81 rabbit diesel start problem
Paul
waiting until the idot light on the dash goes out but still the same. Is
this a glow pug problem?
Please help.
Arthur Russell
If no voltage, then I'd bet the fuse blew. It is in a small black
plastic housing roughly centered, on the engine side of the firewall,
several inches below where the hood meets the windshield. You can find
it easily by tracing the heavy red cabling from the bus.
I had one slowly corrode, and finally split in two. It was winter in New
England/upstate NY area, so my car wouldn't start at all. If it is very
hot where you are, then even with the glow plugs not working, it's
possible your car would start (after long cranking) but I wouldn't have
guessed so.
If you do have voltage, then you might have damaged glow plugs (leaky
injectors drip diesel in plug tips, and cause them to erode away), or a
really crappy spray pattern form your injectors. How's the car run once
it gets going? Good mileage?
Good luck,
Arthur
P.S. You probably already know this, but you'll wear things out unless
you fix this. My 81 never needed more than 1/2 second of cranking -
except when the plug fuse blew, the fuel tank pickup-filter was clogged,
or the time I ran out of fuel and the system got a little air in it.
DaveF
under the hood, on the passenger side fender, looks like a oil filter.
There should be a draincock on the bottom of it you open to let any water
drain out. Put a cup under it and open in up. I would just replace it if
you
don't know where it's been, like if it's been untouched since 1981.
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LBaird119
bad fuse or bad glow plugs. First check for power
at the glow plugs when there should be (when the
key is on and engine cold, but only for while the
amber dash light is on). If that passes then pull
the buss bar loose from all but #1 glow plug and
check for continuity between where the bar fastens
and ground for each plug. If no continuity, bad glow
plug.
You coul dalos easily have a leak in the fuel
system that lets air leak into the lines, drains the
pump down and takes time to re-prime. It could
be the larger return line, the little ones between
the injectors, the short hose from the tank to the
fuel line, a loose filter, etc.
Loren
Steve Feldman
> news:3RqZ6.1155$lb.4...@news1.rdc2.pa.home.com...
> > 81 rabbit diesel takes over 30 seconds of cranking to finally start. I'm
> > waiting until the idot light on the dash goes out but still the same. Is
> > this a glow pug problem?
> > Please help.
It's probably one of three things. The fuse, the fuse or the fuse.I solved
the problem in my 81 Jetta Diesel by replacing the fuse with a circuit
breaker.
Steve
Lauren
of my 81 diesels. And although everyone seems to think it's a fuse... it
could be a number of things. First of all VW changed the type of glow plugs
they used late in the 1981 model year. I have 3 diesel rabbits, all 81, and
two of them (the older 2) have slow glow plugs, and the other has fast glow
plugs. The fast glow plugs are a lot nicer. You'd never know know it was a
diesel by the way I crank it up. Usually with these, by the time you put
your seatbelt on the light is off.
Secondly, the light may be going off too quickly. On one of my rabbits with
the slow glow, the light goes off and then about another 20 seconds later
you can hear a little pop. Once you hear that noise the car will fire right
up. If I try to start it just after the light goes out it won't crank.
Then there is always the silly seatbelt signal. The car is designed to not
start unless the seatbelts are engaged. Most of these wires got cut when the
car was new just because they are annoying. But, I had a car last year that
the passenger side seatbelt wire wasnt working properly and the car wouldn't
start because of it. This usually just results in the car not even turning
over though if I remember correctly.
Last, most obvious suggestions are the battery and the starter. Usually
after 30 seconds of cranking (which you are under no circumstances supposed
to crank a vehicle for more than 15 seconds) the starter starts to wear
down, if you have done this alot you probably need a new starter. Maybe you
need a higher CCA rated battery.
Anyhow, I hope this info helps someone.
Lauren
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