Wont run, Priming?

[GTD.]

Decided to get my GTD (91 SB IDI) back on the road as its been off the road for 2 yrs over the weekend I've fitted a alarm, imobiliser and remote starter (Clifford AvantGuard 4 with intellistart)

Tried to start it but would cut out almost immediatly, return line had big bubbles in it. I had fitted briggs and stratton fuel line clamps at the filter but they wern't clamping tight enough so I've replaced thm with O Clamps and the correct pliers to fit them.

 Got it to run just about but it wasnt right and the accelerator did nothing, loosened each injector line, there is fuel squirting out. replaced all the injector return pipes with some new pipe I got from VW. Back to square one, wont run again needs repriming I think whats the best way as the battery is now too flat to turn the starter.

Just ordered a 89 Digi GTI in tank fuel pump strainer sender unit off ebay, is it worth fitting and wiring it up to help the diesel pump and re charge the battery and give it another go at the weekend?

[Rabbit on Roids]

fuel line restriction somewhere. or just simply a clogged fuel filter.

[gilligan5000]

Decided to get my GTD (91 SB IDI) back on the road as its been off the road for 2 yrs over the weekend I've fitted a alarm, imobiliser and remote starter (Clifford AvantGuard 4 with intellistart)

Tried to start it but would cut out almost immediatly, return line had big bubbles in it. I had fitted briggs and stratton fuel line clamps at the filter but they wern't clamping tight enough so I've replaced thm with O Clamps and the correct pliers to fit them.

 Got it to run just about but it wasnt right and the accelerator did nothing, loosened each injector line, there is fuel squirting out. replaced all the injector return pipes with some new pipe I got from VW. Back to square one, wont run again needs repriming I think whats the best way as the battery is now too flat to turn the starter.

Just ordered a 89 Digi GTI in tank fuel pump strainer sender unit off ebay, is it worth fitting and wiring it up to help the diesel pump and re charge the battery and give it another go at the weekend?

After my project sat for a while I ran into a very similar problem.  My guess is one of two problems:

1. These motors will NOT start unless you have the cranking amps to do it.  I had to go out and buy a 300 amp starter/charger.  The glow plugs draw some serious current, and then the starter draws even more.  Even if your battery is brand new this can be a struggle.  Keep in mind that after disconnecting the fuel,  I literally had to crank for 5 minutes (off and on to let the starter cool) to get fuel back to the injectors.  Since you say that you replaced the injector lines, this is most likely the case.  If you don't have a starter/charger you can always have someone pull you down a back road while you are in 2nd gear.

if that doesn't work...

2. Try taking off the intake plumbing and spraying a little bit of wd-40 in the intake minifold.  If it starts, you have fuel delivery issues.  If it doesn't start, then you really know the motor isn't turning quick enough.

[GTD.]

tried today after chasing water leaks all day, replaced the radiator as the fan cowling had damaged one of the water ways causing a leak thats rotted the radiator carrier, replaced the plastic flange on the side of the head with a alloy one that has a M10x1 coolant temp sensor off an old 1.6 automatic petrol as I thought the plastic flange was leaking but it turned out to be the metal water pipe, so changed the water pipe and run on coolant pump.

Had some really really thick cable and lugs so while the radiator was out I made new alternator B+ to starter motor and transmission ground to battery ground cables then cut the original battery cable so it just goes from transmission ground to the chassis earthing point below the battery

Went to start it but it wasnt drawing diesel at all, removed the fuel sender and replaced with a old MK2 Digifant GTI sender with lift pump and wired it to ign live, with the bonnet open I could see the fuel reaching the pump and going out the return. to a couple of goes while plugged into my 180 amp starter charger but eventualy it fired and ran, smoking a little bit though white smoke.

is that good or bad?, the diesel in the tank is quite old

Need to order a 3 pin tank sender/lift pump connector from VW and wire it in properly

The SWF Digifant pump that I have, the return pipe is the same size as the supply pipe, so I'm going to have to replace the reurn line with a supply one.