Can I cause damage rotating engine manually with timing wrong

Keep working on it! Save that bunny!



(what a cheezy post! I'm trying to be encouraging)

Haha! Thanks for trying..

No really, that is kinda encouraging. Had a rough night last night again. Not sure what to think at this point, but I'll get 'er! You guys are awesome. I think I need to keep one of these MK1s.

Well got 'er fired up finally last night. I had this hunch that the starter wasn't turning the engine over fast enough if it wouldn't even hit with ether. So I slapped a new starter on and wouldn't you know it, that sucker spun and took off.

I do need to put another new timing belt, (left my IP locking tool (socket) in the sprocket and tried to start it one night. Didn't trash the belt but hurt it pretty good.) and put everything back together. Then the interior. Ugh. It was used as a cat box for a few years so it's fairly nasty. We'll see how it turns out!

So I realize this thread is turning into more than what the title stated, so if it's not allowed please delete, or maybe move if possible. I guess I could change the title of the thread, too. I have more questions though and am not super excited about joining another forum to ask them when obviously there are people here that more than capable of answering them. So here goes!

I took 'er for a cruise finally and it actually runs pretty good. It has a fuel leak from hell, though. From the IP, and I mean, it's horrible. Almost like somebody is slowly pouring it out of a cup onto the engine. I've done a little research though and I think I can handle taking it off (great..) and resealing it. Doesn't seem to affect the way it runs, either. Oh well.

The other thing I couldn't find a definitive answer on is my oil pressure light. My wiring may be jacked up, I know I should get a Bentley, but these are my symptoms. Turn the key on- no light. Start the car, let it idle, cruise it around lightly- no light. Get on it or rev it in neutral pretty high- light comes on. Turn the car off and start it right back up- no light. This is the weird thing. While it's idling, no light, it idles pretty good. Rev it up, light comes on, RPMs drop back down and it start idling rough(ish). What's up with that?

Maybe I'm paranoid too but it almost sounded like it had a knock. I've heard fuel knocks before too and after it ran awhile it seemed to quiet up so I wasn't too worried about it but thought I should mention it.

Plans are- Get a Bentley, check oil pressure with a mechanical gauge, maybe pull the pan and check rod bearings. I think the gasket is leaking anyway so it would be a good thing to do anyway.

I guess that's it for now. I thought I was getting close to being finished but I guess I thought wrong! Thanks bros.

You will be much better off researching over at VW MKIV-A4 TDIs (VE and PD) - TDIClub Forums.
Fuel pump can be resealed, your oil pressure light is normal, these cars only sense pressure at certain RPMs (1500-3000??). If the bearings have been stressed (run hot or low on oil), just replace them. But go ahead and rule out a faulty gauge first. The pumps are stout and rarely fail. Bearings provide much of the pressure within the crankcase (learned this the hard way!). The pump gets the oil upstairs.

...except that the oil light should come on when you turn the key to on but don't start the car, and then turn off once the engine starts and oil pressure is established.

OP You have the right idea for next steps IMHO...confirm actual oil pressure with a gauge, and then troubleshoot further based on it being an actual oil pressure problem or a warning system problem.

BobnOH said:

You will be much better off researching over at VW MKIV-A4 TDIs (VE and PD) - TDIClub Forums.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the link Bob but I think my thread title isn't clear enough. I'm actually working on an '84 Rabbit with a 1.6 NA, not the car in my signature. I don't think they'd let me in at the MKIV club in this instance.

And actually Vince, your website is where I've been getting most of my information. Super helpful stuff. I think it's for a MKII though isn't it? Some of the wires are different colors and some other minor stuff. Gave me a good idea of how it all is supposed to work though.

Baxter'sTDI said:

I'm actually working on an '84 Rabbit with a 1.6 NA, not the car in my signature.

Click to expand...

Ah... important clarification.

I don't recall the 84's having a dual oil pressure system... but if so yah... it behaves differently than the warning system in your signature: a sensor on the driver's side of the head is monitored at ALL RPMs, and a sensor at the base of the oil filter is monitored at RPMs over 2000ish.

If your 84 has both sensors then the troubleshooting instructions on my site should apply... +/- the odd wire colour difference between model years. Basically you systematically check the electrical performance of one sensor input and then the other.

The "no oil light when key is on" suggests a problem with the low pressure sensor (head) or wiring, and the buzzer over 2000 suggests a problem with the high pressure sensor (oil filter)... but since you have both it may be as simple as someone swapped the sensors, since one is normally open and the other is normally closed.

But: start with a gauge reading if you can... being an 84 she has some miles on 'er and you could actually have low oil pressure.