[Vwdiesel] Hydraulic lifter question

[Bill Truesdell]

Bart Wineland wrote:

>  I drove it for
> a week and a half and pretty much figured it had worked itself out and was
> fine. Now it is back. The majority of the time when I start it cold it runs
> pretty rough for the first couple miles and throws quite a bit of black
> smoke but eventually smooths out fine. After it sits awhile it may or may
> not do it until it gets cold then it pretty much always does it.

I would go for the simple solution first and check glowplug fuse, then
glowplugs. It sounds like classic blown fuse symptoms. It has been
getting colder so you will have harder starts. ( I carry a pack of the
fuses in the car just because they do go when least expected and usually
on a sub-freezing Jan night).

Another cause could be timing. Did you do the timing? I got the timing
mark confused many years back in our '76 rabbit and the main symptom was
poor starting. But once it was running it did just fine! Love diesels.
Run in spite of what you do to them.

After that you have all the other stuff like injectors, starter, battery....

Bill Truesdell
Bath, Me
1991 jetta 210K miles