[Vwdiesel] Remember bad starting man.

[James Hansen]

Iain Hunter wrote:
> Remember me. Iain, with the T3 1.6 TD that wouldn't run.
> 
> Well a month later, and the problem is still not sorted. I changed
> the plugs, and tested they were getting hot, which they were. I
> checked the filter was free of water, I advanced the pump, and all
> number of other small checks, but still had the same problem. Last
> week I decided to have it towed around to a local garage to see if
> they could diagnose the fault. The mechanic said that he was sure it
> was the tank, as when he ran it off a Gerry can directly to the pump,
> it fired up OK and the fuel-line/ tank junction had rusted through to
> virtually nothing and it was probably sucking air.(I had to take his
> word for this as it was something I hadn't checked, but I have known
> him for a while). So he ordered a new tank, fitted it and I picked it
> up that night, running fine. 

And how did the tank that came out look?  Rusted through fuel lines?
Why not just replace the lines if they are rusted? That's replacing the 
tires by starting at the axle.  If a mechanic can't show you busted 
parts, then there were none, nad he's more concerned with working on 
your wallet than your car.

The next day, it wouldn't start again
> and had exactly the same symptoms - stuttering, running lumpy and
> cutting out after about 30 seconds - so I got the guy back round. It
> was at this point that I noticed a pool of diesel underneath the pump
> that had not been there before. It looks like it is dripping from the
> cold-start spindle, and according to the mechanic, this is going to
> cost big-time. 

At worst, it's a pump rebuild that costs around 500 bucks CDN tops.
This would be the time to learn how to remove and install a pump 
yourself, and look for a Bosch certified pump shop to take it to.

Now, it looks as though I might have to pay for a tank
> and fitting that didn't really need replacing, 

If he shows you the tank that required replacing, and it is rusted 
through, yes.  If not, you owe him for some diagnosis time.  If he still 
choses to replace a part after getting to it and verifying that it is 
not at fault, then it's his bad judgement that followed through on 
replacing the tank.  When you pay for expert help, he's supposed to be 
working in YOUR best interest.
The fuellines might have been rusted through as well.  UNlikely, but 
possible.
The pump can get air from the front pump seal (input shaft) as well, and 
fail to suck fuel from the tank; and providing an unrestricted suction, 
like from a gerry can, diagnoses it is getting air somewhere, not 
necessarily via the fuel line.  just where that air is getting in 
requires more diagnosis, not to throw parts at it until fixed like your 
shop buddy did.

and the garage
> mechanic that I trusted seems to be losing my confidence by the
> second. According to said mechanic, a pump expert could service the
> pump at around £50 per hour??? I already have to replace a leaky
> exhaust manifold gasket 

Try tightening the manifold nuts first. They do work loose after time.
If it's been ran like that for some time, maybe gaskets need replacing.


and a leaky oil return pipe from the turbo,

rusty?

> which were going to be my next jobs. This could mean having the
> manifold skimmed, as I think it could be warped, and if the bolts
> don't come from the head easily, then it could turn really nasty. 

Again, unlikely.  Possible, but unlikely.

I
> am fairly new to diesel engines, and although I can do some jobs
> myself, I am beginning to think it would be cheaper to stick-in a
> used engine. Would a straight swap for a later 1.9TD or D be a viable
> alternative to loads of small, costly repairs? I am beginning to
> think a straight diesel might be better, as there is less to go
> wrong.

Buy the manual, and get some grease under your nails.
small costly repairs need not be costly, just small if you do them 
yourself.  A shop has to charge money at a minimum rate for even small 
stuff, that's how the doors stay open, but learning to do a bunch of 
little stuff yourself has the biggest payback over time.   Big jobs are 
proportionally cheaper to have done at a shop usually, if you count your 
time spent and what you get for your buck.

Replacing a good engine with another used engine gets you nothing- just 
someone else's used engine with small things to fix, just different 
small things than yours.  If yours is worn out, that's a different 
story, and fixing manifolds and such on a worn out motor is throwing 
good money after bad.
You need a compression test to gauge the health or wear-outedness of the 
motor you have to form that decision.
-james