SOLVED: 1982 diesel won't start trying to leave Vancouver, BC

[sphet]

Van ran short trip just fine last night - went to fill it up. This morning it won't start. Engine cranks, some white smoke comes out of exhaust, but no start. It is not uncommon to see some white smoke on really cold mornings but surprising in August. Good voltage. Normally park van level, but this time nose up? Double checked I put the right fuel in -- pretty sure that's not the problem.

Any ideas where to start?
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1982 Diesel Westfalia 1.6 NA - The Shellakabuukiee

[randolph57]

Typically it will be
1) 50 amp fuse link in engine bay has blown
2)glow plug relay defective
3)glow plugs defective

Go with the fuseable link as its a quick visual check once you have the box open in engine bay. others require multimeter/extra investigation.

[sphet]

[MarkWard]

Key on check for power at the fuel cutoff solenoid valve on the pump. In warmer ambient temps, the glow plug circuit is not so important on engines with good compression. On an engine with some wear, it depends more on the glowplugs to start. Glowplugs tend to burn out 1 by 1. You may have been down to one good plug and it died last time you started it. If you have access to an inductive amp meter, you can measure the amps from the relay to the glowplug busbar. Key on, the amp meter will show well over 50 amps momentarily, but should settle out at 36 amps. 9 amps for each glow plug. If you have 27 amps, one plug is dead, 18 amps 2 plugs are dead and so on.

You also need to check the clear fuel supply line to the pump for bubbles. You mentioned parking on a non level surface. You may have lost the pump prime. Normally that does not happen, but watching the supply line will give you an indication that the fuel is moving.

If it has lost prime, you can crack the 4 fuel lines at the injector with a 17 mm wrench. Have someone crank the engine while you watch the injectors. The air gets expelled and you will see fuel spurting up past the fitting. Lock the lines down and it should start.

Also, take the fuel cap off and smell in there. If somehow you got gasoline, the smell should be obvious.
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☮️

[randolph57]

As mark says above^^^^ but all mentioned are possible. black fuse box/relay housing and snakes wiring are located left front side (usually) of engine bay standing at the rear-clip cover fuse link secured by two phillips head screws.

[sphet]

Is this it? Looks like the link is broken.

This doesn't prevent the starter from cranking only power to the glow plug relay, or also the pump?

Anyone have a part # for that? -- looks like N0171251 ?

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1982 Diesel Westfalia 1.6 NA - The Shellakabuukiee

[jerrydog411]

sphet. I just pm'd you


John

[Jeffrey Lee]

That's the one, and yours looks bad.

Here you go:
https://www.partsplaceinc.com/vw-glow-plug-fuse-3590.html/

These are prone to stress/vibration cracking, so buy a few.

In the interim, you can simply direct-wire those two connectors with a small-gauge wire, but like replacing a household fuse with a penny, this is not a safe long-term solution.

This fuse only protects the glow-system buss bar, and will not affect the starter, fuel supply, or anything else.
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Camp Westfalia
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www.CampWestfalia.com

[sphet]

Thanks so much to all of you for your help. I jumped the fuse and it started fine. I will get it started and drive to the parts shop. I think you all have saved my last-of-the-summer weekend vacation!
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1982 Diesel Westfalia 1.6 NA - The Shellakabuukiee

[Mike Robinson]

That was good.

Crisis over in 1.5 hours.

Well done the Samba!

M

'82 Westy Diesel AAZ

[sphet]

[Mike Robinson]

I have a 1.6NA parts engine in Nanaimo if you want anything off it. The pump was good, head newish, I have a k&n filter.

Pm me if you want anything, it needs to be out of my garage soon.

M