How do I bleed a MK1 diesel engine?

[afxjzs]

I had to replace a fuel line, and now the car won't start. it turns over fine, it just needs diesel. How do i prime/bleed the system?

any help is appreciated.

it's a 1.5L indirect injection non-turbo in a 1979 4-door rabbit.

Please help, thanks.

[afxjzs]

apparently, the system bleeds itself? that's what i read on another forum.

[silentdub]

Originally Posted by afxjzs

apparently, the system bleeds itself? that's what i read on another forum.

hmmmm. I heard people connecting a hand pump right before the injection pump and doing it that way.

There is a Diesel manual somewhere on MK1DUBZ AT MK1LUV download it.

If your injection pump is week, some people actually install an electric inline pump. This is good for when people run out of fuel.

My project car is a Diesel, but it also had an inline pump hooked up.

[81HoopT]

I live in ky, so keep that in mind. lol I wrapped an airgun (to a compressor) with a rag and stuck it in the filler neck and disconected the intake lineon the pump. Shoot some psi in there and it should only take about 30 to 60 seconds before you've got fuel to the pump.

[Familydiesel]

I have done the same thing that 80hoopT suggests. Just loosen the return line at the injection pump, plug the return line with a bolt and keep the feed line on the injection pump. Then put the pressure to the tank until you see fuel coming out of the return nozzle on the injection pump.

If you don't have success getting fuel to flow out of the injection pump, then try the following: remove both the return line and feed lines at the injection pump. and plug the return line. Put the loose end of the feed line over a container that will take the fuel. Put the pressure to the fuel tank until fuel flows out of your feed hose. Leave the return line (line going back to the tank) off., but reclamp your feed line to the injection pump. Put pressure to the line again until fuel comes out of the inection pump return nozzle. Put the hoses back on the pump, and then crack the lines going to each injector. Temporarily disconect the glow plugs by either removing the relay or loosening the one wire going to the first glow plug buss (tape the end of the wire terminal so that it doesn't touch anything while you are turning on the ingnition). Crank the motor until you see fuel coming out around the injector tops. Then tighten the injector lines and hook up your glow plugs. Engage the glow system and start the car. This should work. If you have more trouble, post again and we'll see if we can help.

[molecule]

@FamilyDiesel

I was hoping you could clarify your wonderful instructions ...

in the first instruction, when you say "... plug the return line" do you mean pull the fat rubber hose returning to the tank off the return nozzle and plugging the open end of the rubber return line? (to keep pressure in the tank against the feed line?)

then you say "crack the lines going to each injector" do you mean the top nuts on each injector (circled in red if I am able to upload a pic)? any trick to that ... do I have to hold a lower nut while cracking (loosening slightly) the top nut (if that is the correct one to crack)? use WD-40? or other lube? any way to know when not to try too hard to twist it if one of them feels like it's locked up? how tight do you tighten them back -- just a little (like a 1/16 turn) past just snug enough to not leak?

not to open a new line to the thread, but do you know if there supposed to be a feedline pump between the tank and the filter on my Jetta 1982 diesel (non-turbo)?

For some reason, I lost fuel in my feed line. I hope it is due to rapid temperature drop to 10°F, and that it was a freeze up or water in fuel, and not hardware like line pump or injector pump.

when I open the bleed valve (screw) on top of the fuel filter, and turn the ignition ON (but not cranking to start) no fuel squirts out of the top of the fuel filter ... does that have any significance? If there is a low-pressure pump between the tank and the filter, to pressurize the feedline to the injector -- if so, would it normally turn on when the ignition is turned ON, or would the car have to be cranking/running?

[simpsonjohn5]

I think the system bleeds itselef?and this was wht i hve read in some other froum