[Vwdiesel] Remember smoke?

[Dana Morphew]

You're sure of your fuel filter...no water or clogging?  No air in the fuel 
line between the filter and pump? All four of your glow plugs are working 
correctly?  You're valve timing is correct? 

Low compression will cause difficulty starting and will smoke white.  Some of 
your rings may be 'stuck' and the Purge will help to 'unstick' them.  This 
was my problem long ago on another diesel, and I used 1/2 qt. of ATF type F 
(for the detergents) in two successive tankfuls which brought the compression 
right up to 475-510 on all four.  I had compression in the 300 area on two 
cyls. before the ATF treatments.  

I've always had the tools to time mine and have never tried to time it 
without using them.  But, your pump will have a 'sweet spot', and, when the 
engine is cold with ambient temps. below 50F or so, the cold start knob will 
need to be pulled out to avoid rough running.  If the cold start knob has no 
effect on the smoothness of the idle on a cold engine, your timing is not set 
correctly.  It sounds like your cold start knob is working as it should.  The 
 '107 A' pump is the one called the 'yellow dot'.  Your setting of 0.034" is 
0.86mm.  You might try 0.036", (0.91mm), or 0.038", (0.97mm), and I think it 
will likely run better.

Ask more questions if you have them.

Dana

On 29 Feb 2004 at 20:08, Todd Braman wrote:

 > To refresh your memory: 81 Rabbit, 164K, 5 year lay-up, hard starting &
> smoke(white), new timing belt, retimed from book(first time).
> 
> I tried fresh diesel fuel-no change.
> 
> Tried hillbilly timing- I made a scribe mark on forward facing pump ear and
> mount plate. Found that rotating the top of pump toward the rear of the car so
> that the scribe marks are separated approx. 3/64th's makes things pretty
> hunky-dory. Starts first try, smooths out after about 25 seconds, no smoke,
> smooth reving( previously had a flat band from idle . 45-50 degrees F. ambient
> temp. I figure this is advancing timing, right? 
> 
> I will admit that my timing procedure could be faulty, but I followed the book
> and it seemed to go well. I am aware that there are different pumps /different
> settings but according to the book this should be a post yellow dot pump (I
> could not find a yellow dot anywhere.) I set it to .034 in. lift.  I remember
> Hagar mentioned that tired engines liked to be a little off-time. Could this
> be what I am dealing with here? 
> 
> Pump Dataplate info:       Robert Bosch  usa
>                                       VE R88-8    0 480 494 077
>                                       VW oooo    088 130 107 A6
>                                        927 147 18882
>                                        Bosch germany  O
> 
> I cant find any info to positively identify pump to determine timing. Is this
> info any help?
> 
> I did replace the O-ring on the start shaft during my previous work. This
> required taking the arm off the shaft. I was in a bit of a quandry as to how
> to index it. I tried to put it back so the run position (all the way in on the
> knob) had no lift on the cam. It seems to work correctly. During the smoky
> running it did run better with the knob out till it warmed up(when warm it
> didn't seem to make much difference). As timed now, I pulled it out for start
> and after about a minute pushed it in- runs good in or out.
> 
> Injectors were checked. Runs smooth. Is there any downside to operating off
> time? Engine damage? Power loss? Poor economy? 
> 
> I have my Lubro Moly Diesel-Purge and Diesel High-Test but I haven't used it
> yet. Could this situation be caused by something that Purge might
> fix?(assuming that the timing was set correctly).
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Todd Braman
> Yakima, Wa. 
> 
> 
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