Mk1 Rabbit Glow Plug Switch

[Jdub]

I recently bought an 82 Rabbit L Diesel. The fellow I bought it from had worked around the faulty glow plug switch with some house wiring and an automotive switch ... which is sitting on my floor.

I had a 91 golf diesel, and it would fire the glow plugs at the first stage of the key turn. Is this car the same, or is wiring up a switch the requirement?

Thanks,
Jesse

[Crasher]

The glow plugs are turned on by a really above the really plate and this uses a temp sender on the side outlet of the cylinder head above the gearbox. This sender is a small (14-mm spanner sized) NTC (negative Temperature Coefficient) type of sender that often fails but so does the really as does the fuse in the small black plastic box on the bulkhead, sorry firewall. Are you in Canada?

[Jdub]

Thanks Crasher. Yes, I am Canadian, so the firewall it is :D

So I should check the relay and the temp sender (which I assume would be the same as a temp sensor?) Is there a way to figure out where the failure is? The fuse is an easy one...but what about the sender and relay?

Thanks again,
Jesse

[Crasher]

Do you have a wiring diagram for a CR engine?

[Jdub]

No, I can safely say I have no diagrams for this car yet.

[Crasher]

I can't remember if I have one at work on that old fashioned paper stuff.

[Jdub]

Paper? What's that you say?

Well, I'm not sure if this'll help...I tried using the horn today when some moron drove out in an attempt to be t-boned, and it didn't work. I've not been under the dash to the fuses yet, but do the two work on the same fuse?

[Crasher]

The pre 83 ECS 1 fuse box schematic isn't etched into my brain like the 83 onwards ECS 2 so I will have to wait until I can look at the diagram.

[Jdub]

Hey Crasher,

Did you ever figure out what the wiring's supposed to look like?

I've new information that might help as well. It seems, when I turn the key to the first position, there's a second of glow plug, or at least that's what the indicator light says. Then it flashes off. Do you think this is pointing to the relay?

Thanks again,
Jesse

[Crasher]

From the single terminal coolant temperature sender (049 919 501) on the side of the head there should be a blue/white wire that goes into the main harness and comes out behind the fuse box at a single connector terminal and then carries on into the glow plug relay at terminal T. Also, check that you have starter cranking power to terminal 50, Terminal L is the feed to the light, 30 is main live power in-constant live, 87 is power out to the glow plugs, 85 is constant earth and 86 is ignition live.