[Vwdiesel] More Quantum Questions?

[William J Toensing]

About an hour ago, I heard something I hadn't heard in a long, long time. My Quantum running! Installed the "rebuilt" pump I had been struggling with off & on for the past month or so. I took that IP as well as the IP that was originally on my Quantum to Allen Diesel Energy, Yuba, CA. Found that the IP I bought on eBay & then had rebuilt back in Maryland had installed the "camplate" 180 degrees out of time. They corrected this, checked the calibration, & bench checked it charging for 3 hours labor @ $75 per hour or $225. Their estimate to rebuild my original Quantum's IP was over $600 as they found the seals flat & the cam rollers pitted following dissembley. They reassembled that pump & did not charge for the inspection but maybe they got it back on the other IP. $75 an hour appears to be a reasonable labor rate these days, especially in Calif. My guess is they put in more than 3 hours on my IPs & it looks like I am at least $50 ahead buying another pump on eBay as opposed to having my original pump rebuild. At least I now know how to R&R an IP pump including the correct timing. Oh, should I be seeing foamy diesel coming out of the return line, which is transparent?
As to my '86 Jetta, I found if I let the add on electric pump pump away for a minute or so the Jetta then starts right up so I guess the IP is weak. That is what the people at Allen Diesel Energy thought. The main problem with the Jetta is that the spring you need to push down on to engage reverse is broaken or missing. Is it possible those parts would be interchangeable with my '81 Rabbit parts car? I have never worked on VW transmission linkage but I guess I will learn here too. Thanks fellows for the advice you have helped me with. Hope some of my advice has helped some others too.