Author Topic: 84 jetta td, no start (Read 2496 times)

gonecrazyi · « **on:** November 27, 2008, 03:37:29 pm »

I just recently purchased a 84 jetta turbo diesel gl. It has 148,000 miles and ran great for the first month that I had it. The problems all started when the buzzer for the lower oil pressure started going off. So I bought a oil pressure guage. I found that it has 80psi on startup, but as the engine warms up it slowly falls to the point where cruising I see 20-25 psi, and 10-15 at idle. At first I thought that it was the oil filter so I ordered a mahn filter and the problem still persists.

The car had been sitting for awhile so I decided to park it in order to pull the oil pump and clean the pickup screen.

Well it was over a month before I could touch the car again. I went out to start it and found that my glow plug light was not coming on. I also found that when cranking the car I was getting no fuel out of the fuel line or injection lines.

The car has a full tank of fuel and started and ran great up to this point.
I need to check the fuses in regards to the glow plugs, but what would cause no fuel at the pump? Upon following the lines I know that I do not have a mechanical fuel pump, so is there an electric pump in the tank or is it built in the IP?

I know that the IP has power because we could get fuel to it and the car would shutter and attempt to start.

I suppose that I am at a loss. This isnt my first idi diesel, but is is my first non computer controlled vw.

Thanks in advice
Will

ilikevwdiesel · « **Reply #1 on:** November 27, 2008, 05:22:09 pm »

when you turn on the ignition are you getting power to the glow plug bus? No glow plug lite probably means your relay is bad. Try connecting a jumper wire from the positive battery terminal to the glow plug bus and see if it starts then. Before you do that though, I'd prime the injection pump and then crank it over with the OUT bolt loose or even removed to make sure you do have a pump full of fuel. If you have an air leak in the fuel lines it will let the pump drain over a period of sitting for a while. hope this helps.

gonecrazyi · « **Reply #2 on:** November 27, 2008, 06:18:14 pm »

Ill have to try jumping to the glow plug relay. I did notice that it acted a little funny before it went out. Sometimes it would work and sometimes it wouldnt.

We tried priming the pump using that method for about an hour. The problem seems to be that theres no fuel being drawn from the tank. We managed to force fuel through the lines from the tank to the filter but could not get the fuel to be drawn into the pump.

Ill give it another try, maybe we just didnt try long enough.

I read the Bentley Manual and it says something about the fuel pump being built into the IP. If this is so, I guess it might take some more cranking before it starts.

ilikevwdiesel · « **Reply #3 on:** November 27, 2008, 06:59:00 pm »

get an inline primer bulb for marine use and install it in the fuel line between the pump and the fuel filter. remove the OUT bolt from the pump and then use the bulb to force feed the pump. once the fuel comes out of the pump outlet it should fire, if not your pump is probably toast. look at the fuel as it comes out of the pump, if it looks rusty then the pump is junk for sure.

gonecrazyi · « **Reply #4 on:** November 28, 2008, 05:59:34 am »

When you refer to a pump, do you mean the injection pump. Other then that, Ive tracked all the lines and couldnt find a fuel pump. I figured that it had to have an electric pump in the tank, but couldnt find anything about it in the bentley manual.
Ill go pick up a primer bulb and give it a try. This is my first mechanical vw and its a lot different then working on my mechanical f250.

VW_Commuter · « **Reply #5 on:** November 28, 2008, 07:48:45 am »

This page has pictures of what the feed pump in a Bosch VE Injection Pump looks like.

gonecrazyi · « **Reply #6 on:** November 29, 2008, 06:11:51 pm »

Thanks for the link. Ill be getting home tomorrow and Ill be attempting to prime the system again.

If it is the fuel pump that went bad, could this be easily fixed without removing the Injection pump?

If worse comes to worse, could I just buy an electric pump set to 7-10 psi.

8v-of-fury · « **Reply #7 on:** November 30, 2008, 09:19:26 am »

if worse comes to worst and you find out the only reason it is not working is because you cant get the fuel to the pump due to lack of pulling power.. then a small in line electric pump around 5-10 psi will work great..

i am in the middle of a gas -> diesel swap on a 84.. an i will be using the small inline pump in the tank to feed my IP and they are around 3-7 psi.. so that should help you out a lot.

gonecrazyi · « **Reply #8 on:** December 23, 2008, 05:39:22 pm »

I've been planning on putting an electric pump in eventually. I did get it started, I took the fuel line off of the filter and used a bottle with a small nipple to run fuel down the line and into the IP.

After a couple minutes of cranking and letting the starter cool, the car was running smooth and all the air was out of the system.

Now, after getting the car running, I noticed it had an airleak. I checked all the lines and tightened up the clamps(lines are new and sealing).

I parked the car over night and had to reprime it in the morning. After getting it started I noticed that fluid was coming out from around the ac compressor so I checked to see if it was on. Well, the compressor was off and after smelling the liquid I found that it was diesel.

Now my problem is that my injection pump is leaking between the plate where the injector lines connect and the pump itself.

Can I just take the fuel lines off and remove the screws holding the plate. Is there a specific gasket or seal thats required for this application?

Thanks in advance, Billy

Author Topic: 84 jetta td, no start (Read 2496 times)

8v-of-fury