Largest radiator for mk2 jetta 1.6NA

[93Ford]

So i live in an area with very steep and long mountains and my 85 jetta starts overheating plus its got a small crack in the radiator so im looking at getting a new one. Whats the largest/maximum cooling radiator thatll fit in this car. Also are there any water pump upgrades mines leaking out the weep so ill be replacing it with the best one i can get. What should the fuel timing be for max power in a NA engine. Any other cheap power mods i can do, top speed with most the hills around here is 40-45mph so i need some kind of boost in power. I dont plan on putting a turbo on it as ill be saving for a newer car so i dont want to spend to much on fixing this one.

[Tomoturbo55]

TD radiators are bigger, look for 2 speed radiator fan, Lower opening temperature termostat.

About more power cheap,better intake and exhaust, more fuel.

[fatmobile]

The diesel radiators use flat bars instead of round coolant passages that the gas VWs use.
 I think that makes them cool better.

Timing is determined by how the injectors work with the pump.
 There is no dial gauge number, that just gets you somewhere that will start.
 12BTDC with a pulse detector and timing light setup.

 The cold start lever can help you figure out where it likes to start best and that's the spot with the best timing.

[ORCoaster]

I second the 12 degrees point for best timing buy as it was said to get there you need equipment that can pick up the ping and convert it to a signal that triggers a timing light that you point to towards the flywheel to get the degree reading.  Not something everyone has.  Once you get that point established you then do the dial method and write down the MM reading for future reference. 

Hope you find someone with right equipment.  Makes all the difference in the world for heat and preformance.

[sgnimj96]

If you are driving at a high altitude,  the n/a diesel is just going to have less power.    Giving it more
fuel won't do anything without enough air to burn with it.   Better off keeping the rpm's up in a lower gear
than giving it more throttle in a higher gear.   Running overly rich is just making run even hotter - higher
exhaust temps.

I've driven a 1.6 n/a across the mountains of mexico several times.
 The things that help the most for me
is having a switch-control over the radiator fan and having a mechanical temp gauge to look at.   The dash gauge is
ok,  but I like have 2 gauges (especially one with actual numbers).
I have a manual switch (relayed) also wired to radiator fan so I can turn it on myself.
The direct wired switch in my old mk1 also runs the fan a little faster (less resistance) than the thermal-switch wiring does so that helps.
When I'm going up a steep grade I turn the fan on BEFORE I start up the hill,   and keep it on.
I also tapped a small wire into the hot wire going into the fan,  and run that to a indicator light to
let me know when the rad fan is actually coming on.    If it's getting hot and that light isn't coming
on....   you know something is up.   Having a manual switch has saved me before when the
thermal switch had failed.
These are cheap mods. 

I used to have a red fan-indicator light but changed it to green because it kinda scared people riding
in the car,  sitting in traffic and this red light would come on.  'Oh, it's fine,  that's just...'
Some people can't handle that,  but
 Personally I think EVERY car that relies on an electric cooling fan should have an indicator light.   
Tells you a lot about how the cooling system is working.

[93Ford]

I actually already have a manual fan switch. The ac switch turns the fan on high and since the ac doesn't work I just disconnected the wire going to the compressor. When the engine warms up I turn the fan on and leave it on and it still gets hot. yeah up the hills I always drop a gear until it's screaming and even so it'll still start slowing down. I think it's got a cat converter on it the muffler is out back but in the middle of the car there's a 4-6in diameter round thing, so I'm going to try to remove that and hope it helps. At lower RPMs, it'll put out some black smoke if you floor it but at higher RPMs it's clear. I know the engine was rebuilt not long before I bought it so I don't know if they bumped the timing or what but when I pull the lever it'll actually make it harder to start as the burn seems to happen very early when it's started then I pull the lever and it runs smoother when the engines cold. Once it warms up there seems to be no difference in power whether or not the lever is pulled

[fatmobile]

 The way the cold start acts shows that the timing is close to where it should be if not right on.

That's probably a resonator if it's not up front in the exhaust.
I don't think removing a resonator will help increase exhaust flow much.
 

[sgnimj96]

a good cooling system shouldn't have the fan coming on very often,
of course most people don't have any idea because there is no indicator light.

Keeping the rad fan on all the time is not good,  that's how the fuse boxes got melted in the mk1's.

[93Ford]

The problem with that is i cant seem to get the fan to turn on automatically, I replaced the switch on the radiator, tested it and its working but the fan wont turn on but if i connect the wires on the temp switch itll turn on so it makes no sense iv never been good with wiring. Iv been runing the fan continuisly on for a while and have had no problems so i think its good. What glow plugs do i need for this car seems like none of them work and iv been having to use starting fluid so i need to get them replaced. Is bosch 0250201032 the correct plug.

[fatmobile]

Bosch 80010 duraterms.
 That's a weird problem on the rad fan.

[sgnimj96]

better get a wiring diagram and figure it out.  Lucky for you a mk2's fan rad system is
simple as it gets.

and, 93Ford using starting fluid in a diesel is bad. it's real bad.
Glow plugs and ether will conspire to blow up your engine.
Ether can do it by itself,  because it ignites WAY too early for a diesel.
Some people say WD40 is ok to use.
But quit fooling around and get to work, m'kay

An 8mm & 12mm ratcheting wrench will make removing the glow plugs a lot faster.
I hold em with vice grips and jump them right there on the battery.   You only need one wire to do it,
then hold the + end of the glow plug directly on the + battery terminal (with the vice grips) for a few seconds.
Seeing is believing.   And as per Fatmobile advice,  ONLY get the the bosch ones.
Every other brand I've used didn't last very long.
I also test the new ones,  before I put them in.

btw,  you can jump the glow plugs directly by attaching a (12g) wire to the screw on the glowplug fuse (on the firewall)
and touch the other end to the + batt terminal for a few seconds.  If the glow plugs work,  you'll know it's something else.

Another neat thing is that everything that lets that engine run is easily jumped by hand.
IF you connect a small jumper from the + to the fuel-stop solenoid on the injection pump
and make another jumper for the starter you can start the car standing right there in front of it.
Just 3 things - glow plugs,  fuel solenoid, and starter.    Make sure the car is neutral! Lol
I keep 3 custom-made wires just for that stashed in the car,  in case I want to jump it from the front.

[93Ford]

Yea i inderstand how bad starting fluid is but iv got to get it started somehow. Ill check the glow plugs first to be 100% but im fairly certain its them. The glow plug light used to come on for a short period of time and it would start right up but now itll stay on for a long time and its not hitting on any of the cylinders and it used to at least hit on one or two

[sgnimj96]

Jump them.    One wire connected to the LEFT side of the glow plug fuse,  the other end hanging free.    Touch the free end to the + batt terminal and hold it there for about 10 sec. then let it hang free again.    Get in the car and start it.
If it doesn't start,  your glow plugs are bad.

Don't let the loose end touch anything else.    The glow plug circuit might be still working.   Disconnect the jumper after your done.

[fatmobile]

 A block heater can replace glow plugs.