Author Topic: 1980 1.6 Rabbit No-Start (Read 11496 times)

Toolbox · « **on:** November 20, 2006, 11:21:48 pm »

Hi I just bought a 1980 Rabbit that refuses to run. When I bought it the guy it had sat for 3 years but while i was looking at it he got it running a bunch of times for just a few seconds and then it quit. Then he pulled it around the yard with his pickup trying to get it to run but it just wouldn"t stay running. It turned out pretty well for me because i talked him down to $100 and bought an extra engine(with Injector pump) head and transmission for another $100.

Unfortunalty, I haven't had even nearly the success that he had. I can't get the thing anywhere near running and have tried spraying ether in it and everything. Someone told me that I have to prime the injector pump but I'm having a hard time finding info on how to do that.

Things I have done -

Tried connecting the injector pump directly to a bottle of diesel by hooking up a hose with primed with diesel to both ends - no result.

Poured diesel in the inlet of the injector pump in an attempt to prime the pump. Kept filling it for about 5 minutes. - Engine fired but died quickly

Sprayed Ether in the airbox - the engine pinged and smoked like crazy but didn't run.

I really need this car to run!! I'm usually pretty good with cars but that Injector pump is a huge question mark for me. Any and all help is greatly appreciated.

Doug · « **Reply #1 on:** November 21, 2006, 06:09:08 pm »

First, check the fuel shut off solenoid for operation. You may have to remove it from the injection pump to free up the plunger from the seat. Check it in free air by applying a voltage to it to see that it really works. They like to stick closed after a while.

Don't use ether!!!

burn_your_money · « **Reply #2 on:** November 21, 2006, 06:38:58 pm »

Quote

Don't use ether!!!

For real, the short term benifiets are not worth the long term damage.

Check your glow plugs, starter, battery, stop solenoid, timing, compression...

LeeG · « **Reply #3 on:** November 23, 2006, 10:21:02 pm »

Quote

Poured diesel in the inlet of the injector pump in an attempt to prime the pump. Kept filling it for about 5 minutes. - Engine fired but died quickly

I think your on the right track. Fill the pump up to the top. Fill the filter up. Loosen the injector lines then crank it over until fuel is seeping out of them, then retighten. Now try to start. It wont run well until all the air is purged. If there is enough air in the high pressure side, it may never prime by just cranking without loosening the injector lines. It can't compress air enough to pop the injectors so the air never goes anywhere.

Toolbox · « **Reply #4 on:** November 24, 2006, 02:39:38 pm »

Sorry I haven't been on to update but with Thanksgiving I've had little time to work on the car.

OK so I primed to pump, cracked one of the Injector Lines and found it's not pushing any fuel through it. I also replaced the fuel filter and filled it and have been trying to run it off that. I did get it to run for a few seconds after I plugged it in and then tried to tow start it but I'm pretty sure it was just running on leftover ether. I haven't followed any of the advice on here yet because I didn't log on. I'll try this stuff tomorrow and let you guys know what happens.

Malacaco · « **Reply #5 on:** November 24, 2006, 03:01:08 pm »

i seriously doubt that the injection pump has any pressure. After 3 years it must be all rusty. You need to open it and probably replace a lot of elements.

I bought a golf (rabbit in the US) that was laying in a parking lot for 3 months and the pump was already dead. Costed me about 400 Euros (about 480$) to repair it.

jtanguay · « **Reply #6 on:** November 24, 2006, 09:41:18 pm »

well if the pump had fuel in it while it sat, then there shouldn't be any problems with the internals all rusty etc. now if the car was let sit because of a fuel related issue, then yeah the injection pump is probably shot...

burn_your_money · « **Reply #7 on:** November 25, 2006, 06:15:38 am »

Quote from: "jtanguay"

well if the pump had fuel in it while it sat, then there shouldn't be any problems with the internals all rusty etc. now if the car was let sit because of a fuel related issue, then yeah the injection pump is probably shot...

My thoughts exactly.

It may just need to be dragged around for a while (I find reverse works well) The vavles that allow fuel to exit the IP to the injectors maybe sticking which is why it's not firing. If you fill it with ATF, drag it around so that the ATF gets circulated into the pump and then let it sit for a day or 2, the ATF may loosen it up. I think the pump holds about a quart of ATF so you may need to run about a gallon through it. Rig it up to feed from the jug for about 1 quart, and then have it recirculating back into the jug and drag it around some more. Just don't go to fast, you don't want to over rev it

Actually, the first thing you should do is check the condition of your timing belt and then check the timing, if you are way off it's never going to start

Toolbox · « **Reply #8 on:** November 25, 2006, 08:26:17 am »

I should have mentioned more in my last post. I saw someone recommend putting ATF in the pump in a previous post so I gave that a whirl. It didn't seem to make an immediate difference but maybe by now it's freed up something. That was also before I towed it around town. The timing belt dosen't have any cracking or excessive wear but I don't know quite how to check the timing, I'm sure it's on this site somewhere so I'll do some fishing.....hey, that's what work is for, right?

BTW: The car was parked because a tree fell on it. It's a beautiful car :roll:

jtanguay · « **Reply #9 on:** November 25, 2006, 07:26:20 pm »

Quote from: Toolbox

BTW: The car was parked because a tree fell on it. It's a beautiful car :roll:

what a way to go!!! poor car

Toolbox · « **Reply #10 on:** November 26, 2006, 04:31:00 pm »

OK I got it running!!! Here's what went wrong and what went right.

I checked the power to the fuel shut off switch for power and it did so I cracked all the lines and turned it over until they were all spraying fuel (Actually ATF) Then when I reconnected them the engine turned over right away. Unfortunatly, it would do little more than idle and then it died. After it died I cracked the pump and it wasn't full anymore. I checked all my hoses and the return line off the top of the pump was tore so I replaced that and then everything seemed to work fine. I left it idle for a while but now whenever I give it gas it seems to stick there. When I shut it off it goes back to idle but it won't if I just let it sit there. What do you suppose causes that?

burn_your_money · « **Reply #11 on:** November 26, 2006, 05:39:36 pm »

Good to hear you got it running

So if you rev it up it won't come back down at all? You have to turn the engine off and then restart it to get it to idle at proper idle speeds?

jtanguay · « **Reply #12 on:** November 27, 2006, 05:47:17 am »

sounds like residual fueling to me... how long was this pump left out? maybe something is sticking... i'd say let it run with atf for a bit... clean it out

rev her up once she's warmed up.

Toolbox · « **Reply #13 on:** November 27, 2006, 04:24:51 pm »

Yeah it's like the throttle gets stuck. It dosen't do it at low rev but if I give it a little more throttle than normal it sticks. If I'm driving it it's not noticable because I just put it in a higher gear and bring the engine down to normal.

It also has oil in the airbox. If I clean it out and drive it around for 5-10 minutes there's some in there again. If I run some more ATF through it do you think it'll help that out too?

(I wouldn't exactly say it's running away. If I hit the ignition it'll shut off)

burn_your_money · « **Reply #14 on:** November 27, 2006, 04:48:36 pm »

take off the oil filler cap with the engine running and feel how much blow by there is. If it's excessive you probably need new rings. A clogged intake could also cause excessive oil blow by. Make sure you have the black cam over installed

Author Topic: 1980 1.6 Rabbit No-Start (Read 11496 times)

Doug