Please Edumakate Me About MkII Diesels

[rs899]

I have had an 82 Caddy diesel for 16 years and feel that I could field strip it blindfolded.  I recently stumbled upon a 91 Jetta 1.6NA and seem to be resurrecting it, but I am having some questions about the differences.

1. The MKII fuel filters are described like this:

"For vehicles with pre-heater. Has 2 push-on hose fittings and one clip-type fitting. See photo."

Mine seems to be like this, but what's this about a pre-heater?  I don't see any wires running to it.  (And why does it need to cost so much?)

2.  What is the purpose of big wart on top of the injection pump on the MkII that keeps me from getting to injector #2 and the glow plugs?

3.  What's the ugly apparatus that sits in front of the fuel filter on a MKII that hooks to the IP wart and then to the vacuum pump?

My old Rabbit is a lot less cluttered and still runs fine.  It has the same power output.  Why did they add all this crap?

Rick

[burn_your_money]

It sounds like you have a 1.6NA with a ALDA. It's a device that limits maximum fuel delivery when atmospheric pressure drops, thereby reducing smoke. That's the "wart" thing on the top of the pump. The thing in front of the fuel filter is a vacuum source that controls this.

As for the preheater, what it does is rather then send the warm fuel from the return back to the tank (like the mk1) it instead sends it back into the fuel filter and then the pump. This serves to warm the fuel up. It's debatable whether or not it is needed. I deleted it on my car so I could run an aftermarket fuel filter.

[rs899]

Thanks Tyler.


So, since I live in hot, flat Florida, it doesn't sound like any of these improvements mean anything to me.  I think I will switch back to a MKI fuel filter and save $20 each time.  Guess I can't do anything about the ALDA.  My Benzs have them, but they aren't so obvious.

Rick

[burn_your_money]

If you can take a few pictures that would help out, just in case I am wrong.

[rs899]

Tyler- I am sure you are right, now that I study all the connections and the placement on the IP.

Another question...I figured out how the jack, jack handle and lugwrench fit in this plastic pod that was lying loose in the trunk.  Now where does this whole assembly go...it wasn't obvious to me?  The pod seems to have some tabs on the outside and there's this rubber bandy thing that may have something to do with it...anybody know how that all works...or just pitch it all?

Rick