 am »

the return line goes from a fitting marked "out" on top of the IP back to the tank. There should also be little hoses connecting the injectors, one of which goes to the "out" fitting also. Blow so that the tank is pressurized forcing air out of the return line fitting. Your IP could have gotten water in it which would wreck it. 103,000mi is not enough for low compression unless it rusted. Hope this helps.

Mike D. · « **Reply #21 on:** December 20, 2006, 11:37:50 pm »

I found the lines you've described but am still fuzzy on what to do. Are you saying to disconnect the return line from the thing marked "out" and blow from there? It's starting to make some sense if so. It looks like that will pressurize the fuel tank and force fuel through the pickup line to the filter, through the filter to the injector pump, through the injector pump, and out the thing marked "out" at which time the line would need to be reconnected. Do I understand it correctly?

rabbitman · « **Reply #22 on:** December 21, 2006, 02:23:36 pm »

Yep, thats it, I don't know if thats how everyone else bleeds the fuel system but it works for me. You can loosen the little bleed screw on the fuel filter bracket while you blow to get the air out of it, then tighten it when fuel comes out.