I know zero about diesel engines. An 83 turbo diesel is pulling a hill at highway speed when it stops running, "like someone turned the key off". The mechanic, who also knows nothing about diesels, changes the fuel filter. Still nothing. I buy the car for $100 and am trying to figure out what to look for or how to make it run again, IF that is even possible. Does this car have an electric fuel pump? Is there any other device that might have triggered the interuption of fuel? The Caterpillar that I run quits running once it the fuel flow stops. Otherwise, it would run forever. What "kills" the engine in one of these VW diesels? Mechanical or electrical? The car has 160K and I know none of its history at all. Anyone wish to tell me what to look for, where to check fuel flow, etc? I'd really appreciate it.

Thanks,

Leonard

Mine would randomly do this....and it was always always electrical....from a fuse not properly seated to a ground wire corroded....easy to fix if it's one of those...but challenging to find

your problem may be that someone has mixed up two wires on the injection

pump. one is for the fuel solenoid (12volts),the other is for alitude

compensater,it's voltage changes with alitude.I have seem this before

normally after injection pump work.

batcave@compusmart.ab.ca

Check for disaster first. 1) not really a disaster but inconvenient; see if the timing belt at the top rear of the engine is broken. It runs the fuel injector pump. You can see it without removing anything. 2) this is a disaster: pull the top half of the sheet metal timing belt cover at the front of the engine. This belt drives the camshaft and if it breaks pistons and valves run into each other and bend things as well as probably breaking the camshaft bearing supports. In either case the engine won't run. If these are ok then look for the wire to the front of the injector pump that causes the solenoid fuel valve in the pump to stay open while the ignition is on. It could have fallen off or have an open or short somewhere in it. Diesels are pretty brute simple but expensive. If they have compression and get fuel in a reasonbly timely fashion they usually run. The D24T is actually a pretty good engine and can do good work and lots of it. If it did not swallow valves and you can make it run you probably got a good deal.

Hope this helps.

Thank you for your responses. I do know that the front belt is at least complete and rotates. There isn't any noise that would indicate the valve trouble. I will look into the rear belt. I will also check the wires that have been mentioned. Are any of these fused somewhere? I read all of the horror stories about wirning harnesses, all the "fixes" for bad pump relays, etc. I fool with the old stuff, 444 and 544's, and all of a sudden I have a GL 244 diesel with a bad head gasket, and now this 760 GLE diesel that doesn't run at all. Someone mentioned something about a fool and his money..... The 244 is exceptionally clean in and out, the 760 is very straight but needs cleaned out inside. And I do have several small blocks laying around.....

Leonard

I think the previous posts have given good information.

Because the engine is VW, you can get a lot of the tools to work on the fuel system, timing etc., from Snap-On. Get a copy of the Volvo "Green" shop manual for the engine and the emission control system and you can do a better job of setting up the engine than any "mechanic". Find the manuals you need at http://www.kencook.com/vcna/volvo.html.

I had to replace the wiring harness on my turbo diesel at about 120K. Any place that was warm and got oil on it fell apart.