[Vwdiesel] Re: Starting a Rabbit D with no battery.

[Val Christian]

I was on vacation with one of my 79 Rabbits, and the altenator failed.
We were in Maine, and it was 1988, and there were few VW dealers.  I
stopped in at one, and was told 5 days for an altenator.  The car had
airconditioning, which is why we took that car on vacation, and it
was exceptionally hot that year in Maine.  We drove around for a week,
always parking at the top of the parking lot.  My wife would get in the
car with our 2 yo son, and I would push.  The battery had enough juice
to run the turn signals and brake lights for a week.  Being May, it was 
light until late in the evening, and with a 2 yo in tow, we had an
appetite for hitting the hay earlier.  So it worked out OK.  

We traveled well over 1000 miles that week.  When I got home, I had
a substitute altenator to drop in.  The airconditioning meant a different
altenator.  

Oh, unscrew the fuel shutoff solenoid, if you want to save the 500 ma 
needed to keep the fuel on.  In a pinch, a six volt lantern battery,
will keep the solenoid open as well.  Just put the car in high gear 
and pop the clutch to kill the engine.  

Val

> 
> 
> At 1157 AM 12/17/2004 -0800, Hagar wrote
> ...snip..............
> 
> I swear that I can drive Bunny Bondo home ----even if battery was 
> stolen  ----no
> electrics are needed to run a Rabbit 1984 1.6L Turbo.    --- great feeling 
> to do that.
> <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
> OK, Hagar, I think that would work.
> 
> I _know_ you could drive the Rabbit home with no battery IF IT IS ALREADY 
> RUNNING, because I've done it a few times.
> 
> But, getting a battery-less Rabbit D to execute a cold start in the middle 
> of the winter requires a few special circumstances.
> 
> I guess if the hill was long enough, and we could coast fast enough, we 
> could spin the engine and alternator enough to both activate the fuel 
> shut-off valve release and heat up a few glow plugs, enough to fire a few 
> cylinders and then maybe get all of them going.
> 
> I would want a LONG hill, with the Rabbit at the top. Then I'd coast the 
> Rabbit down that hill and let out the clutch in 3d gear at about 15-20 
> miles an hour (to spin the alternator), at which point we turn on the 
> ignition key to glow plug position and count to ten. And pray that the 
> alternator is putting out enough current to open the fuel shut-off valve 
> and fire up a few glow plugs. Maybe it will be running after a few 
> seconds....who knows 'til we try it?  But I can't see that Rabbit starting 
> with a cold engine and no glow plug involvement. Or, it would have to be 
> one LONG hill....
> 
> OK, I guess I agree with you. But somebody with a long hill should try it.
> 
> Doyt
> 
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